January 23, 2009
“Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for THE MARRIAGE of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then He said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb’” . . . (Revelation 19:6-9).
“His Wife Has Made Herself Ready”
Dear Brethren,
As
the sun sets on this present age; the sun will rise revealing a new
millennial age – one that will be far different from the one
into which we were born and have had our human existence; the one we
have known all of our human lives, but now is a world that is clearly
off course from any recognition of God and His laws and teachings.
The new world will be governed by the newly coronated KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, Jesus Christ (Daniel 7:13-14). And under His firm hand and righteous teachings it will come to be the Wonderful World of Tomorrow because it will be based on righteousness.
Ambassador Bible Correspondence, Lesson 5: Jesus Christ is soon to return to earth in supreme POWER and GLORY, to put down all rebellion, to RULE all nations with divine power and force, to institute a totally new and different system of education . . . !
A
ll
of God’s people are living with hope to become a part in God’s
new world while most are blinded to their spiritual condition. There
is the utmost necessity that all of us be putting forth zealous
effort to remove the spots on our wedding garments knowing this is
vital for each one in order to be acceptable to God.
And yet while observing the many problems within the Churches of God it can easily be seen hardly anyone bothers to really take a look at themselves while thinking they are all right not realizing that Scripture makes known otherwise.
The Need for God’s Laws and Correction
To be accepted as the bride of Jesus Christ by God our Father requires loving obedience for His laws and Government; just as God’s true servants always have had and been faithful for they looked forward to the new age just as God’s people do today (Hebrews 11:4-39).
They realized the need of God’s laws to be in their hearts and minds to point out the way to life while realizing their imperfections. It was realized by them there would be the need for correction from time to time just as we should today to keep us on course.
“O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O LORD, correct me, but not with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:23-24).
The Vital Importance of God’s laws
King
David wrote of the importance of God’s laws in his life just as
it should be with all of God’s true people:
“The law of God is perfect, converting (margin: restoring) the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the FEAR of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More are they to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is WARNED, and in KEEPING them there is GREAT REWARD” (Psalm 19:7-11).
At the same time David wrote of his human failings, just as did Jeremiah (17:9), and the apostle Paul (Romans 7:1-25), while keeping in mind what he wrote above:
“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them NOT have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:12-14).
To Live by Every Word of God
Jesus Christ said His people MUST live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4). It is intended to be corrective (Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 19:15, 21). God’s Spirit working with His law is corrective (Ephesians 6:17).
Correction is Hard to Accept
Mr. Armstrong has said the hardest thing for anyone to accept is correction! Just as he found this to be true over the 50-plus years of his ministry, I have also seen this to be a true statement over the 50 years of the ministry with which God has graced me.
This is very evident in the Churches of God during the few years remaining before Christ returns to this earth! Most members do not see the need to be fully obedient to God’s true teachings.
The same
is true with the world. Prisons are filled to capacity with men and
women who d
isobey
God’s laws and man’s laws as well.
These people are imprisoned for sometimes many years. In addition to being punished for their crimes against society; it also is with the hope of these men and women being corrected and mending their ways before they are freed to return to society. Sometimes it works.
The Laodicean Church Era
This is the end-time Church era that refuses to hear the voice of Jesus Christ with the willingness to accept His loving correction (Revelation 3:19-20).
A
s
the result they will find the door of safety closed to them when the
obedient elect flees through the open door on their way to the place
of refuge shortly before the demise of the nations of Israel (Matthew
25:10-13).
They then will have to experience the ultimate correction by enduring a martyr’s death during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:9-11). This will be the final corrective measure by Christ with the hope of their repentance and remaining faithful unto their deaths. And if so, they will then be accepted as firstfruits in the resurrection when Jesus Christ returns to this earth.
The Purifying of God’s True Church
It is very sad that both ministers and members do not grasp the time in which we now live and the purifying tests Christ is putting each of through at this end-time before our acceptance as His Bride.
And one (angel) said to the man (angel) clothed in linen . . . “How long shall be the fulfillment of these wonders be?” Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven. And swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time (three and one/half years), and WHEN THE POWER OF THE HOLY PEOPLE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SHATTERED, ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE FINISHED” (Daniel 12:6-7).
And during this time of God’s people being scattered, with no chief apostle from Christ to guide and protect us, makes possible the purifying tests each member must undergo to determine their faithfulness to God and His teachings and laws.
“Many shall be PURIFIED, MADE WHITE AND REFINED, but the wicked (the disobedient) shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, BUT the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).
Please note from the following the refining process and what is accomplished though it:
____________________
M
alachi
3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This
verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this
statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process
of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible
Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and
made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything
about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the
process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it"
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Pass this on right now.
This
very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
And,
whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the
end. _________________________________
The
Refining
and Purifying
of the Sardis and
Laodicean Church Eras
Please note the detailed evaluation Jesus Christ gives to His people with the hope of repentance and receiving His blessings instead of having to be refined in the fires of the Great Tribulation,
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot (sleeping – blasé – lackadaisical, lukewarm), I could wish you were cold or hot (one way or another). So THEN because you are LUKEWARM, and neither cold or hot, I WILL VOMIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. Because you say—I am RICH, (spiritually) and have become wealthy and have need of nothing—and DO NOT KNOW that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in THE FIRE (Zechariah 13:9; I Corinthians 3:12-13; I Peter 1:7) that you may BE RICH (opportunity to yet become part of the firstfruits and be in the first resurrection); and WHITE GARMENTS that you may be clothed (to become spiritually clothed) that the SHAME of your nakedness may not be revealed (Matthew 22:38; Jude23); and ANOINT your eyes with eye salve that you may be see (clearly – wake up— ) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be ZEALOUS AND REPENT (Revelation 3:16-19; Hebrews 12:5-13).
TESTING OURSELVES
The apostle Paul wrote to the members of the Church in Corinth of the need to really take a close look at themselves with a scrutinizing test based on God’s teachings and their relationship with Him whether they were yet a part of God’s true Church; so should we:
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. TEST YOURSELVES. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless YOU DO NOT STAND THE TEST (margin, II Corinthians 13:5).
Considering the evaluation of the Laodicean Church Era, we can easily look into our own lives with the same warning words that Christ said to them. Please realize, it is too easy to think we are all right when we aren’t; and unless there comes to be right and good changes we will find ourselves facing the door that will be close to us as well (Matthew 25:10-13).
The apostle Paul also admonished God’s people: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (I Corinthians 10:12).
All of us are subject to God’s government and correction. Last week I wrote about the need of understanding and being obedient to God’s government. This week I felt the need to follow up with an area none of us like, but is essential – and that is, wanting, desiring, accepting, and admitting, needed correction when we are wrong (II Timothy 3:16-17).
Departures from God’s Church
Mr. Armstrong has said all of the members who left God’s Church over the years did so because of government – meaning not wanting to be obedient to it. The same is true today.
T
he
time is almost upon us when they will wish with all of their hearts
they had accepted and obeyed God’s government and accepted
correction from God’s Word and from His true ministers (Hebrews
13:7, 17).
Thoughtfully consider where we now are in time! It should be perfectly clear the sun has almost set on this age.
Where will you and I be when it does set—and the new age dawns?
Your friend and servant in Christ,
Don Billingsley
http://bodyofchristonline.us/ http://cog-ff.com http://www.ezekielwatchman.org/
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pictures above are intended
for educational
purposes only.
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