"God is for us. He's not against us."
We sing that phrase as if He is going to make our lives all peachy keen with a ton of whip cream. When in reality it may include stones and whips.
I am thankful that the OT prophets, the Apostles and all of the martyrs down the ages cannot look back an look at us. God was for all of them and they landed in jails, cut in half in a log, stoned, etc. etc.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Was God only for the ones mentioned in Hebrews 11:1-35a? Have you read Paul's resume?? (2 Cor 11:16-33) He was not treated like our prosperity preachers. He did not gather up seed money to bless or tell people how much they should give to be blessed. He had no fancy chariots, a large home and an entourage to follow him about to see to his every need.
Indeed, quite the opposite. None of the other Apostles fared well as our current pretenders to thrones. They obtained a good report, but they did not have wealth and health. Their fame was among the few as they were infamous to the majority and only John may have died of old age in a roughshod bed.
The Romanian saints once told Richard Wurmbrand to have the Americans send printing presses and other needs, but to not send their missionaries because they did not want their brand of Christianity. OUCH! I suspect the gospel of greed and arrogance has gained a foothold or more there since those saints died.
Everyone wants to be RNGs. Royalty, not Grunts. We have to have worldwide ministries and be rich when most of the Body fits into the last verses of Hebrews. Most saints will die unknown and barely remembered and with a little silver and gold like most of the saints of old. Can you tell me a name of one who was fed to the Lions in Rome and other then a few that were burned at the stake and tortured during the Inquisition? Very few people of notoriety.
No, they followed Christ into the path of His crucifixion when many of us will not dirty our hands or do more than fill a pew because we have a country club and night club Christianity.
The wars may be planned and orchestrated by the politicians and generals, but it is the grunts that will the war. If God calls the weak, base and foolish with only a few noble called why do we idolize pulpit celebrities?
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
My fear is that many of them will be in that group or this one.
2 Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
Or this one.
Jud 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Note, they are not outsiders. They are people sabotaging from within. If Michael cannot cannot bring a railing accusation against satan neither can any preacher or member. We turn him over to the highest authority. the Lord.
We need to walk away from these heretics and get back to the truth.
