A Heart For Israel

   As we hear of continual trouble surrounding the nation of Israel, what should be the Christian’s thoughts toward this small country that has a population of about seven million people and a land mass of a little over 8,000 square miles?  Let’s look at the Bible to get God’s insight on this.  First, God spoke to Abraham saying, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3) Abraham had Isaac from his first wife Sarah and Ishmael from Hagar his handmaid.  He later had other children through his concubines and second wife keturah but the Messiah and Jewish seed was to come from Isaac as is written, “….in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Genesis 21:12)  Isaac was the father of Esau and Jacob and Jacob was the father of twelve sons who made the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Through the Jews, namely the tribe of Judah, came the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  It is also very safe to say that we have our Bible due to the labor and perseverance of the Jews as it was written by them. 

            David said in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”  He urged all to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel, and while this Psalm is somewhat prophetic shouldn’t we do so today?  While we can’t condone all they have done these past few years since they have again become a nation, we must admit that they are a marvel as a people.  What nation can be split apart, driven from their homeland on two occasions, be a desolate land for years, then come back as a powerful nation as it is today.  They suffered two centuries of war from the crusades, suffered Hitler’s attempt to eliminate them as a people, and are suffering war and being threatened with losing land even now. What nation commands the world’s attention like Israel whose land mass is less than most of our states?  Jerusalem itself is said to have only a little over 700,000 people.  Doesn’t that make one wonder why the world keeps its attention on such a tiny country and why so many nations would like to see this tiny country pushed into the sea? 

            Israel will have its place in the future as Christ will reign from there during the millennial reign.  Before that, however, the world and

the anti-Christ must be judged.  The anti-Christ will set himself up as God in the temple that will soon be built in Jerusalem.  “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;   Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  It has been said that the materials and pieces of the temple are already in place, waiting to be put together. Judgment of the armies of the world will take place not far from Jerusalem as told in Joel 3:12-14.  “Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.  

            Finally, Christ will reign from Jerusalem where the new temple will be located as mentioned above.  The central world government will be there and all the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.  See Isaiah 11:1-9, Rev 20-4-6 and Ezekiel chapters 40-48.  Scripture after scripture indicates that God has his eye on Israel whose heritage began with God’s special blessing and promise. “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”  (Psalm 121:4)  As Christians, we should pray and have a warm spot for Israel in our hearts.  The city and country of Israel were important to God and us in the past, they are now, and will be in the future.  Again quoting a verse already mentioned, Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

Have You Received The Power Since You Believed?

            “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”  (Acts 2:4)

            This well known scripture gives the famous account of the Holy Ghost’s first falling on believers of Christ on the day of Pentecost which occurred about fifty days after Christ’s resurrection. 

            Jesus foretold his disciples that this would happen.

            “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49  This was given so that they could “receive power” and be “witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

            We can continue to read accounts of believers being baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues throughout the book of Acts. 

             “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”  (Acts 10:44-47)

             “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:6)

             “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:  Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” (I Corinthians 14:18-19) 

            While the revival in Samaria recorded in Acts 8 does not specifically say they spake with tongues when being filled with the Holy Ghost, it does indicate that there was some kind of manifestation the occurred when believers were filled.  “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”  (Acts 8:17)  Obviously, something very definite happened when the believers were filled with the Holy Ghost or else they wouldn’t have known that they had received it. 

            From these accounts then, we must conclude that being filled with the Holy Ghost a work of grace that should follow after one is saved, and that when filled with the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, there is evidence by speaking in a heavenly language or other tongues.  If you have been told that you just have the Holy Ghost by faith and yet this has not happened, you do not have the Holy Ghost according to scripture.

            Now I want to make one thing perfectly clear.  Tongues are not the only manifestation of the Holy Ghost nor should they be misused.  Just because they have been over emphasized in the past does not make them void today.  But the fact that we can just “believe that we have the Holy Ghost” without any manifestation is totally false and unscriptural.  It is a definite work of grace and when someone has been filled with God’s spirit there has always been a noticeable change.  Don’t be short-changed by just “believing” you have something when you really don’t, according to scripture.

 WHY THE EVIDENCE OF TONGUES ANYWAY?

            Many will say that manifestation of tongues were given specifically for evangelizing the world in the time of the apostles, but is now no longer needed.  Why then, did Paul say he did not speak with tongues much in public as indicated above in I Corinthians 14:19?   First, speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost as pointed out above.  So what can be done with them after the initial infilling? 

            The scripture tells us that when we speak in tongues in prayer, it edifies, or builds us up.  “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”  (I Corinthians 14:1-4)  This passage tells us that tongues were not made to speak unto men as no one could understand what was being said.  However, they could be used in private prayer for edification or building up oneself in the Lord. 

            Jude 1:20 says, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”  We are being built up in order to be witnesses and have power to live for God when praying in the Holy Ghost which is in tongues.  Do we need built up? I know I do!  So when we refuse to except this part of God’s blessing, we are refusing his help to live for him and a chance to get closer to him.

            There is a gift of tongues which are part of the nine gifts of the spirit but we are not dealing with that at this time to save from confusion.  Even that must be used discriminately when in public worship and is subject unto the user.  “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32)  This, I believe pertains to all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

 ARE THEY FOR TODAY?

            “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (I Corinthians 13:8)  Many use this scripture to argue that tongues have ceased.  They say that the scripture says that prophesies shall fail and tongues cease.  That’s true, but knowledge shall also vanish away.  When did all of this happen?  Do we have knowledge today?  Of course we do!  So we also have tongues, prophesies and the other gifts of the spirit in operation.  It is funny how men will take part of a scripture and use it to satisfy a false doctrine but yet ignore the rest.

            Peter said of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, “…..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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Act 2:38-39)  Notice he didn’t put a time limit on this and so as long as souls are being called by God and being saved, this promise is valid. 

 WHY DON’T WE SEE THESE HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH TODAY AS A WHOLE?

            Satan can appear as an angel of light.  Many things that have occurred that seemed to be in the Spirit of God were not, but were in error.  It is true that there is a great deal of phony gifts and other things done supposedly in the spirit but there are phony $20.00 out there but you and I both know that we will still spend $20.00 when we have them.  In other wards, that doesn’t make the $20 illegitimate just because there may be some counterfeit ones floating around.  This should also be true with the things of God. 

            There has been much negative teaching and misunderstanding regarding the manifestation of the Holy Ghost.  This is due sometimes because of not fully knowing the scriptures as well as lack of exposure to the Holy Ghost power.  Woe to him who says that the baptism with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues is of the devil for our Lord said “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:” (Mark 3:28-29) 

            Men have been taught in seminaries against the true baptism of the Holy Ghost so therefore have accepted this teaching without correctly consulting the scriptures. 

            Another reason is simply due to sin and unbelief.  God will not fill a dirty vessel with his Holy Ghost.  If he expected purity in the church then, he expects it now.  Even Pentecostal denominations are telling us that only a small percentage of their people are now filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues.  We are a backslidden nation with a backslidden church.  The baptism of the Holy Ghost was not wide spread throughout the middle ages due to the church’s falling into sin and superstition.  When it began to revive with men such as Martin Luther, John Wesley, D. L. Moody, and others, God again saw fit to pour out his Spirit in great measure throughout the world around the beginning of the 20^th century.  The past 50 years have seen the church in America sliding down into a backslidden condition as a whole and with it, the withdrawing of the blessings of God.  “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:17) We must get back to holiness and purity before Christ takes away our lampstand in this country.  “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:5 

This ‘N That

            The Abundant Life Holiness Church has been in its present location for almost two years.  While we’re always praying for the leading of God’s spirit for efforts in evangelism and ministry, we have been somewhat undecided regarding a newsletter.  I have felt that we should be printing something with some regularity so we’ve decided to publish a newsletter every two months.  Pray for us as we attempt to reach the lost in Tyler and the local area as well as revive the church.  We are in much need of revival in our country and I’m afraid that bleak times are ahead if we don’t soon see a change in our plunging national moral system.  We were placed here by God as a Christian nation to evangelize the world but now we have need of others to evangelize us!  I still love America and pray for her, her leaders and the reviving of the church. 

            On August 30, our daughter Tiffany’s home went up in flames.  Tiffany faithfully attends our church along with her sweet two year old daughter, Emma.  Fortunately, no one was hurt as her husband, Jason, saw the fire which started in the back of the house.  This was an old house and the fault seems to be determined as electrical.  Needless to say, they lost all but God has been good in providing their needs.  They are to bulldoze the remains then hope to place a mobile home on the land.  They covet your prayers. 

            We were blessed by the following missionaries during the past few months:  Bro. David Hamilton and family – Belarus, The Arnett’s – ministering to children on the border of Mexico, Wayne and Janice Jordan – Mexico, and Jason and Vickie Pennington – Panama.

            This November offers us another chance to have a voice in our government.  Please vote with your values, not with the media flow.

O Lord What Do You See?

Sister Rose Purdy

O Lord what do you see

When you look at me?

Do you see someone who loves you

Someone whom your will longs to do

Willing to pray for those in need

While from your Word planting your seed?

I remember the day you saved me,

You unlocked the door of my heart with your key,

Gave me sunshine during my day

While helping me along my way.

You helped me during my time of sorrow

While giving me a reason to face tomorrow.

Lord, I hope what you see

Is more of you Lord, and less of me.