Oswald Chambers

Missionary Weapons (1)
September 10, 2017
When you were under the fig tree, I saw you. —John 1:48
   
Worshiping in Everyday Occasions. We presume that we would be ready for battle if confronted with a great crisis, but it is not the crisis that builds something within us— it simply reveals what we are made of already. Do you find yourself saying, “If God calls me to battle, of course I will rise to the occasion”? Yet you won’t rise to the occasion unless you have done so on God’s training ground. If you are not doing the task that is closest to you now, which God has engineered into your life, when the crisis comes, instead of being fit for battle, you will be revealed as being unfit. Crises always reveal a person’s true character.
A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness. The time will come, as Nathanael experienced in this passage, that a private “fig-tree” life will no longer be possible. Everything will be out in the open, and you will find yourself to be of no value there if you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions in your own home. If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free, you will be ready. It is in the unseen life, which only God saw, that you have become perfectly fit. And when the strain of the crisis comes, you can be relied upon by God.
Are you saying, “But I can’t be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn’t come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready”? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God’s work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you.
God’s training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The Christian Church should not be a secret society of specialists, but a public manifestation of believers in Jesus. Facing Reality, 34 R

“THE HOPE OF GLORY” by Pete Garcia,

“THE HOPE OF GLORY” by Pete Garcia, posted in Omega Letter. I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. With September 23rd right around the corner, I found it necessary to write to you concerning the hype and the hope of the Revelation 12 sign. My intent here is not to curb your enthusiasm pertaining what may or may not be an event, but to guard it. First let me add my concern that on both sides, i.e., the militant supporters and cynical critics of this event, have wrought much division to the body of Christ. They have done this by remaining dogmatic in their opinions over a speculative event that may not pan out to be anything, or it may end up being everything. While one side lobs half-truths, the other returns fire with trolling and threats. I have tried to keep an open-mind concerning this and I would like to bring both the positive and negative points out concerning Revelation 12 and the attention it has recently gotten.

The Good

But let me begin with some positives concerning the Revelation 12 Sign “movement” if I can call it that. Anytime a passage of Scripture gets global attention, I think that is a good sign. It gets people asking questions about the Bible that they normally wouldn’t. Furthermore, it gets Christians back in their Bibles acting like they should have been, like Bereans. It also directs people’s attention to the return of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Inevitably, this will, even if unintentionally, wake some people up from the slumber this world has blinded them with. Lastly, much good scholarship concerning the doctrine of the Church, the Rapture, and timing in general has come because of this.

The Bad

The negatives than are that some will be convinced that something will absolutely have to happen on September 23rd. If September 23rd comes and goes without anything major or significant changing, many who planted all their hopes and dreams on that date will become disillusioned and drift away from the faith. Those who are not Christians will inevitably use this as simply one more thing they can pin on those “wacky” Christians who are waiting for a Messiah who will never come. I believe that Revelation 12 movement may only further validate the scoffing as found in 2 Peter 3:3-4 by fueling the skeptics to ask “Where is the promise of His coming?” The Bottom Line

Pinning all of our Rapture credibility and our hopes on a specific date (for whatever reason) is both foolish and irresponsible. I understand that those serious about this date are not calling for a Rapture, but there are some who are. No matter how solid our evidence seems, our God sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10), so His ways may not seem logical to us at the present, no matter how much we want Him to conform to our patterns and logic. Secondly, relying on extra biblical sources cannot and should not be substituted for clear, biblical teachings on any given subject, no matter how compelling they may seem.

Assessment

So with those issues out of my way, there has been much said by both the proponents and opponents concerning the September 23rd Revelation 12 issue. Even though I am not a believer in this event per se, I find myself supporting its claims more than denying them, simply because there has been such poor scholarship done in critiquing it on the side of our prophecy ‘experts.’ Some of the false charges have been:

All supporters of the September 23rd event view this as the date of the Rapture

No legitimate bible scholars view Revelation 12 as a pre-tribulation passage

No man knows the day or hour, thus, the Revelation 12 proponents are all ‘false prophets’ Revelation 12 is in the middle of the book of Revelation, thus cannot point to a Pre-Tribulation Rapture passage

The child in Revelation can only be Christ I would like to address these point by point (in the same order) to clarify some of the misconceptions put out there by well-meaning theologians, pastors, and media personalities.

None of the serious supporters of the Revelation 12 have stated that the Rapture will definitively happen on September 23rd or 24th. Some of them have added that the convergence of all the events together makes a strong case being then (or even in 2017), but none are telling folks to sell their things, move to the mountains, and wait for that day. That was what Harold Camping did, and I haven’t seen anyone in this group with any clout do that so far.

John N. Darby, Harry Ironside, Michael Svigel, Chuck Missler, and other bible scholars have held views that Revelation 12 is a strong Pre-Trib passage as well as the child also being the church. This view is not outside the mainstream.

While I agree with the general statement that “no man knows the day or hour,” I also have to balance that against another later statement by Jesus in Revelation 3:3, in which He holds the Church accountable for knowing the hour of His coming.

In context, when Jesus explained the Olivet Discourse, He answered truthfully that ‘no man’ knew. At that point of time, in His incarnation, this was not yet revealed to Him.

We then see post-Calvary, resurrection, and ascension that the Father gave the Son the Revelation of things to come, which makes it all too reasonable to believe that Jesus was told the when and how (Rev. 1:1) because He is the (Rev. 1:8).

This, in my opinion, strengthens the argument for the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 representing the seven stages (or eras) the church would progress through.

Revelation 12 is nestled in the middle of Revelation. That does not, however, mean that all the events are nestled snuggly in the middle of the 70th Week. Rev 12 (like Rev 11 and 13) are parenthetical insertions which span all or part of the entire seven years. Furthermore, Revelation 12 seems to be outlining events in a corporate manner that parallel Christ’s first coming (which were singular). For instance:

The woman singularly was Mary. In Revelation 12, she is Israel corporately.

The child singularly was Christ. Corporately “he” is the Church (i.e., His head and body)

The dragon singularly was personified as Herod. Corporately it is Satan and his entities (or the beast system)

This appears to make much more sense in keeping with the “prophetic” or “future” nature of Revelation (Revelation 1:1, 3, 19, 4:1-2). In other words, this isn’t simply a rehashing (or historical rendering) or Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension, but something much more intriguing.

Opponents of the Revelation 12 sign openly scoff at the notion that the Child/child in Revelation 12 could also represent the Church.

The child in Rev 12 is differentiated between huios (masculine) to teknon (neuter) who did not ascend but was ‘harpazo’. From my understanding of Luke 24:51, Jesus was anapherō (carried up, not snatched up) to heaven.

If it was meant to convey Christ here in verse 12:5, why use harpazo if that is not what actually happened? This is why I believe John was told to use this particular phrasing.

The Church is also promised to rule with a ‘rod of iron’ (Rev. 2:26-27). And as Christ is the head, and the Church is the body, it is not inconceivable that we also will rule in some capacity as Scripture indicates. Conclusion

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Matthew 24:36

This verse has been the champion of anti-date setters for millennia and for good cause. I believe it has tempered the tendencies of believers who are living through incredibly difficult times to not want to jump after every sign and symbol as their ticket out of here. My main issue with continuing to use this as the catch-all verse is that later, revelatory passages seem to conflict with it. Scripture as given to the Apostle Paul (the mysteries revealed) and even Jesus Himself seem to indicate that we should know the hour and the day.

But first, notice what Jesus doesn’t say; “But of the day and hour no one knows or will ever know.” The passage was written in the present-tense, and thus seems to indicate the truth of what was known at that point in time. In His human form, Jesus rightly stated that “no man knows” because, at that time (context here), He was both fully God and fully man. But in His humanity, He willingly and obediently limited Himself in His power of omniscience to trust fully in His Father’s plan. Just as we humans can’t see into the future, it stands to reason, that God becoming a man, would limit Himself in like-manner so as to be tested as we are in all things (Hebrews 4:15). Yet, He did it without sinning. Doubt is intricately tied to not knowing, which as James 1:6 and Hebrews 11:1 point out, destroys faith. Jesus demonstrated perfect faith in the Father, which would by necessity mean He limited Himself in what He knew if He were to be tested in every way as we mortals are.

But as indicated in Revelation 1:1, Jesus was given the Revelation at some point after His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. This was what the Apostle John, imprisoned on the isle of Patmos in 95AD, was witness to. In His seven letters, Jesus tells the church at Sardis this:

Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Revelation 3:3

As Robert Breaker academically points out in his great YouTube videos, the opposite of not knowing what hour He will come, is knowing the hour He will come. This then supports Hebrews 10:25 in that we will see the Day approaching. Well, if we truly had no way of knowing anything concerning our Lord’s return, both Rev. 3:3 and Hebrews 10:25 couldn’t be true. How can we see the Day approaching if we had no way of knowing what or when that Day was? The Apostle Paul includes a similar theme in 1st Thessalonians 5:1-6:

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 The Messiah (Jesus Christ) was prophesied in the Old Testament of having two comings. We know that in hindsight, but the first century Jews mistakenly believed that it was only one coming. They also believed that when the Christ did come, He would immediately usher in the Kingdom in that same arrival. Even Jesus’s disciples didn’t fully understand this after all was said and done (Acts 1:6-7).

The First Coming was explicitly given to the Jews in the 70 Weeks of Daniel prophecy. This narrowed it to the year of His entry into the city of Jerusalem to which we know as Palm Sunday (Luke 19:41-44). Were the Pharisees and Sadducees wrong for not recognizing the time of their visitation? Absolutely, Jesus held them accountable for not knowing (Matthew 16:1-4). Likewise, I believe, given the number of warnings and admonitions to watch and be ready in the New Testament, the Church will also be held responsible for being caught off guard. Why watch if we don’t know what we are watching for? Watchfulness has both a singular and corporate application:

We as individuals don’t know the time of our own death, so we must always be prepared to meet the Lord

We as a body of believers, must watch to recognize the season of our Lord’s return

While it is impossible to know exactly when the Rapture will occur, I believe that the compounding nature of mankind’s sin (there is a fullness coming), the convergence of prophetic events, and the timing in relation to Israel’s rebirth as a nation, all must be taking into account. I also believe that although we won’t know the specific day of the Rapture, we should recognize the season. Furthermore, as Christ literally fulfilled the Spring Feasts in order, it stands to reason that He will also fulfill the Fall Feasts literally in order as well. How the feasts tie into the Church’s departure, is up for debate.

To me, it would make sense that He either return for His Church in 2017 or 2018 at the latest, given the significance of the specific timing relating to Israel’s return as a nation (parable of the fig tree). Then again, I am not God so His ways and thinking trump my understanding. He may have some other design that is more in keeping with the fullness of time than anything I can conceive. With that said, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, we should be excited about the soon return of our Lord. Given our current state of affairs both here and abroad, things will not continue on indefinitely. As Pastor J.D. Farag once noted, our world has a shelf-life.

So we temper our hope against the hype by staying in the word of God and testing everything by it. While the Revelation 12 movement has many positive aspects to it, like with everything else, we must put it to the test. And it may be that September 23rd comes and goes, but that should not diminish our hope in the Lord’s soon return. My hope was never in a date, but in a Person, the God-Man Jesus Christ. The hope we have was made possible by Jesus Christ, who redeems us from sin and death. We are not simply being saved to be saved, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:4-7)

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28

​Streams in the Desert – September 10

Streams in the Desert – September 10
2017Sep 10
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me(Ps. 138:8).
 
There is a Divine mystery in suffering, a strange and supernatural power in it, which has never been fathomed by the human reason. There never has been known great saintliness of soul which did not pass through great suffering. When the suffering soul reaches a calm sweet carelessness, when it can inwardly smile at its own suffering, and does not even ask God to deliver it from suffering, then it has wrought its blessed ministry; then patience has its perfect work; then the crucifixion begins to weave itself into a crown.
 
It is in this state of the perfection of suffering that the Holy Spirit works many marvelous things in our souls. In such a condition, our whole being lies perfectly still under the hand of God; every faculty of the mind and will and heart are at last subdued; a quietness of eternity settles down into the whole being; the tongue grows still, and has but few words to say; it stops asking God questions; it stops crying, “Why hast thou forsaken me ?”
 
The imagination stops building air castles, or running off on foolish lines; the reason is tame and gentle; the choices are annihilated; it has no choice in anything but the purpose of God. The affections are weaned from all creatures and all things; it is so dead that nothing can hurt it, nothing can offend it, nothing can hinder it, nothing can get in its way; for, let the circumstances be what they may, it seeks only for God and His will, and it feels assured that God is making everything in the universe, good or bad, past or present, work together for its good.
 
Oh, the blessedness of being absolutely conquered! of losing our own strength, and wisdom, and plans, and desires, and being where every atom of our nature is like placid Galilee under the omnipotent feet of our Jesus.

–Soul Food
 
The great thing is to suffer without being. discouraged.

–Fenelon
 
“The heart that serves, and loves, and clings,
Hears everywhere the rush of angel wings.”

​God’s Full ArmourPROPHETIC UPDATE9 September 2017

God’s Full Armour

PROPHETIC UPDATE

9 September 2017

Our Lord is calling loudly from heaven to get our attention

Please do not be like the five foolish virgins of Matt. 25 or those “of darkness” in 1 Thess. 5 who were caught asleep. We know to watch the weather forecast to know what the weather will be like, but we don’t know how to read the signs and spot the day of trial which will come upon the entire world and is already upon us. We don’t notice this, we don’t preach about this and we don’t call people to readiness.

In the past week so much has taken place, it is impossible to name everything. “Rumors of wars” (Matt. 24:6) are plentiful, but in the past week the grandfather of all rumors of wars descended on us. Putin warned that the USA and North Korea are on the brink of a “massive conflict”. The Chinese minister of foreign affairs added that this war could start at “any moment”. A notable German officer added his opinion and warned that the coming war between the USA and North Korea could possibly claim more lives than the entire Second World War (which, up until now, was the bloodiest war in the history of the world).

In the past week there were two earthquakes: a massive 8 in Mexico and a huge 6.3 created by North Korea. The bomb they exploded was registered by seismic stations across the world. The Bible states in several places that the earth will be shaken, and if we still haven’t noticed that it is now worse than ever before, and that it coincides with all the other signs, then our ears are blocked by the ruler of this world. And, tragically, that is the case with most Christians. They are taught by their theology to ignore signs “because it is not for us”. Hurricane Irma is close on Harvey’s heels in the USA. Harvey has already broken records. More rain than ever before fell during one hurricane. A river in Texas broke the previous flood record with a height of 8 feet. And now Irma is coming. The storm is already bigger than any previous hurricane with a wind speed which breaks previous records.

You will be hated by all (Luke 21:17). And now the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) wants to promote peace and security on earth. This is the type of “peace and security” which in itself is a sign of the last days. All people and organisations which threaten peace are pointed out and fought by them.

If one says anything against Islam, one is a hater. If one believes in the Bible, marriage and the God-given relationship between man and woman, one is a hater. 917 Hate groups have already been identified. Now Christians are finding themselves in the same camp as cruel and murderous terrorist groups. This is how far everything has already developed. Who is a Christian and still asleep and feeling at home on earth? Who is a Christian and still without a passionate longing to be with his Lord in heaven?

Two days ago we reported here on a tremendously important development in the Middle East, when Israel destroyed an arms factory in Syria. We are pointing out again that this event will have consequences. The matter has already been taken to the UN, where the nations are called on to condemn Israel unanimously. It is aimed at winning support for Iran (also active support) for its proposed action against Israel. It is not difficult to see Ezek. 38 and Isa. 17 coming closer and closer still.

​J.C. Ryle

J.C. Ryle

Growing In Holiness “Another mark of ‘growing in grace’ is increased holiness of life and conversation.

The man whose soul is ‘growing’ gets more dominion over sin, the world, and the devil every year. He becomes more careful about his temper, his words, and his actions. He is more watchful over his conduct in every relation of life. He strives more to be conformed to the image of Christ in all things, and to follow Him as his example, as well as to trust Him as his Savior.” ~ J.C. Ryle

​Spurgeon Lloyd Hodge

Spurgeon Lloyd Hodge

Yes! John calvin and Martin Luther can’t

save you. But God can use them as a mean

to bring you to the true faith in Christ Jesus.

It is like…

The law can’t justify you, this doesn’t mean it

has no purpose.

You can’t eat gold, this doesn’t mean gold

has no use.

Don’t use such argument to # discredit the

use of such great giants of faith.

​Montana Carrington

Montana Carrington

Why do people question God when he wants

them to do the right thing. Brethren, God

does not owe us an explanation every time

he gives us a commandment. We are so

quick to follow the guidelines of Satan, but

we always want to give God a hard time.

When God tell you to do something, just

shut up and do it!!!!

​Montana Carrington

Montana Carrington

Why do people question God when he wants

them to do the right thing. Brethren, God

does not owe us an explanation every time

he gives us a commandment. We are so

quick to follow the guidelines of Satan, but

we always want to give God a hard time.

When God tell you to do something, just

shut up and do it!!!!