Mankind, like little children, needs restraint:
Contrary to the teachings so popular today, restraint is not only a good thing; it is an absolutely necessary thing in a healthy society. From the beginning we were taught that the restraint of God’s laws and precepts would steal our freedom, our true potential. What we are going to learn about this today is that without good and healthy parameters and boundaries we have actually become imprisoned by the results of our errant choices. And far worse to the many who truly would not wish to do so, unrestrained choices most often lead to very real harm to others, and not just to ourselves.
I don’t know why we are like we are, but often we don’t seem to care how hard things are for ourselves personally; we just hunker down and take the blows. But for many of us, if we truly slow down to think about it, we would not wish to harm others; though this point is one which lately we have become ever more numb to, because we have slipped into an age of self.
2 Tim 3:1-6
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV™
Jesus once noted that the only sign this evil and adulterous generation would see is the sign of Jonah; so let’s look at that example, and see this in action:
Jonah 1:5
5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. NKJV™
In Jonah’s rebellion against the command of the Lord, these mariners ended up suffering grave losses. Not only were their lives in serious jeopardy, but they also ended up losing all their cargo in the battle against the storm. This is actually the story of our lives, as we have clung to doctrines of demons [often called idols in Scriptures], in our rejection of God’s Word. But, not only do we fail to understand just how much damage we do and cause in this rebellion, but we also steal the real blessings which otherwise would be ours, if we only lived within God’s Word. This profound insight is set forth, almost passingly, in Jonah’s moment of truth:
Jonah 2:8
8 "Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy. NKJV™
God wanted us to deeply learn these truths; so He has brought us into these dungeons of life, low points of often great affliction, so that we would bend our stubborn attitudes, and finally turn away from darkness, and back to Him and His Ways of light, though they preferred darkness:
Zeph 3:6-7
6 "I have cut off nations,
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.
7 I said, 'Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction' —
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds. NKJV™
So as we see with Jonah, God began with self: "because of my affliction."
Jonah 2:2
2 And he said:
"I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
"Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice. NKJV™
God began with self, because just like infants tend to be, we are truly quite selfish to begin with. But God wants us to mature into a true concern for others, something Jonah previously had not dealt with, which we see clearly as his story unfolds:
Jonah 4:11
11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left — and much livestock?" NKJV™
And it all was done through the restraint of His Word: Jonah finally submitted to God’s command, and did the vow of service he had made commitments to do; and the people feared the Word, of the consequences for sin, when that obedient servant finally warned them properly.
God did not make His laws to steal life, but rather to make life abundant. The lies of Satan led us to believe that God’s Word is oppressive, and not able to deliver the desires of our hearts. To this day the general population of the world holds to this attitude; and those who claim to live by God’s Word generally don’t. So, God has given us over to laws that are not good, which make life impossible to live righteously:
Ezek 20:25
25 "Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; NKJV™
So, now our kids wander, find trouble for themselves, and do harm to others, imprisoned by these ways [even at times carnal imprisonment, going to jail]. They may end up getting someone pregnant, also causing that "imprisonment." Or they may practice "safe sex," while we wonder why the family unit is collapsing, and our society is breaking down. Some fall into drug addictions, or die in speed race on our highways, or end up in gangs. These are our own children; and we cause them to pass through the fires of our own burning desires, instead of leading them into the good ways, as good parents and leaders should.
Yet, with all this information in our faces, we still cannot figure it out, that these ways are not good, and we need to get back to God’s law, His Word, in order to have good life restored to us. We just do not want God’s Word to rule our lives; we do not desire it; in truth, we have utter contempt against His Word. We are so completely sold out to Satan’s lies that God will actually have to force us to let them go, even with all the destruction our history records. So, this day He is going bring that rule to the earth; and we are finally going to see what good life is. Because, what we never realized is how much we need the good restraint of God’s Word, His laws and precepts, His ways; they will prove to be life abundant, without any more terror, like we currently live under.
Ezek 20:33-36
33 "As I live," says the Lord God, "surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you," says the Lord God. NKJV™
Ex 32:25
25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), NKJV™
Ezek 44:23
23 "And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. NKJV™
1 Tim 4:6
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
NKJV™
It is written for this day (prophetically) that we will see our former error, that those who were responsible to do so did not properly restrain the flock from defiled ways, ways which would bring the flock under condemnation. This day will be different; just as Paul warned Timothy to be diligent in such matters, so let it be known that this day we are facing is even more severe, having seen in Scriptures how God will react if we do not restrain ourselves, and carelessly try to incorporate defiled ways into our midst [Ezra 9:13-14]. We must fear God in holy reverence, and end all these missteps, which only bring His hot and righteous wrath against us. He is not wrong to be angry at us when we do such foolish things; we are the ones who are wrong, when we ignorantly try to bring into the holy sanctuary those things which only bring defilement to it. We must keep our ways holy, just as our Father in heaven is holy, using the Word of God to differentiate between that which is holy from that which is not [Matt 23:8-10; Eph 5:26]. And be diligent, lest we fall under the same plagues seen here, when the Corinthians became careless in their dealings with the holy:
1 Cor 11:29-32
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. NKJV™
It is part of my responsibility to inform His flock, so consider this warning carefully; not because of fear of me: fear Him Who is coming after me [Rev 6:16; Luke 12:5] Let it be understood to all who will come to Him this day: our God is a consuming fire; be holy therefore, and no longer do those things which incur His righteous wrath [Heb 12:28-29; Deut 4:24]. This is especially true in regards to doctrines of demons, and/or man; when we mix in these other doctrines, it is the same thing to God as bowing before idols of stone or wood [Jer 32:29]. We should not even mention the names of false gods or goddesses on our lips [Ps 16:4].
The age we are walking into should be approached in a very serious manner. The scene from Acts 5, when Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead for lying to the holy Spirit, is also prophetic; it is every bit as serious as God intends to be this day [see also Lev 10:1-7]; so we must not underestimate Him again:
Jer 32:39
39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. NKJV™
Acts 17:30
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, NKJV™
Ezra 9:13-15
13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this, 14 should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people committing these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor? 15 O Lord God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You, in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!" NKJV™
Isa 66:1-2
Thus says the Lord:
"Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,"
Says the Lord.
"But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word. NKJV™
Steady reading of Scriptures will continue washing away the filthy ways of the world. But, from the beginning, we must at least start with the minimum basics, and then add to these daily as we continue to learn what matters to God. As John prophetically witnessed, it can be summed up simply enough, in just doing the right thing. To this, the Apostles added these basics for new believers [while also pointing to the Law of Moses as a regular study tool]:
Acts 15:18-21
18 "Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." NKJV™ [as you turn to Moses, be sure to understand that new students do not yet understand the language art form God uses in Scriptures; do not return to the flesh of the Law, which cannot profit you {see 1 Tim 4:1-5}. We are of the Spirit, and must worship God in spirit and in truth]. With sincerity of heart, through the Word of God, turn to prayers for His help in understanding, and employing those anointed leaders God will provide for His flocks:
Jer 3:15
15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. NKJV™
We must separate ourselves from defiled ways, coming out from them, and being careful not to turn back again to anything which only defiles us once more before the eyes of God:
2 Cor 6:14-18
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
17 Therefore
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
18 'I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty." NKJV™
But when we turn to defiled ways and doctrines, we can open the doors of our lives to demonic influences and oppression [Luke 8:33; Matt 12:43-45], bringing our lives back into the terrorism they wield against us.
This time, in this day, God will back these things up with power; so be faithful not to test Him carelessly.
Heb 10:31
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. NKJV™
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