The Election Count – Part 14
The kingdom of God
Our fight is not in this world. Our race is not in this world. Because our kingdom is not in this world.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Donald Trump’s kingdom is of this world. Joe Biden’s kingdom is of this world. The Democrats’ and the Republicans’ kingdoms are of this world. And that is why they are fighting. And their servants are fighting!
Our Lord’s kingdom – Christ’s kingdom – is not of this world. If it were, then His servants (we) would fight! We would fight for what is right in this world. We would fight against injustice and fraud. We would wrestle against wickedness in high places.
But we are not called to fight for any kingdom of this world. And if we fight in this world, and against men, we have made ourselves not the servants of the Lord, but of men.
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
We’ve got to let America go. Its not our kingdom, and like all kingdoms of the earth, it will be destroyed
We have a better kingdom. An heavenly, which shall never be destroyed.
Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The kingdom of God is just not here or there. It’s just not on the earth. And that is why we are not to fight on the Earth. Our kingdom is not here.
Currently, His kingdom is “within you” – it is Christ in you. The Holy Spirit in you. But one day He will establish His eternal kingdom physically on a New Earth, which will endure forever. It is a spiritual kingdom, at this current time. Not that it is fake or “figurative”, but merely invisible to man. But one day it will be physical and visible – seen and touched of men.
1 Peter 2:5,9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. … 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; …
We, the Church, ARE an holy nation – a spiritual nation! Our priesthood is a holy priesthood – a spiritual priesthood – offering up spiritual sacrifices. Our city is a spiritual temple!
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
We are to be made kings in that heavenly kingdom. That is what we fight for: our spiritual kingdom!
America is not a righteous nation. There is unrighteousness in America.
But the church is a “righteous nation”! And one day, we will be led home to our place – our city!
Isaiah 26:1-2 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city [New Jerusalem]; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
That is not talking about America! America will not enter into New Jerusalem. This is about the Church – the spiritual nation of Israel – the kingdom of God which is within you. Our heavenly nation. A better country. A righteous nation. An everlasting kingdom.
One day, we will enter into our own city through the gates. We will go home. There will be singing and rejoicing. But for now, we are not home.
We are citizens of a better kingdom. Our kingdom is not on this Earth. It’s heavenly.
What separates the citizens within the city, from the dogs without? Walls! And what are the walls? Salvation. Salvation separates the righteous nation from the unrighteous nations.
Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
We are a righteous nation because we are inside salvation. And all others, all the lost, are without.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is no slipping into the Kingdom of God, like illegal aliens slip into America. There is no cutting through, or climbing over, or tunneling under the border walls.
There is no cheating. There are no fake IDs, no forging of passports. No single thief or liar will enter in.
This is their kingdom. Ours is pure, holy, righteous, and undefiled.
But we are not better than the lost. We were just like them before we were washed in the blood of the Lamb. And they are no worse than us. They just yet still need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. And that is our job, our fight, our race. Wash them, that they might enter into the kingdom of God. And they MUST be washed, for…
Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
We are strangers and foreigners.
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
This is not our country. We are not citizens, but are strangers here.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. … 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
We, as our father Abraham, desire a heavenly country.
We, as our father Abraham have been promised an heavenly country.
The Lord has prepared for us a city. He is preparing a place for us. Mansions in glory!
1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
We, as our father Abraham, are not citizens, but sojourners in a land that is not our own.
We don’t live here. Its not our home, we don’t fight its battles, and care for its welfare, and argue its politics. And you say, “well as long as we are in the flesh this is our home, so we should…”
This is being fleshly minded. But you can’t have it both ways. You can’t have two kingdoms. You can’t serve two masters. The flesh and Spirit war against each other. What you naturally think, what you think you need to fight, when you’re wronged or offended and you want to fight back, these things are contrary to the Spirit, the true. We need to be Spiritually minded.
Even David, king of the carnal nation of Israel, understood that the true kingdom and the true land of Israel was not here. His kingdom of Israel was not the true.
1 Chronicles 29:14-15 But who am I, and what is my people, … 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
We’re not from here. We are not citizens here. We were not born here.
We’re just sojourning here for a short time. We’re just not HOME YET.
Psalms 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: …
An open door
Whether we have a ruler that we approve of, or not. It doesn’t change anything for us.
Whether we had a fair election, or not. It doesn’t change how we should live.
Whether this turns into a socialist nation, or not. It doesn’t change our job. Our job, our race, our fight, is soul winning. And all we need to do our job is the word of God and an open door!
2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
An open door. An opening to preach the gospel. This is what we need, and this is what we ought to pray for. Not fight for. But pray for. Because it is not the power of men, but of God. If it were up to men, or Satan, the door would never be open. The Lord opens doors.
Colossians 4:3-4 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Pray that the door may be opened. Pray that we may have the opportunity to preach the gospel.
But don’t attempt to jam the door open with politics. The Lord is the only one who can open the door.
Its not necessarily a freedom of speech. Paul was in bonds, yet still sought an open door. Freedom of speech is not the only open door. The door could be opened yet while there are still persecutions and laws against preaching.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
The Lord has opened the door of utterance for Christians in America, giving us a King James Bible, an understanding of the gospel, and a freedom to preach the gospel. That door has been closing, the gospel is being choked. The door of utterance may soon be closed entirely.
The open door to preach, is just one of the required open doors. The other open door is a door of faith: the door that allows people the ability to BELIEVE the gospel.
Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Right now, the Gentiles have an open door, an opportunity TO BELIEVE, while Israel has been, in large part, cut off and blinded. But this door will also close, and soon! “the times of the Gentiles [will] be fulfilled”.
This is what we should seek. We should desire the freedom and the ability to preach the gospel. We ought to pray that the Lord opens to us a door of utterance to preach, and a door of faith that the hearers may hear. I hope the door in America reopens and stays open, that souls may be saved. But it may be that America is not the open door any more. Maybe there will be another, maybe not.
We’ve been fortunate to be born in and live in a country with a “freedom of speech”. The Jewish apostles and early Christians did not have it. MOST have not had it since the foundation of the church. I’ve told you that freedom of speech is not a Bible doctrine, right, principle. This country was made “free” not because this nation was founded on Bible principles. It was made “free” because of the great persecution that the immigrants from Europe had come out of. This door was opened because another was so violently shut. But whether Godly or not, we are free to preach, the door of utterance is (was, but still slightly) open to preach, and the door of faith is open for the hearers to believe. So what should we do? USE IT!
1 Corinthians 7:20-22 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
The door is open. Use it before it closes! You have a duty to serve Christ with your freedom from men.
As servants, we have the duty to preach the gospel. One day, you will give an account of your doings. How many talents/pounds have you been given? What advantage have you had over the many others that will stand before the Lord? What have you done with them? You could have been born in any place at any time in history. But He put you here and now.
There is a level of service that is expected of you given what He has given/entrusted to you.
Luke 12:48 … For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
You’ve been given MUCH. And The Lord is going to ask for MORE in return.
For all this we have a duty to serve Him with a “reasonable service”.
Oh well I go to church on Sundays, and I organize church activities for the teens and the elderly and the single couples, and I do this and that, and I tithe, and I participate in bake sales, and fundraisers, and charity events, and sometimes I provide special music, and I’m conscious of social injustice, and I’m not racist, and pray while I take my morning walk, I do my daily devotional and blah, blah, blah, … And I think that’s “reasonable”. That is MY “reasonable service”, so I should be pretty averagely rewarded in heaven.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
See that? Your reasonable service is by the mercies of God. Not by your good works. Not by your mercies. Its by showing men the mercies of the Lord. Showing men salvation!
See that? You’re reasonable service is to be a living sacrifice. Sacrifice your life. Don’t live your life. Sacrifice it. Give it up in service. If you’re a freeman, become the Lord’s servant. The world’s freemen use their freedom to serve themselves. Or even to serve other men. But you can’t serve God and mammon (mankind). And there is so much serving mankind in all those things that we want to believe are our reasonable service. Your reasonable service, is to “be not conformed to this world.”
But we are conformed to this world. We live American lives, we hold American traditions, we celebrate American holidays, we buy American products, we have American apps on our phones, we watch American television, American news and American sports broadcasts, we build American homes and furnish them with American things (made in China of course), we pursue the American dream. How are we NOT conformed to this world?
This life and these bodies need to become sacrifices. Living sacrifices. Stop serving ourselves and give these things up, count them dung, to serve the Lord. Be thus minded. Think on these things… What things are you doing that are not winning souls, or strengthening yourself, your children, and your church to win souls? What things are you choosing to do that you don’t have to do? What things can you give up and redeem that time to serve the Lord? What carnal things can you exchange for spiritual things? What events can you forego? At what events that you must go to can you bring your cards or tablet and witness to somebody? Can you spend time reading, learning, praying, instead of watching TV? Can you order out instead of cooking and cleaning, and use that time to teach your family, or praise the Lord together? It will cost you time and money… it will cost you your own pleasure. Are you willing to trade it? How can you be conformed to the Lord, and not this world?
What things that you must do, can you do while reading, praying (redeem the time)? Or learning doctrine. Or preparing yourself with the gospel. Or while listening to the Bible on audiobook (driving, raking, cooking, folding laundry, …)? Or listening to a recorded church service that you missed?
How can you sacrifice your will/pleasure to complete His will/pleasure?
How can you sacrifice this life to be rewarded in the next?
How can you sacrifice your many friendships and relationships just to win a few souls?
How can you use that open door, instead of using this world, and abusing this world.
How can you be conformed to the Lord, and not this world?
Think on these things… because if you’re conformed to this world, you are NOT completing your “reasonable service”! Your body is not a holy, living sacrifice. How can it be? What sins ought you put away? What evil can you flee from? How can you present your body as a holy, acceptable, living sacrifice, not conformed to this world, not stained by this world?
We ought to GIVE UP our freedom to SERVE the Lord. That is just “reasonable”.
We ought to USE our freedom to become bondmen to the Lord. But what we most often do is use it to live deliciously!
Revelation 18:7-9 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
We live deliciously, and are at ease in America. And so in the Church, we often are at ease. But this is something that the Lord hates.
Amos 6:1-8 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! … 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; 6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. 8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
Right now, we are FREE men in a FREE country. We are free to go where and do what we desire. So if we are free: USE IT!! Use it to be the Lord’s bondman! Don’t waste it!
Loving life and living deliciously, increasing ourselves and feasting on this worlds goods, invokes the Lords wrath. We ought to reject these things as dung, and use the open door.
But the freedom is going away. The door is closing. These things are a wakeup call for us while we are free. We may not be free much longer. The door may not be open much longer. Its time, to redeem the time.
Feb 14 2021
The Election Count – Part 14
Downloadable Word document:
The Election Count – Part 14
The Election Count – Part 14
The kingdom of God
Our fight is not in this world. Our race is not in this world. Because our kingdom is not in this world.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Donald Trump’s kingdom is of this world. Joe Biden’s kingdom is of this world. The Democrats’ and the Republicans’ kingdoms are of this world. And that is why they are fighting. And their servants are fighting!
Our Lord’s kingdom – Christ’s kingdom – is not of this world. If it were, then His servants (we) would fight! We would fight for what is right in this world. We would fight against injustice and fraud. We would wrestle against wickedness in high places.
But we are not called to fight for any kingdom of this world. And if we fight in this world, and against men, we have made ourselves not the servants of the Lord, but of men.
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
We’ve got to let America go. Its not our kingdom, and like all kingdoms of the earth, it will be destroyed
We have a better kingdom. An heavenly, which shall never be destroyed.
Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The kingdom of God is just not here or there. It’s just not on the earth. And that is why we are not to fight on the Earth. Our kingdom is not here.
Currently, His kingdom is “within you” – it is Christ in you. The Holy Spirit in you. But one day He will establish His eternal kingdom physically on a New Earth, which will endure forever. It is a spiritual kingdom, at this current time. Not that it is fake or “figurative”, but merely invisible to man. But one day it will be physical and visible – seen and touched of men.
1 Peter 2:5,9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. … 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; …
We, the Church, ARE an holy nation – a spiritual nation! Our priesthood is a holy priesthood – a spiritual priesthood – offering up spiritual sacrifices. Our city is a spiritual temple!
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
We are to be made kings in that heavenly kingdom. That is what we fight for: our spiritual kingdom!
America is not a righteous nation. There is unrighteousness in America.
But the church is a “righteous nation”! And one day, we will be led home to our place – our city!
Isaiah 26:1-2 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city [New Jerusalem]; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
That is not talking about America! America will not enter into New Jerusalem. This is about the Church – the spiritual nation of Israel – the kingdom of God which is within you. Our heavenly nation. A better country. A righteous nation. An everlasting kingdom.
One day, we will enter into our own city through the gates. We will go home. There will be singing and rejoicing. But for now, we are not home.
We are citizens of a better kingdom. Our kingdom is not on this Earth. It’s heavenly.
What separates the citizens within the city, from the dogs without? Walls! And what are the walls? Salvation. Salvation separates the righteous nation from the unrighteous nations.
Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
We are a righteous nation because we are inside salvation. And all others, all the lost, are without.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is no slipping into the Kingdom of God, like illegal aliens slip into America. There is no cutting through, or climbing over, or tunneling under the border walls.
There is no cheating. There are no fake IDs, no forging of passports. No single thief or liar will enter in.
This is their kingdom. Ours is pure, holy, righteous, and undefiled.
But we are not better than the lost. We were just like them before we were washed in the blood of the Lamb. And they are no worse than us. They just yet still need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. And that is our job, our fight, our race. Wash them, that they might enter into the kingdom of God. And they MUST be washed, for…
Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
We are strangers and foreigners.
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
This is not our country. We are not citizens, but are strangers here.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. … 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
We, as our father Abraham, desire a heavenly country.
We, as our father Abraham have been promised an heavenly country.
The Lord has prepared for us a city. He is preparing a place for us. Mansions in glory!
1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
We, as our father Abraham, are not citizens, but sojourners in a land that is not our own.
We don’t live here. Its not our home, we don’t fight its battles, and care for its welfare, and argue its politics. And you say, “well as long as we are in the flesh this is our home, so we should…”
This is being fleshly minded. But you can’t have it both ways. You can’t have two kingdoms. You can’t serve two masters. The flesh and Spirit war against each other. What you naturally think, what you think you need to fight, when you’re wronged or offended and you want to fight back, these things are contrary to the Spirit, the true. We need to be Spiritually minded.
Even David, king of the carnal nation of Israel, understood that the true kingdom and the true land of Israel was not here. His kingdom of Israel was not the true.
1 Chronicles 29:14-15 But who am I, and what is my people, … 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
We’re not from here. We are not citizens here. We were not born here.
We’re just sojourning here for a short time. We’re just not HOME YET.
Psalms 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: …
An open door
Whether we have a ruler that we approve of, or not. It doesn’t change anything for us.
Whether we had a fair election, or not. It doesn’t change how we should live.
Whether this turns into a socialist nation, or not. It doesn’t change our job. Our job, our race, our fight, is soul winning. And all we need to do our job is the word of God and an open door!
2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
An open door. An opening to preach the gospel. This is what we need, and this is what we ought to pray for. Not fight for. But pray for. Because it is not the power of men, but of God. If it were up to men, or Satan, the door would never be open. The Lord opens doors.
Colossians 4:3-4 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Pray that the door may be opened. Pray that we may have the opportunity to preach the gospel.
But don’t attempt to jam the door open with politics. The Lord is the only one who can open the door.
Its not necessarily a freedom of speech. Paul was in bonds, yet still sought an open door. Freedom of speech is not the only open door. The door could be opened yet while there are still persecutions and laws against preaching.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
The Lord has opened the door of utterance for Christians in America, giving us a King James Bible, an understanding of the gospel, and a freedom to preach the gospel. That door has been closing, the gospel is being choked. The door of utterance may soon be closed entirely.
The open door to preach, is just one of the required open doors. The other open door is a door of faith: the door that allows people the ability to BELIEVE the gospel.
Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Right now, the Gentiles have an open door, an opportunity TO BELIEVE, while Israel has been, in large part, cut off and blinded. But this door will also close, and soon! “the times of the Gentiles [will] be fulfilled”.
This is what we should seek. We should desire the freedom and the ability to preach the gospel. We ought to pray that the Lord opens to us a door of utterance to preach, and a door of faith that the hearers may hear. I hope the door in America reopens and stays open, that souls may be saved. But it may be that America is not the open door any more. Maybe there will be another, maybe not.
We’ve been fortunate to be born in and live in a country with a “freedom of speech”. The Jewish apostles and early Christians did not have it. MOST have not had it since the foundation of the church. I’ve told you that freedom of speech is not a Bible doctrine, right, principle. This country was made “free” not because this nation was founded on Bible principles. It was made “free” because of the great persecution that the immigrants from Europe had come out of. This door was opened because another was so violently shut. But whether Godly or not, we are free to preach, the door of utterance is (was, but still slightly) open to preach, and the door of faith is open for the hearers to believe. So what should we do? USE IT!
1 Corinthians 7:20-22 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
The door is open. Use it before it closes! You have a duty to serve Christ with your freedom from men.
As servants, we have the duty to preach the gospel. One day, you will give an account of your doings. How many talents/pounds have you been given? What advantage have you had over the many others that will stand before the Lord? What have you done with them? You could have been born in any place at any time in history. But He put you here and now.
There is a level of service that is expected of you given what He has given/entrusted to you.
Luke 12:48 … For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
You’ve been given MUCH. And The Lord is going to ask for MORE in return.
For all this we have a duty to serve Him with a “reasonable service”.
Oh well I go to church on Sundays, and I organize church activities for the teens and the elderly and the single couples, and I do this and that, and I tithe, and I participate in bake sales, and fundraisers, and charity events, and sometimes I provide special music, and I’m conscious of social injustice, and I’m not racist, and pray while I take my morning walk, I do my daily devotional and blah, blah, blah, … And I think that’s “reasonable”. That is MY “reasonable service”, so I should be pretty averagely rewarded in heaven.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
See that? Your reasonable service is by the mercies of God. Not by your good works. Not by your mercies. Its by showing men the mercies of the Lord. Showing men salvation!
See that? You’re reasonable service is to be a living sacrifice. Sacrifice your life. Don’t live your life. Sacrifice it. Give it up in service. If you’re a freeman, become the Lord’s servant. The world’s freemen use their freedom to serve themselves. Or even to serve other men. But you can’t serve God and mammon (mankind). And there is so much serving mankind in all those things that we want to believe are our reasonable service. Your reasonable service, is to “be not conformed to this world.”
But we are conformed to this world. We live American lives, we hold American traditions, we celebrate American holidays, we buy American products, we have American apps on our phones, we watch American television, American news and American sports broadcasts, we build American homes and furnish them with American things (made in China of course), we pursue the American dream. How are we NOT conformed to this world?
This life and these bodies need to become sacrifices. Living sacrifices. Stop serving ourselves and give these things up, count them dung, to serve the Lord. Be thus minded. Think on these things… What things are you doing that are not winning souls, or strengthening yourself, your children, and your church to win souls? What things are you choosing to do that you don’t have to do? What things can you give up and redeem that time to serve the Lord? What carnal things can you exchange for spiritual things? What events can you forego? At what events that you must go to can you bring your cards or tablet and witness to somebody? Can you spend time reading, learning, praying, instead of watching TV? Can you order out instead of cooking and cleaning, and use that time to teach your family, or praise the Lord together? It will cost you time and money… it will cost you your own pleasure. Are you willing to trade it? How can you be conformed to the Lord, and not this world?
What things that you must do, can you do while reading, praying (redeem the time)? Or learning doctrine. Or preparing yourself with the gospel. Or while listening to the Bible on audiobook (driving, raking, cooking, folding laundry, …)? Or listening to a recorded church service that you missed?
How can you sacrifice your will/pleasure to complete His will/pleasure?
How can you sacrifice this life to be rewarded in the next?
How can you sacrifice your many friendships and relationships just to win a few souls?
How can you use that open door, instead of using this world, and abusing this world.
How can you be conformed to the Lord, and not this world?
Think on these things… because if you’re conformed to this world, you are NOT completing your “reasonable service”! Your body is not a holy, living sacrifice. How can it be? What sins ought you put away? What evil can you flee from? How can you present your body as a holy, acceptable, living sacrifice, not conformed to this world, not stained by this world?
We ought to GIVE UP our freedom to SERVE the Lord. That is just “reasonable”.
We ought to USE our freedom to become bondmen to the Lord. But what we most often do is use it to live deliciously!
Revelation 18:7-9 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
We live deliciously, and are at ease in America. And so in the Church, we often are at ease. But this is something that the Lord hates.
Amos 6:1-8 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! … 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; 6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. 8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
Right now, we are FREE men in a FREE country. We are free to go where and do what we desire. So if we are free: USE IT!! Use it to be the Lord’s bondman! Don’t waste it!
Loving life and living deliciously, increasing ourselves and feasting on this worlds goods, invokes the Lords wrath. We ought to reject these things as dung, and use the open door.
But the freedom is going away. The door is closing. These things are a wakeup call for us while we are free. We may not be free much longer. The door may not be open much longer. Its time, to redeem the time.
By Pastor • Christian Life • 0