Friday, December 31, 2010

Jesus Is Coming Soon!

Friend, Jesus is coming soon as He promised;
It is just moments away in God time;
The Rebellion/apostasy within His Church has begun;
Wickedness is increasing and the love of most growing cold;
Family members will betray each other because of His name;
Soon the Antichrist will be revealed;
He will demand your worship; that you receive his “mark;”
The only place of safety is to be found “in Christ;"
To love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Christ Jesus is standing at your door knocking,
Please, let Him come in and commune with you.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

God's Fixed Inalterable Time Line

God's Time Line is inalterable, fixed before “Time” began.
God gave a limited amount of “Time” to exist.
The Perfect amount of “Time” to obtain a Bride for His Son.
Today, we wait patiently, in faith, for His Word to be fulfilled;
It will be fulfilled exactly as it says,
With a precision that we cannot imagine.
Every word of prophesy punctuating this reality.
May we hide ourselves in the shadow of His wings,
Covered with His feathers

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Manifest Presence Of The Lord

The most precious thing in all that exists
Is the manifest Presence of the Lord.
Once you experience this reality everything else pales in comparison.
The apostle Paul said that this world in its present form is passing away;
It is almost gone. When it is finally gone where will you be;
In His Presence, or absent from it; experiencing LIFE or death?
This Christmas I pray you will experience the Presence of Christ Jesus;
That you will then live in His Presence from then on.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Abraham The Father Of Israel And Ishmael / The Terrible Irony

What a terrible irony, and demonstration of the deception of the evil one.
The God of Abraham is the God of Jacob / Israel,
Is the Father of Christ Jesus; the One true God; God revealed in flesh.
And Abraham is the father of Israel and Ishmael.

Both Islam and Israel have denied the Christ of God,
Their only hope of eternal life.
Yet every Muslim and Jew who receives Jesus as the Christ of God,
As Savior and Lord, receives eternal LIFE.

No man comes to the Father, God, but through His Christ, Jesus,
Because Christ Jesus is God's perfect revelation of Himself,
The invisible God.


The Whole World Is Controlled By The Evil One

The evil one controls the whole world as the apostle John told us.
However, God is continually speaking to the hearts of every man.
Out of those, a few have listened to His voice and believed Him.
They came to realize, by a work of the Spirit, 
That Jesus is the Christ of God,
And put their faith, hope and trust in Him;
In so doing, they were born again,
Born into a separate kingdom from this world;
The Kingdom of God.
A Kingdom not found in this world
But found inside of each person who belongs to Christ Jesus;
This Kingdom is embodied in the Spirit of God,
Who comes to live inside of those who believe
That Jesus is the Christ of God;
For a Christian, it is Christ in them their hope of Glory or eternal LIFE.

The Father then places a hedge around those who belong to His Christ
And the devil cannot touch them.
The followers of Christ have a hedge around them just as did Job.
The Father leads and guides those who belong to His Christ,
To fulfill His plan and purpose for their lives.

Christ Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil;
That is unbelief, which is rebellion against Him.
The apostle Paul declares that no man has an excuse not to know God
Because God has place a God given conscience within every man.
However, just as the Serpent deceived Adam and Eve,
He has deceived most men.
Christ Jesus came to declare and demonstrate the Kingdom of God.
He gave this same commission to every Christian 
Upon His Ascension to Heaven.
Christians are to declare and demonstrate
The Kingdom of God on earth as in Heaven.
This reality draws a line just as Moses did in the sand of the desert.
Those who hear the voice of God, 
Put their faith, hope and trust in His Christ.
Those who do not, are left eternally dead, while they live;
Captives of the kingdom of the evil one;
Destined for the Lake of Fire just as he is.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

This Is The Season Of The Last Generation!

The Lord is speaking to me the following
Concerning this hour we are living in:

Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong;
Let him who is vile continue to be vile;
Let him who does right continue to do right;
And let him who is holy continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11)

He is saying to me that the die is now cast.
This is how it will be until He returns.
Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold.
This will be the number one issue for Christians.
We must draw near to God that He might draw near to us.
We will overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony,
Which we will maintain by the power of Christ in us.
He has given us His Glory and is making His Bride, ONE with Himself.
The gates of hell shall not prevail again Her.

In this day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath
For the remnant of his people.
He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,
A source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
(Isaiah 28:5-6)

This is The Season Of The Last Generation.
The Lord said that He would lead us into all truth
And tell us what is yet to come.

Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
Without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
The lion has roared—who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Book Review Of Called By Christ To be ONE

FaithWriters.com Book Review
By Linda Germain:

FaithWriters.com has given Called By Christ To be ONE, FaithWriters' Gold "Good Read" Seal of Approval.

Jesus said: “My prayer is not for them alone (those believers currently living) I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (John 17:20-21).
Becoming ONE with Christ is a difficult concept for some, even in the Christian community. Tom Haeg has made an intensive study of the whole Scripture to explain and defend this hard -to-grasp truth. He quotes chapter and verse followed by an interpretation in todays more easily understood vernacular.

The author comes from every direction possible to remind us what we know in our heads but need to adopt with our hearts--that all bodies eventually die and our spirits leave this earth. Since there can be no corruption in Heaven, only those who are ONE with God can enter in there for eternity.

Today there is a lot of religious practice but only a few know God. Only a few seek Him with all their hearts. Only a few love Him with all their hearts. Christ Jesus, the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE—the One who is LOVE and LIGHT.”

How do we become one with Jesus? First, from teaching in Matthew 6:33, we must embrace what He said about seeking the Kingdom of God first and then everything we have need of will be given to us. Our will must be submitted to His will as we allow His Anointing (His Holy Spirit, His Living Water, His River of Life) to flow freely through and around us and continually welling up within us.

The teaching (and warning) of Called By Christ To Be ONE is this: Jesus is coming back for His Bride (true believers) and those who do not submit to Him and His perfect love will be left behind! Somehow the seriousness of that does not seem to compute with many even by those who dutifully sit in a pew week after week, and certainly not with those who are antagonistic to the Word or ignorantly uninterested in where they will spend eternity and who have no intention of confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Mr. Haeg states: “Christ Jesus is inherently the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. He is inherently LOVE and LIGHT. By His Anointing, He immerses us in His Spirit, His essence. We become saturated with Him, becoming indistinguishable from Him in character and being.”

Knowing Him is the essential to guarding our hearts...We cannot guard our hearts without His Anointing, which enables us to know Him...However, there is still the issue of our will. Even with the marvelous provision of God's Anointing we can still the voice of God within us...The provision of God, His Anointing, His baptism, His immersing us in His Spirit enables us to surrender to His love, and surrender to His perfect will.”

The books format is a constant unrelenting drive to confirm the author's point. It does not pretend to lure the reader with personal stories or a softening of the edges of pure truth. The author beseeches the reader, in every way possible, to heed the Scriptures and allow Christ Jesus to live in and through us because by doing so we become ONE with him...which is God's ultimate objective for His people.

Called By Christ To be ONE is NOT light reading. It is a desperately sincere call to hear and heed the alarm bells that teachers like Mr. Haeg are ringing. He has put an enormous amount of work into speaking out and proving the message Christ has for His Church—His Bride. It is important enough and well documented enough to make an excellent group Bible study...and certainly for an in-depth and personal one for those who truly seek to become ONE in Jesus.


Saturday, November 20, 2010

I Will Show The Nations Your Nakedness

I have been watching the Bay of The Holy Spirit Revival on GODTV and highly recommend it to anyone who is hearing the voice of God in this hour.

God is about to pour out His Spirit on every nation on earth
And put the name of Jesus on every heart mind and mouth,
Every man woman and child.
This will be a new book of the acts of the Holy Spirit.

This morning I was awakened by the Lord speaking to my heart about the airport scanning that is going on. He brought to my mind Nahum 3:5-6:

"I am against you," declares the Lord Almighty.
"I will lift your skirts over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness
And the kingdoms your shame.
I will pelt you with filth,
I will treat you with comtempt
And make you a spectacle."

I implore all those who hear the voice of God
To draw near to God at this time.
He will be your only shelter in what lies ahead.
Maranatha!

Friday, June 25, 2010

The Magnificent Grace Of God


Who Is the Greatest In The Kingdom Of Heaven?
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'

He called a little child and had him stand among them.
And he said: 'I tell you the truth,
Unless you change and become like little children,
You will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child
Is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name 
Welcomes me. (Matthew 18:1-5) 


[Jesus is telling us here 
That the only access to the Kingdom of God
Is a child like attitude; child like faith.
The intelligence of God is infinitely greater 
Than the intelligence of man.
We must recognize this fact,
And humble ourselves before our all knowing, all powerful,
All seeing, present everywhere, self-existent, God;
God, who is the Way, the Truth and the LIFE;
God who is Love and Light.
When we hear the voice of God 
And say yes to Him and His Christ;
When we wait for and experience our personal Day of Pentecost;
Then our Father imparts His Holy Spirit to live within us;
The Holy Spirit living within us 
Enables us to come before our God as a child.
When we come before our Father as a child, 
He makes us ONE with Himself;
By the power of His Spirit and then everything He has is ours;
We become like Him because we see Him as He is;
We enter fully into His LIFE 
And become ONE with Him in character and being.
This is the magnificence of God's Grace.
Who among us can be the greatest, when we all are ONE.
However, God alone is LIFE, 
He simply allows us to enter into His LIFE,
By the power of His Holy Spirit; by His Grace.

'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
What God has prepared for those who love him'
But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things,
Even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)]

Monday, June 21, 2010

The Ecology Of God


Holiness
The ecology of God is Holiness.
The ecology of Heaven is Holiness.
Holiness is supernatural as God is supernatural.
God is Holy and Perfect.
God says to each one of us, be Holy as I am Holy.
He says to us, be Perfect as I am Perfect.
Without Holiness no one can see God or live in His Presence.
Holiness is the only sustainable ecology.

We are all born into sin.
Sin is the opposite of Holiness.
In order for us to be Holy our sin must be eradicated.
The only one who can eradicate our sin is God Himself.
Christ having died for us and living in and thorough us
Is the only One who can eradicate our sin.
To have Christ living in us we must be Born Again.
To be Born Again we must be immersed (baptized) in the Spirit of God.
This is what happened to the 120 on The Day of Pentecost.
They received the Holy Spirit and were Born Again.

When you are Born Again, you are saved out of this world;
Washed clean by the blood of Christ Jesus; made Holy.
Now you must maintain this state of Holiness;
You must overcome this world by that same blood
And the word of your testimony.
This can only be accomplished through Christ in you.

On The Day of Pentecost, the 120 heard the sound 
Of a rushing mighty wind.
Tongues of fire were seen on each of their heads.
They began speaking in languages that none of them knew.
They acted as if they were drunk,
To the point that those who were watching them had to be told
That they were not drunk from too much wine, it was only 9 am.
Through Christ in them they went on to change the world.
Christ in them was their hope of Glory, Eternal LIFE.
Christ in us is Eternal LIFE, in the here and now,
When our will is submitted to His Perfect will.
Eternal LIFE is living in Holiness, in the ecology of God.

Christ Jesus taught us that Eternal LIFE is to Know Him, 
The Father, God.
Christ in us is God, the Holy Spirit, living in us.
The Father said that in the New Covenant,
He would put his law in our minds
And write it on our hearts;
That He would be our God and we would be His people;
That no longer would any man teach his neighbor, 
Or his brother, saying,
'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me,
From the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord.
For I will forgive their wickedness 
And will remember their sins no more.'
(Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Here God takes “knowing Him” out of the hands of man
And places it entirely in His own hands.
Anyone can “know” God,
If they allow Him to place His laws in their minds,
And write them upon their heart.

Christ In Us Is His Anointing In And Upon Us
The apostle John says:
But you have an anointing form the Holy One,
And all of you know the truth (Christ is the Truth)
(1 John 2:20)
He goes on to say:

As for you, the anointing you received from him
(on your personal Day of Pentecost)
Remains in you (forever)
And you do not need anyone to teach you.
But as his anointing teaches you about all things
And as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—
Just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27)

In spite of Christ in us, we must remain in Him;
We can still choose to do our own will which leads to death.
The Scripture teaches us that there is a way 
That seems right to a man
But the end thereof is death.
However, if we allow Christ to live in and through us 
We have eternal LIFE
In the here and now; we can live in the ecology of God;
Holiness, in the here and now.

Pentecost: A Never Ending Revival
The Day of Pentecost began an never ending Revival,
That God brings to every generation;
Every generation has the opportunity to choose to enter into it 
Or not.
Just as every Israelite in the time of Christ Jesus
Had the opportunity to receive Christ Jesus
And His Anointing poured out on The Day of Pentecost.
In every generation it has been as Christ Jesus said:

Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road 
That leads to destruction,
And many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
And only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

My sheep listen to my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
No one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;
No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
I and the Father are one. John 10:27-30)

On the Day of Pentecost those who had heard the voice of God,
Waited for what He had promised, and received it.
This has been true in every subsequent generation.
God's offer of eternal LIFE is absolutely inclusive, 
It excludes no one;
It is for every tribe, tongue and nation; 
It is for anyone who wills;
Anyone who responds to the voice of God 
Continually speaking to them.

The Garden of Eden
In the beginning, Holiness existed in The Garden of Eden.
Holiness was the ecology of The Garden of Eden, Paradise.
Holiness is the only state of being that is sustainable.
Without Holiness all is hopeless and destine to die eternally.
Holiness is the state of being of Eternal LIFE.
[The word LIFE in all caps means Eternal LIFE.]

Adam and Eve lost their Holiness 
And were expelled from Paradise.
Then at the perfect time in history,
God sent His Christ, Jesus, to restore the Holiness man lost,
For those who would receive Him.
Holiness is restored to man in only one way;
By being washed in the blood of Christ by faith;
By Christ living in a person 
And that person yielding their life to Christ,
Ultimately, becoming ONE with Christ;
Then and only then is there a hope of Holiness; 
A hope of Glory;
Only then is Holiness restored; Paradise restored.
Only then is God created ecology restored;
The only sustainable ecology.
Only then does the Kingdom of God come to earth as in Heaven.
In Heaven, which is the Kingdom of God, Holiness is its ecology
And Glory its atmosphere.
Holiness, found in God alone, is the only sustainable ecology;
It is an eternal ecology; Eternal LIFE.

Man's view of an environmental ecology on earth,
While well intended on its face,
Is woefully inadequate ultimately, as foretold by Scripture.
In the end, God lays waste the earth and its inhabitants,
He devastates the earth He created as He puts an end to sin.
Only after this; after sin is completely eradicated;
Does He restore His ecology of Holiness, 
In a thousand year millennium.

The ecology of God is Holiness;
Christ in you the hope of Glory;
Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the LIFE; Love and Light.
The Way, the Truth and the LIFE (Christ Jesus) 
Sustains God's ecology.
This ecology of God is supernatural, in the Spirit of God, 
In His Christ.
God is the only LIFE; He is LIFE itself; He is self-existent; 
He is supernatural.

God is the giver of natural life, and of supernatural LIFE.
God created the earth as a part of His creation.
God created the earth as the place for His Paradise for mankind.
God created Paradise, a specific place on the earth, for mankind.
However, this was not a natural place; 
It was a supernatural place.
This place was absent of sin.
Sin having been introduced in Heaven 
With the sin and fall of Satan;
Was absent from Paradise.

The ecology of Paradise was the Way, the Truth and the LIFE; 
Love and Light;
God Himself (Christ Jesus) was the ecology of Paradise
As He is the ecology of Heaven.
In the middle of Paradise was the River of LIFE.
Along side the River of LIFE was The Tree of LIFE.
The River of LIFE contains the Water of LIFE, 
The essence of God,
Which is Eternal LIFE and sustains natural life.
LIFE is eternal as God is eternal.
Natural life, is temporary and destined to end 
At the time proscribed by God.
Adam and Eve, the first two humans, 
Were placed by God in Paradise.
They enjoyed the Garden of God and it's ecology, Holiness;
They drank the Water of LIFE from the River of LIFE
And ate from the Tree of LIFE.
They enjoyed intimate communion with God.

The ecology of planet earth is a natural, biological ecology,
And, marvelous as it is, 
Will cease at the time appointed by God.
When man, Adam and Eve, sinned, “Time” began;
Time” being the measure of time 
Allotted by God for sin to exist.
Since sin is unsustainable, God gave it a limited time to exist.
Within this limited “Time,” God sent His Son, Christ Jesus, 
To seek and save those who would receive Him;
Those who would submit to the Spirit of Christ; 
Receive His Anointing,
And allow Christ to live in and through them,
Restoring Holiness, God's ecology, in a limited way, 
On earth as in Heaven.
The final restoration of Holiness occurs 
At the second coming of Christ Jesus.
At His second coming, 
He destroys the devil and all who followed him,
And restores Holiness to the earth for a thousand years.
The Bride of Christ, those who received Christ Jesus,
And allowed Him to live in and through them
Comprise the New Jerusalem, The City of God,
The eternal dwelling place of God,
A place of Perfection; where Holiness is its ecology forever.

The Work Of Man
At the second coming of Christ Jesus 
All the work of man is turned to rubble.
The achievements of man, that he takes such pride in, 
Are of no value to God.
The ways of God are higher than the ways of man,
As the heavens are above the earth.
The ecology of God is higher than the ecology of man,
As the heavens are above the earth.
The only thing that matters to God is what is in the heart.
Only what is in the heart of a man has eternal value.
If a man knows Christ Jesus his destination is Heaven;
If a man does not know Christ Jesus his destination is hell.

However, anyone who calls upon the Lord;
Anyone who says to Him, be my Lord,
I repent of my sin, I submit my life to You,
Will be like the one thief on the cross at Calvary;
He will be with the Christ Jesus in Paradise.

The State Of Man
Every living person is born into sin;
Into an unsustainable ecology of mind and spirit 
Under the control of the devil.
The devil, whose destination is The Lake of fire, 
And eternal damnation,
Along with all who follow him.
This is also the destination of the earth.
God ultimately creates a new heaven and a new earth 
Untouched by sin;
A Perfect ecology, for His Bride, The New Jerusalem, 
The City of God.

Every man without Christ living in and through them,
Is of the devil and deceived.
It is as Christ Jesus told the Jews of His day:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said,
'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'

They answered him, 'we are Abraham's descendants
And have never been slaves of anyone.
How can you say that we shall be set free?

Jesus replied, 
'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family,
But a son belongs to it forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I know you are Abraham's descendants.
Yet you are ready to kill me, 
Because you have no room for my word.
I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence,
And you do what you have heard from your father.'

'Abraham is our father,' they answered.

'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus,
'Then you would do the things Abraham did.
As it is, you are determined to kill me,
A man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
Abraham did not do such things.
You are doing the things your own father does.'

'We are not illegitimate children,' they protested.
'The only father we have is God himself.'

Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father,
You would love me, for I came from God and now am here.
I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
Why is my language not clear to you?
Because you are unable to hear what I say.
You belong to your father, the devil,
And you want to carry out your father's desire.
He was a murderer from the beginning,
Not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks his native language,
For he is a liar and the father of lies.
Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?
If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
He who belongs to God hears what God says.
The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
(John 8:31-47)

The Leash Of “Time”
The apostle John has told us that the whole world 
Is in the devil's control,
However, God has put him on a leash called “Time;”
He has a limited amount of “Time” to be in control.
The devil understands this clearly.
At the second coming of Christ Jesus he looses control forever.
At the fall of Adam and Eve, God instituted “Time.”
The apostle Peter has told us 
That a day to the Lord is as a thousand years.
God has worked with mankind for six days, or 6,000 years
And it is nearly time for the day of rest 
Or the 1,000 year millennium.
God is a God of absolute precision.
Time” is not flexible, it is predetermined by God to the second.
This is the same God 
Who knows the number of hairs on your head;
The same God who numbered your days before you were born;
The same God who knew you before conception.

We live in a world whose father is the devil,
Who masquerades and an angel of light;
A world where lying is it's native language 
And murder its way of life;
A world under the control of the devil
Whose days are numbered and about to end;
A world destined for The Lake of Fire, 
Where it's natural ecology will cease.
However, the world at this time 
Is also constrained by God's Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit is taken away
Then the true nature of the world without God comes into being.
The devil reveals his Antichrist 
And demands that everyone worship his “image.”
This is brought about by rebellion and apostasy 
Within the Church of God.
The Antichrist then begins killing every Christian,
And God begins His Great Tribulation.

But for those who belong to Christ Jesus, 
We look forward to a Heavenly ecology
Where sin does not exist; where Holiness is its ecology;
Where Christ Jesus rules and reigns in love, peace and joy, 
Forever. Hallelujah!

The 2000 Year Warning
Christ Jesus warned that:
No one knows about that day or hour,
Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah,
So it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, 
People were eating and drinking,
Marrying ad giving in marriage, 
Up to the day Noah entered the ark;
And they knew nothing about what would happen
Until the flood came and took them away.
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
(Matthew 24:36-39)

From this warning of Christ Jesus, 
And in every subsequent generation,
Those who knew their God 
Have been warning anyone who would listen
That a day was coming that would put and end to “Time.”
For 2,000 years this warning has gone forth.
It is no surprise that the generation upon which it will fall,
Is deaf and blind to its reality, as in the days of Noah.



Saturday, May 29, 2010

Lessons From John The Baptist


The Birth Of John The Baptist Foretold
In the time of Herod king of Judah there was a priest named Zechariah,
Who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;
His wife Elizabeth was also a descendent of Aaron.
Both of them were upright in the sight of God,
Observing all the Lord's commands and regulations blameless.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren;
And they were both well along in years.

[Today the Lord is looking for those who are upright before Him,
Who's hearts are set on pleasing their God,
Who love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength,
Which is what it means to be upright before God.]

Once when Zechariah's division was on duty
And he was serving as priest before God,
He was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood,
To go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And when the time for the burning of incense came,
All the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

[Today the priests of God, those consecrated by Him and to Him,
Are those offering sacred incense to Him; worshiping Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Those are the people the Father seeks.]

Then and angel of the Lord appeared to him,
Standing at the right side of he altar of incense.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear
But the angel said to him:
'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you are to give him the name John.
He will be a joy and delight to you,
And many will rejoice because of his birth,
For He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,
And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

[God visits those who are upright before Him and gives them instructions
To further His plan and purposes on earth.]

Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
And he will go before the Lord, in the Spirit and power of Elijah,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
And the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—
To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

[John is the first person that Scripture says was filled with the Spirit from birth.
John would go before the Lord, in the Spirit and Power of Elijah,
With the commission of Elijah, 
Turning the hearts of the fathers to their children
And the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.
To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
This is the same commission and command of Christ Jesus
To His Church today.
The Church is to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
And the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.
The Church is the announcer of the second coming of Christ Jesus.]

Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this?
I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.'

The angel answered, 'I am Gabriel.
I stand in the presence of God,
And I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
And now you will be silent and not able to speak until day this happens,
Because you did not believe my words,
Which will come true at their proper time.'

[It is crucial for the Church today to hear the voice of the Lord;
To hear what the Spirit says to them.
Each person and the Church will rise or fall on this one attribute.]

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah
And wondered why he stayed so long in the temple.
When he came out, he could not speak to them.
They realized he had seen a vision in the temple,
For he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant
And for five months remained in seclusion.
'The Lord has done this for me,' she said.
'In the these days he has shown his favor
And taken away my disgrace among the people. (Luke 1:8-25)

[Today the Lord is giving prophecy, dreams and visions to His people,
To enable them to fulfill His plan and purpose for their lives and his Church;
The Lord wants to show His people favor in the midst of a lost world.
It is critical that His people and His Church 
Embrace these supernatural impartations As did Elizabeth.]

John The Baptist Was Sent By God
To Prepare The Way For His Christ
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea
And saying, 'repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'
This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
Make straight paths for him.' (Matthew 3:1-3)

A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
Make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
Every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
The rough ways smooth.
And all mankind will see God's salvation.' (Luke 3:4-6)

[It is notable that John came preaching in the desert
And not the cities of Israel.
He was not standing on the street corners;
He was not passing out salvation tracks;
He was: 'A voice of one calling in the desert,'
The desert, an austere place without inhabitants.
Yet he came calling;
But it was not John who was calling,
It was the Spirit of God in John;
It was the Spirit of God invading the atmosphere of Israel
Speaking to every person in His still, small voice;
Calling those to repentance
Who were able to hear the voice of their God.
Those who were convicted by the Spirit of their sin
And who had a deep desire to be free of it.
Those people came to John; God's touch stone.
It was not convenient for them
But they came to be set free;
To prepare their hearts for the coming Messiah;
To make the paths of their lives straight before God,
And ready to receive the Christ of God.
This is the exact commission of the Church today.]

All Mankind Will See God's Salvation
With this statement we move forward to the Time Of The END.
At The Time Of The END the Christ of God will be revealed;
He will appear in the eastern sky,
And all mankind will see God's salvation;
At that time Christ Jesus will right all the ungodliness that men have created;
He will fill in every valley sin has dug;
He will bring low every mountain and hill of man's sin;
He will make their crooked places straight,
And rough ways smooth.
Christ Jesus is God's salvation by His being, by His sacrifice
And by His indwelling those who belong to Him.

Repent For The Kingdom Of God Is Near
This was John's message.
The Kingdom of Heaven is embodied in Christ Jesus;
He is the Christ, the one in whom the Holy Spirit lives without limit;
He is God in flesh.
The Kingdom of God is the realm of His Spirit,
Where He rules and reigns.
God Almighty rules and reigns in and through Christ Jesus.
Therefore, John could say that the Kingdom of Heaven is near;
It was near in the Christ of God, who was to be revealed.

John's Appearance
John's clothes were made of camel's hair,
And he had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
People went out to him from Jerusalem
And all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
(Matthew 3:4-6)

[God was not interested in making John appeal, by his appearance,
To the people of Israel.
Just as Scripture tells us His Christ had nothing in His appearance
To make Him desirable to us.
John was rough in his appearance and he was able to live off the land
In the formidable desert environment;
God made John God sufficient and not reliant on any man.
Yet the people of Israel still came to Him,
Compelled by the Spirit of God.
It is critical to understand 
That God did not make His messenger visually appealing.
God does not have to make His messengers appealing 
By the standards of a culture,
To cause the people to respond to their message.
The Spirit of God does not have such limitations,
God filled the whole atmosphere of the nation, Israel, 
With the conviction of their sin.
When this conviction came upon each person
They were compelled by the Spirit of God, to go to John in the desert,
Confessing their sins and being baptized.]

John Rebukes Israel's Religious Leaders
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them:
'You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
And do not think you can say to yourselves,
'We have Abraham as our father.'
I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees,
And every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down
And thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:7-10)

[The Pharisees and Sadducees
Thought that because they were in the lineage of Abraham,
That they were automatically in God's grace.
Scripture makes clear
That God only respects those who are humble and contrite in spirit
And tremble at his Word.
This did not include the Pharisees and Sadducees.
John goes on to tell them
That God had the ability to raise up children for Abraham out of stones.
The only people who belong to God,
Are those who are able to hear and respond to the still small voice of God
Who is continually speaking to each of us;
Who by the power of Christ in them 
Are able to overcome this world and it's ways.
We are saved by faith but we must overcome by that same faith;
By the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony;
By Christ in us our hope of Glory.

John called the Pharisees and Sadducees a brood of vipers,
Identifying them with the devil.
John told them the only way to salvation was repentance before God,
And then by producing “fruit,” a life lived humbly for God.
John prophetically tells them that, at that time,
The ax of God was at the root of every tree (every person)
That was not producing “fruit” for His Kingdom,
And that soon every “tree,” every person, not producing “fruit” for God
Would be cut down and thrown into the fire; into hell.]

The Christ Will Baptize With The Holy Spirit And Fire
I baptize you with water for repentance.
But after me will come one who is more powerful than I,
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor,
Gathering the wheat into his barn 
And burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
(Matthew 3:11-12)

[John the Baptist emphasizes the main aspect of the ministry of Christ Jesus;
The ministry emphasized in all four gospels;
He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire;
He would fulfill the promise given to Abraham;
The Holy Spirit would would come and indwell the people of God;
God Himself would live inside His people;
He would live in and through His people.
Christ Jesus is continually “winnowing” His people;
Continually separating the wheat from the chaff.
At The Time Of The END, He will finally gather the wheat into his barn
And the chaff will be burned up with unquenchable fire in hell.]

From the Gospel of Mark
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The whole Judean countryside 
And all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.
Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist,
And he ate locusts and wild honey.
And this was his message:
'After me will come one more powerful than I,
The thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'
(Mark 1:4-8)

Mary The Mother Of Jesus
Visits Elizabeth The Mother Of John The Baptist
At that time Mary got ready
And hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
Where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby(John the Baptist)
Leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

[This is a wonderful demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The baby, John the Baptist, inside his mother, is able by the Spirit
To sense the presence of the baby Jesus inside His mother Mary,
And to leap inside her because of his recognition.]

John's Father's Prophesy
And you my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
To give his people the knowledge of salvation
Through the forgiveness of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
By which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
To shine on those living in darkness
And in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the path of peace.

And the child grew and became strong in spirit;
And he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:76-80)

[John the Baptist was a prophet of the Most High God;
His task was to go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him.
The Bride of Christ has been given two thousand years to go before the Lord
To prepare the way for His second coming.
John was to give the people of Israel the knowledge of salvation;
That is the fact that they must receive forgiveness of their sins
Through repentance of them;
This made possible by the tender mercy of God.
Christ Jesus was and is the Sun/Son that came from Heaven
To shine on those of His day and us today by His Spirit;
To shine on those who do not know Him and are therefore living in darkness;
Living in the shadow of impending death;
To guide us into the path of peace by the brightness of His Glory.]

Christ Jesus Speaks Of John's Baptism
One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts
And preaching the gospel,
The chief priests and teachers of the law, together with the elders, came to him.
'Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,' they said.
'Who gave you this authority?'

He replied, 'I will also ask you a question.
Tell me, John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?'

They discussed it among themselves and said,
'If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'
But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us,
Because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.'

So they answered, 'We don't know where it was from.'

Jesus said, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.'
(Luke 20:1-8)

[The leaders of the Church come to Jesus to ask
By what authority He is teaching the people in the temple courts
And preaching the gospel.

Because Jesus knew that they did not accept 
That John the Baptist came from God,
He asks them whether John's baptism was from Heaven or from men.
They realized that if they stated publicly that John was not from Heaven,
The people would stone them because the people believed he was.

They realized that the only answer they can give is that they do not know.
Therefore, Jesus refuses to tell them by what authority
He was teaching and preaching.

The leaders of Israel were blinded, and unable to recognize the Spirit of God;
They believed that if they acknowledged 
That John the Baptist and Christ Jesus
Were from Heaven, it would diminish their own authority.

This is what has happened throughout history 
Since the resurrection of Christ Jesus.
God has sent numerous Revivals,
Which is what John the Baptist and Christ Jesus represented,
And many Church leaders refused to acknowledge
That these Revivals were from God.
They refused for the same reason; they are blinded,
And unable to recognize the Spirit of God.

The final Revival will be the ministry of the Bride of Christ 
In the last generation;
She will be treated by the larger portion of the Church
Just a Christ Jesus was in His day.

It is interesting that the people accepted John the Baptist
And would have stoned the leaders of the Church
If they denied publicly that John was from Heaven.
Yet, they allowed the Church leaders to have the Christ of God crucified;
And this, in spite of the fact that John said that Jesus was the Christ of God;
In fact, that was the whole purpose of John's coming;
To announce to Israel the coming of the Christ of God.

The people believed that John the Baptist was from Heaven,
And received his message of a baptism of repentance;
Yet most did not receive Christ Jesus as the Messiah,
In spite of His greater message and in spite of the miracles he performed.

I believe that this is because
The Church leaders did not come against John the Baptist.
He remained out in the desert and apparently did not threaten them.
Christ Jesus, However, came into the temple
And spoke with authority about the Kingdom of Heaven
And this did threaten the Church leaders and their position.
Furthermore, Christ Jesus was compelled
To speak against the Church leaders publicly and this infuriated them.
Therefore, the Church leaders secretly devised a plan to have him killed.

Christ Jesus Speaks Of The Significance
Of John The Baptist
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,
He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, 
He sent is disciples to ask him,
'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'

Jesus replied, 'Go back an report to John what you hear and see:
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured,
The deaf hear, the dead are raised, 
And the good news is preached to the poor.
Blessed is the man who does not fall account account of me.'

[Here, John expresses some doubt as to who Christ Jesus is.
He was in prison and under tremendous stress;
He had to be sure of what he had foretold, revealing the humanness of John.
Christ Jesus proceeds to tell John's disciples of the miracles 
That He was performing; all those foretold by Scripture.
Then He says a profound thing:
'Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.'
This statement of Christ Jesus resounds through the corridors of time.
His followers are always under attack
Because they live in a world controlled by the devil.
They are always under pressure to fall away.
Yet we can endure all things through Christ who strengthens us
By His indwelling Spirit;
By this same Spirit we realize that a blessing beyond measure
Awaits those who remain true.]

As John's disciples were leaving, 
Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:
'What did you go out into the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
If not, what did you go out to see?
A man dressed in fine clothes?
No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces.
Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:

'I will send my messenger ahead of you, 
Who will prepare the way before you.'
I tell you the truth:
Among those born of women
There has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;
Yet he who is least in the kingdom is greater than he.
From he days of John the Baptist until now,
The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
And forceful men lay hold of it.
For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
He who has ears, let him hear.

To what can I compare this generation?
They are like children siting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking, 
And they say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,
'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collector and sinners.'
But wisdom is proved right by her actions. (Matthew 11:1-19)

[Christ Jesus then asks the crowd what they went out into the desert to see,
When they went out to John.
John was not a man who was a reed that could be swayed
By the winds of mans' thinking or actions.
He was not dressed in fine clothes like someone of importance.
No, he was the man God chose to announce the coming of His Christ;
A man more than a prophet; a unique man in all of human history,
Of which there has been no one greater, born of women.

In spite of the importance of John the Baptist,
Christ Jesus says that the least of those in the Kingdom of God are greater.
Because those in the Kingdom of God are One with Christ Jesus;
They are One with Him in character and being;
They are like Him because they see Him as He is,
And He has given them His Glory.

From the days of John the Baptist until today,
The Kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing
And forceful men and women have laid hold of it.
The passive cannot enter the Kingdom of God;
The Kingdom is for the passionate only.
The passion that Christ Jesus exhibited on the cross of Calvary,
Displayed an intensity and passion that His Bride will display 
In Her devotion Him.

Every generation since the resurrection of Christ Jesus
Has had the both the flute and the dirge played for them 
By the followers of Christ.
Some, neither ate or drank, and some, came eating and drinking.
However, in response to them, many did not dance and many did not mourn,
Just as in the days of John the Baptist and Christ Jesus;
Nevertheless, just as in those days,
Wisdom (those who received the followers of Christ as such)
Were proved right by their actions.]

*The Scriptures quoted are from the New International Version.