Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Will the Holy Spirit Prevail in the Days of Noah?


     Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm, (1 Timothy 1:5-7)
     Another thing that greatly hinders God's people is a hardness of heart caused by hearing men without the Spirit constantly preaching about the Spirit. There is no doctrine so chilling as the doctrine of the Spirit when held in cold passivity and personal unbelief. The hearers will turn away in dull apathy from an exhortation to be filled with the Spirit unless the Spirit Himself is giving the exhortation through the speaker.
     It is possible to learn this truth and preach it faithfully, and still be totally devoid of power. The hearers sense the lack and go away with numbed hearts. Theirs is not opposition to the truth, but an unconscious reaction from unreality. Yet scarcely one of the hearers can tell another the trouble is; it is as if they had been hearing an echo and not the voice, or seeing a reflection and not the light itself. Paths to Power, pp 55, by A.W. Tozer.
     Throughout history, those claiming to speak for God have used their gift of oratory skill, education and even positional status to influence myriads. Yet, only in those circumstances where individual lives and their respective communities were changed almost overnight, can one say it was a move by God.
     Nowadays, with the readily convenience of technology, especially with the millions of pulpit-building services the Internet can provide, just about anyone can launch their own theological podium and claim to speak for God. Not to forget those media darlings on television who use their bully pulpits to incite the masses to turn against each other by mixing political rhetoric with religious dogma. Sadly, those who seek truth and wisdom that God would have us absorb and respond to, have much difficulty trying to choose from what appears to be the Holy word of God from esoteric jingoism, intellectualism and man-made philosophy.
     One of those areas concerns the whole issue of fallen angels and the impact they have had throughout history, as is being posited by an emerging throng of "end of days" commentators, as opposed to whether this revelation is paramount to fulfilling the great commission to preach the Gospel throughout the whole world.

     Is the knowledge of Nephilim and what they may or may not portend in the coming “Days of Noah” be that important or even crucial in dealing with the soon return of Christ? I personally believe that the devil has been trying to impersonate God from the outset of his existence. His ego and pride (which I believe is the biggest sin all humans commit) has driven him in efforts to duplicate (or distort) humanity itself, God’s greatest creation.
     Many great and informed Christian researchers, authors and broadcasters are providing a plethora of scientific and biblically backed data that the devil is (and always has been) behind the thousands of anomalies under public scrutiny, such as pyramids, crop circles, UFO’s, sorceries, transgenic mutations, singularity and other unexplainable (to the common person) phenomenon. Some who I know personally are guided by the power of the Holy Spirit. Many, however, by virtue of their shock and awe and titillating presentations have no idea whom the Holy Spirit is nor what He represents.    
     The conclusions of a few Holy Spirit-filled commentators, which I wholeheartedly concur with much of their findings, is that most of these anomalies are definitely of demonic origin. This information now being revealed to Christendom is obviously of concern and a threat to those who do not possess a Jesus Christ worldview.
     They (who, like Erik Von Daniken, author of the best selling book, Chariots of the Gods, and others who are being promoted by the Ancient Aliens series on the History Channel), conclude that human beings are a creation of extraterrestrial aliens from another planet, rather than by God. Where these folks fail is in the knowledge, experience and possession of most important tool God has provided His Children of Promise, the power of the Holy Spirit! The devil and his human (moneychangers-scientific-governmental) minions can attempt to create a super human hybrid from both animal and technological material, but they cannot duplicate the Holy Spirit.
     In other words, as revealing (and redeeming in most cases) as this information may be, could our preoccupation (and incessant debates) about how the devil works be as worthwhile as deep Bible study and prayer? Will the time spent on these insights be as effective as trusting God in ALL things as we put on the breastplate of righteousness?
     11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak, (Ephesians 6:11-20).

     As exciting and provocative as this new evidence of how Satan is pumping the bellows to the blazing hot furnace of his supernatural machinations, and his evil ploys to deceive the world in these Days of Noah, it appears that God has already provided us through His word the solution of how to not only withstand this diabolical scheme, but also provides us with the instructions we need to share with the newly converted child of God what is the true power source of the entire universe!
     Therefore, those who seek God’s wisdom to fulfill their respective mission from Christ need to pray for the gift of the power of discernment from the Holy Spirit, to help them along their spiritual journey until Jesus Christ returns. God seeks throughout His entire created world for those with whom He can pour out His Holy Spirit power to do His will. All we need to do is ask!
     Once received, it’s amazing how possessing this blessed gift can help a person to instantly know and discern the difference between what is good and what is evil and to help them to wade through 95 percent of what is being put forth by ersatz prophets who claim this esoteric information is God's 'end times' message and the key to reaching those who need His gift of salvation! Will this knowledge help us to accomplish our Gospel mission and bring the lost to Jesus Christ, or will the Holy Spirit prevail more so in these Days of Noah? The answer can be found in the Book of Zechariah, which very succinctly tells us it is Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 4:6).
     These are my feelings and conclusion to the entire Days of Noah matter. I may be wrong. Give me your thoughts!

For More information about the author’s two books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, click the above links and also click Joe Ortiz to access the author's web sites and blogs.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Where Does Healing Come From? by Brian Shilhavy

We are pleased to once again host a blogger friend of ours, Brian Shilhavy, who writes great articles about the health arena. This particular article is not only a powerful reminder concerning who is the 'ultimate' healer, I received it from Brian at a most important and crucial period, as I had the day before sent out a message entitled Seeking Approval to my network concerning my own personal health issues. It didn't take long for God to answer my prayers and concerns. Enjoy!

Where does Healing Come From?

By Brian Shilhavy
     In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life…’” Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.” (Isaiah 38:1-5, 21)
     The record of King Hezekiah’s life; his illness, his prayer, and what the Lord spoke to him, provide valuable insights for us regarding healing. Let’s take a look at some of the principles this historical account teaches us.
     First, healing comes from God, the one who created us. God also controls the timing of our physical death. Hezekiah developed some kind of sickness, and God sent word to him through the prophet Isaiah that he was not going to recover – he was going to die. Hezekiah then cries and prays to God. God hears his prayer, and decides to add fifteen years to his life. After delivering this message from God to Hezekiah that he would recover, Isaiah then uses “a poultice of figs” to apply to his skin disease as a remedy. If Isaiah (or anyone else) had tried to use this natural remedy prior to the Lord declaring that Hezekiah was going to be healed, it would not have worked. God made the decision: Hezekiah and Isaiah just followed his directions.
     Modern day science is based on the foundation of evolution, and the belief that the universe is a closed system. It sees the universe in primarily physical terms. To have such a belief, one is forced to not believe in God or creation. However, God does exist, and his existence is not limited to the confines of his creation, e.g. the universe. He also exists outside of it. Therefore the universe cannot be a closed system. God created it, and he interacts with it as he chooses. The historical records of the life of Jesus show that Jesus constantly defied what evolutionists would call “the laws of nature” by doing such as things as walking on water, turning water into wine, healing diseases, and even raising dead people back to life.
     Unfortunately, modern day medicine and modern day naturalism/alternative health primarily base their systems of healing on the evolutionary foundation which believes in a closed system. Healing is believed to exist primarily within the physical realm. So the medical system trusts in its medicines, and the naturalist trusts in natural substances such as herb, nutrients, etc. That these physical remedies do indeed have therapeutic value cannot be denied, even as people during the days of King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah probably understood that “poultices of figs” also had therapeutic value. But as noted above, God had already spoken regarding Hezekiah’s condition, and no natural or man-made remedy could have changed that. Among all the medicines and natural remedies known to man today, none of them affect healing 100% of the time. People still get sick, and people still die.
     The second major principle we can learn from this account of King Hezekiah, is that God hears people’s prayers, and he is moved by them. The fact that God can “change his mind” regarding future events is also documented in other places in the scriptures. One of the best stories is the one of the prophet Jonah. Jonah was sent to preach against one of Israel’s enemies and go to the city of Nineveh. He tried to resist God, but that was futile. So he entered the city and proclaimed the word of the Lord, which was that Nineveh was going to be destroyed within 40 days because of their great sin. But as was similar in the story about Hezekiah, prayer was offered up to God, and God changed his mind:
     When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:6-10)
     Could it be that in the case of Hezekiah God was allowing certain things he had sown in his life to take their course in his illness until Hezekiah humbled himself before God and came to a point of recognizing his own sins and shortcomings, much like what happened with the king and citizens of Nineveh? I think we have the answer in Hezekiah’s own words after he was healed:
     Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. (Isaiah 38:17)
     Hezekiah apparently saw his illness as an opportunity to humble himself before God and change his ways. He could not say “you have put all my sins behind your back” if he was not aware that he had sinned against God. His illness humbled him and made him aware of his failures before God, and he turned to God for forgiveness and help. That was a good thing, and it moved God to change his mind!
     Contrast that with the way our modern culture approaches healing today. Starting with a presupposition of a universe that is a closed system and where God does not exist, we approach all illness as a result of “natural causes” that can be observed through empiricism. God is never considered, and any sins committed against God are considered only as part of religion, and certainly not part of modern day healing. Spiritual health conditions are almost never related to physical health conditions. Remedies are sought only in the physical realm, and restoring one’s relationship to their Creator is not considered.
     As I have noted in other writings (see links below), such a narrow concept of health and healing is a recent phenomenon in human history. Even within ancient Greek culture, which brought to us empiricism and much of the beginnings of modern day "science" and academic thought, they believed in a spirit world and approached healing from not just the physical realm, but also the spiritual. They looked to their Greek gods, such as Apollo and Zeus, for healing in addition to using physical remedies. They understood that there was a spiritual aspect of health also, and they sought the favor of their gods.
     I have also noted in other articles that our personal sins are not always a direct cause of our sickness. Sometimes our health can suffer through the sins of others, or from direct causal relationships to things such as pollution or toxins in our environment. But the source of healing is always the same in all circumstances, whether we recognize it or not.
     I am the LORD, who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)
     Where do you see the source of healing coming from? Who do you turn to when you are sick? When you are healed, who do you give credit to?
     O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. (Psalms 30:2)
     The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. (Psalms 41:3)

For more information about Brian Shilhavy and his ministry, visit his group at http://groups.google.com/group/created4health?hl=en

For more information about this blog and the author's books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, please click on Joe Ortiz