Spiritual Warfare

Greetings, brothers and sisters, I pray that the light of God is shinning on you today and the grace of our Lord Jesus is a comfort to you each and every day.

In the mist of all the events of this past week in America and the weeks ahead I pray you would not be shaken in spirit but call to mind the holy scriptures, which says as world events begin to unfold according to the word of God know that His kingdom is drawing near ( Luke 21:28-31). Jesus prophesied two thousand years ago of these days and what would happen as this civilization begins to fade away. He mentioned escalating wars, nations invading each others, unrest and anarchy within nations, earthquakes around the world, Tsunamis, and destructive hurricanes (Read Matt. 24:6-7, Luke 21:25-26). The complexity and rapid successions of these events will terrify men and leave them in a daze with no solutions-they will attempt to find solace in their politicians(sorcerer and wizards), their religions( those with familiar spirits and charmers) but will find none (Read Isaiah 19:2-3). He will do this to punish this world for their evil and disobedience (Read Romans 1:18, Romans 2:8-10).

As I have mentioned in the past, God is first a God of love and patience. He cries out to the world through his word and the teachers and prophets he has sent telling them to repent , save your souls, turn from your sins so that you may experience my blessings. But men are more interested in gain than righteousness. Therefore, what is decreed upon the disobedient will come to pass ( John 3:19-20, Proverbs 1:20-33).

However, this is also a very delicate time for the believers because it is a time of testing of our faith both spiritually and physically. We must understand that this world operates first by the spiritual. What this means is that before something can occur here on earth or in the physical realm it must be conceived in the heavenly realm first. This is why we can say that God controls history. He determines the times and the seasons. He does this by influencing the minds of men to carry out his purpose. The prophet Daniel explained this process to king Nebuchadnezzar, when he expounded the meaning of the dreams he had ( Daniel 2:27-29, Job 33:14-17 ). God was revealing to Nebuchadnezzar the events in world history that were unfolding starting with him so that he may testify that it is God that rules in the kingdom of men ( Daniel 4:17). The way God brings these events to past is by putting thoughts and instructions in our minds so that we may carry them out. This process occurs with all humanity. Thus creating the environment to fulfill his words(Nehemiah 2:12). This understanding can and should be applied to our journey with Christ. Because once we realize that it is with the mind that we serve God then we will be free from the hold of the things of this world that draws us away from God (John 6:63, Romans 7:25). One's eyes become open to the fact that there is something greater going on than this physical world-the spiritual. We also become aware that the constant reading and discussion of the word of God allows us to gain understanding of things spiritual. We begin to see what God is doing and what He expects of us to do (Acts 26:14-18). In addition, our faith in Him becomes stronger as we see the manifestation of His word here on earth (Luke 1:67-75). This kind of Faith will allow us to stand in the midst of wars and battles, storms and hurricanes, death and disasters, and persecutions because we will know the outcome and who is truly determining the times and season (1 Corin. 2:6-16).

Be strong, Brethren, and build yourself up in our most Holy Faith by His word (Jude 1: 20-25).

Call to mind the words of Christ: Matt. 7:24-27. Be wise and not foolish in these dark days.

Shalam,

Zarach

Please share this

The Boston Marathon Bombing 4/15/13

This is not a time for patriotism. It is a time for us to open our eyes and come to the realization that the gospel is right when it says, "we should treat others the way we want to be treated (Matt. 7:12)." If a country invades another country under the pretence of fighting against the axis of evil or declares war based on the ideology of "attacking them before they attack us"- I ask, what kind of world or home environment does this produce? One for evil oppression and one in which it's an eye for an eye and a life for a life. And America- she has followed this path. Ask the people of Panama, ask the children of Iraq, ask the people of Rwanda, ask the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ask the homeless and starving Indians on the Reservations, ask the millions on young black and Latino men locked away in prisons and they will tell you a tail that will make your ears tingle and your bones to shake with horror (Isaiah 14:16-17).

However, Jesus taught us the opposite (Matt. 5:38-48, Romans 12:17-21). He encouraged us to take the higher ground, to strive towards perfection. He counseled us to love our enemies, to bless and not curse, to do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. These are hard words in our modern age of self-indulgence, self-centeredness, self-preservation, self-interest, and self-gratification.

Unfortunately, friends, the Bible doesn't speak of this time as getting better, but worse and worse ( 2 Tim. 3:13, 1). Why? because, as stated in 2 Timothy chapter three, men shall become lovers of themselves- lovers of their own objectives, their civilization, their wealth and money, their things and their power vs. God's power and the things of God ( 2 Tim. 3:1-7). But, what of you, beloved, who believe the gospel? God warns us to depart or flee from such things and form men that indulge in such things ( 2 Tim. 3:5, 2 Thes. 3:6-7 ). This can also be applied to those outside the faith as a call to depart form an evil lifestyle and to those who say they are in the faith yet live in a disorderly and Godless manner. But, now is the time for us to open our eyes and wake-up to what God is whispering in our ears ( Luke 13:1-8). The tragedy of yesterday's bombing didn't happen to those people because they were the greatest sinners in America; no, they were not-but the message God is sending is that unless we, brothers and sisters, friends, and enemies, repent-we are all destine in like manner to perish (Luke 13:2-3). God is giving America and all men time to repent and acknowledge the Truth and to do the Truth ( John 17:17). We must understand that God controls events in history, even the history of now, in order to bring about his purpose ( Amos 3:6, Job 2:10, Isaiah 14:24-26).

I'm not saying this evil happened so you and I could repent- that would be a self-centered attitude. But, it is an opportunity to learn that tragedy can strike at any time. Therefore, one should get him or herself right with God by believing in Him and doing His commandments, that no matter what comes your soul and life and the soul and life of them that follow your example in Christ may be safe with Him ( 1 Thes. 5:1-10).



Hear the Words of our Lord: Mark 1:15



I pray for the victims, their families and love ones who are suffering today and for all victims around the world- may God grant us all true peace and comfort and not as this world gives it.


Shalam,

God Bless You and Keep you till we meet again,

Zarach

Please Share this

Promises

Shalam, Beloved, brothers and sisters. I pray all is well with you as you continue to go from glory to glory in our Lord Jesus Christ.
What a blessed season we have recently completed, as many of us stopped to remember God's undying love and faithfulness in our Passover and Resurrection Sunday celebrations. However, we must never forget that Passover is meant not only to show God's power and rulership on this earth, but also His faithfulness in keeping His promises. He told Abraham, "I will make a great nation of you, and I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing ( Genesis12:2 )." And God multiplied Abraham's children through Isaac, Jacob and the twelve sons of Jacob into a numerous nation in the land Egypt: the nation of Israel. But before all this He showed Abraham the future concerning Israel and the Egyptian captivity, their deliverance and conquest of the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:12-21). He continued to fulfill His promises on that faithful night when Moses and the children of Israel sat and broke bread together as the angel of the Lord Passed Over them and brought judgment to the Egyptians for their sins ( Read Exodus 12:25-27 ). God repaid the Egyptians for their murders of the Hebrew male infants, which was a wicked attempt at genocide against the people. But He shows kindness to the innocent and oppressed by breaking the chains of the oppressor and setting the captives free. We should always remember the goodness, love and mercy of God, which is the essence of the Passover service and this time of worship; for it demonstrates the faithfulness of God.
The love and faithfulness of God did not stop in Egypt, nor upon the conquest of Canaan, but hidden in the blessings of Abraham was an even greater promise. The promise of the Messiah; the hope of all nations. He is the promise child that would be birth from the nation of Israel, in whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed ( Read Genesis 22:18, Galatians 3:8, 13-14 ). Thousands of years after that Passover night the angel of God appeared unto Mary and announced the birth of our Lord Jesus, whom she would carry in her womb and bring forth into the world (Luke 1:28-33). God reminded the people of this promise not only through Abraham but through his prophets also, that they and we may believe when it came to pass (Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Isaiah 7:14, Psalm 14:7, Isaiah 49:5-6 ). And it is this Jesus, who came into the world by divine intervention that has become a light and a path that leads men from the bondage of sin unto the Father of all creation and unto the promise land of the kingdom of God. God sealed this promise by revealing his power and infinite love for humanity (his creation) by raising Jesus back to life forever more on that faithful Sunday morning, when Satan thought he had won after crucifying him on the cross. God also ordained witnesses, the Apostles and disciples of Christ, to tell the world what they had seen and know: that Jesus is not dead;he is alive, sitting on the right hand of the Father till that faithful day when he returns. And, need I go on more about the love of God, for He not only gave us a living savior, but He also gave us His very own Spirit ( the Holy Spirit) to be our guide and comforter throughout the ages till he sends Jesus Christ to gather up His faithful children for to carry them home to Zion.
I pray that this holiday season was not just another event and ceremony for any of you, but that you saw it as an opportunity to continue or to begin again to draw closer to God by reading His word, by believing the Truth, and by the Love of the Brotherhood of the faithful. I pray for the day that God would make us all one in our Lord Jesus Christ, as he has promised.

Shalam,
May the light of Christ forever shine before you and may you have the faith to Abide

Zarach
Matt 26:26-30

 

Please Share this