This is from the blog Sermons and Soda Water:
First published in 1927, ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ has been a staple of daily readings for Christians ever since. Sometimes challenging to cherished theological views it is always, at least in my experience, equally challenging to cherished sins and struggling disciples.
Here is July 28th’s reading (with empasis added),
‘After obedience-what?’.
‘We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.
What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process-that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.
God’s training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end.
God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present; but if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.’
From Oswald Chambers, ‘My Utmost for His Highest’
This is from the blog The Fundamental Option:
What I had feared and expected finally happened.
Minutes ago upon waking up this morning, I discovered that WordPress has unilaterally and without warning shut down Fellowship of the Minds for alleged violations of “Terms of Service”.
I have sent a request to WordPress asking them to account for just what “Terms of Service” FOTM is found to have violated. In my request, I reminded the owner, administrators and staff of WordPress that WP’s information censorship against a conservative blog, once undertaken, can and will be used against them in the future.
The signs are now clear that the Left are silencing all conservative voices before the November mid-term elections where Democrats will steal the election with MASSIVE voter fraud.
I will explore finding another server for FOTM. In the meantime, I am using this other WordPress blog I have (but never used), as the interim Fellowship of the Minds.
Please pray for America.
In sorrow,
Dr. Eowyn
_____
Romans 1: 18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (English Standard Version)
This is from the blog Singapore Christian:
This is a wonderful article written by Michael Boldea Jr, Chairman of Hand of Help Orphanage. Boldea’s grandfather is the late Dumitru Duduman, who had written a number of books on Christian persecution and suffering, as well as prophecies that God had given him concerning the end times.
This article was published in the June-July 2015 Hand of Help Ministries newsletter.
Dear Brethren,
John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
2 Timothy 3:12, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
I’ve been doing more praying than writing lately. I’ve been doing more praying than pretty much anything else if I am to be perfectly honest, and I think anyone seeing the world for what it has become, and watching the chess pieces moving on the chessboard with lightning fast speed can do nothing less.
We knew these things were coming, for long and long we knew. Seeing them up close, however, does make one catch their breath and realize these are just the outlying storm clouds. The brunt of the storm itself and the true fury thereof has not yet arrived.
My heart breaks as I watch more and more people tether their hopes to the church, thinking it a place of refuge and safety, only to have their hopes shattered at the revelation that the church is full to the rafters with godless wolves who are tirelessly bringing in destructive heresies, hoping to seduce, to tempt, to deceive, and to shipwreck faith in the Christ, as well as the Word.
It seems like every other day there is some Christian college somewhere embracing what God abhors, and lest anyone have the temerity to say anything about it, they’ve already taken preemptive measures and painted any who would object as being bigoted knuckle draggers whose only place on this earth is a cave somewhere.
There no longer remains reverence for the Word of God, and as such we can call it a story book, the ramblings of long dead people who had nothing better to do than sit down and scrawl some chicken scratches on some parchment, or an antiquated tome likened to an instructional manual on making buggy whips.
There is no outrage, and this outrages me. There is no outcry, no call for the immediate dismissal of those who would slander the Word of God and compare it to nothing more than useless dross and filler.
With each passing day those who continue to cling to Christ and stand on the Word will be labeled outsiders. With each passing day those that refuse to be indoctrinated into the new and glorious heresy will be marginalized, shunned, and made out to be the worst kind of humans.
Most of you already know this; you’ve prepared your hearts for it. You’ve steeled your constitution, and are ready to brave the crashing waves of hatred and vitriol. This post is not so much for you, but for those who still walk about with their heads in the clouds thinking if only they make enough compromises, if only they acquiesce enough, if only they become more and more like the world, the world will eventually embrace them.
As long as you cling to Christ, you are a foreign entity and the world’s singular purpose is to expel you. The only way to be at peace with the world is to betray the cross, and sadly more and more ‘spiritual leaders’ and men of renown are doing exactly that.
For the past six years or so I’ve been warning of coming persecution only to be mocked, ridiculed, and even laughed out of some churches. It’s good to see some are at least are catching up, seeing what’s on the horizon, and beginning to sound the alarm.
Make your peace about being an outsider. Make your peace with the reality that you will be ostracized, maligned, marginalized, and persecuted. Pray not to be spared these things, but rather pray for the boldness, courage, and strength to endure them.
The hour draws nigh, and He who sees all will judge in righteousness and holiness among His own. You will know when this has commenced from the wailing and mourning that will pierce the silence.
Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
A Disciple of Christ
This is from the blog On EARTH as it is HEAVEN:
Given some recent events that are making national headlines, I feel compelled to share a dream I had in 2015 in which I had an open vision of the coming days. The weight of it’s message was clear and I believe we are getting closer and closer to a shift we could never imagine and a reality we’ve never known.
I was walking down a road with many people. All of the sudden behind my right shoulder, a huge golden beam of light from the heavens shone down and began to move across the sky in front of me from right to left. It was massive, and it was evident it was not man-made but from another realm. It began to engulf everything it touched.
At the same time, I looked up to my right and in the skies was a huge screen that opened up in front of me. On it I saw a map of the world. It was as if I was seeing and experiencing this phenomenon from two different dimensions. I saw this all-encompassing golden light start at the eastern part of the map near Australia and it began to slowly move west across the entire globe. The light filled the entire sky and was full of glory and power. It seemed to move across the center of the map, touching different countries at varying degrees. I knew that what I was seeing and experiencing was global and affecting everyone everywhere.
I heard myself shouting “It’s happening! It’s happening!” and my heart began to race with excitement. This light was multi-dimensional. It not only went across the surface of the earth but went underneath in varying degrees of color and richness. The deeper it penetrated, the deeper its color and impact. It was powerful, distinct, and moved with ultimate authority.
I was immediately overwhelmed with joy and awe and fell to my knees as I realized the immensity of what was happening. I cried out, “It’s a sign! Get ready!” I knew it was the weight of His glory covering the earth. Yet, even as I was filled with wonder and awe I could sense the fear around me, the uncertainty of what was taking place. Though half of the people were caught up in worship and adoration, the other half were on their knees in absolute terror. As people looked up, dazed and in shock of what was taking place, I shouted out without hesitation, “It’s coming! Yes!” I could see that for those who were not ready, it was bringing dread and fear. But, for those who believed…it was going to be AWESOME!!
I realized then that THE FEAR OF THE LORD WAS COMING IN GREAT GLORY AND POWER and everything in its path was going to be affected. Depending on the state of each one’s heart, this move would bring either worship and awe, or fear and dread.
This dream not only signaled a charge on my life to sound an alarm to the Church, but fueled my passion to call us up higher in holiness so that we can see the Lord in His fullness (Heb 12:14). I see the Bridegroom, the Captain of the Hosts, standing in the heavens with fire in His eyes as He looks upon the earth. His heart BURNS with fierce love for His Bride and His absolute determination to cover the earth with the knowledge of His Father’s glory. He sees the sin, the compromise, the lack of holiness and righteousness – IN THE CHURCH! It is the zeal of the Lord that will compel Him to come in an unprecedented move of the Spirit which will carry the fear and terror of the Lord in such great power and presence that EVERYONE will fall to their knees.
“There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous.” (Ps 14:5 ESV)
This is not the Rapture or the return of Jesus. This is a move of the Spirit that will utterly change everything and everyone in such a way, we will no longer do life as we did before.
It will be a wake-up call, demonstrating the reality of HIS kingdom authority and power. It will not be like any other past moves of the Holy Spirit. It will not limit itself to a few hungry souls, but will permeate and saturate all in its path. He is set on revealing the full weight of His Father’s love, power, and holiness in order to energize and empower His Bride for the work ahead. This move will destroy all double-mindedness, self-righteousness, greed, pride, and self-promotion. This move will cleanse us, refine us, purify us, and deliver us from the evil one’s deception and trickery. It will expose those who are right with God and those who are not. It will shine the light in the darkness and all the rats and rodents of wickedness in high places will be scrambling for protection, only to find they have been utterly unseated and undone.
This move of the Fear and terror of the Lord will turn things inside-out and upside-down, for THE RULES WILL CHANGE. It will no longer be the kingdoms of this world that will determine the course of history, but the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! His ultimate authority as King of the earth will be made manifest and those who serve Him out of a pure heart will be given even greater access, favor, and heavenly authority to rule in the midst of His enemies (Psalm 110:1-2)! That which was by faith will now be made visible and heaven’s justice will be executed on the earth as He makes our enemies His footstool. But, it will not come without cost.
Things that are taking place, even now, should serve as a reminder that NO ONE IS EXEMPT from trial, hardship, or pain. Being a follower of Christ does not guarantee an easy road or carefree journey (Matt 5:44-45). Those who are selling that kind of walk are peddlers and fools. The only “safe” place on this side of heaven is to be under the shelter of the Most High God (Psalm 91). The access to that place is through righteousness and a holy life. There are no short cuts. It is only as we rightly fear the Lord that we are kept from the enemy’s hold and assured of a righteous reward.
“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” (Ps 25:12-14 ESV)
We must be prepared. When this move comes – will we be on our knees in worship, or on our knees in terror? Will we rejoice at the tangible presence of His power and glory or will we tremble in fear due to the sin and compromise in our lives? Now is the time to turn away from excuses and apathy. Now is the time to embrace the cross and lay down any sense of entitlement to our lives. The Father is calling for absolute obedience, surrender, and holiness. There are no grey areas in His presence. He is about to burn up all His enemies and utterly consume the lies, the strongholds, and the idolatry that is poisoning the Church.
There will be no doubt when this move comes and none will be able to deny His presence. The only question will be if we are ready. Pray that the Fear of the Lord would grip our hearts, even now, and draw us closer to His throne of grace so we can worship Him in awe and trembling at His glorious coming.
This is from the blog Dover Beach:
‘THE MOST EVIDENT MARK of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clerics’ who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds.
Instead of nourishing those committed to their care, they rend and devour them brutally. Instead of leading their people to God, they drag Christian souls into hell in their train. Instead of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, they are its innocuous poison and its murky darkness.
St. Gregory the Great says that priests and pastors will stand condemned before God as the murderers of any souls lost through neglect or silence. Tot occidimus, quot ad mortem ire tepidi et tacentes videmus. Elsewhere St. Gregory asserts that nothing more angers God than to see those whom He set aside for the correction of others, give bad example by a wicked and depraved life.’
Instead of preventing offenses against His Majesty, such priests become themselves the first to persecute Him, they lose their zeal for the salvation of souls and think only of following their own inclinations. Their affections go no farther than earthly things, they eagerly bask in the empty praises of men, using their sacred ministry to serve their ambitions, they abandon the things of God to devote themselves to the things of the world, and in their saintly calling of holiness, they spend their time in profane and worldly pursuits.
When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people, and is visiting His most dreadful anger upon them. That is why He cries unceasingly to Christians, “Return, 0 ye revolting children . . . and I will give you pastors according to my own heart” (Jer. 3, 14-15). Thus, irregularities in the lives of priests constitute a scourge visited upon the people in consequence of sin.’
–St. John Eudes, ‘The Priest: His Dignity and Obligations’
I Should go to Dairy Queen More Often
God’s House or a Religious System
Enmity: True Christians versus False Christians
Thought — The Two Faiths
Hog Pen Christianity
A Word to John MacArthur: Jacob Prasch Defends Calvary Chapel (video)
Matthew 23: 21: “So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.”
John 5: 38-40: “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
Acts 7: 51-52: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.”
An Open Letter to John MacArthur from A.W. Tozer: He Being Dead Yet Speaketh
Beware of Theological Aesthetes
John MacArthur Rebuked by a Prophet
