<![CDATA[junipertreeandbeyond - Feed My Sheep ]]>Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:48:02 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[This is Your Future Saints - Get Ready]]>Tue, 18 Aug 2015 17:58:49 GMT This is Your Future Saints - Get Ready]]>http://junipertreeandbeyond.com/feed-my-sheep/this-is-your-future-saints-get-readyThus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.
(Jeremiah 19:15)
There is a season in which we may hear and repent but there is also a point of no return. There is a point where the judgment of God will not be stayed.

Hezekiah was able, by God to bring a restoration to the Jews. They had been in a backslidden state - They heard the appeal of God and the commands through Hezekiah and repented. This resulted in the greatest move of God since David and Solomon. See (2 Chron 29-32)

But then - Manasseh. Manasseh put an image in the house God! Yes! He puts an idol made by hands in the temple of the LORD.See (2 Chron 33) This is a type of the Abomination of desolation. This brings first, tribulation, which leads into the ultimate wrath of God just prior to the 1000 year reign of Christ. Listen to the LORD below concerning what Manasseh did.

(Jeremiah 15:1 [AKJV])
Then said the LORD to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

(Jeremiah 15:2 [AKJV])
And it shall come to pass, if they say to you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus said the LORD; 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.

(Jeremiah 15:3 [AKJV])
And I will appoint over them four kinds, said the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

(Jeremiah 15:4 [AKJV])
And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

(Jeremiah 15:5 [AKJV])
For who shall have pity on you, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan you? or who shall go aside to ask how you do?

Christians today are being called to the Ark of God, Jesus Christ. We are being called to sound the alarm. The Church is apostate. The Nation has altogether forsaken the God of all the earth.

Saints of God are being called to prepare for the worst times in all of human history, to return to prayer, to reading the Word of God, to warning of the coming sword and to call others to Jesus Christ, the only source of strength to endure the coming tribulation and the the only escape from the coming wrath of God.

Hezekiah came and explained to the Jews why the judgment of God "had come". Jeremiah had to explain why the judgment of God "is coming". Saint's we too are charged with these things in the midst of our people.

See the parallel between Jeremiah and Hezekiah with regard to the explaining why the wrath of God comes.

1) Jeremiah Charged With Explaining Why the Wrath of God "is Coming"

(Jeremiah 16:10 [AKJV])
And it shall come to pass, when you shall show this people all these words, and they shall say to you, Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?

(Jeremiah 16:11 [AKJV])
Then shall you say to them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, said the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

(Jeremiah 16:12 [AKJV])
And you have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, you walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not listen to me:

(Jeremiah 16:13 [AKJV])
Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that you know not, neither you nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favor.

2) Hezekiah Explaining Why the Wrath of God "is Upon Them".

(2 Chronicles 29:8 [AKJV])
Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as you see with your eyes.

(2 Chronicles 29:9 [AKJV])
For, see, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

(2 Chronicles 29:10 [AKJV])
Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

(2 Chronicles 29:11 [AKJV])
My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that you should minister to him, and burn incense.

We are now in the place of being called to warn of the coming Judgment of God upon our people. There will be a time to tell the people why the judgment of God is upon us. A short time of restoration will occur primarily within the Church. Then, or "at that time", even as Manasseh, who came right after Hezekiah, and set an image in the temple of the LORD, so too, we will see the rise of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, the Abomination of Desolation. This will enter us into the time of the greatest tribulation the world has ever known. At that time saints, you will be in much prayer, trying to stay alive, trying to stay un-incarcerated and still warning of the coming wrath of God just like Jeremiah warned the Jews in His time.

Please understand that tribulation does include the wrath of God, the judgment of God, but there is a wrath to which we are not appointed, it is the final pouring out of God's wrath upon this world. We are approaching this now. The Ark is your refuge - Jesus Christ is your rescue from this last ultimate outpouring of God's wrath as we approach the 1000 year reign of Christ. Saints you will suffer persecution. You will see some wrath of God but it will not be upon the obedient who take refuge in the Ark which is Christ. You will be delivered from the wrath to come, the ultimate and final wrath before the 1000 year reign of Christ.

There is no more promise of Nation wide revival - no hope of saving America but a warning and a message from God. Here comes the sword. That is the message, The sword comes, nothing will stop it, turn to Jesus Christ for refuge and eternal salvation.

Even as they did not recognize their season when Messiah Jesus came to Israel through the blessed Virgin Mary in that time. Even as they rejected Him then, so too will this season be denied, not recognized, so too will you, the body of Messiah be rejected. The servant is not greater than his Master, Jesus Christ. If they hated Him, they will hate you too. Remember the entire body of Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. You are a part of His Body. Don't think you will escape some type of rejection, persecution even death. If you are His, you will be hunted down on this planet very soon.

If you suffer with Him, you shall also reign with Him. (2 Tim 2:12)

All who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Tim 3:12)

(Daniel 7:21 [AKJV])
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

(Daniel 7:22 [AKJV])
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

(Daniel 7:23 [AKJV])
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

(Revelation 13:6 [AKJV])
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

(Revelation 13:7 [AKJV])
And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

(Revelation 13:8 [AKJV])
And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This is our future saints. Get ready. Love Christ even to the death.

(Revelation 12:11 [AKJV])
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.

We are rescued in Christ from the wrath of God - but many will die for not taking the mark of the beast. In the tribulation coming upo us, many christians will be killed.

(Revelation 20:4 [AKJV])
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

But we come back with Jesus to a victory over the Antichrist and Satan. Just as the cross was meant for a defeat in Satan's eyes, but turned to the glory of God and the salvation of many, so the slaughter of Christians which was meant for a defeat in the eyes of Satan, will be a victory and salvation and Glory to the Most High God.

(Revelation 17:14 [AKJV])
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

This is your future saints.

(Revelation 19:11 [AKJV])
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.

(Revelation 19:12 [AKJV])
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

(Revelation 19:13 [AKJV])
And he was clothed with a clothing dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

(Revelation 19:14 [AKJV])
And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

(Revelation 19:15 [AKJV])
And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

(Revelation 19:16 [AKJV])
And he has on his clothing and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

(Revelation 19:17 [AKJV])
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the middle of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God;

(Revelation 19:18 [AKJV])
That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

(Revelation 19:19 [AKJV])
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

(Revelation 19:20 [AKJV])
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

(Revelation 19:21 [AKJV])
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat on the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

]]><![CDATA[Born from Above / By the Spirit / Overcome]]>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 15:33:12 GMT Born from Above / By the Spirit / Overcome]]>http://junipertreeandbeyond.com/feed-my-sheep/born-from-above-by-the-spirit-overcomeEven though Jeremiah was chosen from his mother's womb to be God's prophet, even though he was equipped by God, encouraged by God, spoken to by God, . . . . yet still, Jeremiah had to choose to obey God and stand in confidence before the face of naysayers as he delivered to Word of the Lord. He had to do so as a man with all his resistance and frailties. In all God's enduement, Jeremiah was still required to respond in obedience. He would suffer chastisement from God for failing to do so. As we know, in all Jeremiah's hearing from God and walking in His ways, it was far from a bed of roses. Jeremiah suffered tremendously.

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:" (2 Timothy 2:12)

. . ."be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them.", the Lord said to him. "By the Spirit" does not mean, "without you". By the Spirit means, not without God! Jesus said, "without me, you can do nothing" - it is a mutual partnership, requiring us to choose from a sincere heart willingly to love and to obey God. When Jesus said "without me, you can do nothing" He is saying "with me, you can do . . . ." Notice the "you can do" / you can't do is tied to with or "without Him"?

Another way of understanding by the Spirit is "of" the Spirit and "according to" the Spirit or . . .initiated and empowered by the Spirit.

The same thing which is true for individuals is true for endeavors.

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4) The born again believer has been given power to become the sons of God - overcome the world - therefore his heaven born endeavors also overcome.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)

Jeremiah's call to be a prophet of God to Judah "came down from above"; that is, was initiated by God Himself. Jeremiah's endeavors as a prophet of God, came down from above as well, hearing God and receiving directives of Him. Therefore Jeremiah and his endeavors overcome the world since they came down from above or . . . "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Faith comes be hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord. 

The Church is that City which comes down from God out of heaven. 

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:2)

We are citizens of heaven.

"For our conversation, (citizenship) is in heaven; from where also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 3:20)

conversation = G4175 πολίτευμα politeuma (pol-it'-yoo-mah) n.
1. a community
2. (abstractly) citizenship (figuratively)
[from G4176]
KJV: conversation

Jeremiah heard from God as all saints should.

"It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes to me." (John 6:45)

Whatever your calling and directive from God is, it is born from above and destined to overcome the world. It comes down from God out of heaven and overcomes the world. It is eternal in it's affect and origin, being of God, that is, by the Spirit, of the Spirit, according to the Spirit, etc . . . Even as you are born again, of the Father, (1Peter1:3), so too ought your endeavors be born from above and not of the flesh. In this part, our endeavors, our behavior etc... we have a choice to either walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called or to walk in our flesh and in disobedience. This is why God spoke to Jeremiah saying, "be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them." and this is why Paul repeatedly called the saints to walk according to who they are and not according to the flesh they had been delivered from. (IE: Ephesians 4:1)

The way we handle this determines our reward when we face the judgement seat of Christ.

"Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences." (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)

God spoke to Jeremiah here in the same way Paul, by the Holy Spirit, spoke to the churches under his care; reminding and encouraging them of what Christ had purchased for them, reminding them of their holy and sanctified state and calling; then admonishing them to walk in it. Let your life and behavior line up with who Christ has called you to be and with what and who He has made you. For you truly are His workmanship.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

God said to Jeremiah, "You therefore gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them. For, behold, I have made you this day a defended city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you, said the LORD, to deliver you." (Jeremiah 1:17-19)

The Spirit of Christ was IN Jeremiah, even as, if you are born again, is IN you.

"Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1:10-11)

"Spirit of Christ which was in them" . . . .

My prayer for us today is:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (Ephesians 1:17-19)

... Christ in you, the hope of glory: 
(Colossians 1:27)

]]><![CDATA[Grace As The Enabling Power Of God]]>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 15:30:21 GMT Grace as the Enabling Power of God]]>http://junipertreeandbeyond.com/feed-my-sheep/grace-as-the-enabling-power-of-god(Luke 2:40 [AKJV])
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was on him.

Grace = G5485 χάρις charis (khar'-ece) n.
1. graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act
2. (especially) the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life
3. (also) gratitude
{abstract or concrete, literal, figurative or spiritual}
[from G5463]
KJV: acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy)

What need did Jesus have for unmerited favor? None, for He is the fulfillment of the law. As a man, Jesus did rely on the empowering grace of God to walk out His calling. As a man He shows us that we too have access to this empowering grace. 

"Grace, as the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life, is available and provided to all who believe on Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him."

What Christ did on the earth, He did as a man, not as God. He laid His Godhood down and functioned as a man. This is how He can say "pick up your cross and follow me". This is how He can say, to the Father, "as you have sent me into the world, so have I also sent them into the world". Are we sent into the as God or as the man Jesus Christ? As the man Jesus Christ no doubt. As God, He can not expect us to do what only God can do. As the man, Jesus Christ, He can expect us to do as He did by the same means He did it. By the grace of God. By the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The bible explicitly testifies to Christ's work as a man on the earth. See the following passages for proof.

1) > (1Cor 15:21 [AKJV])
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

(1Cor 15:22 [AKJV])
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

(1Cor 15:23 [AKJV])
But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

2) > (Rom 5:17 [AKJV])
For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

(Rom 5:18 [AKJV])
Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came on all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came on all men to justification of life.

(Rom 5:19 [AKJV])
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

3) > (Acts 2:22 [AKJV])
You men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the middle of you, as you yourselves also know:

(Acts 2:23 [AKJV])
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

(Acts 2:24 [AKJV])
Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held of it.

Following, in Romans 1:5 we see a contextual definition of grace as an empowering influence of God on the heart of Paul. Further, we see this extended to those who believe through Paul's words, in verse 6.

(Rom 1:1 [AKJV])
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,

(Rom 1:2 [AKJV])
(Which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

(Rom 1:3 [AKJV])
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

(Rom 1:4 [AKJV])
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

(Rom 1:5 [AKJV])
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

(Rom 1:6 [AKJV])
Among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ:

Here the Spirit of the Lord is speaking throught the chosen Apostle of Christ the same thing Jesus prayed in John 17. Lets look at Jesus' words.

(John 17:17 [AKJV/PCE])
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

(John 17:18 [AKJV/PCE])
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

(John 17:19 [AKJV/PCE])
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

(John 17:20 [AKJV/PCE])
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Jesus said He sends them out even as He was sent and then says not only these does He pray for but those who would believe through their word. Then, we see Paul, sent out even as Christ was sent out, receiving grace for Apostleship and obedience to the faith. Let's look at Christ's words to Ananias concerning Paul right now.

(Acts 9:15 [AKJV/PCE])
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

(Acts 9:16 [AKJV/PCE])
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

We see the words of Christ fulfilled in the Apostle Paul and next we will see them extended beyond Paul. This grace is extended to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

(Phil 1:1 [AKJV])
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

(Phil 1:2 [AKJV])
Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Phil 1:3 [AKJV])
I thank my God on every remembrance of you,

(Phil 1:4 [AKJV])
Always in every prayer of my for you all making request with joy,

(Phil 1:5 [AKJV])
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

(Phil 1:6 [AKJV])
Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

(Phil 1:7 [AKJV])
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my grace.

(Phil 1:8 [AKJV])
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

(Phil 1:9 [AKJV])
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

(Phil 1:10 [AKJV])
That you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.

(Phil 1:11 [AKJV])
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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