Tag: Christ

Articles

The Lord’s Plan for Babylon

Pete

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  

The expected end for all men is their salvation.  It is sure and all flesh shall see it in the appointed times.

Luk 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 

The orthodox churches often cite Jeremiah 29:11 and teach it to the young and old.  They use it to promise blessing to the flesh but don’t even see the promise of salvation hidden in the verse.  It is a great verse that speaks of God’s plans for all men in due time but specifically for now, speaks to the plan for His Elect.  Ironically, it is from a chapter that speaks about going into captivity in Babylon from which Babylon churches pluck this verse to support their carnal doctrines that completely miss the truth of God’s word.

The Lord has a plan for us indeed and that plan is for us to go into Babylon and spend our appointed time.  Nothing is by chance, the Lord is working it all.

Jer 29:10For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. (come out of her and return to Jerusalem above)

My purpose here is not to bash Babylon.  God knows I have done that long enough.  My purpose is the show to those God has opened eyes and ears, a little of God’s plan and help them to see that one’s time spent in Babylon was ordained of the Lord before we were ever born.

Psa 139:16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Isa 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Our stay in Babylon is when we will fulfill these Scriptures and claim His name yet do not even know Him blinded by the veil of flesh and the carnal mind.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

I went thru a stage, that all of God’s Elect will have to go thru in living by every word of God.   Before we are given to see Babylon’s purposes, we will hate it and want to heap condemnation and judgment upon the very same system we ourselves had just been delivered from by the hand of God.  Babylon serves a valuable purpose for the Lord in bringing people to Himself. Only a few in this life, will be dragged out of Babylon and it is because of their unbelief, what was written for them, that the few chosen have even been given their faith as a gift from God.

Rom 11:30 For as ye (God’s Elect) in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

It takes time to appreciate and to understand this when we first come into the truth. When we first realize what Babylon has done to us, keeping us in bondage and spiritual darkness, perhaps for our whole life, we will hate the harlot. This too is a work of God and is working good in us in the end.  The complete (10 headed) beast that all men are will want to kill this harlot.

Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

As we come out of Babylon, the Lord will be showing us that we are this beast, a self righteous religious one at that, the chief of sinners, the abomination causing desolation, etc; and our first inclination will be to get vengeance on the system and the people who lied to us all those years and continue to deceive our friends, families and loved ones.  We will seek to destroy the whore harlot churches with fire.  This fire is the word of God and we will be quick to judge, condemn and find fault with everyone and everything.  Our intentions will be good, we want to show them what has been shown us, but we are not mature enough yet to share it as God has some wicked things to deal with us first.  At this point, we will still be carnal and judging men after the flesh but that will soon change as we mature into the doctrines of Christ.

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 

As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and HIS CHRIST,  we will stop blaming others and holding them responsible for their behavior.  Oh that sounds like foolishness to the carnal mind but is a truth and key to knowing the mysteries of the kingdom.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (this includes all things, good and bad, even our very sins)

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

I know many that have been led part way out of Babylon but for now are stuck on this stage.  They have been shown the sloppy grace being taught in most churches but they are still under the law of Moses and this law was for the unrighteous.  The law is for a carnal nation within and contain carnal commandments. This law and repentance mode of John the Baptist is good as it serves its purposes in drawing us to Christ.  Still the veil of flesh must be taken out of the way to enter the kingdom of God.

2Co 3:14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

With that veil still there we have NO understanding in our carnal mind even though we may know many scriptures. We all will argue vehemently, that we are converted long before we really are just as Peter and all the disciples learned with time.  In type and shadow, carnal Christians are fulfilling the life of John the Baptist.  They are the forerunner to the coming of the Lord within them and whether their judgment begin in this life and the Lord from heaven is revealed only the Father knows.   We all must first be baptized into Babylonian doctrines as Christs’s baptism by John shows us. Very few shall find the way into the kingdom. The rest will have to wait to be converted in the lake of fire.

These carnal minded “holiness” types will preach against sin and repentance but can’t see past the delusion of free will.  They are like John the Baptist, who we are told is very great relative to those yet carnal but still less then the least person who has been converted (entered into the kingdom of God).  John represents in type and shadow, the last stage of our carnal mindedness in serving God as we live by every word.  We think we are serving the Lord in truth and in spirit at that time, but we don’t even yet know Him.  He has not appeared and our judgment has not begun.  The carnal John in all of us must be decreased so Christ can be increased and in due time it will happen as ordained of God.  That decrease will come when judgment falls upon us.  While in this late state carnal phase, we too will all think only of this whore harlot outwardly and will forget where to look, which is inwardly.  We all will think we serve God and are doing Him a service in our ignorance.

Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women (FLESH) there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Luk 7:28  For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

What will change one’s mind on Babylon is when they are given to see that God is truly working all things, even having us go into Babylon and be in bondage for all those days.  When we condemn and judge those in Babylon, we are judging another’s servant and we are commanded not to do this.  God is causing and working all things and we need to stay out of His way.

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

That like all things we do is the work of the Potter. Let’s look at just one pivotal chapter that was written not for those that lived back then (1 Peter 1:12) but was written for us, those whom God has given HIS Spirit too and upon whom the ends of the carnal age have come.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

JEREMIAH 29

Jer 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon.

These are the words spoken by God’s prophets (the Elect in type and shadow) to all of God’s Elect (God’s priest and prophets)  who are still lost in Babylon. Man must live by every word God spoke and all of God’s Elect, even Saul of Tarsus must come out of Babylon in the appointed times.  Like Christ, as His Christ we are only to go to the lost house of Israel and they are scattered in Babylon until their time to be found arrives.

Jer 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

Did you catch here who did it? Who causes these people to be carried away into bondage in Babylon? It was the Lord. So we will learn to quit judging in the flesh the things God is doing and HE has put the multitudes, the billions of people into the orthodox churches of men.

This is the Lord’s plan, we all have to go spend our appointed symbolic 70 years in Babylon. Here is that prophecy, verse 1 quoted in Matthew 2:15 and referring to Jesus Christ.  yet all of this prophecy from Hosea applies to CHRIST, His Body,  the very Elect of God.

Hos 11:1When Israel (MY ELECT) was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hos 11:3I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian (same thing as Babylon) shall be his king, because they refused to return.

God’s Elect will not go backwards into the world, but will stay under bondage to the flesh and carnal mind.   Our carnal mind (Pharaoh) or this Assyrian or Nebuchadnezzar shall  be our king.  Walking as carnal men we will make and worship the image of the beast while we are in Babylon spiritually speaking.  But in due time, the sword, the word of God, will continue to abide on our inward cities and will cut off this branches that bear no spiritual fruit as the righteous judgment of God first comes upon us, God’s very Elect.  This battle takes place inwardly, in the cities and kingdom’s within.  That is the battleground.

Hos 11:6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

We must never forget where the kingdom of God truly is (Luke 17:21).  Our natural inclination will be to look outwardly and pin all of these Scriptures on the deceived guy down the street, but they really speak primarily about you and me.  Babylon is first and foremost a mindset and it is within us and this harlot woman rides our beast and help keep that beast sitting comfortably on God’s throne trusting in its own righteousness.  Babylon most certainly represents the organized religion and orthodox institutions of men but it also within us, it is a state of mind to be carnal and to mix the things of the world with the things of God.  That mind is the land that must be cleared of all the giants and things which defile.

Few Will Come Out of Her My People

All of God’s people will come thru Babylon.  No exceptions.  We will come out when we hear spiritually the call to come out.

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The Lord causes all of us to go into Babylon spiritually and this includes all systems of religion or spirituality even atheist. And like ALL THINGS, it is also the Lord who causes the very few of His Elect to come out of Babylon. Here is just one example from Ezra. We see first that the Lord caused the king of Cyrus to make the proclamation that led to the return of the captives.

Ezr 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

And lest we missed it and still are thinking, no but the Jews had to choose to go back to Jerusalem, we must remember that yes we make choices, but those choices are all caused because the Lord gives us our every thought and all the desires of our heart. So here we can see who really is the cause of the few that leave Babylon.

Ezr 1:5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

Who caused it? It was the Lord. The flesh just cannot accept this and their eyes can’t see such a plain and simple truth that is throughout the Scripture.  I have shown these Scriptures plainly to people arguing that we must choose to leave Babylon on our own free will.  But they cannot see, the pride of life has them blinded as that is the Lord’s plan for them now.

All during this symbolic 70 years in Babylon we will build houses, plant gardens, and eat the fruit, this all speaking to us serving the Lord in the flesh and mixing the things of this world and its traditions and principles with the things of God. That is spiritual fornication.  We will be eating, drinking and giving in marriage just as in the days of Noah all the while we are in Babylon.

Jer 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Jer 29:6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

And the Lord will increase us while we are in Babylon just as verses 5-6 show. This is one way the multitudes stay blind, they appear to be blessed and are in actuality as the rain of God falls on both the righteous and the wicked. The Lord even causes real outward changes in our lives, miraculous healing’s, deliverance from addictions and lusts; but are hearts remain unconverted and we are yet carnal.  These are the lying signs of wonders spoken about in 2 Thess 2 and Revelation 13 given to keep the beast sitting on God’s throne.  This is us living in the strong delusion of the veil of flesh.

Jer 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

We will even have peace. Life will be good. We will be like JOB before his day of judgment. We will think we have arrived.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

But this peace we have here is a false peace, it is the deception and spiritual darkness we all must first live thru until our time to come out of her my people truly arrives. We will listen to those who say “peace and safety” when there is no true peace. We will put ourselves under those who divine lies, prophesy falsely and heal the wound of the people but only superficially.

Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

Jer 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Jer 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

We will however not at first heed the words of the Lord and listen to His true prophets. We will be deceived by Babylon and dream our own dream, thinking we have free will and are in charge of our life.  We will follow the lying prophets the Lord has saw fit to make many in Babylon.

Jer 29:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
Jer 29:9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

Lest we forget who is causing all things to happen, even evil things and false prophets!

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

And the Lord will show us this in due time. After our appointed time of captivity has come, HE promises to come visit us and bring us out. He did for me and will do it for all of God’s Elect. The Lord has a plan for His people, the apple of His eye. It is all for good, a good plan and not for evil. The end shall be salvation. Praise God.  This is huge if you can believe it.

Jer 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Again, the carnal minded “free willers” have no place to stand, their lies crumble with any examination of Scripture.  And this next  Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11  is cited often in Babylon as we are taught falsely that the Lord is speaking about blessing our flesh and making us comfortable and content living in this world. That is not the Lord’s plan as His plans for good actually speak of coming to judge and destroy our old man and carnal nature and through the desolation, to bring the lightness, the new man, Christ in us, up from the darkness.

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Here is that plan summed up nicely by the Apostle.

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Babylon knows verse 50 very well, but does not know how to apply it and teaches that the Lord is in the flesh blessing business but that is another jesus.  When Christ truly appears to us, He comes to bring judgment upon our old man and carnal mind.  That is the mystery of how He saves ALL MEN in their appointed times.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: (THE ELECT)  and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

This is the riddle and the parable of salvation that God will reveal to you after judgment has begun and you look behind and can see God at work.  Salvation comes throught the righteous judgment of God.

Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 

And after the Lord has visited us and dragged us out then with true faith, we shall call upon Him and pray unto Him and He will hearken unto the prayers of a righteous man. As we endure fiery trials and judgment we will come to our wits end and cry out unto the Lord.  We can ask for anything consistent with His will and HE will perform it. How great is that!

Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

When Christ appears to us inwardly a second time for salvation without sin, the bonds of captivity are cut and we are truly free in Christ Jesus.  Henceforth we will be under grace and truth and not the law of Moses that brings death.  This is all the work of God, it is not our work, HE scatters us into Babylon as His Elect and He also brings us back. Carnal men will continue to deny the Lord with the lie of free moral agency. Here is some good news.

Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

The rest of this Chapter is speaking of the Lord having vengeance for His temple and recompensing upon us, HIS ELECT, the punishment for our sins and rebellion while in Babylon. That is right, we all will reap what we have sown.  This is actually the good news, the judgment of God against our old man and carnal mind, which is sweeter than honey and more desirable than gold.

Jer 29:15 Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Jer 29:16 Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

See this v16 – the Lord is the Potter directing the steps of all men, those in Babylon now and even the very few that are now out of Babylon. The Lord is causing all things for the counsel of His will, free will is the strong delusion of the carnal mind. And look at what is promised for God’s Elect, once they come out of Babylon. We will be hated and rejected of all men and follow the Lord. Our words and doctrines will be darkness and evil to those that walk after the flesh and they will not understand. This is what is necessary for God to finish His good work in His Elect, to strip us of all our pride, ego and fleshly strength. This is how we are humbled in our appointed times by His fiery judgments.

Jer 29:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
Jer 29:18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
Jer 29:19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.
Jer 29:20 Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Being a hissing and a reproach is not fun to the carnal mind. It is our natural inclination and human nature to strongly desire to fit in with those around us. But God’s Elect that are dragged out of Babylon are indeed a peculiar people, likened to aliens and strangers in a foreign land. We will stand out like sore thumbs or like Joseph who was given a coat of many colors by his Father. God’s Elect have been given that coat spiritually, and the world will hate us for it, just as Joseph’s brothers hated him. We will learn to count these things as joy as we understand them and know what great blessing has fallen upon us to be dragged out of Babylon.

Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
Gen 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

All of God’s elect will be given a coat of many colors in due time.  This will cause them to be hated and rejected of all men, even without a cause just as they hated our Lord.  This is the same enmity that God put between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman in the story of Adam and Eve.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Conclusion

So knowing these truths, I have come to stop ragging on Babylon. You will too in due time if you are currently ragging on the whore harlot churches of men.  The Lord is deceiving those prophets, it is not them, so we will stop judging them after the flesh and acknowledge this is the work of the Lord.

Once you see this, you will have mercy on them knowing that you coming out of Babylon was nothing to do with you, it was all the work of God. And that is what it is, the Lord is in the process of calling out the few that will be the judges and rulers of this world with Him in the ages to come. They will be merciful judges and it is thru the process of being shown our own wickedness and being delivered from it, knowing we had nothing to do with it, that we in turn will show mercy to all men.

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Universal Salvation)
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

And showing that mercy will be a big role God’s Elect are being prepared for right now.

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (those that walk after the flesh); and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

This is the prize and the upward calling of God for which we strive to attain to the first resurrection!!!!!

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto 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 upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

What a wonderful God we serve. His plans for all of us are for good. The hardships and evil we experience in this life is for His purposes and these things must be.

Gen 3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

I hope this has blessed you and opened your eyes of understanding.  Sincere questions can be emailed to me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

A brother who once was blind but now sees and that only by the mercy of God,  given as an undeserved gift,

Pete

Articles

God Works The Storms of Our Lives

Pete

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 
1Pe 4:13  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 

Whether men believe it or not,  and very few indeed believe it,  God is working all things for the counsel of His will.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Our whole life in these marred vessels of clay is just a vapor said James.  God’s purposes in bringing us first into a body of sinful flesh complete with a totally carnal mind is not to make flesh good.  It is all about remaking us into the new man, the spiritual man which must first take place before anyone can enter into the kingdom of God.  Flesh and blood, not even the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ was ever intended to inherit the kingdom of God.

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

God is the potter and we truly are the clay and have no free will outside of that which God has allowed us.  The choices we make are all the choices the Lord has chosen for us as our lives have been written before there were any days.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Eph 1:4-5 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will

It is the carnal mind that denies the Lord at every turn not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.  All of our experiences in life, be they good, evil or indifferent are all from God.  All things are from God and there are no exceptions.

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

and lest not forget or deny the Lord who works “all things” , even evil things.  Such a truth will bring the charge of blasphemy from the carnal minded in Babylon, yet the Scriptures tell the truth.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Amo 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

The Lord willing, as we begin to grasp His total sovereignty over all things, even evil things,  we will begin to understand that this applies not just to the people down the street or over there,  but it applies to you and me.  It applies to our very sins and all things that go on in our lives.  All things is indeed all things.

Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

God is the potter we are the clay.  Many can recite those verses but don’t really believe.  They don’t have the God given gift of faith it takes to believes in Him.  They don’t understand what God hardening Pharaoh’s heart means and how that personally applies to them.  Yet every jot and tittle of the Potter and Clay verses are absolutely true and all that we do is indeed God’s works in us.

Isa 64:8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Php 2:13 For it is God (not you, not your delusion of free will)  which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

This can only be revealed to us by the Spirit of God.  And it is revealed to God’s Elect as the chastening grace of the Lord falls upon them and the judgment of their old man and the destruction of their carnal mind begins in earnest on the appointed day of the Lord for each.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And what is the purpose of God’s judgments?  It is to purify us and make all things new.  New life only comes thru death of the old man and carnal mind.

Isa 26:9 …for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The words of Christ are all spirit and we need to be shown what the earth is and where heaven is to have any chance of understanding the word of God.  My whole point of this post was to bring us to this understanding.

The storms of our lives, the failures,  the emotional ups and downs, disappointments, dilemma’s,  physical and mental calamities, hard decisions and ALL THINGS are given to us by God on purpose.  If those things happen to us we can be sure that is the will of God.  He is working all things.  Christ raises up these storms in our lives to reveal something about ourselves that He is dealing with in bringing the new man out of the darkness that is the old man.

For instance, God has given me many tests with finances to try my faith and to see if I would walk in His statutes or go the way of the world.  Other sheep may not be given that trial now as their issues and what God is dealing with them are different things.  I have had an issue with patience all my life.  Last month,  I cannot count how times God put me in a middle of storm where I wanted to scream out of impatience.  I lost it a few times but thankfully am learning thru this chastening to just stand in the fire and just endure it.  God was still showing me that part of the beast was still alive and well and needed to be killed.

When the giants in our land are exposed by these trials, we are to destroy everything and leave nothing alive, otherwise the trial will keep on coming with greater intensity until the chastening grace of God accomplishes its work.  The land that is our spiritual heart will eventually be cleared of all things that defile.  That is salvation.   The stories of Israel were spiritual examples for us, of lessons and trials we would endure and storms through which we will all experience.

Deu 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: (impatience,  greed, lying, lust, strife, all the works of the flesh must go)
Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

These are just elementary examples I have provided.  But you can be sure that God is behind all the trials of your life including the most inner thoughts we have both positive and negative.  If we are so blessed to be judged in this life, we will have the shame of our own nakedness exposed in God’s appointed times.  Man must live by every word and sooner or later we will fulfill these verses.

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

We must remember that what is more precious than gold to the Lord is not our faith, but the trial of our faith.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

This is the same gold, Christ counsels all of us to buy from Him.  It is thru these trials that we are purified and have our nakedness (sinfulness) covered by our faith.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

It is going thru these fiery trials and storms of life that we see into the thing of God.  This is how we grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus.  It is by being scourged as a chosen son of God that we shall see and shall be raised as a child of the kingdom.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

But all of this is nonsense and foolishness to the carnal mind.  What the carnal man grumbles and complains about, the spiritual man counts as joy, knowing the outcome of these storms and trials.  Knowing these things will change your perspective 360 degrees.  Coming to know that God is bringing the storms, the afflictions of life to us and that it is all being worked for good and our sanctification as His Elect is how we learn to live peaceably with all men and thank God for all things.

As we are weaned from the milk of the word and begin to eat strong meat we grow quickly in the grace and knowledge of The Lord. Those God has chosen and opened a door into heaven will have revelation poured out to them.

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

But we must to able to move on to maturity and get past the milk of the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified that Babylon takes for the meat.

God thru Christ creates these storms in our lives. Yet it is also Christ that calms these storms.  The storms don’t go away, we just learn how to stand in the furnace of fire and be at peace, knowing the will of God and that He is working all things for the counsel of His will.  As we grown in this fiery chastening grace we will stand in the furnace of affliction with our Lord knowing the purposes of our calling. I pray that all that know Christ will endure these fiery trials to the very end,

James 1:2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations (the fiery trials)

It is a very good thing to be judged now. It is indeed a blessing that comes upon the people of God in this age.  May the rock that is Christ crush our flesh and destroy the giants that are defiling the land within.  To be useful for God in His kingdom, all flesh and self righteousness must be removed by force from the temple.  That comes only thru judgment and with much affliction.

Exo 27:20  And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 

God is using these storms and bringing much tribulation upon His chosen few now.  As God sent Christ to save the world, so Christ sends His Christ, His very body to do the same.  We must become a living sacrifice and follow the Lord and be crucified with Him thru these fiery trials and afflictions.  That is the purpose of the storms and it is very good news when you are given the ability to see it.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

The carnal mind must be destroyed.  The self righteous beast that all men are must perish and this comes by the righteous judgment of God.  This old man of flesh must die for the new man to come forth.  That is the entire purpose of this life and why God first makes us a marred vessel of clay before He remakes us all in our appointed times.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

The storms of the sea, which is a symbol for the the trials of our flesh, are given to us by God to show us what a wretched beast all flesh is and that we are in need of a Savior.  It is by being shown our wickedness and that we are the abomination that causes desolation in the temple of God, that salvation will come.  The old man and carnal mind will be destroyed by fire, which is the word of God which is Christ.

Psalm  107 is one of my favorites that reveals the truth of God creating the storms, the waves of the sea, the trials of this life for purposes of bringing forth and building up our faith.  We are healed and made new by the process of enduring thru these storms and learning to trust solely in the Lord and not the strength of our flesh.  All men are fools until they are made wise by the experience of God’s process of sanctifying us by chastening grace.

Psa 107:17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 

Psa 107:18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Psa 107:19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psa 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

We will be taught to be joyful through these storms once we know their purposes and God’s plans.  We must be brought to our wits end, where we surrender and have no strength left and then the Lord will deliver us and make the storm calm.  Notice that the “meat” of the word that is Christ is in fact the trials, the storms, the very afflictions that we must endure to be saved.  Our natural man abhors these things and does not want to drink of the cup that Christ drank.  Yet were are told we shall surely drink, it is only a matter of when that day has been appointed for us by God.

Jer 25:28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
Jer 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

So all these storms are created by God to bring us into despair where we will cry out to God for deliverance.

Psa 107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

So next time you find yourself in a fiery trial and a major storm of life.  Count it all joy.  Give thanks to the Lord.

Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;