TRUE REPENTANCE - Part 1

By TAN KOK KIM

( Matthew 4:17 )( Acts Chapter 2 )



There is no permanent or lasting change except through REPENTANCE. We must once and for all abolished any idea or any conception in our hearts that somehow, if we try our best, somehow if we give ourselves time, if we grow older, if we go to Church more often, if we sit down in Christian meetings, if we listened to Christian music, if we spent time just with Christians, if we going to listened to more messages, somehow in the future, somehow down the road, we are going to changed, somehow our lives are going to get better, because we are with Christian friends, we are coming to Church, we are reading the Bible. Now, whatever ideas that we have, WE MUST PUT IT ASIDE, because according to the Scriptures, according to God's revealed purpose, there is one basis, there is ONLY ONE VERY IMPORTANT REALITY, that will bring change in our lives, that is "TRUE REPENTANCE."



There is no change, there is no permanent and lasting change in our lives, OUTSIDE OF REPENTANCE. God has so arranged in our made up and in His redemption and in His working with our lives, God has reserved the whole reality of repentance to be the fundamental and the foundational basis for our well being, for our Spiritual well being, for our change. Now, please understand this beloved, there is no permanent, no lasting change outside repentance. Here, this will answer right at this point, that one of the reason why many of us are not seeing, and we are not experiencing permanent and lasting change is BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG IN THE AREA OF REPENTANCE, something is a missed, something is misunderstood, something has somehow missed our lives concerning repentance, because we going to come and see in Scriptures, that God has ordained repentance as the means, as the way to a LIFE OF CHANGE.

There is no change in us, and let's this be clear in all our hearts, is not because we sit in the Church or Christian meetings for many years, is because we have been exposed to Christian ministries, and preaching of the word, or because we have done this or that, or because we have been with Christian circles for a long long time, so therefore, that give us the license to believed that we will change somewhere down the road. Now, THAT IS WRONG, that is many times, in fact is a DECEPTION OF THE ENEMY, and I will show this to you in the Scriptures, that there is no permanent change or lasting change in your life and my life, only an EXCEPT through the reality and experience of repentance.


Here now, we do know that repentance in the Scripture is a very simple word, it means to turn around, it means a complete and a total change of our mindset, another words, repentance has to do with something inside us, inside our very nature, inside our thought, and our mind. It changes our nature, it alter our being, our inward being. Repentance touches something deep inside us, repentance don't deal with the surface, repentance don't deal with the outward, repentance deals with a man inner nature, it deals with his disposition, it deals with his mindset, his attitude, his heart condition, repentance means a changed in our mind, it turns around in the mindset that is in all of us, that's why REPENTANCE IS SO POWERFUL.

NOW, THERE ARE TWO VERY PIVOTAL EVENTS IN THE BIBLE, the first is none other than the birth of the LORD Jesus Christ. Here, we may remember that when Jesus waited for thirty years before the FATHER is going to launch Him into public ministry, by the time when Jesus came out of the river Jordan, and begin His first message in His public ministry, this is given to us in Matthew chapter 4. Now, Jesus is being launch out into this grand and tremendous purpose of the Father, that from this point is going to lead Him to this place called Calvary, where He will accomplished the purpose and the will of the Father.



Now as it is given to us here in Matthew 4:17. The moment when He came out in public ministry, this is the first thing that was on His lips, that was the first word, THE FIRST PIVOTAL EVENT of the New Testament, the very message from the Heart of God. And what was the first thing that came out from His mouth? He said, " REPENT: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND." Folks, what does that means? IT MEANS THAT EVERYTIME WHEN WE REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AVAILABLE TO US. In another words, what it means is this: THE ENTIRE REALITY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is THE RULE OF GOD, THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD, all of the INHERITANCE OF GOD, all of the RICHES OF GOD, all this embodied in this very principle called the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said the Kingdom of God is about to crush on us, is about to fall upon us, it going to invade into our lives. And how is it going to come into us? He said, "REPENT." The moment a man and a woman comes into repentance, God will throw him into ALL OF THE GLORY OF THE KINGDOM.The moment a man and a woman comes into repentance, Jesus said, the Kingdom of God going to be near, it's for him, it's for her to experience, it's available, it's not far away, it's that close to us, IF WE ONLY REPENT. He said, the Kingdom of God is available to us now, that was the pronouncement, and that was an announcement, Jesus make it absolutely clear.

THE SECOND PIVOTAL EVENT is given to us in the Acts of Apostles, how repentance is so central in the New Testament. Acts Chapter 2. Here, THE SECOND PIVOTAL EVENT IS NONE OTHER THAN THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, the descend of God's Spirit upon all flesh, something in which God kept or promised Jesus after His death, His resurrection, and His ascension. The coming of the Holy Spirit is absolutely important, which of course, you and I understand this to be the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2, Peter is preaching, we may know Holy Ghost fell on the 120 in the upper room, it all started in verse 1 of chapter 2. The account goes on and Peter stood up and began to to preached, because they were shout shocked as men and women saw what was happening to this 120, they didn't understand, because there was such an phenomenon that comes upon men and women, because it was a new day, it was the beginning of dispensation, it was a new work that God never done before, this was the first time that God is pouring His Holy Spirit upon men, pouring His Holy Spirit upon all flesh.

Right there and Peter under the influenced and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, he stood up and he begins to preached and this whole message lead us into verse 37 and 38. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Now, showing to you and I HOW IMPORTANT IS REPENTANCE IN THE MIND AND IN THE HEART OF GOD. How does it works? How does repentance work in my life and your life? If God holds repentance as something which is so foundational for my entire life, how does it works in me? How does God plans to do this in me? What is the anatomy? what is the clinical examination? How does God brings repentance to my life? What is it all about? As it is so important because it is going to determine my permanent and my lasting change.

How many of us know today that one of the rarest thing to find is the lasting and permanent change in Christian, one of the rarest thing to find today, lives are at pain, lives are in crisis today, the Church is in such a stage today all over the nations of the world, is because so many of us are not in the place of transformation, so many of us are not living in a place, where our change is permanent, where our change is evident. Just as we think that we are growing, and before we know it, we start to regressed, just as we take two steps in front, we start to go back four steps, just as we pushed a little bit, we go backward far more, somehow change is not lasting in so many Christian lives, the illness, and the disease has to do with the lacked or even should said the whole forfeiture of repentance. Now, how does it all work? Jeremaiah Chapter 6 which believes is going to UNFOLD AND REVEAL TO US SOMETHING CONCERNING REPENTANCE THAT MANY OF US HAS SOMEHOW MISSED IN OUR LIVES...To be continue...Jeremaiah Chapter 6...

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TRUE REPENTANCE - Part 2

by TAN KOK KIM

( Jeremiah Chapter 6: 13-15 )


This is Jeremiah, weeping, crying over the nation of Israel, prophesying to a backslidden people, announcing to them the coming judgment. And if you all know by now, they didn't believe what Jeremiah was Prophesying, they didn't want to know the truth, they don't want to hear the truth. There were many false prophets, there were many false shepherds, and false pastors, there were many backslidden priests at that time, they didn't want to listened to the true word that is coming from the mouth and the lips of this Holy man called Jeremaiah, and they persecuted him. And Jeremaiah in the beginning here, begin to declared the conditions of the people, God begins to use Jeremaiah to pinpoint those areas in which God is beginning to hate and is beginning to detest in the children of Israel.

Now given to us here in Jeremaiah chapter 6, and we don't have time for lengthy reading, so, breaking in verse13. This is what God said: this is the prevailing conditions of the lives of the children of Israel now. "For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely." Another words that's even from the smallest of them to the greatest, and of course those greatest are none other than the prophets, the priests, and the leaders at that time, and they are not truthful to one another, it's all a show, it's all surface, no one wants to deal from the heart, no one wants to speak the truth from the heart, it's all false in their dealings with one another.



And there it said in verse 14." They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Now it start to get clearer as we read, the hurt that is more than a physical hurt, it means Spiritual hurt, it means fractured or the breaking of the bone. How many of us know that when certain part of your body is fracture, your whole body is going to suffer, yes or no, you know how terrible fracture is? Any form of fracture in your body, we are going to suffer, because it's painful, because we can't live normal lives, we can't do things normal, we can't wake up everyday and do our normal duty, we can't go through our normal chore, because there is a fractured bone in your body and it has to be healed.

And this is what God saying to them, HE said you are all fractured, but HE is not talking about bone now, HE is talking about inward condition, HE is talking about their Spirit and their souls that had been broken, that had been fractured, that had been hurt. And HE said, verse 14a." THEY HAVE HEALED ALSO THE HURT OF THE DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE SLIGHTLY..." Here, it referring to who? To the prophets and the priests, and the Shepherds, and the Pastors in the days of Jeremaiah, another words, God was saying to Jeremaiah, HE said, all of MY servants who is supposed to delivered MY true word and MY pure word, they are not doing it, but they are saying what they want to say, they are preaching and prophesying, and doing all of these which is not from ME. And because of that, the Bible said, my people hurt, my people fractured, cannot completely healed, THEY ONLY HEALED SLIGHTLY.

There are many many "slightly christians" today all over the churches, there are many men and women who called themselves "christian," but they have never been healed totally and thoroughly and completely, there are many people today who live on a fractured, and live on a limped, that's the message: "THEY HAVE HEALED MY PEOPLE SLIGHTLY, BY SAYING PEACE, PEACE." That's what they want to said, when there is NO PEACE.



Verse 15." Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at that time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD." What happening here? What God is saying here is this, HE said, they refused to be healed thoroughly, they refused to be healed completely, they refused to let MY word come to Jeremaiah, they preferred to hear all these cheap word, and cheap gospel, and popular gospel of the day, THAT ALL THEY WANT IS PROSPERITY AND PEACE, they don't want to hear MY word. And God said, because of that, THEY HAVE NO SHAME.
The word "blush" there means they have no shame for what they have done, they have no shame in their hearts, AND GOD SAID, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO SHAME, I CAN'T HEALED YOU COMPLETELY. And why is it that you have no shame? Because no one is coming to tell you the truth, except Jeremaiah. And now the truth has come, you don't want to hear it, why? Because you have been hearing so many half truth, you want to hear what you hear, and now, you have got no more shame in what you are doing. Because you have no shame, God said, that's why your healing is not complete, your fracture cannot healed, THAT'S WHY YOU CANNOT BE WELL THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY, because HE said, they have come to place where they don't even blush any more, they are not even SHAMEFUL.

There are only two times in the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, where God ever use the word "blush," where God had to tell a people in Israel, you don't even know how to blush any more, you don't even know what it means to be shameful in MY presence any more, two times. The first time is where we just read in Jeremaiah chapter 6, and the second in Jeremaiah chapter 8, which is the same context, only two times in all of the Old Testament, God had to publicly tell a people, YOU HAVE NO SHAME, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO BLUSH IN MY PRESENCE.

Now, you may be thinking, what does that have to do with REPENTANCE? Now, very important, just get this clear folks, God said to Israel, because you don't know how to blush, no wonder your wounds are not healed completely, no wonder you only healed slightly, no wonder your inward conditions cannot be completely delivered, no wonder that inward fracture in your life cannot heal up, and be cured.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, no permanent nor lasting change can come outside of repentance, and God's verdict is very clear here, HE said the reason why the healing cannot be thoroughly, and cannot be complete is because HE said something has gone wrong with our inside. We don't even know how to blush, we don't even know how to be shameful. Now, let the LORD by the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Why is it that God is so particular about shame? Why is it that God used that word over a people? Why is it that God was looking for a sign from the nation of Israel to show to HIM that at least they are shameful? Some people think that shame is very bad, a lots of parents today who have the idea that we are not supposed to cause shame to our children. This is from humanistic secular psychology today that is killing a whole generation of youths and sons and daughters of this generation, they seem to be some kind of today, that to see children to come into shame is a horrible thing, we must defence it. ( Will show it to you later )

But this is God speaking to a people," I AM looking at least, I can see shame," HE said. "But you have come to a point, where you don't even blush any more." Another words, you are not shameful, you don't know shame in MY presence. And because you don't know shame, and you wonder why you are not healed completely, now why? BECAUSE SHAME IS WHO WE ARE, NOT WHAT WE DO. Here, very important, Let's put it here to us: SHAME IS WHO WE ARE, NOT JUST WHAT WE DO. Now how to put this to be clear in our hearts? How many of us know that every time when we do something wrong, there are the three possible things we all go through, any one of us here, from the youngest and to the oldest in the Church of Jesus Christ, in any human being, these are three possible feelings and reactions to our lives wrongs, and these are the three possible scenarios.

No 1: we either feel sorry. No 2: we either get remorseful and No 3: we either become quite regretful. Yes or no? Every time when you get a person into a place, where he or she you know, said that: "Oh! I'm sorry, I have done wrong." "Oh! I have said wrong." Folks, the immediate reaction in all our lives is this: We get into a state of being sorry, of course we said sorry, we said many times. Have you ever said that? We said over again and again, we may know that, we have been saying over the same old thing for how many years, but yet, we come back to it again and again. The sorry that we gossip about someone, but when confronted, we'll said," Oh! Sorry, I gossip." But folks, what the use? Because when given times, we start to gossip again. We either get into a place, where we are sorry, and sorry...

The next possible scenario in which at our Churches today, are filled with men and women with these two states, and that is remorseful and regretful. Our altar calls today are filled with Christians that are remorseful, they regret they failed God, they regret that they didn't love God the way they should, they feel remorseful because they didn't do right, they didn't live a life to please God, where in the last few days, I lost my temper, I said something wrong, I turned to the Internet and sneaked into the pornography site, and we get into these whole scenario of regrets and remorseful, and we go through the whole circle and our emotions are all bottled-up and go into prayers, we ask people to pray for us, and so on and so forth.

Here, it is absolutely important, REPENTANCE IS NOT ABOUT FEELING SORRY OR REMORSEFUL OR REGRETFUL ABOUT WHAT WE DID. Folks, that is not REPENTANCE, that's why we must understand. What had been said here awhile ago is just clean, clear feelings that we all go through, we can be sorry, we can be remorseful, we can be regretful, but why do we have these feelings? Because in our built-in nature, we do that, there is a thing called CONSCIENCE in our lives, and we immediately see all these things that we have done, and we feel sorry or remorseful and regretful, but folks, WE CAN BE SHAMEFUL FOR WHAT WE DID, BUT YET, WE ARE NOT SHAMEFUL FOR WHO WE ARE, why? Because it is when we are shameful for who we are, that we STOP SINNING. It is when a man is shameful for who he is, that he'll TAKES THE PATH DOWN THE ROAD TO REPENTANCE.

The message is called true repentance. WHY TRUE REPENTANCE? Because we can get into FALSE REPENTANCE. And what is false repentance? False repentance is when we can played-up all the emotions that looks real, we can cried and wailed and even beat our chests and cried to God." God, I'm so sorry, I did this." Folks listen, we only dealing with the acts, we only dealing with the actions, we only sorry, because we did wrong, we only remorseful, because we did wrong, we are regretful, because we are shameful for what we did.

And God said to Jeremaiah, "I want you to go beyond." What is the beyond? "I don't want you just to shameful for these things you did. I want you to come to a place, where you will be shameful for who you are, I want you to shameful like that, not shameful in the things you do, I want you to be shameful for who you are. Because repentance must go beyond, repentance must go into the very core of your being, repentance must touch the basement. The basement of your soul, it must go deep down." WHY? BECAUSE THAT WHERE CHANGE BECOMES PERMANENT.

That's why today, so many have never repented, that why so many men and women walking into Churches today, they have never gone to repentance. Oh! Yes, they have gone through sorry, they have gone through remorseful, they have gone through all the emotional and all of the sentimentality, and all of the these experiences, but yet, they have never gone beyond the surface, they have never come into a place of LASTING CHANGED.

There are so few today, truly, truly repents, so few truly today has lasting changes, no wonder we are like dogs that go back to our vomits, yes or no? No wonder so many in our Churches today, go back to our vomits, no wonder today so many of us has been "thorn" and unable to grow, and unable to matured, because we have never really gone on, because we are circling and circling with the same old patched, and with the same old ground...To be continue..

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TRUE REPENTANCE - Part 3

By TAN KOK KIM

( Jeremiah 6:13-15 )( John 16: 7-8 )(Acts 2:37 )



We have never repented, we are just patching up those old ground. "I'm sorry, LORD! I did this." "LORD I'm sorry, I feel this way." And we patching up all over, and we came to Church and consoled ourselves that God, you have accepted it, because I said, "I'm sorry," but why is it that we go back to the same old things again? We do those things again and again, why? Because repentance has never gone beyond the very surface of our skins and of our flesh. WE CAN BE SHAMEFUL FOR WHAT WE DID, BUT YET, WE HAVE NEVER KNOW SHAME FOR WHO WE ARE. And God said to Jeremaiah, "I want the nation of Israel for who they are."

How can a man becomes shameful for who he is? How can a man can come to that place? How can a people called Israel? How can God makes such a demand? How does it happened? How does a man finally feel his feels some about himself? It not the acts, that's the reason why there is only one man in the Old Testament that has got a name and title given to him that he is called a man after God's own Heart, who is he? David isn't it? Do you know why he is a man after God's own Heart? BECAUSE HE IS ONE MAN WHO SAW SHAME IN HIMSELF, NOT THE SHAME THAT HE DID.

THAT'S WHY THE CHANGE IN DAVID WAS SO LASTING, THAT'S WHY HE BECAME THE CHIEF SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL, that's why out of his life, and the lineage of this man came Kings and Kingdoms. Because folks, you read your Bible, you cannot touch the Psalms and the writing of David, and yet have not discover how shameful he is about himself, not shameful for what he did, but shameful for who he was. Oh! yes what David did was absolutely shameful, what he did was absolutely against God, it's an abomination, God knows it, but he didn't want that, he knew it, because he knew that even evil men know that. Do you know that, there are men who are evil today, who do wrong things, and yet they are shameful for the wrongs they did, BUT YET THEY KEEP DOING IT.

There are many Christians today who feels sorry, but we all must see this, we need to clear this in our hearts, you see, once we understand this, we will understand why so many of us are not growing spiritually, I tell you why, IT IS BECAUSE REPENTANCE HAS NEVER BEEN OUR FOUNDATION, we have been "repented," but there have never been a FOUNDATION in our lives, that's why there is no basis for growth, that's why the Kingdom of God is not at hand. He promised, He promised that if we repent, He said, the Kingdom of God is at hand, it's available. Unless God is a liar, and I know, and we all know that, God is no liar, Amen.

HOW? How do I move from where I am into this place that shame is who I am? I feel shame for who I am not just what I did. Any man knows how to feel sorry for something that he has done, for something that is wrong and whatever, I don't want that? I want to come to a place where LORD, I want to stand on the grounds of repentance, I want to know shame for who I am, how does it come about? It comes about when God by the Holy Spirit and the work begin to work in us. The Scripture is very clear, John chapter 16. Jesus before His death on the cross, promised this reality, promised that this is what going to happened soon, when the Comforter comes, and the Comforter is none other than the Holy Spirit. He said, when the Holy Spirit is come Jesus said..

( I don't know how we missed this, we have gone on the road to gifts, to power, to anointing, to all kinds of comforting today from the Holy Spirit, BUT YET, WE WILL NEVER COME BACK AND READ THE MOST BASIS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL OF WHAT JESUS SAID, CONCERNING THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. )

John 16:7-8. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" REPROVE, another words, HE WILL CONVICT. Yes the Holy Spirit has come for many other wonderful works for Jesus, but foundationally and fundamentally, JESUS SAID WHEN HE IS COME, THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING HE MUST DO IN ANY MAN AND ANY WOMAN, HE WILL REPROVE THAT PERSON SIN. He will show to us, who we are, HE will show to us by the light of the Spirit by the word of the living God.

THAT'S WHY WHEN WE COME TO A CHURCH, WE MUST LISTEN TO MESSAGES THAT MUST SEARCH OUR HEARTS AND SHOW TO US WHO WE ARE, that's why we must sit under the ministry, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, where the word search us, and when the light of God begins to PENETRATE AND CUT US. Not make us laugh, not make us become hollow and shallow, not make us become greedy, not make us become pampered and flamboyant, not make us concentrate in ourselves, and in all of our needs. JESUS SAID, WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES HE SAID, HE WILL REPROVE, THAT NUMBER ONE, HE WILL REPROVE OF THE WORLD OF SIN, THAT'S WHY HE COMES.

How does it works? How does God brings shame to me in the way that He wants me to know shame? Folks listen, He brings the Holy Spirit, that's what the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit shows to us to ourselves that's why it's not because someone tell us, we are wrong, and that doesn't means we will change, just because someone tell us, someone shows to us how terrible we are, how selfish we are, and how insensitive we are, of course we will know, and we will go through all kinds of emotional displayed, but that doesn't means that we will change, no! we won't change, why? BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON THAT CAN SHOW US TO OURSELVES AND THAT IS IN THAT HANDS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

It is when the LORD takes the Holy Spirit and show us to ourselves, then we start to looked to ourselves the light of His word, and the light of the revelation of the Holy Spirit. IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE START TO SEE OURSELVES ABSOLUTELY UGLY, WE SEE OURSELVES ABSOLUTELY UNWORTHY, WE SEE OURSELVES DESERVE TO GO TO HELL, that what we see, we see ourselves absolutely unworthy, we see ourselves in a place, where we know that we are not worthy, AND WE KNOW THAT HELL IS WHERE WE SUPPOSE TO GO.

And that's where Calvary becomes so real to us, and that's where the death of Jesus becomes so powerful, because that's when finally in our hearts be identified with Jesus, and that's when we finally said we have heard people said all our lives, it said, it is us who put Jesus on the cross, folks, we can hear this all our lives, but when the Holy Spirit shows this to us, we will know that it is what we are, that sent Jesus to the cross. Now that cannot be comforted, that we cannot escape, that we cannot run away, why? BECAUSE ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST BRING THE GRACE OF GOD INTO OUR LIVES TO FORGIVE US, WE CAN'T FORGIVE OURSELVES, WE CAN'T CHANGE OURSELVES, we can't hide, we got to confront this issue until God bears upon us all of the powers of Heaven, until we finally agreed, and finally come to a place and begin to confess, "LORD I'm ugly, LORD I'm wretched." like Paul said, "O wretched man that I am! " yes or no? That's what he cried in the end in Romans chapter 7. Paul has to come to that, he has to see that in the end, he is so shameful for who he is, not just what he had done.

And let me said this here to you, if we don't come to this place: "There is no true Spiritual Life in you." I don't care if you sit in your church for the next fourty years, I don't care you can composed songs, I don't care even you can stand up and know this book( Bible )from page to page, BUT FOLKS, THERE IS NO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN A MAN, UNTIL HE COMES TO TRUE REPENTANCE. That's why in Acts chapter 2, we may remember in Acts 2, remember here when we read verse 37, the Bible said that when they heard this message, they were pricked, that's the word there, it means PIERCED, to pain the mind sharply that what it means, the word pricked there it is God it almost as if like God took this word, God took the ministry of the word, took the preaching of the Apostle Peter and penetrate into the mind of these men and women and begin to pierced it so sharply until these men begin to cried out, another words conviction, and that what it means, that's where the word conviction comes about. They were convicted, what were they convicted? They suddenly see in the light of the Holy Spirit working in them, they suddenly begin to see who they are, and that's why they cried out, they said, "what shall we do?" They were so desperate, "God what shall we do?"

Folks, it was obvious that the moment they came to that place of repentance, what does Jesus promised? Repent, what is going to be at hand? the Kingdom of God is going to be at hand, God is going to invade, God is going to meet that person, God is going to immediately rush in by the power with the power of mighty God, God is going to rush in and saved that man, and loved that man and filled the man and that woman.

Now, this where I believe the trouble is with most of our lives, I believe in this Bible, every man and woman upon the surface of this earth, I believe that God is faithful to His word and faithful to His character, I believe that at any point of all of our lives here, there is no one, no one will be able one day to stand before the throne, and say to God, "God alright, You tell me that, unless I start to feel shame in what I am, and is not what I do, but LORD, I have not felt that way, yes I have been shameful for the things that I had done, but LORD, I have not been shameful for who I am."
Folks, God will make sure that when one day, when we stand before the throne, none of us is going to point a finger at Him, and say that to Him, why? Because I believe that the Holy Spirit, I can't say for a lot of people, but I know, I can say it here at this very post, and in this sharing, I believe that everyone of us here, I believe that the Holy Spirit at some point in our lives has come to show us who we really are, unless we say God is a liar. I believe at some point, in fact He desires to keep coming to us, to keep showing to ourselves, in fact He wants to work in the fashion in us, in fact He wants to bring us into that place of conviction all the times, He wants us.. ( Will show you later on.)

WHY REPENTANCE IS NOT ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE? Why repentance must become a lifestyle? Why repentance must become a continuous experience? It has to be, because if not, why do you think that Jesus said in the Beatitude, " BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN: FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED." He is not talking about you and I, one day having loved ones to die? He is not talking about bereavement, why do you think He said, "Blessed is he who mourn." Another words HE WANTS US TO MOURN, MOURNING MUST BECOME OUR LIFESTYLES, MOURNING MUST BECOME OUR VERY LIFE, MOURNING MUST BECOME OUR VERY NATURE. THAT'S WHY IS CALLED BEATITUDES, it is an attitude, why must we mourn? What is the basis of our mourning? Unless we start to discovered things in ourselves. How can we mourn, if God don't show us who we are, How can we live a life of mourning? Unless God comes and tell us and show us in the light of His word who are in the light of Him...To be continue...

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TRUE REPENTANCE - Part 4

by Tan Kok Kim 

( Matthew 3: 8 )( Acts 11: 15 -18 )

Now I believe it could be true in our lives, because I believe each one of us had this experience of the Holy Spirit comes in to show us to ourselves and convict us and really begin, want to show us how shameful we must be for who we are, and what we really are in the light of Him. But you know what happen? I believe that in that decisive moment, when the Holy Spirit is working, it could be in a message like that, it could be in a Church service, it could be while you are reading your Bible, it could be while one day we did something wrong, we went to the backyard, we went to the kitchen, we went to the car or whatever, you start to cried out, " God! why is it that I feel so horrible about myself." Yes, we begin to confessed, "I am what I am, because I don't have it in me to live the way You want. God! I am sorry, not just what I did Lord, I am absolutely horrible, I am so selfish, I am so terribly greedy."



But instead of crying out to God, instead of coming to God, instead of confessing, instead of coming before the Lord, folks, this is what happened, I believe to most people, guess what happen? You see, how many of us know that, we don't like that? We don't like that kind of feeling, that's why it is later in the same book by Jeremiah 17:9, that Jeremiah begins to said: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately Wicked: Who can know it?" You know why? Because we don't want to put to that state, we don't want to feel shame for who we are. For some reasons, we become very clever, we become very trickery in our minds, we start to justify ourselves, in fact, we even tell ourselves, "You know, you really not that bad, you ok, it's just a bad mistake, it's one of those things come and go in life, it's ok."

Isn't it strange? Ourselves tell ourselves that? It's ok. Because why? Because given times, I'll be ok, I'm not that bad after all, because there is still some good in me, just last week, you know, I just went to the old folks home and blessed 100 old folks, I just took a Pastor out for a big huge five stars meal, I means there is still something good about me, l am OK." We do that, don't we? Because the flesh lied to us, the devil comes and deceived us.

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Instead of stay on on course and go to God, "God! it's not because of what I have done, it's not the good deeds, it's not what I have." But you see folks, we want to be in control, do you know that? REPENTANCE IS GOD TAKING CONTROL OUT OF US, ANTI REPENTANCE IN US, SIMPLY MEANS WE WANT TO BE IN CONTROL, and God doesn't wants us to be in control, repentance simply means we totally removed our hands from the gear, God is the driver in the seat, we get out, we stay as a pillion rider, and God is going to take us through the journey of our lives.

But we want to be in control folks, you and I, we don't want to feel like that, you know why it is strange? It's not only adults, who don't want to feel like that, it's not only adults that had escape like this in a very subtle way and "very spiritual way," not only adults do that? Do you know that even children do that? That's why children never like to be confronted, children don't like to be told they are wrong, children don't like to be shamed. In fact now, we are living a culture where parents are defending children to a point, we don't want children to feel shameful, because it's negative feeling, we like our children to be feel confident 100%, full of self confident, we don't want to see children do something wrong and we point a finger at them, we shield them, we protect them.

BUT YOU SEE, THE SPIRIT OF GOD DON'T WANT TO SHIELD US, THE SPIRIT OF GOD PRESS THIS POINT HOME RIGHT UNTIL IT GOES INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR BEINGS, THAT IS WHAT REPENTANCE. It press the point until we admit, until we stand up and we said, "God, I'm sorry I hurt your heart, I broke your commandments, I'm not worthy, I walked on your blood, God, I'm horrible, it's not just what I did, but inside me that something that is evil, I'm wrong about me, God have mercy on my soul." Folks, He is hearing crys from us, He wants to hear us praying like this, He wants us to come before Him and said that, "God, I'm so sorry, I'm not remorseful, I'm not even regretful, I'm past all of that, I'm telling You that God, I'm like this, I'm so terrible inside, if You don't change me, I'm finished." That's why John the Baptist said.. This is the statement..

Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist make some very profound statement concerning repentance, his message is on the promise if we repent like this, this is the promised. God promised all of our lives, His promised us: Verse 8. It was John, but it was as good as the entire New Testament principle is clearly revealed for us, he said, "BRINGS FORTH THEREFORE FRUITS MEET FOR REPENTANCE:" The word fruits there was plural, which means more than one, many fruits. Now, what are the fruits of repentance? When a man truly come into that place of repentance, what are the fruits that follows our lives? When John the Baptist, when Scriptures make that statement. "There are fruits that are meet for repentance," I believe this is what John was referring to, I believe this is what Heaven is wanting to vindicate, and I believe that you will agree with this.

Do you know it's strange that once a man and a woman knows shame in himself or herself, not what he or she did, they will know shame in every other things? They will know shame in acts, in deeds, in words, in conduct, in behaviour, in lifestyle. Yes or no? Once a man truly has repented, and know who he really is in his heart, in the light of God, once he has really transected and come into that repentance, true repentance in before God, folks suddenly, from knowing shame in himself, isn't it strange immediately he starts to know shames in every other things, he will know that to say those things are shameful, to do that is shameful, to dress like that is shameful, to take that course of road is shameful, to behave like that is shameful, you know it's strange isn't it? Folks why? BECAUSE IT IS GOD DEFENCE FOR OUR LIVES SO THAT WE WILL NEVER COMMIT SINS IN LIFE. WHEN WILL YOU STOP DOING WRONG? WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SHAMEFUL.

What's the problem today with our Churches? How many of us know that we have Christians sitting in our meeting, who don't even know they're shameful? To act, to do, to perform many other things? Yes or no? Christians, they don't even know they're shameful, they don't even shameful to talk like that, they don't even know it is shameful to act like that, they don't even know it is shameful to behave like that, they don't even know shameful to dress like that, no shame. We are living in a culture today, all over the nations of the world today, it is no shame. It's no shame to have no manners, it's no shame to live morally loose life, no shame, why? How can that be? It will be folks, BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER KNOW SHAME IN ANY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIVES UNTIL WE KNOW SHAME IN OURSELVES.

THE MOMENT WE KNOW SHAME, GOD BRINGS US FRUITS, we know shame in every area, and when that happened, when a man starts to know shame in every area of his life, folks, how many of us know that his heart will be fill with HUMILITY? Yes or no? HE WILL BE FILLED WITH HUMILITY. Will I be be right if I tell you, I think that person is going to live very softly and circumspectly in his life? He will be very considerateness, he will be very gentle, he will be very wise, he will be careful with his words and his conduct, IT'S CALLED HUMILITY.

Where does it comes from? It comes, because this man knows shame in himself. That's why there is a lot of people who said, "I'm sorry brother, I'm sorry sister, I have done this." And then. "You are forgiven brother, you are forgiven sister." Two weeks, two months down the road, they do the same old things again, why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SORRY FOR THE ACTS THEY DID, THEY ARE NOT SORRY FOR WHO THEY ARE, THEY WERE SHAMEFUL FOR WHAT THEY DID, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN FOR WHO THEY WERE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD.

Finally The Acts, I believe it is one of the greatest promised given in Scripture CONCERNING A LIFE OF REPENTANCE. Acts 11:15-18, it was Apostle Peter. "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE."



What is the promise of repentance? What's the promised, when a man comes into repentance? It is so quick, it is almost like, it will comes to you in two seconds, the Bible said, and God said, if you truly repent, it comes straight into life, and the life there is NOT OUR NATURAL LIFE, IT IS THE LIFE OF GOD. It's once again corresponds to the statement that Jesus make. "Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Meaning, repent and the Kingdom of God is immediately, instantly, simultaneously, spontaneously available to us. REPENTANCE IS UNTO LIFE, IT'S COMING TO LIFE.

That's why in Acts chapter 2:37-38, where we read earlier concerning when they were pricked by the Holy Spirit, or pricked by the message that they heard from Peter, the Bible said: Then Peter immediately answered them, they said: "What shall we do?" "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost." Peter didn't say, receive the experiences of the Holy Spirit, he said, received the GIFT, WHICH IS SINGULAR, NOT GIFTS, BUT GIFT. Received the gift of the Holy Spirit, meaning he said, the moment you repent, you know what God promised?" I'll give to you the very person of the trinity, I'll give to you the very personhood of God, I'll give to you the personality of God in your life, I'll give to you the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit, I AM not going just to give you experiences, I AM going to give you the person of the Holy Spirit in your life, Amen.

That's what stabilized us, that's what confirmed us, that's what maintained us, that's what steadied us, that's what healed our minds, that's what brings broken, fractured back into normality, that's what finally delivered us from all hurts, and all of the emotional breakdown, that's what every area of our lives is all healed totally, completely and thoroughly.



God wants every man and woman to repent. "Repent, behold the Kingdom of God is at hand." REPENTANCE is one of the most glorious experience in our lives, it is a life that keep us in the place of VITALITY, it is repentance that keep us in that place of LIFE AND COMMUNION, it is repentance that cause us to DEPEND ON HIM AND TOTALLY RELY ON HIM, AND ABANDON OUR LIVES TO HIM, because once we live in the place of repentance, we will rely on Him, because we are not in control, GOD IS IN CONTROL, when God is in control, WE WILL TRUST HIM FOR EVERYTHING AND IN Everything. AMEN. SHALOM.

For further reading please visit TAN KOK KIM

‘Many in the Church Will Be Shocked to Find Themselves in Hell One Day’

4/24/2015 JOHN BURTON 

A crisis is coming to the church. In fact, it's the church that must initiate it.

Matthew 26:73-75 (ESV), "After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you." Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

He Invoked a Curse on Himself

From the Life Application Commentary: While Peter may have hoped to seem a natural part of the group by joining in the conversation, instead he revealed, by his speech, that he did not belong there. This was too much for Peter, so he decided to make the strongest denial he could think of by denying with an oath, "I don't know the man." Peter was swearing that he did not know Jesus and was invoking a curse on himself if his words were untrue. He was saying, in effect, "May God strike me dead if I am lying."

Peter was running for his life. In the church today the prevailing focus is on our experience and the affirmation and protection of our lives and lifestyles. People go to church to enhance their lives. When their lives, or even their lifestyles, are threatened, people will begin to run for their lives. They will run to safety.

This clear and extreme denial of Christ will invoke a curse.

Jesus was so indignant about this type of reaction that he dealt with Peter in fierce fashion before this event even unfolded:

Matthew 16:21-23 (ESV), " From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

Peter denied the cross, and Jesus rebuked Satan who was working through Peter (who Jesus had just identified as the rock, the CHURCH!). He made the point clear: Peter was mindful of thing things of man and not the things of God. Jesus then said:

Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV), "Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

A Crisis of the Cross

Apostles and prophets must step into their positions of authority and release a great crisis to the church. This is a necessary crisis as it will result in the true, abundant life of multiplied millions. The offensive, bloody cross must return to the church—and now.

When Jesus was hailed as King at the Triumphal Entry, the masses converged. The focus was self. They wanted Jesus to save them, make their lives better. They were crying out, "Hosanna!" which means, "save us now!"

So, Jesus complied. The only way to save the ones he loved was to face death on the cross. Yet, the rooster crowed and the crowds scattered and turned on Jesus. His closest friends ran for their lives. One cursed himself in his denial. Another betrayed Jesus and hung himself.

Yes, it's time not to snack on some bread and grape juice, but to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

When the cross is introduced in its full, bloody force again in the church, we will watch this drama unfold another time. People will flee from the church when focus changes from personal freedom to personal cost. Betrayal will skyrocket. Fear will grip those who haven't surrendered all.

Where will you be when the cock crows?

Generations Must Come to the Cross

Everybody ran for their lives but mom and son, Mary and John (along with Mary Magdalene) remained. The generations converged.

John 19:26-27 (ESV), "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home."

Luke 1:17 (NIV), "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

The elder generation must refuse to run. The younger generation must refuse to run. We must converge around the threatening, offensive cross of love. When we do, the harvest will come. The world is watching. The thief was watching and surrendered to the love that could only be revealed at the cross as the two generations deeply loved Jesus together:

Luke 23:43 (ESV), "And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Any movement that doesn't take place at the cross is a false movement. This is one reason I'm so troubled by some events, certain unity movements in a city, pastors meetings, etc. If a pastor isn't fully ready to resign his mission, to lose his salary, to surrender his sheep, to shut his church down, I have little interest in meeting. The cross demands everything. When pastors of a city gather around the cross and don't focus on personal gain, revival will be at hand. Yes, many will be offended, but the Harvest will flood in!

False Love and False Grace

The false love and false grace doctrines must be exposed. These belief systems are causing Hell to continue to expand at an unprecedented pace.

These beliefs are centered around self. The focus is our benefits instead of cross of Christ and instead of the harvest.

I've heard it said that we as Christians no longer have to confess our sins. False grace.

Recently, I was challenged to focus on love and to redefine certain scriptural interpretations to make them more favorable to the homosexual community. False love.

Ignoring God's holiness and justice in our lives does not equal grace. Tolerance does not equal love.

True love and true grace are found at the cross of Christ. God's intolerance of sin resulted in the death of his Son. There is no way he has suddenly become tolerant of those sins today.

Mark 8:34 (NKJV), "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Many in the church will be shocked to find themselves in Hell one day.

This is what God spoke to me after my life-transforming encounter with the forces of Hell 21 years ago.

The false grace/false love messages are resulting in entire church congregations unwittingly buying a ticket to Hell, all while they lift their hands and worship Jesus and read their Bibles and pay their tithes. They have an imaginary salvation.

Jesus told five out of seven churches of believers in Revelation that they were lost, on the way to destruction. A total of 5 out of 7 professing Christians were Hell bound! It's horrific yet easy to believe that this ratio may be accurate in our churches today!

Leaders will most certainly be held accountable for this silent slaughter of God's children.

It's time to speak plainly about the truths of scripture, the severity of the hour and the mandate of obedience. Heaven and Hell lie in the balance.

Ephesians 5:4-6 (ES,), " Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."

The passage goes on to say...

Ephesians 5:10-11 (ESV), "and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."

We must discern, and then expose darkness. We must not become so focused on pleasure and enjoyment, especially as Christians. In fact, we can't be primarily focused on being entertained in the name of God. We must take up our crosses, discern what is pleasing to God (not to us) and expose darkness!

Check out this verse regarding focus on self:

Romans 2:8-9 (ESV)," but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek."

This is the risk the false grace/false love movement presents. This is the fruit.

Watch what happens when true grace is in the equation:

Acts 4:32-35 (ESV), "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need."

So, we see those in the church had great grace! Does that mean God's judgment and holiness is no more? No way. Check out a couple of people who also had great grace on their lives:

Acts 5:1-11 (ESV), "But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Their disobedience in a season of great grace resulted in great judgment. And, then, fear hit the church.

We need this fear of the Lord again!

If we are to avoid a repeat of this, we must renounce the false grace/false love messages and sound the alarm of holiness and death to self!

When the cock crows, will you be running for your life as you curse yourself or will you be at the foot of the cross as the blood of Jesus pours out over you?

Will you be using God for personal gain and experience his judgment or will you embrace the fear of the Lord?

A crisis of the cross is coming to the church again.

John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 20 years and is a sought out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. John has authored nine books, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he planted two churches, has initiated two city prayer movements and is currently directing a prayer and revival focused ministry school in Detroit called theLab University. John's mandate is to call the church in the nations to repentance from casual Christianity and to burn in a manner worthy of the King of kings. He is equipping people to confront the enemies of God (established religion, Jezebel, etc.) that hinder an extreme, sold-out level of true worship.

For the original article, visit johnburton.net.

Self-Promotional Churches Will Soon Be Judged by BERT M. FARIAS

I believe that much of what the Lord is doing today is completely counter to Christian pop culture and the flow that we are seeing in the Western Church. It is typical in such times that there will be a counterfeit that runs parallel to the real.

There will be an echo arise right alongside the authentic voice. Some of these echoes are very deceptive and hidden from the casual hearer, while others are rather obvious and easy to discern. For instance, there's a false teaching out there that says the Christian doesn't need to repent—that God has forgiven all your past, present and future sins. Yet there's never been a greater need for repentance in the church world than today.

In a recent poll done by ChristianMingle.com, single Christians between the ages of 18 and 59 were asked, if given the opportunity, would they have sex before marriage. A whopping 63 percent stated that they would. How does that happen? It's simple. Either they are hopelessly backslidden or they've never repented of their sins and experienced true conversion. A majority of them belong to a church culture that is perhaps trendy and popular, but has no interest in fulfilling the demands of Christ. Many of them serve an "American Jesus" who lets them live as they please, and of course, will never judge them. Amidst all of the frenetic religious activity going on today, we need the ability to recognize the real Jesus, the Lamb of God.

In John 3, John the Baptist who was filled with the spirit and power of Elijah, and who ministered with Divine authority, declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Then he declared again, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

John's ministry was not one of self-exaltation or self-promotion as is so common today, but he was separated by God for the sole purpose of exalting the Lamb of God and preparing a people for Him, a bride for the bridegroom.

"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice" (John 3:29).

Those who are true friends of the Bridegroom hear His voice, not an echo. The voice of His messengers, who are filled with the spirit and power of Elijah, will point people to the Lamb of God, not to their own ministries, personalities, and agendas. John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness. The entirety of his ministry was focused on the Lamb and His bride.

If a ministry is not pointing people to the One who was, and is, and is to come it, will be judged harshly in this hour. Those who are exalting the Lamb of God have no interest in being seen or heard. They are not looking for a platform to promote themselves. The things that denote ministerial success in our day, such as large buildings, large followings and popularity, are of no interest to the true messengers of the Lamb.

Actually, the Lord is leading ministers right now to do the opposite of what it takes to build a large ministry. He is stripping away human wisdom and all we've utilized in our own efforts to build things, for He will not share His glory with another.

The Ephesians 4:11 gifts are to equip the saints for service and to prepare a bride for the Bridegroom, or a wife for the Lamb. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" (John 1:6). There is a present-day ministry with a mandate just as John the Baptist had, to turn hearts back to the Lord, to make a people ready for Him.

One of the great emphases of the Lord in this hour is on the preparation of His bride. There must be a distinction made between the church world and the bride of Christ. This is more than a salvation issue. It is more about the Lord possessing our vessels for His eternal purposes. This is the spirit and power of Elijah that was upon John the Baptist, and would also be a characteristic of those who would minister before His second coming (Mal. 4:5-6).

God's invitation is to everyone, but that invitation demands a dedication and a consecration. Counting the cost and paying the price are no longer terms we hear today in the marketplace of Western Christianity, but this language is found everywhere in the Scriptures.

It is time to wake up the sleeping church! She can be awakened kindly with a kiss or be shaken with the Lord's severity (Rom. 11:22). It's our choice. If we put it off to the future it will demand His shakings, which often come in the form of tests and trials, or a crisis that will expose our pride and crooked ways. Wholeheartedness is what the Lord desires.

In the times of Elijah we see this ministry in manifestation in the spirit and power of Elijah as he stood on Mount Carmel and contested with the false prophets of Baal. The fire fell and consumed the sacrifice along with the wood, stones, dust and even the water. This mighty manifestation caused the people to fall on their faces and declare the Lord as God.

"Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'" (1 Kings 18:39).

We also see this ministry exercised in the days of Moses as he stretched forth his rod, and the Red Sea swallowed up and drowned the Egyptian armies. The results of this anointing and authority are noted in Exodus 14:31: "Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses."

This anointing administered in the spirit and power of Elijah will be seen again. Its purpose is always redemptive—to bring forth true repentance and cause the hearts of the people to turn to the Lord.

We are in the infantile stages of the release of this authority. This will include a worldwide company of men and women who have been summoned by the Lord to be His messengers.

In the times of Moses and Elijah, great severity was necessary to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord. Often people quote the scripture in Romans 2:4, properly stating that it is the goodness or kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance. But when the Lord's goodness does not lead to repentance, then He is forced to move us into the realm of Divine severity.

Too many people have taken the Lord's goodness to further their pleasurable, worldly and even sinful lifestyles. Therefore, for the sake of their salvation and perseverance of their souls, the Lord has to administer His severity.

And so we will see both the manifestation of the goodness and severity of God side by side in the days ahead. Bittersweet times are upon us. We will choose our own medicine. These things will come with great cost and great loss to many as well as great glory and victory to others.

I find the scriptural reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God very rare until we get to the book of Revelation. There the Lamb is referenced 27 times. That is more than the rest of the entire New Testament combined. It was the revelation of the Lamb that ushered in His first coming, and it is that same revelation that will usher in the end of the age. It is only in the Lamb's meekness that we will triumph. Let's make ourselves ready!

"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" (Rev. 19:7, emphasis added).

Bert M. Farias, founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of The Real Gospel and co-host of the New England Holy Ghost Forum. He is a missionary evangelist carrying a spirit of revival to the church and the nations. Follow him at Bert Farias on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

An Appeal to Joel and Victoria Osteen

MICHAEL BROWN



Dear Joel and Victoria, I hope and pray that you will read this letter and that you take to heart the things I'm sharing. I write as a friend wanting to help, not an enemy wanting to hurt, and everything I write, I write out of love for God, love for you, and love for the church and the world.

I have said many times that I'm glad to see your smiling faces on TV as you speak about Jesus rather than some stern-faced, joyless, angry Christian leader. And I believe you genuinely do care about people and want them to find wholeness in the Lord.

Joel, I appreciate the fact that you end every service by asking people to get right with God, having them pray a prayer where they say to Jesus, "I repent of my sins, come into my heart, I make you Lord and Savior."

The big problem is that you haven't told them what their sins are, and you haven't told them what real repentance is. And since you are speaking to people around the world, you can't possibly assume that all of them understand the meaning of sin and redemption and repentance. (Most American Christians don't even understand these things today.)

In short, you have not shared with them the whole counsel of God, and by telling them only part of the story, you have done what the false prophets of ancient Israel did: "You superficially treat the fracture of My people saying to them, 'All is well, all is well,' when nothing is well" (Jer. 6:14, my translation).

A true physician tells his patients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. As one preacher of old, Jean Daille, once said, "Ministers are not cooks, but physicians and therefore should not study to delight the palate, but to recover the patient."

Have you been more of a junk-food cook than a physician? Have you been afraid to tell people their true condition? Have you been so concerned with making them feel good about themselves and giving them a sense of hope that you failed to diagnose their terminal sin disease?

Paul said to the elders of Ephesus, "I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26-27).

Do you really believe in your heart of hearts that you have declared the whole counsel of God to your listening audience?

God has given you one of the largest platforms for the gospel in human history. Can you say before Him that you are "innocent of the blood of all"?

Have you ever taught extensively on the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount? Have you ever worked your way through one of the letters of Paul? If not, why not?

Proverbs tells us that, "Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue" (28:23). Do you believe God's Word, or do you feel you have found a better way to do His work?

I appreciate the fact that you hold up your Bible before you preach, as your father did, and you have people make a confession about God's Word, as you also learned to do from your father. But do you really preach that holy Word?

Shortly before Paul was martyred for his faith, he reminded Timothy that, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).

He also gave him this solemn commission: "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:1-2).

Is this your pattern of preaching and ministry? Do you rebuke in love (Prov. 27:5) as well as exhort and encourage?

Perhaps it's time to ask yourself honestly where you fit in this warning from Paul: "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Tim. 4:1-4).

Wouldn't it be utterly heartbreaking if, on the day you stand before God, you discovered that you were one of these teachers? Wouldn't it be tragic if your efforts were found to be wood, hay and stubble on that great and glorious Day (1 Cor. 3:11-15)? And may I ask you candidly if you even talk about that holy day of accounting?

Some Christians have referred to you and Victoria as outright heretics, others have said that you are fighting against the Holy Spirit (since the Spirit convicts the world of sin but your preaching does not), others have said that you are a pagan religionist, while others have said that your superficial message of material prosperity cannot bear the weight of the gospel.

These are very serious charges, but rather than just saying, "Hey, I'm just going to love everybody and stay in my lane," perhaps you should ask if these leaders might be saying something you need to hear. Is there any truth at all in their words? Could it be that God's lane for you is different than the lane you're in?

It would be far better for you to see your TV ratings fall and your crowds dwindle than to displease the Lord. (Perhaps if you preached the whole counsel of God, your audience would end up even bigger.)

By all means, you should be an ambassador of hope and joy—that's all part of the gospel—but if you don't speak about sin plainly and without compromise and if you don't tell people that there will be suffering and hardship in this world as we follow Jesus, then the hope that you offer will only go skin deep.

Have you ever wondered about how your message plays out among Christians who are going through hell on Earth because of their faith in Jesus? Have you ever thought about what your message sounds like to persecuted believers today who just had to leave their homes and possessions behind to flee for their lives?

And Victoria, if I may speak with you for just a moment, your recent comments that have gone viral have drawn a stream of well-deserved criticism, even if some of it came in an ugly and wrong spirit.

The reality is that our lives are supposed to revolve around God; He doesn't revolve around us. And even though worship and praise are good for us too, since they focus our attention on who God is and bring us into His presence, we do not worship or serve Him for ourselves but for Him. As Paul wrote, Jesus died for all so "that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Cor. 5:15).

This is Gospel 101, as basic as it gets, yet you turned things upside down during that one regrettable moment on TV, a moment that reflected a wrong, off-base theology that starts with us and that says God is here to please us rather than starting with God and recognizing that we are here to please Him.

Joel and Victoria, I know these words have been strong, but they are written with love and concern. And since I have no connection to anyone on your team and I don't know of any way to reach you directly, after prayer and reflection, I felt that this was the best way to go, addressing public statements publicly, jealous for the Name of Jesus, jealous for your massive listening audience, and jealous for both of you.

Without a doubt, there are many people you have helped; you have also hurt far more than you realize. I pray you will take this to heart.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

A Call for Humility and Repentance in the Gay Community by BERT M. FARIAS

My recent Charisma News article on homosexuality sure caused a stir in the world of gay. I didn't know so many of them read Charisma, a conservative Christian magazine.

Although in part I addressed gay people, my primary purpose in writing the article was to strengthen Christians with a no-nonsense biblical perspective of homosexuality, so that fewer of them would go the way of many churches in this hour, abandoning the faith by embracing unbiblical views of homosexuality and gay marriage.

The LGBT community, however, got wind of it and was up in arms about my article and made sure to let me know it through hundreds of comments on this site, a host of other public rants on various LGBT sites, and through many vile and venom-filled private messages.

Attached to a few comments were death threats and statements like, "I hope you die of pancreatic cancer." And then these same people have the audacity to accuse me of being filled with hate, filled with Satan, calling me a delusional piece of trash, an absolute monster, and other grossly offensive obscenities not appropriate for public space. One could easily have mistaken them for terrorists who delight in killing those who refuse to convert to their ideology.

But it should come as no surprise when people become infuriated at the calling out of their sins. Even the Pharisees shamelessly called Jesus a demon (John 8:48) when He told them that they were of their father, the devil (John 8:44). They called John the Baptist a demon too (Luke 7:33), of whom Jesus said there wasn't a greater prophet (Luke 7:28). Isn't it rather ironic that people under demonic influence accuse others of having demons? But wisdom is justified of her children (Luke 7:35).

Phil Robertson said, "The truth always sounds like hate to those who hate the truth."

Why All the Fuss Over the Putrid-Smelling Demon?

I understand that the greatest point of offense from my article happened when I exposed homosexuality as a putrid-smelling demon that many have embraced. Apparently that was the arrow that afflicted the comfort of the hornet's nest, creating cyberspace madness. I did not say, as so many claimed, that gay people were demons. However, any serious student of the Bible clearly understands that we live in a fallen world that demons rule. "The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). But those of Christ's kingdom learn to resist those demons, while those blinded by the wicked one ignorantly yield to them.

A putrid-smelling demon would be considered an unclean spirit. Jesus taught on the operation of unclean spirits (demons) and their desire to inhabit human beings.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation" (Matt. 12:43-45).

Why all the rage and madness over a putrid-smelling demon? Is it not because I associated it with homosexuality? The scriptures condemn every form of sexual immorality, calling it a sin against your own body (1 Cor. 6:18). I singled out homosexuality in my article because it is widely accepted and celebrated in today's culture. As our courts continue to issue rulings that normalize this sinful behavior and legalize same-sex marriage, people seem intent on rushing headlong into this lifestyle without considering its earthly, and more importantly, its eternal consequences.

Hell is real, and it is eternal, with no exits, and Scripture frighteningly and so graphically paints a picture of hell in many places of the Bible. In one  striking reference, the Word conveys an image of hell's excitement in meeting departed spirits of wicked rulers (which would include all sinners) at their coming (Isa 14:9). I know this is not a popular doctrine, and to many it is offensive, and some preachers today have even totally excluded it from their theology. Nevertheless, the inspired Word of God says much about it.

To all those whose faith is truly based on Holy Scripture, it is impossible to deny that every form of sexual immorality, including homosexuality, is sin, period. End of discussion. It is also impossible to deny scriptures that warn us that those who practice sin, including homosexuality, have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:5). Instead, they have only an eternal hell to look forward to, of which Jesus stated emphatically was a place where, "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" (Mk 9: 44, 46, 48). This is based on the authority of Scripture. I did not say that; God did.

In fact, it pains me to write these words, knowing there are multitudes who have blindly chosen this broad way, which leads only to death and destruction (Matt. 7:13). If you do not believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then we do not share a common place of agreement for even an honest dialogue, so please direct your venomous and hate-filled messages toward God. All I am doing is repeating His Word that has already been established and settled in heaven (Ps. 119:89).

The Scriptures also tell us that some human beings are past feeling and have given themselves over to lewdness and uncleanness. There's that word "unclean" again. "Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (Eph. 4:19).

Lewdness is associated with words such as licentiousness, filthiness, lasciviousness, etc. An unclean spirit or demon emanates these characteristics through human beings who yield to them.

But the word lewdness has much stronger implications. It means total debauchery, unashamed indecency, unbridled lust, and unrestrained depravity. The person with this characteristic has an insolent defiance of public opinion, sinning in broad daylight with arrogance and contempt.

Ever been to a gay pride parade? Lewdness is rampant. I have a minister friend who attends them with the aim of finding and ministering the gospel to the broken ones who will listen to the voice of reason and compassion.

It's one thing to acknowledge your sin and be guilt-ridden, humbled and contrite over it, as in the beautiful redemptive account of the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11). But it is quite another to display your uncleanness with pride and pomp, and call God's true servants who tell you the truth out of love for your soul such blasphemous names. Even God can't help the proud (Jam. 4:6). His mercy always waits for humility and repentance. So my plea to the gay community would be for them to truly humble themselves.

The Scriptures also associate the devil with sin: "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning" (1 John 3:8).

Why is it so difficult for people to believe the simplicity of what Scripture says about demons and how they work through man's flesh and entice us to sin and work evil? Is it not because they hate the truth of what God plainly says and refuse to conform themselves to it? Is it not because they hate the light?

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:20).

Was it not because of their hatred of the truth that they also sought to kill Jesus, and of course, eventually succeeded in doing so? "But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God" (John 8:40).

Do not George Orwell's words ring so true in modern American society today? "The more a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it."

Is this not what is at the crux of the matter of all who were filled with rage and displayed madness at my recent article on homosexuality? So if you are part of the gay community, or you call yourself a gay "Christian," what should you do?

Don't be afraid of looking truth right in the face. Acknowledge the Holy Scriptures as God's Word. With genuine godly sorrow, humble yourself and repent of your sin of homosexuality. Leave your partners and all gay associations, as if you were Lot in the days of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, escaping for your life. Your sinful associations will only keep you in a weakened position. Begin to call on the Name of the Lord from a sincere heart. He will give you grace to empower you toward change. Seek help and prayer from God-loving, Bible-believing Christians.

I just spent nearly an hour writing an email to a young man who is having homosexual thoughts and wants to be free. He recognizes this temptation as a demonic force attempting to get him to act on those thoughts. God will honor him and many others who humble themselves and who truly desire freedom.

Will you follow his lead?

Remember that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Bert M. Farias, founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of The Real Gospel and co-host of the New England Holy Ghost Forum. He is a missionary evangelist carrying a spirit of revival to the church and the nations. Follow him at Bert Farias on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.