Edition 153 March 3rd 2013

The Rising Fence:

News events and commentary:

My comment begins with ***

●Israel and the Vatican reach a deal for the new pope to have an official seat in the Last Supper room on Mount Zion. This gives the Vatican limited control over the site. (Israel Hayom March 3^rd) ***The pope’s a bit late for supper! Other sources report that that the Vatican is demanding that Israel hand over 19 sites in Samaria and 28 others in Jerusalem.

● Iran is building 3000 advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges. (Israel News 3rdMarch)

●Assad scream the odds at Britain, Britain say’s he is delusional!

●Turkey’s P.M. says “Zionism is a crime against humanity”. ***What a turkey!

●Anti-Semitism arises to “alarming state in Denmark. In many other European nations the story is similar.

●Financial Armageddon is drawing close as Italy hits the wall! A new world economic crisis is slowly brewing as the US joins the fray with a new form of “fiscal cliff” called sequestration .

The Rising Fence:

Introduction:

If you sit on a rising fence you will fall off on one side or the other! It’s a painful experience falling on a rising fence with one leg on each side! A rising fence will throw any fence sitter right off.

Oh, did I mention that the one side is heaven and the other is hell.

The fence of division is rising higher and faster now.

There is untold eternal safety, wonderful victory, majesty, holiness and great glory for those who’ve “fallen” off the fence into the eternal hands of our Living Lord and Saviour.

The big-ticket fence of division is God’s truth inspired and led by the Spirit of God. But there are numerous small fences as well, all rising higher now.

In the very near future the fence will rise so high that it will be impossible to cross from the dark side to the light or the wrong to the right.

The Church will soon be eternally divided between the church characterised by Babylon and Rome and the Church which is distinctly characterised by the traits of the early Church before the arrival of Constantine. This would be the Messianic-flavoured Church.

The one will be in love with and serve the world system, while the other will love and stand for God’s word in all areas but especially in relation to Israel, Jerusalem and the Jews.

The former will be formed by modern interfaith thinking, Babylonian paganism, and is empowered by the spirits of the church fathers. The latter will be free from Rome and is rooted in pure Biblical truth. These will reject the pagan rituals of the church and will identify with the Feasts of the Lord and certain aspects of Hebraic culture. (Of course without being drawn into legalism.)

The one will say they love the Lord, but will cast down His word, while the other will love and fully accept both.

A big characterisation of the Church on either side of the fence is their attitude to the Jews, Israel and the Palestinian / Arab issues of the day. As the fence rises the divisions will become clear to all who love God’s word.

If you as a believer cling to the roots of anti-Semitism and paganism, I have news for you and it’s not good!

Evil spirits get into roots, so you need to examine your faith. All of the church fathers including those of the reformation era were anti-Semitic Jew haters. The only two who were not were the Wesley brothers, but if they could see what their Methodist church has become, they would turn in their graves.

Be warned, the fence that is God’s plan for Israel and the Jews will become a fence dividing between heaven and hell. You may not agree with that, and yes there is time for repentance, but if you don’t believe me...wait and see!

Four types of Christianity:

●Pure counterfeit Christianity which is of “another Jesus”. These use very selected Bible verses repeatedly. They are not students of the word of God but the word of tradition rooted in some stupid seminary. Their male reverends wear pretty frocks and Nicolaitan collars. Some wear hats worse than a clown hat. They have no relationship with our Lord, only religion. They participate in and with the god of Babylon. They are nice people trusting in their good works, on the way to the hell.

●Babylonian pagan Christianity based on the church characterised by the founding fathers and riddled with the poison of Rome, the Catholic church and other fathers of the reformation. Some of these (very few) may be saved, but they’re the family you never want to see. When they visit, you hope they go home quickly. The majority are respectable happy people but spiritually blind and dead.

●The fence sitting in betweeners: These are the ones that have a mixture of occult paganism, and Biblical truth. These may fall off the fence onto the right side, but I wouldn’t bet on it! They have a very dim spark in their hearts and are a little bit interested in some things of God as long as it doesn’t rock their boats or require radical change. Generally these are blind to all aspects of prophecy.

●True Messianic Cross-bearing believers with a love for the full Bible. These are best described by our Lord in His assessment of the Church in the first three chapters of the Revelation. The message to the Church of Philadelphia is in Revelation 3:7-13. It has no condemnation from the Lord at all.

Be very sure of this: The Christian world is about to be rocked and shaken to its roots. If you are part of that which is rooted in Rome and Babylon...good luck, you are going to need it! If you are rooted in pure Truth, you will stand strong. You need to look into and check the very roots of your spiritual identity. Do it!

The good news and the bad:

Proverbs 19:12 “The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favour is like dew on the grass.”

I’m a wildlife freak. I love it all. I love lions and have had many encounters with them while working in the bush on various endangered species and other programs. Many nights I’ve been in my little tent out in the wilds and heard the blood - curdling dramatic roar of lions all around me. You know, when a lion begins to roar at night all other night creatures suddenly keep quiet. It’s amazing...the king speaks and others shut up. I’ve personally seen two people torn to shreds by lions on different occasions. Only the shredded legs of one remained.

I always feel safe in my little green tent. Here it is:

Job 39:8 “God searches after every green thing”

The angry Lion of the tribe of Judah is one Lion you don’t want to meet. You will be forever silenced by His fiery voice. He will cast you into the eternal fires of hell if you run into Him without His salvation in your heart.

Our Lord has the unique characteristics of a Lamb and a Lion. The barriers and fences you have erected in your heart may keep the Lamb out, but it won’t keep the Lion out.  You can run from the salvation offered by the Lamb, but you will never outrun the Lion!

“I’m okay Jack” is one of the theme songs of hell. If you think you are okay, let me inform you that you’re not! (Apologies to Jack the believer.)

Self sufficiency and complacency in the current world situation is most dangerous.

The Christian world has been robbed of many things by its leaders, most importantly - the powerful Bible teachings on hell. Many church leaders have become co-workers with Satan as a result. You see, you can’t remove hell from your beliefs. If you do you welcome in the devil himself! How about that...just the one you’re trying to keep out comes right in with no invitation.

On the good news front, how good it is to see so many with a growing hunger and thirst for the deep things of God. How good it is to see so many people fall in love with the One who is both the Lamb and the Lion.

How good it is to see so many open their hearts to our Lord and His truth, which is the only way to safety. I’ve had so many incredible emails from so many, who have this very desire deep in their hearts.

God’s cursed editors:

Today the Holy Bible has been watered down, changed and had all the severity removed from it by one cursed preacher after the next. They have made the Holy Bible unholy! They have no idea of just how serious their actions are before our God. We would naturally expect the world’s media to treat the Bible with sacrilege, but men in the pulpit?

Romans 11:22 “Consider the goodness and severity of God.”

Do you know that the word “Holy” means “separate” or “apart? ”God’s editors have made it worldly, approachable, and acceptable by all. It can now be mixed in with all faiths and opinions.

God has put the Church into the world, but the devil seeks to put his world into the church.

Deuteronomy 4:2 “You shall not add to the word which I commanded you, nor take anything from it...”

Revelation 22:18-19 “I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book and if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy; God will take away from him his part in the Book of Life...”

Isaiah 59:14 “...Truth is fallen in the street.”

The verses above are obviously meaningless to many church leaders. They have elevated their own opinions and church doctrines above God's. They teach their flock the same watered down hogwash that they have come to believe. (Yeshua called them blind leaders of the blind).

Truth is a mighty, wonderful thing. It tears down and judges and it lift up and edifies, both rightly divided and applied. You can’t pick and chose though. If you remove aspects of truth that you don’t like, your error becomes empowered by invisible evil spirits which fill gap.

Its’ amazing to me that some ministers can’t see or hear God’s word, even though it’s in front of them. Many may hear and see its words but hear and see nothing from God, only their own thoughts and ideas. Some see it and thankfully do repent before God.

Almost universally, those who don’t see or hear have no fear of God. There are qualifications to hear and see God!

Please bear in mind that sheep generally never go too far from the shepherd. He has influence beyond what he imagines. The responsibility of the shepherd is enormous. The shepherd is not to feed the flock with a mixture of truth and error!

Hosea 7:8 "Ephraim has mixed himself among the people and Ephraim is a cake unturned”. This means simply that this cake is cooked on one side only. It is half-baked! Unfortunately some do see and hear some of God’s word, but only what suits them. They are truly half-baked! Have you been created by some dumb cook? Are you a half-baked cookie?

The importance of the cross:

The cross is not a neat pretty item of jewellery; I have no problem with that, but it does cause us to lose sight of the horror of what the cross of Calvary was all about. It really was the ultimate in torture, especially for a completely innocent, pure and Holy Man. Much took place in the unseen realm as well. That said, the cross is the way to eternal crowns of reward.

Arising out of the fire of God and the blood suffering is the crown of righteousness offered to those who qualify for it. In fact all the crowns of reward come the same way and are also conditional. “Come now Joel, don’t give me that ‘conditional’ rubbish...don’t you know God is not a respecter of persons?” Actually I have heard that many times! I have news for you...sometimes it helps to read your Bible. God is no respecter of persons in terms of salvation. He most certainly is in terms of reward!

The cross of Christ is the ultimate “fence of separation”! It separates between the holy and the unholy, human power and Godly power, heaven and hell and many such things.

Did you know that the Greek word for “cross” is “Stauros” which is derived from a “vertical fence post” which was used as an instrument of death and torture. This “stauros” death instrument sometimes took the form of a vertical stake and sometimes a “T”.

Let me assure you that you will not sit comfortably on this “fence post”! It will torture you to death. You will die if you try! But you can’t be saved unless you do. (I love these holy contradictions!)

The sacrificial death and resurrection of our great King and Saviour eliminates us in co-death with Him all right, but it also delivers us to resurrection life. Of course we all have our own cross to bear as an ongoing instrument of death to self, the world and the demonic.

This word also implies “fencing off”, keeping us separate and fenced off from the world. Those who are not “fenced-off”, merge comfortably with the world and its god.

The great tragedy of our day is that many spineless, preachers remove the cross completely. Yes they give verbal assent to it, creating a nice fence sitting-post for their half-baked sheep.

Many have been taught the great error that God loves everyone, with or without the cross of Christ in their lives. If you read John 3:16 and beyond you’ll see that God’s love comes conditionally with the cross. 

In Latin the word for cross is derived from “crux”. When we use it in English we mean getting to the “crux” or root of things. In Latin the word for “root” is “radix” from which we get the word “radical”. How amazing is that? Are you a true radical...you need to be! This incredible cross is the very radical crux and root of our lives in Messiah. It is our death, life, resurrection and victory wrapped up in one.

We can add nothing to the finished work of the cross of Christ, but in dealing with the “self” life we need to apply this mysterious principle inwardly and onwardly.

Without the cross you are brought down to the lowest common denominator...the lowest rung on the ladder, even though you think you’re okay!

In the cross is death, life, salvation, fruit, holiness, protection, strength, peace, perfect virtue and sanctification. I once heard someone liken us believers to madmen. How gloriously true. What a privilege that the world thinks we are mad!

Madame Guyon, in the seventeenth century said, “God gives us the cross and the cross gives us God.”               

The one who has really triumphed in cross-bearing is the one who has finished struggling against God and is ready to enter an entirely new dimension of discipleship and depth in spiritual life.

The cross is an instrument of death dug into, and standing on a hilltop, but for us it is also a pathway to unimaginable majesty! It is a highway of peace and supreme holiness! This is why the cross is hated by Satan and his unholy, evil world.

Proverbs 4:18-19 “The path of the righteous is like the shining sun that shines even brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”

Heart food:

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time; also He has set eternity in their hearts.”

Do you have eternity set in your heart? Do you ever think about eternity? Do you prepare your heart for eternity?

Shall I tell you a secret? When you stand back and look at a painting from a fair way back, you get the overall picture. When you look at the finish line and even beyond, you will do better than looking at the troubles to get there. When you look towards eternity it is glorious, wonderful and yet awesome and shocking. The shock and awe is because the entrance is so final, so absolute, and so complete. There is no going back to change anything.

Nobody just drifts into heaven.

In this day my friends, you had better be a believer, and a strong disbeliever in much that passes as Christianity, but doesn’t pass any test of the Spirit at all. Error has disempowered and disarmed many for the battle field. Many churches today have a god of their own creation which is in fact an idol of deception. Hebrews 9:27 "It has been appointed unto men to die once and after this comes judgement."

The cost of discipleship

The person who has learned the lesson of denial is qualified and prepared for the times ahead. I sense that some reading these words will set their hearts anew after our wonderful Lord and great King. May I encourage you to leap forward in faith, but to keep your eye firmly on the cross which you need to bear? Cross-less Christianity is all around us today. It is a cheap fraud and the original counterfeit!

Cross-less Christianity creates a total lack of spiritual advance and is the beginning of sliding backwards...if you ever “slid forward” in the first place!

Our natural self-life is a formidable obstacle to spiritual life and endurance. “Self” needs the disciple of death on a cross! By the way, parents who don’t discipline their children produce borderless brats while they themselves forever remain enslaved to the god of “self”.

Our Lord only can satisfy the true believer. Can you say: “I want nothing for self and everything for My Lord?”

It’s a great and very powerful thing when you discover that you are not your own, but His!

Finally:

Remember that at the end of the day, you become what you love supremely.

Truth in the form of doctrine alone is legalistic bondage, but truth led and inspired by the Holy Spirit is pure life.

Truth and holiness are great friends. They are the characteristics of our Lord. Do you want to be His great friend?

Satan is a rapist and murderer. He has and will continue to rape and murder the truth. He has no part with God Himself, but he tries to attack God’s truth. Beware the fence of separation...it is rising now. Please make sure you are not a fence sitter! Examine your faith and its roots...do it thoughtfully and thoroughly!

Isaiah 43:12 “There was no foreign god among you; therefore you will be My witnesses.”

  I took this picture with my trusty Hasselbald camera while on foot in the Savuti wilderness of northern Botswana...one of my all-time favourite places. I recall being a touch nervous. The lion had eaten a European tourist the night before so he wasn’t hungry. (Just kidding.)

Shalom and grow in grace!