Sound The Alarm!

Joel 2:1, "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand."

Everywhere I look I see the hand of God's impending judgment upon our world. Wars, tyranny, civil unrest, spiritual discontent, oppression, death, disease, starvation, helplessness, hopelessness and on we go. Jesus said it would be this way. He told His disciples in Matt. 24 that there would be wars and rumors of more wars. He said there would be famines, pestilence, earthquakes but these things are only the beginning of sorrow. The worst is yet to come.

The call of Joel 2:1 is to awaken the people of Judah to the judgment of God hanging over their head. God sought through Joel to correct their Godless living and return them in repentance to Jehovah. Joel sees the plague of the drought and locusts as judgment for the sins of Judah. He makes a direct correlation between sin and judgment.

We know according to history that Jerusalem was destroyed along with the Temple of Solomon, the land was laid waste and the people carried away to Babylon in 587 BC by king Nebuchadnezzar. Judah suffered in captivity because of their unwillingness to heed the voice of God and return in repentance to Jehovah.

How can a people believe that they can live any way they choose and not reap the consequences of their choices. God created man higher than any other creature and gave us the unique quality of freedom of choice. However, all must understand that there are consequences attached to each and every choice.

So then, what is the answer to the present human condition? What shall we do in the face of overwhelming judgment? Repentance and restitution come to mind. Seek God for His forgiveness and make right what we can!

We must be empowered by the Holy Ghost to impart God's warning and invitation. Like a watchman upon the wall, we are mandated to sound the alarm. People, God's most precious creation, must be made aware that sin has consequences. Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death..." We will reap what we sow. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting," Gal. 6:7-8. If we sow righteous deeds we will reap a righteous reward. If we sow sinful deeds we will reap a sinners reward. Sound The Alarm!

Don't Follow The Crowd! by Myra Boozer

When we FOLLOW the LORD, We will NOT FOLLOW the CROWD. We will take a different path, the path of Holy living, Holy speech, Holy dress, Holy thinking, Holy conduct, Holy attitude. God said in His word, be ye Holy as I am Holy. Christ is coming for a holy people, a holy Church without blemish. Ephesians 5:27, "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish."

I was taught at an early age that if in doubt about something, don't do it. If it seems to be wrong it probably is! If it doesn't bring Glory and Honor to God, leave it. Now, the crowd doesn't understand that kind of talk. They have delighted in making the rules. Do what feels good to you. Don't concern yourself about what God or anyone else might think.

If you have been following the crowd, you still have time to get out of that group. But, I will say you can't do it on your own. You must fall upon your knees in repentance and trust God to show you the way. He says in His Word, there is a way that seems right unto man but the end is destruction. That is why we can't trust ourselves. We must have Christ to clean our hearts and our minds in order to know what He requires, in order to have ears to hear His voice.

Our guessing and hoping that we are on the right path isn't good enough. The Lord purchased our salvation and He knows the path that leads home. Unless He leads, guides and directs our ways, we might as well stay with the crowd. This sounds strong but it is time we give strong Godly advice, because "the world" is creating strong delusion (false belief).

GOD HELP US ALL TO STAY ON THE PATH OF RIGHT LIVING...IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED. John chapter 10 explains to us that Jesus is the good shepherd. He gave his precious life for His sheep. He knows His sheep by name and when He calls them they FOLLOW Him...and another they will NOT FOLLOW.

If the path you're on seems crowded with lots of happy go lucky people...not concerned about the day we're living in...if they are still talking the same ole talk and walking the same ole walk...YOU are definitely FOLLOWING THE CROWD. "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it," Matthew 7:14. Don’t Follow The Crowd!

Evil Increased In The Last Days!

The world system has become so jaded that almost nothing is viewed as wrong. Our society has been conditioned over time to accept sin. A spirit of “inclusion” has been embraced by many churches so as nobody feels left out. Everybody must be accepted regardless of their relationship with God or manner of living. We are to love all people but the Church of Jesus Christ cannot accept a lifestyle of sin. Sin must be brought before the Lord in repentance!

Gradually the enemy has crept in and performed his despicable work, undermining the very foundation of our existence. From the beginning, our social order was built upon the family unit. God's design for the family has been manipulated to fit every desire and convenience imaginable to mankind. God has His Standard which cannot be manipulated to please anyone! The Word of God calls for the sinner to repent of their sin, turn from their sin and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote to Timothy of the evil in the last days in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 identifying the total depravity of the human state. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

As Christ's return draws near, the depraved conditions will increase. "But evil men...shall wax worse..."v.13. Paul describes mass corruption and lawlessness. The warning is that the condition of the world ultimately presses into the Church. "Having a form of godliness but denying the power..."v5. Having the resemblance of Christian service but without the spiritual dynamic of the Holy Spirit. Peter said, "These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest…" 2 Peter 2:17. The barrenness of this false religion mocks the thirsty soul by promising refreshment but cannot deliver. Perhaps Jude states it best in vs.12-13, "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; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."

In. Eph. 6:11 Paul instructs the Church to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The emphasis is on the "whole armor of God" in its completeness providing power against "the wiles of the devil." In Romans 13:12-14, he writes "...put you on the Lord Jesus Christ…"

Paul addresses the armor of God as a complete covering. Its completeness corresponds to the divine perfection of Christ's humanity. We are "to grow up unto Him in all things." Eph. 4:15. We are to put on His image in all the harmony of truth, righteousness, peace, and faith. We are to receive the spiritual energy and power of Christ as the "Word." Jesus Christ is the solution to the present human condition! He is the embodiment of our power and authority to defeat the "flesh."

We will win this war and the Church will most certainly have victory over sin, as we individually put on Christ. We must seek for and receive the power of the Holy Ghost to permeate every fiber of our being so that we become an extension of Christ Himself. 1 Cor. 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

Jesus Is Our Hiding Place! by Myra Boozer

What are you looking for today? What are you seeking after? Many are looking for answers to some difficult questions. I think more than ever we want to feel safe and secure in these perilous times. We want to have peace of mind when we go to work or into the marketplaces, when we send the children to school and when we lay down at night. These are the thoughts that trouble many people. We can find what we need in Jesus! When we call, He will answer us bringing what we need when we need it.

In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus proclaims, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For EVERY ONE that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

David said in Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple." David wasn't talking about staying in the temple every day but he was talking about dwelling in God’s presence...all his days. In verse 5 of Psalm 27, he states, "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock." David was very confident that God was his pavilion or covering and also his sure foundation. David felt safe in the love of God. We can also but we need to know how to seek Him.

Psalm 27:8, "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." So many times we seek His hand, which is his provision. But He told David, “seek my face”...my person...who I AM. When we truly seek Him, we live in His house, pavilion, tabernacle, His presence. When we dwell there we are set upon a rock...a firm foundation. The very best thing we can seek is the face of the Lord...Oh to know Him...to really know Him...to cherish him like we cherish nothing else, in a very personal way.

When you love someone you want to share life with them. You don't just visit them on Sunday. They become the center of your everyday life. The Lord doesn't want us out on the porch. He wants us to come into His pavilion and dwell with Him. There we will find the answers to our questions and peace for our mind. Jesus Is Our Hiding Place!

God Will Confirm His Revelation By His Anointing!

There is a delicate balance in pursuing God into His revelation and pursuing our own inspiration. The determining factor is the anointing of the Holy Ghost. God will anoint His revelation and Holy Ghost inspiration but He will not anoint inspiration that is born out of our human intellect. His anointing signifies recognition and approval. We must secure the anointing of God upon our message. If not, our message is not God's message. The goal for all should be to be one with Christ in desire, purpose, and message.

There is much to be said about the influence of our religious heritage. However, we can’t be stuck (consumed) in religious tradition but neither can we lose the spiritual virtue of past generations. It is important to understand that all of us are continuing to evolve into the people that God desires that we become. And just as important that we understand that the Bride of Christ continues to evolve. Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Paul says that Christ loves the Church and gave Himself for it that the process of making herself ready might be accomplished by the washing of the Word. God's plan for the Body is established in the Word. It will not change but we, the frail human characters that we are, must find His perfect plan for us. He will confirm His revelation by His anointing!

Oh! Beautiful Day! by Myra Boozer

Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth and with my song will I praise him.”

Oh beautiful day, that we have today! Hope your planning to grasp every handful of life given to you. Don't be afraid to step out and enjoy this day one step at a time. With God holding your hand and lifting your head to see His beautiful creation, you may see things that you haven't seen in a while. It may be through pain or tears that you have to look but please look and know He is with you. When you fix your heart on Him, blessings will flow down even faster than your tears.

Oh, how my heart does sing as my eyes behold the beauty of God’s creation and display of His majestic handiwork. The canvas is so enormous with the formation of clouds that only God Himself could put in place. I think of His return when the light comes spraying out from above and beneath. It almost takes my breath away. I sometimes feel I’m about to move into His realm of beauty and leave this world far behind!

God Will Confirm The Truth Of His Revelation!

When we respond correctly to God’s Revelation, He will confirm the Truth of His Revelation. The shepherds pursued after the revelation the angels delivered. “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger,” Luke 2:16. They were able to observe confirmation of the angels' announcement. When God confirms his Truth, there is always an expected result. Luke 2:17, “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

The revelation was a personal experience for the shepherds in so much that the encounter compelled them to seek the truth of the revelation. When God confirmed the truth of the revelation the expected result was that they would share with others the wonder of this event. Their experience compelled them to tell others about what they had seen. The greater circle or larger group that heard the message “wondered at those things which were told them.”

The Bible doesn't elaborate on the effect this wonderful happening had upon the general public. But we can conclude with certainty that those who pursued the truth experienced Divine Revelation. “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” I am convinced that “wondering” takes place in the mind but “pondering” takes place in the heart. The wonder of the many was a transient emotion; this recollecting and brooding of Mary was an abiding habit. Mary had experienced revelation before! She was no stranger to the visitation of the heavenly and received the Divine herald in her heart. Divine Revelation is a heart thing! God Will Confirm The Truth Of His Revelation! (continued)