A Voice Is Calling Today!
A Voice Is Calling Today!
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1,2)
"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the Lord your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:7,8)</p>
In that day you will say: "I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me" (Isaiah 12:1)
When the Lord first receives a person He rejoices over a prodigal who has returned home. But it is not too long after that, that He begins to make the individual one of His own.
I believe the higher the person's role is to be in the Kingdom of God, the more severely he or she is dealt with.
Notice that Jerusalem, the Lamb's bride, the Royal Priesthood, receives from the Lord's hand double for her sins.
That may come as a surprise to us if we have always thought that it is the world that is punished severely. The truth is, the closer God has drawn us to Himself, the stricter He is with us.
God chastens severely each of His sons!
But then there comes a day when our chastening has been completed. We now are partakers of His holiness.
God comforts us. He tells us that our days of affliction have been completed. Our sins have been paid for.
It absolutely is true that Christ has made an atonement for our sins. Our past sins have been paid for in full.
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. (Romans 3:25)
Then we are required to cooperate with the Spirit of God as He leads us into righteous, holy living.
In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:14)
Judgment begins with the household of God, and we are chastened in terms of the wickedness of our behavior at the present time.
For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (I Peter 4:17)
Every experienced saint understands this very well!
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (I Peter 4:1,2)
When God is satisfied with our transformation in Christ, He receives us and informs us that we have successfully come through His dealings and now He will show everlasting kindness to us.
A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 4:3)
Our world is a wilderness. Each human being is a desert. God desires a highway, a highway of holiness from which every stone of stumbling has been removed.
You know, I believe that is our task today. I think God has set out in our time to straighten out the confusion caused by the "grace" teaching. God desires genuine holiness, not imputed holiness. God cannot have fellowship with ascribed holiness. We have to come out from the uncleanness of the world if God is to receive us.
We of today who love the Lord Jesus must begin to remove the "stones" of confusion that have prevented God's people from growing to maturity in Christ. God has promised that there would be a Day of Redemption, and I for one believe it has begun.
Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. (Isaiah 62:10)
Today's doctrines of lawless grace and the "rapture" of the Church to Heaven have resulted in baby Christians. These and other traditions must be removed if we are to make spiritual progress throughout the days of chaos that are on the horizon.
It may be true that the best we can say of today's Christian preaching is that it is a wilderness, a desert filled with dry bones.
We must build a highway for our God so that the believers can march forward without stumbling, on their way to the fullness of Christ.
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. (Isaiah 35:8)
There are Christian people who are "wicked fools." They shall not walk on the Way of Holiness, even though they may have "accepted Christ."
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. (Isaiah 40:4)
Some believers are depressed valleys. Some are lifted up, arrogant and proud. Some are dishonest. Others are hard of heart. All of this confusion must be leveled out so the Lord has no difficulty getting His will done in us.
God has said such straightening shall take place!
"And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 40:5)
We easily could become discouraged as we look about us at a hundred competing denominations. But God has promised that He will dispel all this confusion and His Glory shall be revealed. And the best part is that all the peoples of the nations of the earth shall see a purified Church.
I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23)
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19).
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." (Isaiah 60:1-3).
For Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:1-3)
On the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. (II Thessalonians 1:10)
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. (Isaiah 61:11)
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:41-43)
Notice in the above that there is a cleansing of the Kingdom before the light of God shines from the believers. This program of cleansing is taking place now, as God's people cooperate with the Spirit of God. It is the beginning of the promised Day of Redemption.
The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. (Psalms 102:15,16)
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalms 96:13)
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. (Psalms 72:2-5)
And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. (Psalms 72:19)
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)
Why have I included so many verses that say the same thing? It is because we have today a false, destructive vision of the future.
We are preaching that the coming of the Lord will result in the catching up to Heaven of the Church. However, there is not one verse in either the Old or New Testaments that teaches Christ is coming to carry up His Church to Heaven. Into the air, yes, in preparation for Christ's descent with them to fill the earth with the righteousness of God.
This is why I have presented some of the verses that verify what I am teaching.
We understand from the words of the Lord Jesus that this earthwide display of God's Glory shall occur when the Christian people are one in the Father and the Son. At the time of greatest spiritual darkness, the nations shall see the Glory of God come on the Christian people, and that Divine Glory shall make us one in the Lord Jesus Christ.
A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field." (Isaiah 40:6)
Because the religious organizations of our day often do not hear from the Lord, they cry out, "Bring in more people! More, more, more! Fill the buildings!"
But they are not hearing from the God of Heaven.
God is telling us that people are like grass. They are blooming one day and the next day they are dried up and perishing. Such is their faithfulness!
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. (Isaiah 40:7)
Many devices are employed today to fill the Christian churches with people, from Bingo to outstanding sports figures. Soon we have a congregation of several hundred—several hundred clumps of grass. It is an attractive family church. Then God blows on it. Persecution comes. It costs dearly to be a Christian. How many stand true?
So much for our exemplary "church"!
"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
Whatever is constructed by man is going to fail when enough pressure is applied. Only that which God has constructed shall endure.
What does that say about the multitude of plans for church growth that are advanced? Is Jesus issuing them? If not, they will produce nothing of eternal values. Just more religious grass.
I saw a picture once of some church leaders getting off an airplane that had just landed. One of the men had blueprints in his hand. Evidently they were ready to build a church. I wonder if they succeeded.
Is this what the Gospel of the Kingdom is about—building more and more churches and filling them with grass?
I read once something written by C. T. Studd, the famous missionary. He was referring to his work in Africa, as I remember. Of the thousands that he reported in his statistics, he said that only a small percent actually were Christians. Perhaps the majority were "Rice Christians."
I do not know how the Christian work throughout the centuries is going to play out. But I am convinced that after we die we are going to be surprised that there are no church buildings, only God and the Lamb. God and the Lamb will be interested in what kind of person we are, not in what church we went to.
Those who have integrity will stand before God. I have no idea about the others, except that they are grass. I do not know what God will do with them.
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!" (Isaiah 40:9)
Precisely what is the Gospel? What is the good news we are to proclaim? It is, "Here is your God."
I have noticed that "accept Christ" is not found in either Testament. "Accepting" Christ is a religious exercise. I do not believe this is the Gospel we are to be preaching.
Rather, it is, "Here is your God!"
What is the difference?
The difference is, one is a religious formula. The other is the actual presenting of Christ. People receive Christ, not accept a religion.
How do we go about presenting Christ? We have to know Him personally; to be conversing with Him all the time. We have to be thinking Christ; speaking Christ; acting Christ. We have to live by Him as He lives by the Father. We have to have the "mind of Christ."
We have to present Christ to people by all that we are and do.
It is not a "winning souls for Christ," or "getting people saved." rather it is showing Christ to people. "Here is your God!" Such is the good news, the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Then people can receive Him, not our religion or denomination.
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. (Isaiah 40:10)
We are to truly bring Christ to people. He shall come with power and govern the nations of the earth. He shall reward those who are faithful.
Are we speaking of the future? Yes, we are. Today we are promising an unscriptural "rapture" of the believers to Heaven. That is not a true vision. Rather, we must pray and prepare ourselves so when Jesus returns we can return with Him. Then we will be able to present Christ to the grass of the earth.
It is not a case of religion but of Christ! Christ! Christ!
Are you and I being prepared by God's chastening to bring Christ to the peoples of the earth? That is the task of God's Israel, the Royal Priesthood. Jesus Christ Himself is the Word of our God who will abide forever.
Those who obey and serve Him shall be rewarded richly.
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11)
Will Christ come with thunderous power and majesty? Will He and His saints govern with the rod of iron righteousness? Yes indeed, they shall.
Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and He indeed is as fierce and terrible as any lion.
But He also is the Lamb of God. He truly is a Lamb as well as a Lion. We of the Church are the Wife of the Lamb, not of the Lion. If it were not for His gentleness we all would be destroyed.
We notice in the final chapters of the Book of Revelation that the eternal Throne is of God and of the Lamb, not of the Lion, or even of Christ.
So it is not surprising that the voice that is calling informs us that the Lamb of God will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart. He is the King of Glory and also the gentle Savior.
There will be those believers who are responsible for the less mature, and Christ will guide them gently.
Now the voice that is calling tells us of the awful power of the Lamb:
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:12)
The above reminds us of God speaking to Job, doesn't it? The astronomers of today tell us of the magnitude of the masses in outer space and the incomprehensible distances between them. Any time we doubt that God can heal us or take care of us we need to think once again of the galaxies that God created through the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Compared with the heavens and the handiwork of God, we indeed are like the grass of the field. It is only as we become part of the galactic Christ that we are anything more than dust.
Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? (Isaiah 40:13,14)
Not only it Christ filled with unimaginable power, but His wisdom and power are unlimited. "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Paul wrote. Many of our present nations are occupied with the pursuit of knowledge, not always the pursuit of wisdom. They would do well to ask Jesus to explain the world to them, but they do not always do this.
The greatest problem of mankind is that of attempting to make a better world without consulting God. How foolish!
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. (Isaiah 40:15)
In our day the nations of the earth parade about as though they have enormous power. They pay no attention to God. They consider Christian people as weak-minded helpless people who take comfort in their religious superstitions.
As we see the present chaos, people revolting against their governments, we wonder how soon World War Three will commence. The nations parade their tanks and artillery and threaten us with nuclear devices.
We need continually to remember that in God's sight they are like one drop of water in a bucket.
It is my opinion that every Christian in the world needs to learn to look to the Lord Jesus for each aspect of life. When the world explodes, those who have been faithful to the Lord will be kept along with their loved ones.
Christ has the power to do this. A thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, but God will cover us. These words in the Psalms were not written in vain. God could see the calamities that are approaching us in the present hour. He will protect us and our families if we abide in Christ, taking shelter under His wings.
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. (Isaiah 40:16)
God is so great that if all the wood in the forests of Lebanon and all the animals therein were assembled, there would not be enough fuel and animals to make an adequate burnt offering to the God of Heaven.
Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. (Isaiah 40:17)
I wonder how the people of America, Russia, China, Japan, India, Germany, England, would feel if they knew God considered them as worthless and less than nothing? Although they probably would not accept such a viewpoint, it is true nevertheless.
In the sight of God who created the heavens, the nations are as a few grains of sand.
We do well to meditate on this. This present life is for the purpose of forming leaders who will govern the new world of righteousness that is coming. The present world is entirely expendable in terms of God's purposes. All the events of world history have as their purpose the creating of brothers for the Lord Jesus.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
These are God's sons, and they shall be revealed to the world in due time.
In the meanwhile we are obliged to suffer the strutting about of the world leaders, who are certain they are greater than God.
With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple. (Isaiah 40:18-20)
The large nations of today for the most part do not worship idols made of wood or metal. But we do have our idols.
Americans worship physical lust and money.
The Japanese worship their ancestors.
The Chinese worship the dragon.
The Africans worship their demons as do the people of India.
The English worship themselves.
Yet, in all of these nations there are a few fervent Christians.
When God is finished bringing a remnant of Christians into oneness in Himself and Christ, and we appear with Christ, the world will see that all of these idols are worthless. The people, the "grass," will bow down and worship the only true God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When all is said and done, there is only Christ. Apart from Christ we are grass—or so the Bible maintains.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:18)
The days ahead, at least in America, will be a period of spiritual darkness, of uncertainty, of confusion, of spiritual and physical hardships. What are we and our loved ones to do? We are to turn to the Rock of Ages. In Him is safety and health.
Should we or our children be put to death, so much the better. For the children it will be a time to play in the meadows of Paradise. For us who are older it will be unhindered love, joy, and peace as we have fellowship with Him whom we have served faithfully.
There is nothing in the future to fear, except that we should lose our faith in Jesus.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)