For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.  Rom 11:32 

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Gal 3:22 

February 26, 2023

The Promise of the Messiah

When Jesus came on mission to save His people, it was after over 400 years of God not speaking to the Jews through the prophets, after the destruction of the second Jewish Temple, after captivity and oppression by the Romans, and after the call of the Jews to repentance by John the Baptist.  Jesus came at a time when the Pharisees and Sadducees had authority from the Romans to continue their Jewish religion, within reason.  During that time the scribes, who recorded the word, also disseminated the word to the people.  So, the word was being preached but it had become so polluted until the people were disillusioned and losing hope.  Some of them sought to get free through retaliation against the Romans with vigilante warfare.  People were being imprisoned or subjected to Roman crucifixion on a regular basis.  It was a trying time to live in.

Why Were Times So Bad? 

God had given the Jewish people the Law to live by, but no one could live up to the Law’s requirements.  No doubt, most claimed to love God, but they had not been delivered from use of idols to promote prosperity for crops or childbearing. They ceremoniously served God on the sabbath, but the major problem was man’s poor interactions with their fellowmen whom they dealt with every single day.  There were problems with over taxation, legal negotiations, health and care for the needy.  If one was caught in adultery or taking his neighbor’s property, stoning on the spot for punishment was common practice. The law was a hard taskmaster.

Their religion was not working so well, nor was it intended to be a perfect system of guidance for them.  The Law was given to show man his sin and to cause him to seek the Lord.  It was never given to perfect our societal life. Living under the Law was about like us trying to live holy in religion without Christ.  We cannot do it!  So, usually people will give up trying and do what they want to do.  Imagine how evil the land must have been with people hypocritically following religion or living in open rebellion.  It must have been about like this day that we live in where some people have given up on faith and live like they want to while calling it right.  The Father saw it all.  He allowed people to get to the place where they finally realized they could not live right and cried out for help. 

In the Acceptable Time

In the right time God sent His only begotten Son to save the lost world.  People had heard of the Messiah coming to set up David’s kingdom. They longed for the good old days, but no one was able to usher in those days again.  They were in captivity and misery with no way out.  Jesus came to fulfill the ministry of John the Baptist who preached that people should repent and prepare their hearts for the soon coming Savior.  While John was still baptizing those who repented, Jesus came to the water where he was baptizing.  Immediately afterward Jesus began calling people to discipleship: “Follow me.”  That was the time for the kingdom to be established. He was the King above all other kings that they had been waiting for.  One by one, His disciples began to respond to his call; and they followed the Savior.  Jesus began to teach as John had: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2). This was the day of salvation!

A lot of people today want to see revival come, but many have failed to prepare their heart with repentance.  Every preacher worth his salt knows to preach repentance, but the Pharisees and Sadducees came to John’s baptism without repentance.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Mt. 3:7-9

We learn an important lesson here that should not be passed up.  No one can just show up and join with Jesus.  There is a path of repentance that God has prepared for every believer.  Not even the preachers could just walk in to see Jesus; they had to come through John’s baptism of repentance.  You see when Jesus came, the only one that was in line with God was John the Baptist.  His ministry marked the end of an era of Law and the beginning of a new era of grace.  When Jesus came, there was “none righteous, no not one (Rom 3:10).  John had the instructions from heaven; and to see Jesus, you had to first go through John’s baptism.  After John died, Jesus’ disciples continued baptizing.  Baptism was important because it meant that you were dying to your old life of sin and starting a new eternal life with Christ. 

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins… Lk 3:3 

…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Joh 3:5-6 

Everyone living today must admit that our world is just crazy and no one knows what is going to happen next.  One thing we do know is that God wants us all to be saved; and in the day that we hear His voice, God has compelled us to not harden our heart. God had promised Israel a time of restoration; and it came through Jesus Christ.

In a time of hunger, in a time of dryness, in a time when things may seem hopeless; God is available to feed and supply His people with what they need.  Jesus said:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Joh 4:14 

Jesus came to do the Father’s will: to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. He also proclaimed the kingdom is nigh or nearly here.  If your heart is ready to receive the Lord, He is ready for you.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom 10:12-13

A Window into the Future 

In my previous written testimony, I disclosed a prior dream and its probable fulfillment.  Only recently did I realize the fulfillment of another dream.  I had experienced a violent dream of war and the portion I remembered the most was of people walking single file pass a pile of what I perceived as dead bodies on their left.  I believe that dream came to pass at the beginning of the Ukraine war as shown in the pictures of people walking single file over a makeshift bridge after the first bombings. 

People dream every night, but some dreams impact us more.  God gives us dreams and biblical prophecy to warn us of future events.  I believe the difficulties we see today that correlate to end time scriptures are just the tip of the iceberg to warn us of times yet to come.  If the severe weather, killing young kids at school, political upheaval, worldwide pandemic, the atrocious pictures of Ukraine at war, and possibility of world war does not shake America to get saved, I don’t know what could. 

God is still drawing people to hear the truth and be saved.  He knows how to connect those praying with those who minister as in Acts 10 with Cornelius to birth a born-again experience.  Cornelius was a Roman soldier, outside the grace of God, alone praying (Act 10), but God orchestrated his salvation step by step.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Rom 10:13-15. 

This is a precarious time where not everyone is looking for the Lord and not everyone is ready to receive, but it is God who is reaching out to our hearts to prepare them for salvation.  I previously taught (Rom. 10:14) how God’s anointing draws the soul, sends the anointed minister to speak an anointed message, and anoints the prepared heart to receive as in the story of Cornelius.  Our duty is to give a compliant respond to His call.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Joh 6:44 

The Spirit of God showed me several years ago how there were many religions that were coming up short in obeying the gospel in one way or another. I closely examined the faith of the Catholics, Baptists, Charismatics, Evangelicals, Apostolic, Presbyterians, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah Witnesses, Salvation Army, Muslims, and non-denominational religion.  I attended churches under many of these faiths and the Holy Spirit would show me a failing in their theology for obedience to scripture. Organized religion or (man’s way of serving God) will miss the mark every time. With no intention of criticizing any religion, James reminded us that: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world (Jas 1:27). Only Jesus knew and followed 100 percent of what God required.  Even our knowledge of what is required falls short. Only in accepting what Christ has already done as a substitute for our obedience and following Him by faith will we gain access to heaven.  “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him (Mt. 17:5).”  All our righteousness is as filthy rags and only Jesus has satisfied the Father’s demand for holiness and obedience.  Jesus was caught up to heaven to return to the Father’s throne, but He sent the Holy Spirit to do a work in our hearts to bring us into acceptance to the Father.  God knows how to bring about the change He is looking for in the time acceptable.  At the acceptable time, the Father will receive up His church, the body of Christ.  Don’t miss your time!

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Mic 6:8 

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