LAST CALL: REPENT!
May 29, 2022 10:57 AM
MY HIDING PLACE
For the audio version of this Word, please follow the link provided, youtube.com/watch?v=6ddIg2J_o4c&t=385s. Thank you.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I hope you are well and spending as much time as possible in the presence of the Father, being nourished by His Spirit through the washing of His Word. I pray that you are wearing the full armor of God daily, living a life of repentance, and getting yourself ready both spiritually and physically. Do not forsake helping the needy, loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you. I know at times the journey may feel lonely, but I encourage you to lean on Father and to deposit your burdens at Jesus’ feet for He cares for us. Please do not hesitate to email me if you have a specific need I may be able to help with. I am praying for you all and I hope that this message reaches the hearts of those who need to hear it. May the Holy Spirit anoint His Words. All of Him and less of me. To God be ALL the glory now and forevermore!!
Brothers and sisters,
We should all be aware just how serious the situation around the world is at the moment. The war, although it may appear to be localized, will stretch to include many more nations. Tanks, ships and other military equipment have already been shifted around borders while food and gas prices reach an all-time high. According to Mat.24:6-8, we are in the early stages of the birth pains.
As I spend time in the presence of the Lord, inquiring on specific updates from the heavenly courtroom, the Holy Spirit insists, once again, that I address His people’s hearts and especially the ‘Zedekiahs’.
Today’s message will be based on Jer. 21.
King Zedekiah had long been warned, by the prophet Jeremiah, concerning the great catastrophe that was to ensue. That is: the sieging at the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar, the destruction of the temple and the exile of God’s people. However, he did evil in the eyes of the Lord and made no efforts to rectify things with Him -to repent. Yet, for some reason, he thought he could get away with God’s judgments.
Jer.21:2 Inquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.
According to this verse, we read that while King Nebuchadnezzar was besieging the city, Zedekiah proceeded to ask Jeremiah if he could inquire of the Lord on His behalf. His hope was that Father would turn away His punishment. Needless to say, the judgment was well on its way, already engraved in stone, and confirmed in the heavenly courtroom. Did Zedekiah turn away from evil? Did he do anything to warrant Father’s judgments to be revoked? No, he did not. Of course, what followed was the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecies. Not only that. Zedekiah’s sons were captured and slaughtered right in front of his eyes just before King Nebuchadnezzar had him bound with bronze shackles, had his eyes removed, and ordered he’d be put in prison till the day of his death (Jer.52:9-11).
The Holy Spirit oftentimes teaches me by drawing parallels in stories. In this case, I am instructed that unfortunately there are many today who are acting like Zedekiah. They have heard the warnings many a time, but are resisting repenting. They understand the severity of the situation, but are not willing to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit to transform their minds and hearts into the likeness of Christ. Somehow they feel, and perhaps hope, that at the last minute, Father may relent from sending His judgments, or that they will be spared.
As I strive to understand why these individuals have such a hard time letting go of all that hinders and jump into God’s Ark of salvation, the Holy Spirit is making me aware that one of the reasons is because of their deep love for their idols. And because they do not wish to let go of their idols, they have become like them.
Psa.115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
If you are this person, do not resist Father’s loving plea to bring you into His fold. His desire is that none should perish but that all would receive eternal life. There is no sin He cannot pardon, no mountain He cannot climb, no amount of idolatry He cannot forgive. This message is another reminder that, judgments are here and will not be overturned on any nation, or any individual, without true repentance.
Brothers and sisters,
prepare your hearts for what is now here. Repent! Repent! Come before Father without delay! Nations have turned their backs on the Lord by continuing in their sinful state and to follow the wicked desires of their hearts. At this point, the only thing we can do as individuals is to mitigate the effects of the judgments upon our lives. Please seek Father NOW! Repent from your evildoing, your idolatry. Commit your life to Him anew. Come and wash your garments in the precious blood of the Lamb and He will resurrect you into a new creation.
In our modern day, the ‘Zedekiahs’ are the ones who may think that just because they have said the sinner’s prayer, or attend church regularly, or pay God lip service that they will be able to escape His impeding judgments. Yet, whenever the word ‘REPENTANCE’ is mentioned, they get offended and look the other way. It is imperative that we take inventory of our lives and recognize that repentance is a vital part of our Christian walk. Ask yourself: Am I loving the Lord my God with ALL my heart, mind, soul, and strength? Am I following His commands? Do I understand the meaning of unconditional love and the laying down of my life for others? Am I living in intimacy with the Father? Am I acting like Zedekiah?
Jer.21:4-7 Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in YOUR hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city. 5And I MYSELF WILL FIGHT AGAINST YOU with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. 6And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. 7And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver …. such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
The Lord, our Heavenly Father is angry. Angry at His disobedient, rebellious, obstinate children; His stiff-necked children who continue in their lukewarm state, on the wide path, convinced they can pray away His judgments or that they will escape. Do not fool yourself! Don’t forget that Jesus is coming back for a bride who is blameless, and pure. A bride who is washing herself with His Word; one who follows the Lamb wherever He goes.
In the above verses, Zedekiah was reminded that the weapons in his people’s hands would turn against them. And that the Lord would be the one fighting on Nebuchadnezzar’s behalf to bring about the punishment for His people’s sins. The same will be for us. It is NOT our evil government, the ‘powers that be’, the fallen ones that are bringing the judgments. It is God’s supreme decision to use these entities as His weapons against those He wishes to punish.
In verses 6 and 7 we are given a list of judgments which we will see unfold: the SWORD, FAMINE and PLAGUES. Everyone is being marked according to the works of their own hands. Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity (Jer.15:2). During the time of God’s judgments, there will be no place to hide. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hand of the Living God (Heb.10:31).
Jer.21:13-14a) BEHOLD, I AM AGAINST THEE, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, SAITH THE LORD; WHICH SAY, WHO SHALL COME DOWN AGAINST US? OR WHO SHALL ENTER INTO OUR HABITATIONS? 14But I WILL PUNISH YOU ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF YOUR DOINGS, SAITH THE LORD.
To conclude: the best verse in the whole chapter.
Jer.21:8 And unto this people thou shalt say, THUS SAITH THE LORD; BEHOLD, I SET BEFORE YOU THE WAY OF LIFE, AND THE WAY OF DEATH.
Deut.30:19-20 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Please take the time to re-read/listen and ponder this over, that you may choose the way of repentance, that you may choose life in Jesus Christ the Messiah.
Reflect on the hefty price our beloved Saviour had to pay on the cross in order that we may receive the free gift of salvation, His forgiveness, and our reconciliation to Father. Don’t throw away such precious gift.
Heb.4:7b) To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
1 Pet. 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Tim.6: 11-12 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
