When desire has conceived. James 1:15-27

I ended the last post on the book of James with this:

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (James 1:13-14 NASB)

So, if you think you get to blame this trial, you are going through on God, you can't because God doesn't send these tests. Currently, we are all enduring a trial; it is called COVID 19 or, the Wuhan virus since that is where it came from. You are foolish if you do not understand that God has ordained this egregious man-made and deadly virus as part of the sorrows or, as Matthew's gospel puts it, labor pains that are leading up to 1. The catching away of the church, and 2. The time of God's wrath that is about to be poured out upon the earth.

Well, if I can't blame God, then who?

Although you don't want to accept it, you were tempted when you got carried away by your own desires.

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. (James 1:14 NET.)

Lured - Enticed; attracted; invited by the hope of pleasure or advantage.

Enticed - Incited; instigated to evil; seduced by promises or persuasions; persuaded; allured.

Desires = Lusts – It is the Greek word epithumia and means a longing (especially for what is forbidden).

Look at what James continues to say.

James 1:15 NET. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full-grown, it gives birth to death.

When desire conceives?

Conceive is the Greek word sullambanō and means to seize (arrest, capture), specifically to conceive.

A rewrite of James 1:15a, will look like this:

“Then when my longing for what is forbidden has seized, arrested and captured me,”

Then what happens?

If I am thinking in terms of making a baby, we used to have the concept, that once you made it, there is no walking away from it, and if you weren't married to the girl, you now would be, because you have a responsibility in this product of your pleasure.

But we aren't necessarily talking about making a baby are we, we are talking about our poisoned desires and passions giving birth to something, ah, but what?

James 1:15b, “.. when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin,”

Sin, isn't that the thing that will send me to hell?

First off, SIN does not mean exactly what you think it means. It is an old English word that means to miss the bullseye in target archery. If you are familiar with my writings, then you would know that I used to shoot competitive archery, but I was NOT good at it. The point here is that I can visualize, as I write, a target, with a ten ring of about three inches in width when close, but at distances, looks to be about the size of an American quarter.

If you are equating SIN to your everyday life, a life in which you have to be able to put every shot into that small circle, you are asking for what seems impossible. Fortunately, it is possible because we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Difficult as our lives can be, our mission, as followers of Christ, is to try.

Secondly, while we all have a proclivity to SIN, we are forgiven of all sin. This forgiven state was extended to everyone, but the payment due for our sin was paid by Jesus on the cross. (Hebrews 9:28; Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21.) An obvious factor is that people have to accept what Jesus did for them in order to gain the full benefits of this acquittal.

Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death. (James 1:15c ERV)

Lured by the attraction, which is really just the desires that your brokenness yearns for until that longing for the forbidden thing comes full term, and then the indulgence called SIN is birthed. It pulls at you, crying feed me, I'm hungry, change my diaper; and now it wants a baby brother to keep it company. One way or another, this lustful demand for your devotion is going to kill you.

Does this pursuit of desire end in the death of the soul, and an end to your relationship with the Father?

I don't think so, at least not on His part, but there are people in the prison systems that will kill you if the “drug” doesn't get you first. While I am not a big fan of John MacArthur, we, at least, agree on this point.

James 1:16-17 NASB Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

The things I see in this verse are:

• That it is possible to be deceived,
• that things you perceive as good, could come from some other source – like Satan.
• You could believe that God, like many politicians, can change their vote, party affiliations, and the things they say, to suit their immediate needs, and therefore cannot be trusted.
• What if you thought that God's plan, and therefore what He sends you, is not perfect; where would that leave you?

If you learned anything, you should learn that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights; and that there is NO variation in Him, nor shifting. Look at how the NET Bible translates verse 17.

James 1:17 NET. All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

Having gone through a dark time myself, I had to figure out what God's nature and character were. Oh sure, I knew what the fairy tales they had been telling me looked like, but things did not make sense. For example: how could God, who gave His own Son to die for me, hate me and my sin the next day? God would have to go out of character to do that, and verse 17 tells me, without a doubt, that there is NO changing or shadows in God's character.

Almost as though to say, and don't you dare forget this, He gives us verse 18.

James 1:18 NET. By his sovereign plan, he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

The Amplified Bible tells us:

“And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons].”

Freewill and sovereign plan, seem to be the same thing.

The NASB states:

“In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits among His creatures.:( James 1:18 NASB)

The fact that we can discuss this life we have in Jesus is proof that He brought us forth.

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3 NASB)

James 1:19 – 27 are entitled:

Hearing and Doing the Word

James 1:19-20 NASB This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; (20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Consider that you were brought forth by the Word of Truth, not as though this is some secret word that must be spoken in order to gain entrance; Jesus was and is that Word. He, as we can see in John's gospel, is the magnificent creator of all things. In light of that information, here are some words to live by.

• Everyone must be quick to hear.
• Slow to anger
• (Because) “The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

Dr. J Vernon McGee says this, almost as if it is a scriptural passage, “The anger of man is contrary to the will and work of God.”

There is a multitude of interpretations for verse 20. We may think that anger is what God might be looking for, but anger tends to be the exact opposite.

(AMP)  For man's anger does not promote the righteousness of God [wishes and requires].

(CJB)  for a person's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness!

(MSG)  God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger.

Knowing that anger is not what He is looking for, we have our next instruction.

James 1:21 NLT  So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

“The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and It means filth; and is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive.” (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)

This next commentary makes sense.

“According to the Greek, this is a once-for-all action. Why should we do this? Progress in our spiritual lives cannot occur unless we see sin for what it is, quit justifying it, and decide to reject it. James’s word picture here has us getting rid of our evil habits and actions like stripping off dirty clothes. After we “get rid,” then we need to humbly accept the message of God, seeking to live by it because it has been planted in our hearts and becomes part of our being.” (Life Application New Testament Commentary)

This entire process, as we migrate through James, is a progressive change in our way of life. If you have already been living in this manner, then see it as a refresher course or reminder; But, if on the other hand, you let life run you, then you need to make some huge adjustments. James 1:22 is such an adjustment.

James 1:22 KJV  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

While I can understand what the KJV is telling me, clarity would be good. How about the CEV? It has a very straightforward approach.

“Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it.” (CEV)

The ERV is very simplistic but effective.

“Do what God's teaching says; don't just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves.” (ERV)

Not only are we fooling ourselves by not putting the Word into action, but -

James 1:23-24 NASB For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

Time, once again, to break these verses down.

• If anyone is a hearer and not a doer,

My stepson would hear what his mother said to him; and, he would respond with, sure, I'll get right on it. The problem was he would NEVER do what was asked of him.
Do we do that with God?
How about all the time.

What does it mean to be to a doer?
Webster's dictionary tells us: One who performs what is required; one who observes, keeps or obeys, in practice.”

Jesus gave us a good example when he told this parable. "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:26 NASB)

So we are supposed to act on the Word we received, whether it be by reading or by hearing.

• “he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.”

I heard a teaching on this within the faith movement. The example given describes a guy shaving. For all the time you spend looking at your face, you are never really looking, paying attention to details. In a world where we can get sun cancers, that might be an important thing. So the guy shaving is done now; all the shave cream is gone, and he is good to go. Can he describe what he saw there? Probably not, as he had ten other things on his mind that morning. That's the way we are with the Word of God; we read with ten other things on our mind.

There is only one way to change that, and that is to read with a purpose. If you hadn't noticed, that is what I do when creating these studies - tearing the text apart, word by word, if need be, and making it understandable to others. Personally, I do not want to forget what God is saying to me and then to you. We are in our last days on this earth as a church; I am confident of this.

We are still talking about how to look at the Word of God.

James 1:25 NASB But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Looks, in the Greek, means to stoop down and to peer inside and to become absorbed by what you see.
If you intend to learn, then that is the kind of attention you have to give to a subject. Maybe not, but you are certainly giving this a tremendous amount of attention, and that, is a good thing.

Intently is the same Greek word parakupto which was translated looks. It means to stoop down and to peer inside.
Whenever you see duplicated words in Hebrew or Greek, the basic understanding is that you are about to learn something vitally important.

The perfect law is the Greek word teleios and means complete, faultless, and perfect.
Earlier, as an example, I looked at John's gospel, where it described the creation and who did the creating.

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5 NASB)

In this, did you get any sense of something less than complete, faultless, and perfect? Yeah, me neither. It was God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit, in and at their finest, creating the most splendid of creation for their creation, humanity.

So, you paid attention, and have not forgotten, putting what you learned to work. You will be blessed in what you do.

I will tell you straight out, verse 26, 27 is going to hard on many of you, especially if you insist on saying, I am NOT under the law but under grace.

James 1:26-27 NASB If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. (27) Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

• “ If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.”

I know many people who think they are religious and can't seem to bridle their tongues. So it's time to ponder the meanings of words again.
Religious is the Greek word thrēskos and means ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative), that is, pious: - religious.
In other words, this person is putting on a pretty good show. Well, guess what, your good show means nothing, especially if you can't hold your tongue. Do you realize that most people perceive that the idea of holding your tongue means cussing alone, and that is certainly an aspect of this, but there is more; as it also applies to the person who uses their religiosity to shred those who can't understand the words they use as they dispense their high theology.

Example time. And yes, I have used this before. A former pastor recommended the book The Shack, by William Paul, Young. He had read it and was so touched by it that he bought a stack and sold them for face value. I bought one. Struggling to understand who God was, this book changed my life. In it, I found mercy, grace, and a comprehension of God's love, which I have never known. I also had some immediate questions, and so I turned to a man who had an earned Doctorate in Theology, who used to attend the church and attempted to open a conversation about The Shack. He immediately responded with harshness and said, I would never waste my time discussing a book that was so theologically unsound. I never bothered that man again; I did, however, take my questions to God, and when I came to things that challenged me, I could hear the Holy Spirit say, keep reading, and I will explain it as we go, and He did. Mr. High Theology couldn't seem to bridle his tongue. Can you imagine the amazing conversations we might have had, exploring the love of a boundless God?

Give me a moment to address cussing.

I will tell you that I can cuss with the best of them, and I usually find I am susceptible to doing that when I am tired and pushed. It is possible that we/I think that the bluster can push uncomfortable people and situations away from us. I suppose, like animals growling, it could be perceived as a warning, but most of the time, it is an attempt to make the person saying the garbage look braver than they really are. Since FEAR is a monstrous factor in all of our lives, then simply admitting to the Father that you are afraid may be a part of your solution.

I spent some time in a small group called “the man cave.” Several of the attendees acted as though they belonged in a cave, as they refused to bridle their tongue. I remember thinking, oh yeah, it's that grace thing that we love to take advantage of. As I got to know them better, the two major offenders were highly intelligent men; odd, considering that most perceive those with unbridled tongues, as having limited, and uneducated vocabularies. That scenario demonstrated, to me, that what they were doing was purely a choice. How do I know that? Because my mother would not permit foul language to be used in her presence. Family members had to develop at least two language sets, one that was usable around mom and the church crowd, and one that they used with much of the world.

Something I have not brought into this conversation is the fact that the Holy Spirit, in my worst of times, has always been there calling me back to the Father. This is important because I understood, through faulty teaching, that God was angry with me and could not have anything to do with me. No, an unbridled tongue does not cut you off from God, but it certainly makes you look like a fool to many others.

Continuing in James 1:27

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (James 1:27 NLT)

All the pretense, and yes, the “church” is full of it, means nothing to God. What carries weight is this:

• • “Care for the orphans in their distress.”
  • “Care for the widows in their distress.”
  • “ And refuse to let the world corrupt you.”

The KJV version of verse 27, reads like this:

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Pure can also mean clean.
This has nothing to do with ceremonial washings but leans more living a life that has been purified by the fire. (This fire is the fire of life that you have successfully made it through and can therefore now show God's love to other people in a relevant manner.)

Religion – I don't even like the word, as it has terminology like High Theology associated with it; and, usage of phrases like that have dominance and oppression attached to them.

In the Greek it is the word thrēskeía and includes, the worship of God; but It also conveys that there was a worship of angels since they were the messengers; a spin through Hebrews can help to clarify how wrong that is. So, a proper understanding of pure religion would be an untainted worship of God, in the manner suited to you, that excludes the false worship of angels and a few other things.

Undefiled before God – The Greek word is amiantos and means free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigor impaired.

Maybe this will help.

The “Law” states that you shall not take the Lord, your God's name in vain. I had that law thrown in my face for years when I was younger, and we could not even say Gosh, as that would be declared a derivative of God's name. I am not kidding you. Get real! To take God's name in vain is to diminish its power and authority through some manner of common, or nonsensical usage. At what point does God say to you, are you serious at this point, and, do you really want this person damned to hell? While we all have our moments when we think a person deserves to go the place of permanent, fiery, torment, where there is no relief, but the words of Jesus, who is God, may change your mind about that.

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. (Matthew 7:2 NLT)

So, if you can read words like this, and still feel good about flinging God's name around, in a vain manner, then perhaps you deserve what comes your way.

That was an unexpected twist, but a necessary one, sadly, though, it gives the impression that God works around our human frailties to make His kingdom work, and that will never happen. Remember, we are the ones who are broken, NOT Him. So if you think you will be sent to hell because you can't bridle your tongue, you are wrong. Allow me to remind you of something.

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 NLT)

When you look up the word cleanses in The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury, you get this: A reference to Matthew 8:2.

Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” (Matthew 8:2 NLT)

That man not only asked Jesus to stop the disease in his body, but he also asked for restoration and a declaration to the community that he should be, once again, accepted. We did not see Jesus going through all that, and I think it was because Jesus would have circumvented a perverted temple system, which made these people pay to be declared clean to the public. If Jesus had done all that this man asked, He would have been prematurely put on that cross, and Jesus was no fool. There was a time for that, and it had not come yet.

The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury Goes on to say He, “Not only forgives but removes. The cleansing is present and continuous (Vincent). The thought is not of the forgiveness of sin only, but of the removal of sin. The sin is done away, and the purifying action is exerted continuously (Westcott).

If sin has been forever forgiven, then what is this judgment we see?

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. (Romans 14:10 NASB)

You also see this theme in 2Corinthians 5:10. This is that Bema seat so many throw at you in hopes of manipulating you, as they announce that you will stand before the judgment seat. Let's look at the words for a moment.

Bema, a Greek word that has, as one of its meanings, judgment, but it is so much more. “By implication (according to the Word Study Dictionary), it is an elevated place to which the ascent is by steps.”

Where else do we see something like this?

At the Olympic games, at the finish of an event, where the winners are awarded for a job well done. We also the usage of the word for judgment seat in Acts 12:21, where we see Herod having a raised platform with steps built, from which he addressed the crowd.

Look at 2Corinthians 5:10, as this is more revealing.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB)

There is that ominous word judgment once again, but Paul adds some additional words for clarity.

• “So that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,”

The word recompensed is the Greek word kolumbaō, pronounced kom-id'-zo, and according to Strong's Concordance, means to tend to, take care of, to properly provide for, and by implication to carry off as if from harm.

• In short, we are there to receive our reward.

Thayer's definitions add that we are there to receive, obtain: the promised blessing; and, to receive what was previously one’s own.

God put the man on this earth to reign in dominion; this dominion is not some twisted political theme as we are now witnessing; it was perfect, and it included a pure and open relationship with the Living God. You and I can only taste those moments and then settle back into the obscurity of our brokenness.

Since we come with nothing but unacceptable, filthy rags, is it us taking care of Christ?

Hardly, therefore the logic of this process is Jesus receiving into the kingdom those who are His own and giving us rewards for jobs well done. One of those jobs became apparent as we were doing this study.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12 NASB)

Imagine that, one of our jobs is to persevere under trial. I wasn't aware I signed up for that, but having come to know this Jesus more fully, I, like Paul and James, consider myself a bondservant to Christ the Messiah. This crown of life only happens at this Bema seat. So, instead of fearing God for our failures, and we have all made many, how about putting some faith in His ability to see us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Changing the narrative

The guest speaker at Church was Johhny Enroe. I have seen his name listed among other prophetic speakers, but I am usually unimpressed by that stuff.

Mr. Enroe said, we need to change our narrative, for if we are focused upon the events and situations going on around us, then we will miss out on God’s best for our lives. He rapidly named off the Bilderberg group, New World Order, and The Illuminati (A loose playback.) He continued to say, “It is time for a new narrative, a new mindset.”

What are you talking about?

Webster’s dictionary states: NARRATIVE, n. The recital of a story, or a continued account of the particulars of an event or transaction; story.

It is possible that what Johhny Enroe was saying had more to do with the things we are verbally repeating, hence impacting our outlook on life, negating what God is capable of. But that did not seem to be the context of his message.

We are not supposed to be ignorant about what is going on around us. As I began posting information about Islam’s tenets and beliefs to give people a heads up, it was not a surprise when I got a rebuttal from an acquaintance who angrily stated, “perhaps the Muslims merely want to practice their religion in peace!”

How do they do that when their teachings and directives are a constant state of Jihad until the earth is purged of the unbeliever (That would include anyone not a Muslim).

From my point of view, if you understand what is coming then you can do something about it. And what is the primary something we can do? Pray and hold back the enemy, because having read what the Bible says about end times it is not going to be pretty.

We have the right and ability to hold the enemy at bay, and can do so effectively.

2 Thessalonians 2:6 AMP (6) And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time.

Yes, I am implying that we need to cover the backs of our brothers and sisters in those Islamic majority nations. We have the authority and power of effect change across this globe. Syria seems to be the next critical battle ground, as Russia is supplying arms to Assad, and Iran is trying to get Assad out. Meanwhile everyone else in that country and near it is at tremendous risk. To be honest I am not sure how to pray over that nation. Most importantly I pray that God’s will be done, but with a fervency I ask for protection over God’s people.

[Father I ask that your hand covers those who belong to you and keep them safe during this destructive time in Syria, and those nations whose leadership chooses to persecute Christians. Continue to show your mighty hand as you bring those you have called into the kingdom. Cease not to draw people to you, and to give peace to Israel until the time is necessary to release Jacob’s troubles. Father, above all I ask that your will be done on the earth as you prepare to bring your reign and kingdom.]

We, through the insights in the Word, should have an understanding about what is coming, and how we are to act during these last days; such as, pray.

Our introduction to the Revelation tells us that there is a blessing upon those that keep the things that are written in it.

Revelation 1:3 ASV Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Thayer’s definitions of Greek words states that the word tereo or keep in English, means to attend to carefully. We are supposed to be paying attention, reading, being alert. Even if like those before us, we never get to actually see what is to come. But that is not the case with us. Israel is a major clue, for Jesus said, “when you see these things come to pass then you know that the summer is near and the time for the harvest.

Luke 21:29-30 KJV And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (30) When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Yes, I am aware that the last days have actually lasted over two thousand years and many of you have lost your focus. Do you not realize that for the course of those two thousand years we have had the capability to walk this earth as prophets, effecting change everywhere we go, and yet we have allowed others to change our narrative for us, convincing us that we were powerless and not supposed to act like this. False teachers have told us that the power and giftings of God were not for us today, and they have, by their many convincing words, stripped us of hope. They have even gone so far as to lead us into an idolatry of money and possessions.

Changing a narrative?

A Shakespeare play has a narrative and you can't change that, or can you? It happens all the time. Some playwright may turn King Lear into a comedy, while another makes some twisted musical out of it.

God has narratives as well, but God has invited us to ask for change. God’s account should not be taken lightly as a story might. It is history, poetry, victory and defeat, and yet scattered through every book in this collection we call a Bible is the future laid out before us.

Can you change the future, especially when God has decreed it? We tend to think that God’s decrees are set in stone as far as timing. Don’t be fooled, God will carry through on the plans he decrees; it just may not be today.

Isaiah 55:11 CJB so is my word that goes out from my mouth -- it will not return to me unfulfilled; but it will accomplish what I intend, and cause to succeed what I sent it to do."

Let me flesh out some examples of those who brought about changes in God’s narrative. Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh and give them a decree, repent or die at the hand of God! (Read the entire book. It is short.) They repented and God relented. Note the word relent. God backed off his decree for a time, but he never forgot. In time, by their choice to return to their death-dealing, terrorist ways God rained death upon them.

It seems like only a few months ago that I finally saw and realized this aspect of the Jonah epic. History and archeology has proved this out, this town and evidence of their existence have been uncovered just outside of Mosul, in the country of Iraq.

Pointing out to someone, that God had deferred his anger toward Nineveh after their repentance, I was immediately met with, “God forgave them!” That kind of statement only demonstrates our lack of interest in reading the scriptures for ourselves, while depending on sanitized children’s stories from Sunday morning church school to form our world view.

Didn’t God wipe them all off the map? One of the problems people have always had with scripture, is that a statement is made like, “everyone was destroyed,” when it was most. Daniel is an example of this kind of language. Nebuchadnezzar had made a decree, at his advisers prompting, that everyone should bow to this huge idol. Hanniniah, Azariah, and Mishael did not. And yet it tells us that everyone was there, but Daniel was not. The three Hebrews were tossed into the fire and walked back out again. Clearly the statements like “all” cannot be taken so literal, for in the case of Nineveh what is left of them is a derivative of the Assyrian language. That derivative, we are told, most closely resembles Farsi. The greatest export of the Ninevites was terrorism (They had become very proficient at it, impaling their enemies on poles or dragging them until dead behind chariots through their streets.) And this is what the world is experiencing today, the exportation of a global terrorism.

Israel, almost immediately upon leaving Egypt began to complain, set up idols (Molech) and revert to the old, comfortable ways. God told Moses he would kill them all on several occasions. Moses interceded for them and God relented. And yet God’s judgment against Israel can still be clearly seen for Israel has been attacked, killed, captured and scattered for most of their lives, and yet scripture tells us that they have yet to repent. They will, but only at great cost. Read Exodus 32 for yourself.

He (God), changes times and seasons.

Time exists because the sun rises and sets. Seasons exist because of the angle of the earth’s rotation.

Is any of that set in stone? Apparently not. We have already experienced two literal, earth-shaking events that have caused a shift in the earth's axis during this 21^st century. A USA TODAY, March 15, 2011, headline read, “NASA: Japan quake shortened Earth’s day, shifted axis”. In March of 2010 National Geographic reported that the Chilean earthquake altered the day length and shifted the earth on it’s axis.

Though minor in terms of degrees of shift, they are none the less shifts. Scripture tells us that the entire earth will be shaken violently. That would certainly do some major damage, but what if the statement is rhetorical.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a frightening dream, of that he was sure, but he could not remember it, and it was clear to him that it had some meaning. Nebuchadnezzar summoned all the wise men, but Daniel, nor his fellow Hebrews, was not there, and he demanded that someone tell him the dream and meaning. Not capable of giving him that information he ordered the deaths of all the wise men. Now Daniel is in trouble.

Daniel 2:13-15 NIV So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. (14) When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. (15) He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.

Daniel, wisely buys some time, calls his Hebrew brothers together and they pray for an answer.

Daniel 2:18 NIV He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2:19-21 NIV During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven (20) and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. (21) He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Daniel made this statement out of honor for God, not necessarily because he had experienced severe earthquakes and saw some form of climate change. What Daniel experienced was his own capture, possible emasculation, loss of any previous relationships, enslavement, and re-training under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. In the midst of this he maintained his dedication to the ways and knowledge of God.

The Aramaic word for change is shena, meaning to change, alter, or be diverse.

Times - Aramaic iddan meaning a set period of time. Question, who sets the time?

Seasons - zeman meaning appointed times. The word zman is used 11 times, 9 of which were translated time.

Daniel 4:36 has Nebuchadnezzar speaking of the time that God restored his sanity.

Another instance of the changing of times comes from Daniel 7:25 where Daniel has prophesied about the man of lawlessness that is to come. This man has many names.

Daniel 7:25 ASV And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change (to alter) the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

We are seeing this as the theme of Islam. They are making a concerted effort to affect these changes even in democratic nations.

I think we are missing the point if we merely look at God’s mercy as inconsistency, which I know some will and already have. What we have been given is a flexibility. Even in Daniel 7:25 there is the phrase, “and he shall think to change...”; do you not see that there is left to the “saints” an open door to stop the avenger in his tracks.
The Ninevite ruler said, Jonah 3:9-10 KJV “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Even this pagan terrorist understood that there was the opportunity for change in God’s heart.

This is a book  we call the Bible is being written as we go.

Yes, due to the fact that God cannot go back on his word, that which is spoken shall come to pass, but scripture is filled with variables and it is the person that will stand upon their faith that bring about the deflection of course necessary. Physics alone tell us that the Sun or Earth was never meant to change directions, but it did. Something astronomical happened, for the shadow went backward on the sun-dial just to prove that God was in control.

2 Kings 20:8-11 KJV And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still, and it did.

Joshua 10:11-13 KJV And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. (12) Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. (13) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Is God open to new narratives?

It would seem so, and yet, does he not already know what action you are going take, merely waiting for your command.

The Spirit of the Lord says to you, rise up my beloved, rise up and take my strength as the Sun takes the day. I have placed my Word inside of you to effect change. There is no need to cringe in fear, for sadly fear will be plentiful. The unbelieving have brought this upon themselves, but it is time for you to put on strength.

In the midst of a battle it is a bad time to consider putting on battle gear, you should have seen this coming, especially since I have left you my Word and told you to be prepared. Now that the battle is raging around you I strongly suggest that you do something, flexibility allows for that. Nothing outside of judgment is set in stone, but judgment is not coming for the saints, it is coming upon the world that refuses me. Do not be that world, be the ones who set their sights upon me. There is a hope and I will come for you no matter what.

Read the second chapter of Joel. This is my word to you now says the Lord. You are not forsaken and you will not be abandoned or refused, for I know those who are mine. I am a God of Mercy to those who cry out for it.

Let that be you.

An open letter to the Churches

It has been a little over a year since I wrote this. I still weep when I read it. To those that have an ear to hear it is an encouragement and a call to war.

Hear what the spirit of the Lord is saying, not only to those who misguided the sheep, but to the sheep as well.

Sheep (Photo credit: James Good)

I am writing as I have been compelled to write. The Spirit of the Lord tells me that we are of the Laodicean church, and as such we are on the last stand and have failed to hold our ground.

The prophets¹ have put forth the call to repent, but you have ignored that call, and instead, induced fear in my people.

You have taken away their hope.

 Most will not receive this, but some will.

 "To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: The amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the source of God's creation, says: I know what you have done, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. But since you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I'm going to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I'm rich. I'm wealthy. I don't need anything.' Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously, and change the way you think and act. Look, I'm standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I'll come in and we'll eat together. I will allow everyone who wins the victory to sit with me on my throne, as I have won the victory and have sat down with my Father on his throne. Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:14-22 GW)

The call for repentance has gone forth and you have ignored it.

The cry for hearts to turn to me has gone forth and you have rejected it.

I have sent my prophets and you have mocked them.

I have sent my warnings upon this nation, do not put your hope in the idea that there will be more.

I do not recommend you ignore those warnings.

The time of my return for those who are awaiting me is now within minutes in my time frame. Will you ignore that too?

Pastors

I sent you as shepherds to lead and guide the flock, but you have failed. You have not only failed but you have robbed my sheep, and left them as fodder for the wolves. They wander around with no hope and direction. And even though I have told you that you are not in the darkness that this day should creep upon you, that is exactly what is happening to them. 

Read Matthew 25. Do not ignore this warning! 

Although everyone in this parable was invited to the same wedding half were not ready. The oil is not the Holy Spirit for you cannot buy a free gift, therefore the oil is passion and desire, and none of you have that.

The shepherds are foolish. They don't look to the LORD for help. That is why they won't succeed, and all their flocks will be scattered. (Jeremiah 10:21 GW)

 You think you are a success if you have fame and fortune, but I tell you that the first shall be last, and there will be a payment to be made for the damage you have done to my flock.

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My portion under foot; they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. (Jeremiah 12:10 LITV)

You love to call this time that is coming the Great Tribulation, and it is, but it is also a time of wrath. If you have played the fool with MY people then you will be included in that wrath. 

You can stand there in an attempt to rebuke me, I anticipated that, for that is what Pharisees do, but what in your foolish mind makes you think that you will escape the wrath of God.

Woe to shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture, says Jehovah. Because of this, so says Jehovah the God of Israel against the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, and have driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Jehovah. Jeremiah 23:1-2 LITV)

Shepherds, you should be leading the sheep. Start crying, you great leaders! Roll around on the ground in pain, you leaders of the sheep. It is now time for your slaughter. You will be scattered everywhere, like pieces flying from a broken jar. (Jeremiah 25:34 ERV)

There will be no place for the shepherds to hide. They will not escape.

(Jeremiah 25:35 ERV)

We were designed for hope, it is the reason we are here.

You shepherds that chose not to attend the flock, have robbed them of hope. You have chosen to preach what people want to hear, and not what I have spoken to you. 

“..,the eye of the Lord is on those in whose hearts is the fear of him, on those whose hope is in his mercy;“ (Psalms 33:18 BBE)

Be strong and brave, all of you who are waiting for the LORD'S help.

(Psalms 31:24 ERV)

Hope is the main motivation that drives my people toward the end. Hope is the backbone of faith, based in faith, and the reason that we look toward a promised end and rescue from destruction. 

As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37 AMP)

You have not been bold enough to understand this statement, so I will declare it to you. Evil thoughts and violence filled the heart of everyman, except one, NOAH. I placed him in the Ark, and I closed the door. Then destruction came. In other words, tribulation, coming from people, was all around him, just as is it today.

You have eliminated the talks of hope because you do not believe my words. Did you think that I would not notice such an act of treason. In eliminating hope, you have proven your lack of faith, and shown your distrust of my word, my life, and my resurrection. 

You have robbed my people of hope by your unbelief.

Do you not understand that HOPE was and is an integral aspect of your beliefs. 

I promised and then guaranteed that hope with my body as the payment, when it should have been your body on that cross. 

Do you not understand that the riches of heaven are only yours because of the fulfillment of hope.

Paul challenged the Sanhedrin based on a solid understanding of this hope.

But Paul, when he perceived that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, cried out to the council (Sanhedrin), Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; it is with regard to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am indicted and being judged. (Acts 23:6 AMP)

While you have refused to establish hope in people, Paul was willing to be chained because he grasped the promise of hope based in Jesus.

This is the reason therefore why I have begged to see you and to talk with you, since it is because of the Hope of Israel (the Messiah) that I am bound with this chain. (Acts 28:20 AMP)

Abraham – One of the main reasons we are here, had hope.

There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, "You will have many descendants." (Romans 4:18 ERV)

Your deficient decision for Jesus Christ, demonstrating your lack of faith, has caused my Church to not know who I am.

Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God's glory. (Romans 5:2 ERV)

Several translations put it this way: “this grace in which we stand,”, Without hope none of them will stand. 

And what is it that they might have need to stand in?
Faith in adversity?; Faith in my name?; The application of my Word and Name in bringing life to others.
No, you have not taught them that.

They cower and cringe in fear, and if not cowering, they think that they are god’s. Where would they get that idea? Because instead of preaching hope and faith, you preach a message of lust and idolatry.
You created a monster that will be your destruction.

You only have one option, and that is to repent.

Time is short and my patience with you has grown thin. The last days are upon us, and you need to clear your hearts and minds now. You need to restore the broken and lost to health. Ignore this and I will not ignore your wrongs.

The Assyrians are upon you already and you do not even know it. They will show you no mercy, and they will dash your children upon stones, before your feet. 

Repent in humility and weeping, and I will restore you. Turn from me and I will throw you to the winds.

If you are so minded, share this with the pastor of your choice.

Share this with the sheep of your choice. 

I do not wish to see you miss out on the in-gathering of the church to himself, but lacking zealous passion you may. You will deeply regret that as it will be hell for those still here.

Open your bibles and read the second chapter of Joel. Peter stood on the day of Pentecost and declared that Joel's prophecy was fulfilled in their hearing. God opened the door that day to the amazing.

Should you choose to turn to him, he will turn to you. Open your mouth and determine, as watchmen upon the wall that this destruction is not happening on your watch. 

Declare, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the risen one, that there will be peace and safety everywhere your foot stands. Declare sanity over this nation while you are upon it.

Grow a backbone and act like the man and woman of God you were designed to be.

Son's of Adam, and Daughter's of Eve, I am calling you out. You know who you are. You have heard the calling in your ears for some time now. What is holding you back? Fear? Fear is of the devil and does nothing more than incapacitate you. 

Do something. Shout, scream, cry out, repent over a broken nation. 
Still the enemy and the avenger. 
Have the guts to do something.
You do not have the time or the luxury to be silent.
Hold your tongues and I will hold you responsible. Their blood will be upon your head. (Find it in scripture.)
Cease to be lethargic and uncaring. Awaken to righteousness.
Do something.
Be a fire that will not go out.

Cause a few people to regret the fact that you walked into the room, and make a few glad that you did.

Men and women of God should be the last thing on earth that the unbelieving would ever want to mess with, and first person that they call.

Walk this earth as the prophets walked. BE BOLD, and show the world what the power of God is all about.

DEAR GOD, IT'S TIME.



¹Jonathon Cahn, The Harbinger, Subtitled “The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America’s Future,” The Harbinger is published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House. - This only one of the voices, but if you will take the time to verify and compare you will see that the Spirit is telling all those that will listen to say the same thing.

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