Looking at the clock, I see that it is already 2:14 in the afternoon where I live. I have hesitated in writing this post. Having to write it is one of the reasons for my heavy heart, but not wanting to have another experience that brought forth A Cleansing Rain for My Sin, I decided to stop trying to draw out the inevitable and sit down at the computer.
Before I began to type today, I went back and read the last few posts, ending with the cleansing rain one. It wasn't until I came to the final two paragraphs that I had written in that post, that I knew the real reason for my procrastination. History repeats itself and reading the words anew was enough impetus to get me to click on the pen icon to write this piece.
Before I get into the heart of this message, let me tell you a story about myself that, given the nature of this blog, you may find hard to believe. This week, a friend of mine shared her blog with me that has been off of the Internet for awhile, and let me tell you what, the woman can write! Her bare bones honesty is refreshing. Her wonderful illustrations were beautifully written and engaging and drew me in because they were so easy to relate to. I loved every minute that I spent reading through the experiences of her life! She didn't hold back the achingly good and the awfully painful, and in every story, HE was there! Each illustration painted a lovely picture of His Word and His presence in not just her life, but in all of our lives. It was an honor that she trusted me enough to open up in that way and I don't take it lightly.
I bring that up to of course tell you of my joy at reading her blog and also to tell you that when the prophetess told me a few years ago that I would have one of my own, that is how I expected it would be. A devotional of sorts that grew out of my day to day experiences. Tales from my life that would make people laugh or cry, or smile and nod in identification; as well as bring forth truth from His Word to take it much deeper than mere story telling.
When the Father asked me more than a couple of years ago during a church service, if He could use my writing and I instantly answered, "Sure!", I did so not knowing what that would mean. I expected that it would a continuation of the same things that I had been doing, so of course I had no problem with it. Composing things like Bible studies, letters, cards, e mails and wordy texts were no big deal, right? Shifting gears to make those kinds of things into a blog was where I thought He was headed. I'm shaking my head as the irony of, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."*, is going through my mind.
Nope, that isn't where He was headed. This is where He was going. And as His chosen title for the blog reveals, these hard truths are the things that He has chosen For Such a Time as This. Do I feel badly that my plans were aborted in lieu of Him taking this blog in a direction I never saw coming back when He asked if He could use my writing; even taking into consideration the costs and losses that have come with it? If you could see the slow smile that's building on my face and the shake of my head that accompanies it, you would already know the answer to that question. His "life more abundant" promise is manifesting itself in my life to a fullness that it never has before! I wouldn't trade one second of the peace, depth, discovery and blessings of this walk on the ancient paths for anything this world has to offer!
Yesterday, I published a post that told you that my heart is heavy, in part, because of something He has asked me to convey to you. All morning I hesitated to write it and when I finally got up the guts to do so, this is what came. It appears to me that He wanted you to see the difference between Him and me so as to clear up any doubt when the message comes.
I will close this piece as I began it, with my telling of re-reading some recent posts that ended with A Cleansing Rain for My Sin. When you come to the last two paragraphs that I wrote, you will see why I don't mind that He has always made For Such a Time as This, HIS.
http://suebendorf.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-cleansing-rain.html?m=1
*Proverbs 16:9 NKJV
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
A Red Sea Experience
My heart has been heavy the last couple of days. There are reasons for it. Some I have been aware of, others have been veiled. I have prayed and waited for Him to show me all of the reasons.
As I stood in the shower this morning, a song from the past came to mind with such force that I found myself singing it. I haven't sung it in a long time so these lyrics will be from memory. I don't want to look it up to make sure that all the words are correct. In this instance, it would feel like I was cheapening the time I had spent singing it to Him.
"Sometimes my little heart can't understand. What's in Your will? What's in Your plan?
So many times I'm tempted to ask You why.
But I can never forget it for long,
Lord, what You do, could not be wrong.
So I believe You, even when I must cry.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the river flow?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does north wind blow?
You can see my heart.
You can read my mind.
And You've got to know I would rather die,
Than to lose my faith in the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?
Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You.
My Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You.
I won't look to the left or right.
My only hope, is keepin' You in my sight.
Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You. My Lord.
We will glorify the King of Kings.
We will glorify the Lamb.
We will glorify the Lord of Lords. Who is the Great I AM.
Who IS.
I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why.
I will trust You, Lord, 'til the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain.
You were God before and You never change!
I will trust You!
I will trust You!
I will trust You, Lord!
I will trust You!
I will trust You!
I WILL TRUST YOU, LORD!
Do I Trust You Medley by Twila Paris
Every time I think of this song, I remember a dream that I had shortly after becoming a believer. In the dream I was crossing the Red Sea on dry ground like the Israelites had done in their escape from Pharaoh's army. The sound of rushing waters was incredible as was the height of the brilliantly blue walls of water that flowed upward. I saw animals of the sea swim up the sides with the direction of the flow. As you can imagine, I was in complete and utter awe as my eyes traveled everywhere! I had walked for awhile when I came to a fork in the road. A path went to the right and one went to the left. Although I reasoned that the right would be the best route to take, I wondered if it was a test. So I first took a few steps down the left and backed up. Then I took a few down the right, but that didn't feel right, either. So I came back to the place in the middle and stared at it. I told myself that it was just a veil of water and no matter what happened, I knew that what I was thinking was what I was supposed to do. I pushed through the wall of water and found that indeed, it was only a thin veil. It was then that I heard in my spirit this command,
"Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them." Deuteronomy 28:14
After hearing those Words - that I had no prior knowledge of, my ears beheld people cheering and in the midst of their cheers, I heard that they were shouting my name! Needless to say, I started to run and my excitement grew with each step! I came to another veil and this time with no hesitation, I pushed through, careful to keep my eyes tightly shut so as to not ruin the surprise of whom I would meet on the other side. SUCH CELEBRATION! Someone picked me up and hands were patting me and crying out how good it was for me to finally be HOME!
When I awakened with a huge smile on my face and tears on my eyelids, I knew that not only was the dream from Him, but that it was prophetic. That at some point on my walk I would have my own "Red Sea experience" and have to make a decision that would affect my arrival Home. In the dream I had clearly made the right choice. Through the years I wondered if I would make the right one when the time came for me to face it in real life.
As I stood in the shower this morning with Twila's song and my Red Sea dream on my mind, I knew all the reasons for my heavy heart and I knew what He was asking me to do. But for today, this story is enough and will be an introduction for what's to come.
Red Sea crossing - Exodus 14
"26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
Proverbs 4:26-27
As I stood in the shower this morning, a song from the past came to mind with such force that I found myself singing it. I haven't sung it in a long time so these lyrics will be from memory. I don't want to look it up to make sure that all the words are correct. In this instance, it would feel like I was cheapening the time I had spent singing it to Him.
"Sometimes my little heart can't understand. What's in Your will? What's in Your plan?
So many times I'm tempted to ask You why.
But I can never forget it for long,
Lord, what You do, could not be wrong.
So I believe You, even when I must cry.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the river flow?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does north wind blow?
You can see my heart.
You can read my mind.
And You've got to know I would rather die,
Than to lose my faith in the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?
Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You.
My Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You.
I won't look to the left or right.
My only hope, is keepin' You in my sight.
Lord, I'm keepin' my eyes on You, following You, following You. My Lord.
We will glorify the King of Kings.
We will glorify the Lamb.
We will glorify the Lord of Lords. Who is the Great I AM.
Who IS.
I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why.
I will trust You, Lord, 'til the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain.
You were God before and You never change!
I will trust You!
I will trust You!
I will trust You, Lord!
I will trust You!
I will trust You!
I WILL TRUST YOU, LORD!
Do I Trust You Medley by Twila Paris
Every time I think of this song, I remember a dream that I had shortly after becoming a believer. In the dream I was crossing the Red Sea on dry ground like the Israelites had done in their escape from Pharaoh's army. The sound of rushing waters was incredible as was the height of the brilliantly blue walls of water that flowed upward. I saw animals of the sea swim up the sides with the direction of the flow. As you can imagine, I was in complete and utter awe as my eyes traveled everywhere! I had walked for awhile when I came to a fork in the road. A path went to the right and one went to the left. Although I reasoned that the right would be the best route to take, I wondered if it was a test. So I first took a few steps down the left and backed up. Then I took a few down the right, but that didn't feel right, either. So I came back to the place in the middle and stared at it. I told myself that it was just a veil of water and no matter what happened, I knew that what I was thinking was what I was supposed to do. I pushed through the wall of water and found that indeed, it was only a thin veil. It was then that I heard in my spirit this command,
"Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them." Deuteronomy 28:14
After hearing those Words - that I had no prior knowledge of, my ears beheld people cheering and in the midst of their cheers, I heard that they were shouting my name! Needless to say, I started to run and my excitement grew with each step! I came to another veil and this time with no hesitation, I pushed through, careful to keep my eyes tightly shut so as to not ruin the surprise of whom I would meet on the other side. SUCH CELEBRATION! Someone picked me up and hands were patting me and crying out how good it was for me to finally be HOME!
When I awakened with a huge smile on my face and tears on my eyelids, I knew that not only was the dream from Him, but that it was prophetic. That at some point on my walk I would have my own "Red Sea experience" and have to make a decision that would affect my arrival Home. In the dream I had clearly made the right choice. Through the years I wondered if I would make the right one when the time came for me to face it in real life.
As I stood in the shower this morning with Twila's song and my Red Sea dream on my mind, I knew all the reasons for my heavy heart and I knew what He was asking me to do. But for today, this story is enough and will be an introduction for what's to come.
Red Sea crossing - Exodus 14
"26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."
Proverbs 4:26-27
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Winds of Change
It probably goes without saying that the last post I put up has remained a part of my thoughts and prayers. I have continued to think about Saul and why he was rejected as king. Remember, he told Samuel that he had obeyed ...as the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen were heard in the distance. His obedience went only part of the way. I remember telling my children while they were growing up, "Delayed and partial obedience is disobedience." This was true of Saul and it is true of us.
The good news ...
...is that there is still time for us to repent!
After sending out the post on Saturday, I awoke Sunday morning to reach for my phone to check the time. I saw that my husband was already on his phone checking sport stats from the night before. The Berean is a devotional that comes to my Inbox early each morning. As I finished the devotion that came that day, I said, "Oh my word!" and handed it to my husband for him to read.
http://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Home.showBerean/BereanID/2045/Amos-8-3,htm
I cannot explain how grateful I am to the Father for bringing His comfort and continued confirmation through His Word!
Then today, my Inbox held the following post from a sister in the Lord who received a very similar message a year ago, today.
HIS STILL SMALL VOICE: One year ago today - April 1, 2013
For all shall come tumbling down, tumbling down.
Yes, they cry, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, but My hand is removed from the churches that men have built.
Build My Church! Build My people! Cleanse My alters. I shall purge all the leven, all that is not of Me.
Oh My Daughter, how I tire from looking upon all this false worship and none of it is for Me. They don't even realize that I don't hear them, for they are not sincere. A few honor Me, but then even they are stifled because of the corrupt hearts of them that are amonst them.
NO MORE. NO MORE.
to see the rest of the post, please go to: http://womanassigned.blogspot.com/2014/04/his-still-small-voice-one-year-ago.html
The wind is blowing hard today where I live. Hmmm ...There was a morning filled with sunshine and strong winds a year ago when I was hanging out my first load of laundry of the season. I was talking to the Father about the things that were on my heart and as I bent down to pick up an item from the laundry basket, He spoke to my spirit, "Everything you have known is about to change." As I sit here this morning, listening to the wind blow around the corners of the house and whistling at the windows, the memory of that morning is very vivid in my mind.
The nature of strong winds is to move in fronts that bring change.
"13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
1 Samuel 15:13-14
"9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
"30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Ezekiel 18:30-32
"13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountian;
14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart,
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
Isaiah 57:13-21
Amazing, isn't it?!
To all of those who abide in His Word, be thou comforted for it is eternal, it is alive, it will never pass away! Those of you who are led by His Spirit who put your trust in Him and are led in His Word, you will not be put to shame! It is its own witness to the truth! HALLELUYAH! AND AGAIN, I SAY GLORY TO THE ONE WHO SITS UPON THE THRONE AND IS WORTHY!
"12 ...Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."
Revelation 5:12-14
Again, I say, WORTHY IS THE LAMB!
The good news ...
...is that there is still time for us to repent!
After sending out the post on Saturday, I awoke Sunday morning to reach for my phone to check the time. I saw that my husband was already on his phone checking sport stats from the night before. The Berean is a devotional that comes to my Inbox early each morning. As I finished the devotion that came that day, I said, "Oh my word!" and handed it to my husband for him to read.
http://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Home.showBerean/BereanID/2045/Amos-8-3,htm
I cannot explain how grateful I am to the Father for bringing His comfort and continued confirmation through His Word!
Then today, my Inbox held the following post from a sister in the Lord who received a very similar message a year ago, today.
HIS STILL SMALL VOICE: One year ago today - April 1, 2013
For all shall come tumbling down, tumbling down.
Yes, they cry, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, but My hand is removed from the churches that men have built.
Build My Church! Build My people! Cleanse My alters. I shall purge all the leven, all that is not of Me.
Oh My Daughter, how I tire from looking upon all this false worship and none of it is for Me. They don't even realize that I don't hear them, for they are not sincere. A few honor Me, but then even they are stifled because of the corrupt hearts of them that are amonst them.
NO MORE. NO MORE.
to see the rest of the post, please go to: http://womanassigned.blogspot.com/2014/04/his-still-small-voice-one-year-ago.html
The wind is blowing hard today where I live. Hmmm ...There was a morning filled with sunshine and strong winds a year ago when I was hanging out my first load of laundry of the season. I was talking to the Father about the things that were on my heart and as I bent down to pick up an item from the laundry basket, He spoke to my spirit, "Everything you have known is about to change." As I sit here this morning, listening to the wind blow around the corners of the house and whistling at the windows, the memory of that morning is very vivid in my mind.
The nature of strong winds is to move in fronts that bring change.
"13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
1 Samuel 15:13-14
"9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
"30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Ezekiel 18:30-32
"13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountian;
14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart,
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
Isaiah 57:13-21
Amazing, isn't it?!
To all of those who abide in His Word, be thou comforted for it is eternal, it is alive, it will never pass away! Those of you who are led by His Spirit who put your trust in Him and are led in His Word, you will not be put to shame! It is its own witness to the truth! HALLELUYAH! AND AGAIN, I SAY GLORY TO THE ONE WHO SITS UPON THE THRONE AND IS WORTHY!
"12 ...Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."
Revelation 5:12-14
Again, I say, WORTHY IS THE LAMB!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Behold, I Come!
As I wrote this post, a few titles went through my mind and it was drawing to a close I prayed, asking what He wanted the title to be. He spoke to my spirit, "Behold, I come." I looked up Revelation 22:12 and forgot to include it before I clicked, "Publish". So here I am to update what the He began.
"12 And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
A few days ago, I received a text from my sister asking me what I had been hearing from the Father lately because all was quiet on her end. I wrote back that if I was a betting person, I would bet good money that she wouldn't want to know.
As you continue to read, you may feel the same way.
On Saturday morning, March 22, 2014, I had two dreams. The first one was one in which I was lying face down on the floor of a motel room. It was dusk or early dawn. I was before the Father in prayer; seeking His will and dying to my own. Suddenly, I heard the most awful sound that grew louder by the second. I knew that it had to be the sound of an aircraft that was way too close for comfort. When I rose to open the vertical blinds and look out the window, I expected to see that the air craft was directly above the motel. Not only was it nearly grazing the roof of the high rise, it was going down. It was a passenger jet and the tail section was before my upper story window. As the plane descended in slow motion, the vertical stabilizer of the tail section was right in front of me. The number imprinted on the side was 34. I awakened just before the plane crashed.
Dismissing the first thought that entered my head upon awakening that maybe a flight #34 was going to crash, I reached for my phone, knowing that the number was symbolic. I looked up the biblical meaning of the number and found that it was "Man's Religion/Money".
www.biblenumbersforlife.com
For a few months, the Father has been revealing things to me concerning the church so although I wasn't really surprised at what the dream conveyed, I laid in bed with a sick feeling in my stomach and sorrow once again crowding my heart. I prayed for a period of time and then drifted back to sleep and had a follow-up dream in which I was walking barefoot on a beach. Although the sand appeared soft, after a couple of steps I found that it was hard and yet shifted beneath my feet. I stumbled and nearly fell as I walked upon the small mounds that would normally flatten under foot. When I awakened from the dream it was early dawn. Of course I was wondering what it was all about and rose to make my way to the bathroom, surprised to find that the bedroom floor felt the same way to my feet as the sand had felt in the dream. As I walked into the bathroom and the sensation stopped, I asked the Father what it meant. He quietly spoke to my spirit, "The foundation is crumbling." Note that He said that the foundation is crumbling.
A foundation of sand appears to be fine, until it shifts.
The interpretations for the dreams ...really don't need much interpretation. In looking back upon them today, I am so grateful that the Father made the messages within them hard to argue with or dismiss as being something I ate from the night before. Let me share though what has come to me as I have continued to pray about them the last few days.
In the first dream I realize that there are true believers who are desperately aware that something isn't right within the practice of Christianity at least as far as America is concerned and they are seeking the Father with all of their hearts and surrendering everything to Him, earnestly praying for truth to be revealed! It took place in a motel because they know with certainty that this place is not their home. Even within the church they seldom feel that they are among family. I couldn't discern the time of day in the first dream because we are at the point of change, very near the beginning of night and the start of a new day. The plane was a passenger jet and I don't even want to begin to contemplate the number of spiritual casualties that will result. Since I awoke before it crashed, I pray that many will also awaken. As far as the beach dream is concerned, everything looked fine, until the sand began to rise up hard and shift, causing me to nearly fall. This tells me that the topple will catch most Christians unaware.
It just occurred to me that right after the Master told us in Matthew 7 that the gate and the way are narrow and few find it; that there are wolves in sheep's clothing; that good trees don't bear bad fruit; and that those who don't keep His law must depart from Him, He says,
"24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the flood's came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
November 23, 2013 the Father sent me a dream that fits with the two that I had exactly one week ago, today. In this one, I was attending a viewing at a funeral home where I used to clean and assisted families as a funeral dinner hostess. It was an evening visitation. As I entered the funeral home and walked into the visitation/viewing room, I saw people gathered around who I knew to be Christians, some of whom I knew personally. Looking around, I asked the Father, "Whose funeral is this?" He responded to my spirit, "Rod Pierce." I knew instantly that the name was symbolic and not a real person so I wasn't even tempted to look at the front of the room where a casket would be displayed.
Normally, there is conversation, crying, even some soft laughter at funeral homes as people share their grief and stories of the deceased. But this room was completely silent. No one spoke to anyone. Heads were hung low and no one so much as looked at anyone else. I tried to speak in an effort to comfort some of the people that I knew, but they wouldn't even look at me. Their grief went to a depth where tears won't come and comfort is refused. Theirs was an unspeakable, despondent loss.
The interpretation came quickly after I awoke and began to pray. The funeral was for the death of a belief system upon which much of their faith had been built. The Father's rod of correction, defense, and nourishment had smashed their false doctrines and pierced their hearts with sorrow. They did not realize (or want to hear) that this had to take place in order for His Kingdom to come to earth. They didn't know that now that man's religion had been smashed by His iron rod, that His truth and righteousness would bring new life and a sweet fragrance that would fill the whole earth and they would be given the choice of freedom in Messiah that they had never before experienced or even imagined!
www.biblefellowshipunion.co.uk/2010/May_Jun/RuleIron.htm
What do I mean by man's religion? Not just the religions of the world that we quickly see as being false, but going all the way back to Baal worship that is still very much alive and active because it didn't originate with the thoughts of men but from the depths of hell and from there receives its fuel for the nations.
Although I don't agree with everything that Martin Luther taught, I am thankful that he broke away from the teaching of the Catholic church but the reform didn't go far enough. All protestant religions are off shoots of that centralized Catholic system and its principles. In a previous post I wrote that judgment is coming and it will begin at His house and it appears from the dreams, the nearness of the jet and His word to me, "The foundation is crumbling.", that His judgment is at the door.
What I am about to write has been birthed out of years of earnest supplication and much anguish over my own sins and on the behalf of those of pastors, teachers and evangelists. I take no joy in what must be conveyed and the Father is my witness to that truth. Although it is written as a sound rebuke it is also bathed in a love that is heartbroken for you and longs for your repentance.
To the clergy men and women who have played the part of hirelings and are more concerned with their standings, salaries and church growth, who run their congregations on the business principles of the world, thinking they have everything all figured out, who are not open to correction or rebuke from anyone, who surround themselves with people who tell them they are fine and stroke their egos, and in the process they have disregarded and desecrated the Word that reflects the holiness of YHVH; to those who run after the things of the world and devise seeker friendly programs that bring paganism along with the entertainment and the sin of the world into the church and dare to call it evangelism; to those who diligently tend to the whims of the goats while ignoring the needs of the bleating of the sheep, will find their pulpits overturned, and true shepherds who honestly care for the folds of the sick, weak and starving, who love and honor YHVH and His commands and wouldn't dream of fleecing HIS flock, will feed them the truth of the Word and lead them to quiet waters where there is rest for their souls. These chosen and prepared shepherds will rise up in your places! Hear Him this day, The Father has said, "ENOUGH!" The Messiah, Yeshua Ha 'Machiach, whom you call Jesus the Christ will bring righteous judgment upon this Babylonian system that you have dared to call His church!
Remember that the tail section of the plane had the number 34 on it? It was a good thing that as it descended that that section of the plane was right in front of me because the numbers were not painted on, they were engraved. The Hand of YHVH is bringing this judgment and it cannot be changed. How He will choose to do it remains to be seen. Since the number stands for man's religion and money, it wouldn't surprise me if money is part of the downfall. When I asked Him why the number wasn't painted and easy to see, He spoke to my spirit, "Most will not recognize it for what it is." Looking upon it, it may appear to be persecution. He was letting me know that it is not persecution, it is Him coming before, in order to destroy this system and to prepare a people who are fit for His Kingdom.
13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righeousness, and the people with his truth."
Psalm 96:13
Last Satuday at the Sabbath Fellowship I attend, part of our extensive Bible study was in Leviticus 10 where the son's of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, had been struck dead. At the end of chapter nine, we find that Aaron had just offered up the sacrifices for the sin offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offering in the prescribed manners in which YHVH had commanded. In 9:23-24 we read,
"23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.
24 And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the alter the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces."
The Father had clearly accepted and was pleased with their offerings. The people witnessed a display of His pleasure and power and they shouted with awe and fell on their faces in reverence and holy fear.
Then in the very next chapter, Nadab and Abihu rush out and get "strange fire" to put on the alter of YHVH. What is strange fire? I don't know. Maybe it was made by human hands for some other purpose and therefore not set apart as holy. Maybe it was of pagan worship origin and they brought it into the tabernacle and put it on HIS alter. Pagan practices and those who followed it were called "strange". This we know for sure, it is H# 2114 zuwr and as pertaining to this, at its root it was unholy, unlawful, and profane.
After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Moses came to Aaron in Leviticus 10:3 and told him,
" 3 ...This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace."
Aaron and his sons knew the commands. Aaron also knew that the Father had reacted justly. Those who draw close to Him are to be sanctified, especially those who represent Him, because through their holiness and the fact that they are to worship Him as He said He must be worshiped, the people see and understand that they too must reverence Him in the way He has told us to reverence Him in holy fear so that He is glorified among the people. But we don't want that. We want to give to Him what we want to offer.
13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one deatheth falsely.
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace peace; where there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it."
Jeremiah 6:13-19
This story from Leviticus reminded me of the first time we see an unlawful offering being given. As we look to Genesis 4, we see that Abel brought a sacrifice of some fat portions of the firstborn of his flock and the Father looked with favor on his offering. His brother Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil and the Father was not pleased with his offering. Cain became angry and his face was downcast.
"6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."
Genesis 4:6-7
The Law, as it was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai had not yet been given, but Adam had a relationship with the Father unlike any mere human has ever experienced. Even Eve did not have that first communion with Him. Adam knew what was expected of him and he had taught his sons. Otherwise the Father never would have asked Cain what He did in verses six and seven. He was telling him if you do what I ask, you will be accepted.
I see this mirrored again in 2 Corinthians 6:16 - 7:1.
"16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
This morning as I was praying about this post, He also spoke to my spirit,
"1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:1-2
These are the kinds of things that He has brought to my mind as I have prayed about the dreams. He has been grieved and has suffered long with us while we have offered Him the things we see as being worthy of Him. We offer Him our programs and our agendas, our money, our idol worship, our abilities, our pagan holidays that we hold so dear, forsaking His commands, HIS Sabbath Day, holy convocations and Feast Days, and think He is pleased; that these things are acceptable to Him because we are sincere. There was a time, Acts 17:30 tells us that,
" 30 ...this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
I will leave you with the story of Saul as written in 1 Samuel 15 and implore you to read it in its entirety. King Saul was given specific instructions on how to carry out YHVH's command but he disobeyed and when confronted, he argued that he did do what he was commanded to do.
"22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as the iniquity and idolatry. Because thou has rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou has rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel."
1 Samuel 15:22-26, 35
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Remembering Who We Are
"But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Matthew 15:24
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Matthew 10:27
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
John 14:15
It is interesting to me to discover that a growing number of us who are on this journey are seldom asked, "So ...how did you come to these understandings?" If I had a friend or a family member who I began to see were doing things a bit differently from what they had done in the past, I would ask them why. Maybe that is a rare thing these days. We live in a pluralistic society where different groups of people live and work alongside of one another and yet maintain a measure of their own identity, where the ideas of tolerism and, "What works for you doesn't work for me.", are so common place. Added to that is our constant preoccupation with our own self interests, that it appears that we have become a generation of people who don't really want to know about the lives of other people, unless it seems, out of curiosity and to critique and compare them to ourselves. Christians for the most part are no different.
While I was talking with a friend one day a couple of years ago, she told me that she had been going through the Feasts of the Lord DVD series. The things she said peeked my curiosity and I asked if she would mind if I borrowed them. I was truly blown away by the things that I learned! It was like opening one box of stunning surprises and then another, and another! I had never seen or been taught the connection between the life of the Messiah and the Feasts that I had always seen as just being Jewish holidays and observances. I learned that the Feasts are not Jewish but belong to YHVH and He said they were to be followed through every generation. (Leviticus 23) I am ashamed to admit that I saw the life of my Savior in a way that I had never really seen Him, namely, Jewish. Now before you go thinking, "How lame can she be? Everyone knows He's Jewish!" Do we really? If we are honest with ourselves, instead of trying to defend our beliefs, we have to admit that we've changed Him so much that He is more like us than them in our minds.
Which brings me to the next point.
After watching the series, uncomfortable questions arose in my mind. Ones I had had from time to time as I read the Scriptures, but when those questions would come up in my reading, I pushed them down with some pat answer that I had heard or read time and again during my experience as a believer. I would just apply some (unknowingly incorrect) explanation like, "Jesus nailed the law to the cross so we don't have to follow it anymore." Or, "The law is for the Jews. We live under grace." Or even those added by translators and found in parentheses, like Mark 7:19 in the NIV ("In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.") http://www.biblelight.net/unclean-foods-jesus.htm Pat answers that I really didn't know the meaning to, but they were what I heard, so who was I to question them? But in looking back, what it really boiled down to in my mind was that other than stories from the lives of characters in the Old Testament that I could learn from, and the Ten (well, nine) Commandments, and probably less than a handful of abominations that are written in there, the teachings didn't apply to me because they were given only to the Jews. I mean, isn't that what Dispensational Theology and Replacement/Covenant Theology teaches Christians? That the Jewish people are separate from us? Or we replaced them because they rejected Jesus and because of His sacrifice we are now free to live only under grace? Part of Dispensationalism believes that only those commands explicitly given after the book of Acts apply to us today. Nearly all of the thirty seven thousand Christian denominations have most of those theologies securely in place and most of those teachings did not become mainstream, through commentaries in study Bibles, universities and conferences until the late 19th century.
"Ironically enough", it was around this same time of questioning that another friend of mine posed that uncomfortable question to me that I wrote about in "Ho Ho Ho!" The Beginning - Part 1, "If the Word of God is supposed to be taken literally and He is the same yesterday, today and forever, then why don't we do everything it says to do?" I stared at her e mail and for the life of me I couldn't give her one of those pat answers. They had begun to ring hollow. What if He expected more of me and of the corporate us? I had always heard it preached and taught, "We don't live under the Mosaic law." Well, if that is true and the law is only for the Jews, then other than the fact that Christian churches don't keep His Sabbath from sundown Friday night to sundown on Saturday, why do we try to adhere to the other nine Commandments that were written by the very hand of YHVH and given to Moses on top of Mt. Sinai? It doesn't get any more Mosaic than that. Some people may not see themselves as being accountable to the Mosaic laws that govern this country either, but if they got caught breaking one, their perspective would quickly change.
Here is an illustration from my life. A few weeks ago I was having a discussion with one of my grandsons. We were on the topic of discipline and how come there seems to be different rules for different kids. He wondered how come some kids can do things that he can't. I explained the difference is because those kids belong to other parents, and parents have been given the choice to rear their children the way they see fit. A problem comes when there are different rules for different kids living within the same family. That causes a lot of strife and it is a fault that lies with the parents, not the children. I told him that there may come a time when he is older that he could hear his dad say, "If you are going to live under this roof, you will live by my rules." I went on to tell him that his dad has that authority. I explained that he is accountable to God for how his children are brought up and the word tells us that if a parent doesn't discipline their children, they hate them. (Proverbs 13:24) That would be like parents telling their kids that they don't care what they do, or how they treat others, or how their lives end up - or even if they inherit eternal life or death. If children do not learn to obey and bring pleasure to an earthly father that they can see, they will have a very hard time learning to obey and bring great pleasure to the heavenly One whom they cannot see. Good parents have good rules that are taken from the word, and they will stand by those rules for the good of each one of their children and society at large.
The Father's wisdom shines brightly in the way that He desired homes to be an earthly reflection of His Kingdom. We see this in places such as: Genesis 2:18-25, Psalm 127:3, Malachi 2:13-15 and Ephesians 5:22-33 and 6:1-4. Since the plan for earthly families was His perfect design, no matter how much we have messed it up, how much more right to authority does He have over children who have asked to be adopted into His family and therefore intend to spend eternity in His House? Pause for a moment and think on that.
As a Loving Father YHVH did what He could. He gave us His instructions and right rulings that were obeyed by some and not obeyed by most of the others, until the fullness of time came and His only begotten Son was born and lived a perfect life as THE WORD - The Living Torah. He taught people how to live out His Father's instructions, showing them the love of the Spirit behind the Law, and His disciples and His true first century followers ...followed. About three hundred years later, Roman Emperor Constantine and Pope Julius thought they could do it better and nothing has ever been the same. Is that your fault or mine? No, it isn't. But once we have been shown the truth we have a responsibility before YHVH to uphold it and live by it.
The Scriptures and history shows, that because of disobedience to YHVH's instructions and right rulings, the Israelites were divided into northern Israel and southern Judah and were sent into captivity. After seventy years, the tribes of Benjamin and Judah came back. Jeremiah 29:10-14 The ten northern tribes never returned and they scattered to the four corners of the earth. Those who went to what is now Great Britain, eventually made their way to what would become the United States. There were very good reasons why the Puritans fled religious persecution and once they arrived here they kept YHVH's Sabbath and outlawed Christmas and Easter and All-Saints Day. Their reasoning was based on the adherence to the Scriptures interpreting the Scriptures; not the ways in which men had interpreted it. The word of YHVH is living and is its own witness to the truth! They believed in following the First and the Renewed Covenants of the Bible as they are written. Other believers then and now rise up in opposition of this, saying, "The Savior fulfilled the law so we don't have to!" Well again, the Bible wasn't written in English. The Hebrew word for fulfilled is: lekayem (le-KAI-yem) which means to uphold, establish, explain, interpret. In the Greek, fulfill is pierro which means "to obey as it was intended." Not "done away with" as we have been taught. No WONDER the church is in the condition that it is! Those of us who spend much time in the word at all tend to read transliterations of translations and the commentaries within study Bibles written by individuals whose preaching and books we enjoy.
As a result of all of this, believers don't know right from wrong and we have forgotten who we are!
One evening as my husband I were discussing this, I told him that I see the writing on the wall as it pertains to people I love who are angered by this truth, but I cannot be silent. The church has been veiled from it for too long! Time is increasingly short and we had better know whom we have believed in!
"6a For I am the Lord, I change not;"
Malachi 3:6a
"8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Hebrews 13:8
"9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
Acts 1:9-11
"38 Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8:38
and Luke 9:26
In closing, I ask that you please put aside your own theological bent and positions on these matters and look at the Scriptures with new eyes. With eyes to see and a heart to understand the teaching of the entire Bible. What you see below are sites that you can turn to for biblical and historical truth and understanding so that in these last days we can remember who we are.
http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/the-united-states-and-great-britain-in-prophecy
Matthew 15:24
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Matthew 10:27
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
John 14:15
It is interesting to me to discover that a growing number of us who are on this journey are seldom asked, "So ...how did you come to these understandings?" If I had a friend or a family member who I began to see were doing things a bit differently from what they had done in the past, I would ask them why. Maybe that is a rare thing these days. We live in a pluralistic society where different groups of people live and work alongside of one another and yet maintain a measure of their own identity, where the ideas of tolerism and, "What works for you doesn't work for me.", are so common place. Added to that is our constant preoccupation with our own self interests, that it appears that we have become a generation of people who don't really want to know about the lives of other people, unless it seems, out of curiosity and to critique and compare them to ourselves. Christians for the most part are no different.
While I was talking with a friend one day a couple of years ago, she told me that she had been going through the Feasts of the Lord DVD series. The things she said peeked my curiosity and I asked if she would mind if I borrowed them. I was truly blown away by the things that I learned! It was like opening one box of stunning surprises and then another, and another! I had never seen or been taught the connection between the life of the Messiah and the Feasts that I had always seen as just being Jewish holidays and observances. I learned that the Feasts are not Jewish but belong to YHVH and He said they were to be followed through every generation. (Leviticus 23) I am ashamed to admit that I saw the life of my Savior in a way that I had never really seen Him, namely, Jewish. Now before you go thinking, "How lame can she be? Everyone knows He's Jewish!" Do we really? If we are honest with ourselves, instead of trying to defend our beliefs, we have to admit that we've changed Him so much that He is more like us than them in our minds.
Which brings me to the next point.
After watching the series, uncomfortable questions arose in my mind. Ones I had had from time to time as I read the Scriptures, but when those questions would come up in my reading, I pushed them down with some pat answer that I had heard or read time and again during my experience as a believer. I would just apply some (unknowingly incorrect) explanation like, "Jesus nailed the law to the cross so we don't have to follow it anymore." Or, "The law is for the Jews. We live under grace." Or even those added by translators and found in parentheses, like Mark 7:19 in the NIV ("In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.") http://www.biblelight.net/unclean-foods-jesus.htm Pat answers that I really didn't know the meaning to, but they were what I heard, so who was I to question them? But in looking back, what it really boiled down to in my mind was that other than stories from the lives of characters in the Old Testament that I could learn from, and the Ten (well, nine) Commandments, and probably less than a handful of abominations that are written in there, the teachings didn't apply to me because they were given only to the Jews. I mean, isn't that what Dispensational Theology and Replacement/Covenant Theology teaches Christians? That the Jewish people are separate from us? Or we replaced them because they rejected Jesus and because of His sacrifice we are now free to live only under grace? Part of Dispensationalism believes that only those commands explicitly given after the book of Acts apply to us today. Nearly all of the thirty seven thousand Christian denominations have most of those theologies securely in place and most of those teachings did not become mainstream, through commentaries in study Bibles, universities and conferences until the late 19th century.
"Ironically enough", it was around this same time of questioning that another friend of mine posed that uncomfortable question to me that I wrote about in "Ho Ho Ho!" The Beginning - Part 1, "If the Word of God is supposed to be taken literally and He is the same yesterday, today and forever, then why don't we do everything it says to do?" I stared at her e mail and for the life of me I couldn't give her one of those pat answers. They had begun to ring hollow. What if He expected more of me and of the corporate us? I had always heard it preached and taught, "We don't live under the Mosaic law." Well, if that is true and the law is only for the Jews, then other than the fact that Christian churches don't keep His Sabbath from sundown Friday night to sundown on Saturday, why do we try to adhere to the other nine Commandments that were written by the very hand of YHVH and given to Moses on top of Mt. Sinai? It doesn't get any more Mosaic than that. Some people may not see themselves as being accountable to the Mosaic laws that govern this country either, but if they got caught breaking one, their perspective would quickly change.
Here is an illustration from my life. A few weeks ago I was having a discussion with one of my grandsons. We were on the topic of discipline and how come there seems to be different rules for different kids. He wondered how come some kids can do things that he can't. I explained the difference is because those kids belong to other parents, and parents have been given the choice to rear their children the way they see fit. A problem comes when there are different rules for different kids living within the same family. That causes a lot of strife and it is a fault that lies with the parents, not the children. I told him that there may come a time when he is older that he could hear his dad say, "If you are going to live under this roof, you will live by my rules." I went on to tell him that his dad has that authority. I explained that he is accountable to God for how his children are brought up and the word tells us that if a parent doesn't discipline their children, they hate them. (Proverbs 13:24) That would be like parents telling their kids that they don't care what they do, or how they treat others, or how their lives end up - or even if they inherit eternal life or death. If children do not learn to obey and bring pleasure to an earthly father that they can see, they will have a very hard time learning to obey and bring great pleasure to the heavenly One whom they cannot see. Good parents have good rules that are taken from the word, and they will stand by those rules for the good of each one of their children and society at large.
The Father's wisdom shines brightly in the way that He desired homes to be an earthly reflection of His Kingdom. We see this in places such as: Genesis 2:18-25, Psalm 127:3, Malachi 2:13-15 and Ephesians 5:22-33 and 6:1-4. Since the plan for earthly families was His perfect design, no matter how much we have messed it up, how much more right to authority does He have over children who have asked to be adopted into His family and therefore intend to spend eternity in His House? Pause for a moment and think on that.
As a Loving Father YHVH did what He could. He gave us His instructions and right rulings that were obeyed by some and not obeyed by most of the others, until the fullness of time came and His only begotten Son was born and lived a perfect life as THE WORD - The Living Torah. He taught people how to live out His Father's instructions, showing them the love of the Spirit behind the Law, and His disciples and His true first century followers ...followed. About three hundred years later, Roman Emperor Constantine and Pope Julius thought they could do it better and nothing has ever been the same. Is that your fault or mine? No, it isn't. But once we have been shown the truth we have a responsibility before YHVH to uphold it and live by it.
The Scriptures and history shows, that because of disobedience to YHVH's instructions and right rulings, the Israelites were divided into northern Israel and southern Judah and were sent into captivity. After seventy years, the tribes of Benjamin and Judah came back. Jeremiah 29:10-14 The ten northern tribes never returned and they scattered to the four corners of the earth. Those who went to what is now Great Britain, eventually made their way to what would become the United States. There were very good reasons why the Puritans fled religious persecution and once they arrived here they kept YHVH's Sabbath and outlawed Christmas and Easter and All-Saints Day. Their reasoning was based on the adherence to the Scriptures interpreting the Scriptures; not the ways in which men had interpreted it. The word of YHVH is living and is its own witness to the truth! They believed in following the First and the Renewed Covenants of the Bible as they are written. Other believers then and now rise up in opposition of this, saying, "The Savior fulfilled the law so we don't have to!" Well again, the Bible wasn't written in English. The Hebrew word for fulfilled is: lekayem (le-KAI-yem) which means to uphold, establish, explain, interpret. In the Greek, fulfill is pierro which means "to obey as it was intended." Not "done away with" as we have been taught. No WONDER the church is in the condition that it is! Those of us who spend much time in the word at all tend to read transliterations of translations and the commentaries within study Bibles written by individuals whose preaching and books we enjoy.
As a result of all of this, believers don't know right from wrong and we have forgotten who we are!
One evening as my husband I were discussing this, I told him that I see the writing on the wall as it pertains to people I love who are angered by this truth, but I cannot be silent. The church has been veiled from it for too long! Time is increasingly short and we had better know whom we have believed in!
"6a For I am the Lord, I change not;"
Malachi 3:6a
"8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Hebrews 13:8
"9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
Acts 1:9-11
"38 Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8:38
and Luke 9:26
In closing, I ask that you please put aside your own theological bent and positions on these matters and look at the Scriptures with new eyes. With eyes to see and a heart to understand the teaching of the entire Bible. What you see below are sites that you can turn to for biblical and historical truth and understanding so that in these last days we can remember who we are.
My body was covered with goose bumps and I cried while watching this video clip!
http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/the-united-states-and-great-britain-in-prophecy
Thursday, February 20, 2014
A Cleansing Rain for My Sin
It has been a rainy day where I live. It is a rather odd time of year to wake up to the sights and sounds of a thunder storm. Yet somehow a cleansing downpour seems fitting, given the nature of this post. You will come to understand why I say that as you continue to read.
Last month on January 16th, I went to a Christian website to watch a teaching video. However, my eyes fell upon the title of the one I have included below and I ended up watching it, instead. As this man preached, I found myself amazed at how closely the things he was saying were matching up with the things that the Father has been showing me and that I in turn, have been sharing with you. When I had finished, I went to youtube to see if there were other videos of his messages. After watching a couple of more that served as additional witnesses to the things that have been revealed to me in dreams and visions and in my times of prayer and Bible study, I came back to this one and watched it for a second time. As soon as it was over and the dot moved to the end of the screen, I heard His undeniable voice say to my spirit, "Post it." As I look back now upon that day, I remember it clearly; the chair in the living room where I was sitting, and the slight shake of my head as I backed away from my phone. I reasoned within myself that some people who viewed it would be angry with what he had to say, thinking, "How DARE he say such things?!" Others would view it and be upset because they would believe that he hadn't gone far enough in the things that he said, and there I would be, stuck in the middle. So I pushed it aside and thus began a month of wondering why nothing new was impressed upon my heart to write about on the blog.
Oh, life continued. I still wrote. I sent e mails and e cards to people who needed His words of wisdom, encouragement and confirmation. I also found that thoughts went through my mind on a regular basis of things I could write about, but I didn't sense His leading to blog any of those thoughts. Actually, I even began to write two posts that sit on my dashboard as unfinished drafts. Then something unexpected happened. Around one this morning during a time of prayer, this video came to my remembrance so I found it and clicked on it again. When the preaching had ended and the dot moved to the end of the screen, I remembered His words, "Post it."
For those of you who have followed this blog, you know that I write from a personal perspective. The posts are about things that the Father has shown me and my experiences with dying to my own beliefs and opinions in order to more fully embrace His teachings and instructions. To walk in a manner that is more pleasing to Him and reflects more of the nature of His Son. Although every bit of the discovery and subsequent changes have been more than worthwhile, I would be a liar if I said that it isn't a humbling and painful process. Through it, I am learning more of what it means to be a living sacrifice. To be laid bare while every deception becomes exposed to the Light of His Holy Word and Spirit. Through reading the posts, you have learned that by nature, I am a people pleaser. Well, my nature has seen a lot of deaths through the years because I realized very early on in my walk with Him that I could not serve YHVH and man any easier than a person can serve money and YHVH. I could not serve two masters and do either of them justice. I had to decide and keep on deciding which one I would be devoted to and which one I would hate. It is an ongoing decision that we all have to continuously make.
In this particular case, He brought me back to where I got off track. The day that I chose your opinion of me over His will. I chuckle slightly and shake my head with tears standing in my eyes as I consider the irony of that statement, because the truth of the matter is, people have already pushed away from me. Not just within the last few months, but it happens any time He takes me to greater depths of sorrow, truth, understanding, and obedience. Before I go any further, you must know that as I sit here before Him, as much as I know myself, there is not one shred of pride in what I just wrote. You remember when the woman came to where Messiah was having a meal in the home of a Pharisee? She walked in and fell down crying at his feet, washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. In his mind, the Pharisee began to judge her and Him for letting her touch Him. Knowing his thoughts, Messiah rebuked him by telling him a story that included the truth that, "whoever has been forgiven much, loves much." Well you see, that woman could have easily been me. So in order to be close to His feet I will do what He asks, whether anyone else understands or agrees or not. HE is my master and as much as I love people and the Body and the Bride of Messiah, (the place where my ministry has always taken place) she pales in comparison to the One who left heaven for me. The One who died in my place and rose again for me. The One who will come back one day soon to receive me unto Himself that where He is, I may be also. Since He loves you more than I do, when He instructs me, I will tell you the truth whether you believe it or not and certainly whether or not you like me. Through the experience of the last month, once again He reminded me that I don't live for the love of man and part of the price of being His disciple means being hated by the world and even by those within the church, because they hated Him first and no one is greater than his master.
So that being said, as you watch the video, try to remember that the One who loves you more than you can possibly comprehend, the same One who wants to live forever with you much more than you want to live with Him, has waited on me for over a month to bring you this message. In the brokenness of my realization early this morning, I ended up face down on the living room floor in repentance. As I come to the end of this post, I ask you to forgive me for caring more about what you thought than for what you need.
I am so sorry!
Sue
The following are Scriptures that came to mind as I wrote this and are taken from the NKJV:
"1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
Romans 12:1
"24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Matthew 6:24
"13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
15 And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.' "
Luke 16:13-15
" 36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying,
'This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.'
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' So he said, 'Teacher, say it.'
41 'There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 'And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?'
43 Simon answered and said, 'I suppose the one whom he forgave more.' And He said to him, 'You have rightly judged.'
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears an wiped them with the hair of her head.
45 'You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 'You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 'Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.'
48 'Then He said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.'
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'
50 Then He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.' "
Luke 7:36-50
"28 'For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -
29 'lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 'saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
31 'Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 'Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 'So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.' "
Luke 14:28-33
"1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, ..."
Luke 22:1-2
"14 'You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 'No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 'You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
17 ' These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 'If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 'If you were of the world, the would would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 'Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 'But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent me.
22 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.'
23 'He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 'If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also heard both Me and My Father.
25 'But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without cause.' "
John 15:14-25
"1 'Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 'In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 'And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.' "
John 14:1-3
Last month on January 16th, I went to a Christian website to watch a teaching video. However, my eyes fell upon the title of the one I have included below and I ended up watching it, instead. As this man preached, I found myself amazed at how closely the things he was saying were matching up with the things that the Father has been showing me and that I in turn, have been sharing with you. When I had finished, I went to youtube to see if there were other videos of his messages. After watching a couple of more that served as additional witnesses to the things that have been revealed to me in dreams and visions and in my times of prayer and Bible study, I came back to this one and watched it for a second time. As soon as it was over and the dot moved to the end of the screen, I heard His undeniable voice say to my spirit, "Post it." As I look back now upon that day, I remember it clearly; the chair in the living room where I was sitting, and the slight shake of my head as I backed away from my phone. I reasoned within myself that some people who viewed it would be angry with what he had to say, thinking, "How DARE he say such things?!" Others would view it and be upset because they would believe that he hadn't gone far enough in the things that he said, and there I would be, stuck in the middle. So I pushed it aside and thus began a month of wondering why nothing new was impressed upon my heart to write about on the blog.
Oh, life continued. I still wrote. I sent e mails and e cards to people who needed His words of wisdom, encouragement and confirmation. I also found that thoughts went through my mind on a regular basis of things I could write about, but I didn't sense His leading to blog any of those thoughts. Actually, I even began to write two posts that sit on my dashboard as unfinished drafts. Then something unexpected happened. Around one this morning during a time of prayer, this video came to my remembrance so I found it and clicked on it again. When the preaching had ended and the dot moved to the end of the screen, I remembered His words, "Post it."
For those of you who have followed this blog, you know that I write from a personal perspective. The posts are about things that the Father has shown me and my experiences with dying to my own beliefs and opinions in order to more fully embrace His teachings and instructions. To walk in a manner that is more pleasing to Him and reflects more of the nature of His Son. Although every bit of the discovery and subsequent changes have been more than worthwhile, I would be a liar if I said that it isn't a humbling and painful process. Through it, I am learning more of what it means to be a living sacrifice. To be laid bare while every deception becomes exposed to the Light of His Holy Word and Spirit. Through reading the posts, you have learned that by nature, I am a people pleaser. Well, my nature has seen a lot of deaths through the years because I realized very early on in my walk with Him that I could not serve YHVH and man any easier than a person can serve money and YHVH. I could not serve two masters and do either of them justice. I had to decide and keep on deciding which one I would be devoted to and which one I would hate. It is an ongoing decision that we all have to continuously make.
In this particular case, He brought me back to where I got off track. The day that I chose your opinion of me over His will. I chuckle slightly and shake my head with tears standing in my eyes as I consider the irony of that statement, because the truth of the matter is, people have already pushed away from me. Not just within the last few months, but it happens any time He takes me to greater depths of sorrow, truth, understanding, and obedience. Before I go any further, you must know that as I sit here before Him, as much as I know myself, there is not one shred of pride in what I just wrote. You remember when the woman came to where Messiah was having a meal in the home of a Pharisee? She walked in and fell down crying at his feet, washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. In his mind, the Pharisee began to judge her and Him for letting her touch Him. Knowing his thoughts, Messiah rebuked him by telling him a story that included the truth that, "whoever has been forgiven much, loves much." Well you see, that woman could have easily been me. So in order to be close to His feet I will do what He asks, whether anyone else understands or agrees or not. HE is my master and as much as I love people and the Body and the Bride of Messiah, (the place where my ministry has always taken place) she pales in comparison to the One who left heaven for me. The One who died in my place and rose again for me. The One who will come back one day soon to receive me unto Himself that where He is, I may be also. Since He loves you more than I do, when He instructs me, I will tell you the truth whether you believe it or not and certainly whether or not you like me. Through the experience of the last month, once again He reminded me that I don't live for the love of man and part of the price of being His disciple means being hated by the world and even by those within the church, because they hated Him first and no one is greater than his master.
So that being said, as you watch the video, try to remember that the One who loves you more than you can possibly comprehend, the same One who wants to live forever with you much more than you want to live with Him, has waited on me for over a month to bring you this message. In the brokenness of my realization early this morning, I ended up face down on the living room floor in repentance. As I come to the end of this post, I ask you to forgive me for caring more about what you thought than for what you need.
I am so sorry!
Sue
The following are Scriptures that came to mind as I wrote this and are taken from the NKJV:
"1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
Romans 12:1
"24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Matthew 6:24
"13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
15 And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.' "
Luke 16:13-15
" 36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying,
'This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.'
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' So he said, 'Teacher, say it.'
41 'There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 'And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?'
43 Simon answered and said, 'I suppose the one whom he forgave more.' And He said to him, 'You have rightly judged.'
44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears an wiped them with the hair of her head.
45 'You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 'You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 'Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.'
48 'Then He said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.'
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'
50 Then He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.' "
Luke 7:36-50
"28 'For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -
29 'lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 'saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
31 'Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 'Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 'So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.' "
Luke 14:28-33
"1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, ..."
Luke 22:1-2
"14 'You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 'No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 'You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
17 ' These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 'If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 'If you were of the world, the would would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 'Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 'But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent me.
22 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.'
23 'He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 'If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also heard both Me and My Father.
25 'But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without cause.' "
John 15:14-25
"1 'Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 'In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 'And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.' "
John 14:1-3
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Judgment that Begins at His House
Rebellion came to humanity for the first time out of the serpent's mouth in the Garden of Eden. As a result, the Father has become all too accustomed to the feelings of rejection that comes with idolatry in all of its satanic forms. Each of us know what human rejection feels like. However none of us can possibly begin to comprehend what it feels like to The Creator of everything, who is Perfect in ALL of His ways! He lovingly laid forth His plan for humanity and how we are to live in harmony with Him, with one another, and with nature. Yet we have shown throughout the ages that we would rather do things our own way. Trusting in the work of our hands. Twisting His word to conform it to our desires. However there comes a time when His holiness demands that He brings judgment; a judgment that begins with His house.
This blog began in the fall of 2013. I have posted things as I felt led to do so. I found out a couple of weeks ago that I had unknowingly posted one of my drafts from this blog on to Google+. This process is still new to me and apparently I zigged when I should have zagged and the draft became public. My pulse quickened as I realized what I had done and I immediately removed it. Truth be told, I had forgotten all about it. It was written after I had posted Trial and Purging are Coming to America http://suebendorf.blogspot.com/2013/11/trial-and-purging-are-coming-to-america.html?m=1and was expected to be used as a follow-up. As I read over the message, I knew within my spirit that it had been delayed for a reason. The time has come for it to be posted on to the blog. What follows is that completed message.
Being awakened around three a.m. is not unusual; in fact it is the norm. During one of those times in August of this year, America once again came to my mind. As I knelt in the living room to pray, I asked the Father why He refers to this country in the feminine form when He speaks to me about it? His answer startled me so much as to cause me to sit down. He spoke to my spirit, saying, "She is a harlot."
The last post I put up spoke of a time of Trial and Purging that is indeed coming to this country. The church must know that His house will not be spared. He will not be mocked. False teachings and doctrines of men will be exposed and laid bare. Absolute Truth will be made known and each person will be left with a choice. The Scriptures are true and eternal and we cannot pick and choose what we will and will not believe; which instructions and commands we will and will not follow and somehow think that we will be okay when He returns. We have defined The Almighty within our doctrines, and through our traditions we worship our Messiah as Pagans worship their gods. Things we were strictly forbidden to do!
While we continue to pray for America, we are aware of the fact that wide spread revival has not come to our shores in over one hundred years. We like to recite 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We don't see ourselves as wicked because we don't do the things that we define as wicked, but the Bible wasn't written in English. In Hebrew, the word wickedness is Ra. At its root it means, "to destroy, to break something into pieces and destroy it." To destroy and to break what? At its very root, His Torah. I honestly think that there have been many in this country who have humbled themselves and prayed, but as believers we have not turned from our wicked ways. Not as HE sees wicked. As a result, our land cannot be healed; not unless or until we repent.
As people who say we love God, we criticize the world for portraying that there are no absolutes and for living as though truth is a relative thing. We hear it said that, "Somethings might have been true at one time but we live in days of enlightenment! Times change!"
With our mouths we say that there are absolutes! His Word is truth! We profess that our God cannot lie and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet what do our actions reveal? What do we really love? If we are honest with ourselves we have to admit that as a corporate body we are not a peculiar people. We are not a called out assembly. We behave, and from our appearances believe what the world believes; cheapening His sacrifice by refusing to turn from our multitude of sins and instead choosing to cover them with a well worn blanket of grace. Within the church we sing His praises and anxiously await His arrival; not noticing that our wedding garments are soiled and seemingly forgetful that He will not take unto Himself a dirty bride nor realizing what it will take in order to make our garments clean. Revelation 7:9-14
Revelation 18 promises that this Babylonian world system will be destroyed. Our Messiah will not reign under its dictates! The apostle John tells us in verses four and five,
"4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; 5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
Part one in the last series of posts I put up told about the sorrow associated with the prayer and the research that went into it, but I didn't fully explain why it made me so sad. The greatest sadness stemmed from the fact that He has to bring righteous judgment. It is my earnest prayer that our eyes will be opened to our harlotry and that we will cry out in true repentance because the hour is late and the judgment that is making Him exceedingly sad to administer, is coming!
"17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
1 Peter 4:17
"23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 34 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 4:23-24
"1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability."
2 Peter 3:1-17
The word lawless in the Greek Septuagint is anomia #458 which means violating or ignoring the law.
The word law in the Greek is nomos #3551 which means the Mosaic law, the Torah.
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