Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
1 Peter 4:1-3 (NIV)
There is a popular cliché that is used in the corporate world, “If you want to be successful, you have to think outside of the box.” However, in order to become spiritually strong, “You must literally step outside of the box.” Try to imagine all of that which is worldly inside a box and all of that which is spiritual outside. You have to be willing to leave as much of that which is worldly, before you can begin to grow spiritually. The further that you are willing to distance yourself from the world, the stronger you will become.
I am going to share with you, in the same manner that I have been taught, how to become sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord. This is very important, because without this sensitivity; it can be very difficult to understand the Lord and the Word of God, yourself, your circumstances, the world in which you live, and especially these end times. If you do not study the Word of God and learn the Laws of Moses; you will not be able to understand sin, so that you can repent. And, it is very difficult to recognize all of your sins, without the Spirit of the Lord. No one, other than the Lord, is going to be able to help you through these difficult times, so you must learn how to become very sensitive to his spirit.
When you go to the Lord in prayer, you must be honest and sincere. The Lord already knows your heart and you can not fool him with insincere words or empty promises, like someone else.
In order to become spiritually stronger; you must be honest with yourself, learn how to listen to your heart, and become disciplined. You will need to learn how to examine yourself and forget about the people who have offended you in the past. Instead of blaming someone else for your circumstances, you must learn to ask why? Why did the Lord allow this to happen and what lesson can I learn from this? How can I become a better person because of these experiences and how can I use these experiences to help someone else?
You will need to study the Word of God for yourself and learn to rely less on someone else. When you begin to study: Ask the Lord if he will teach you, himself. If you do not understand something, be honest, and tell the Lord this. Question the Lord and wait for him. The Lord will lead you to the answer. If the Lord opens up his heart and shares something new with you, remember to thank him for this; especially, when the Lord touches you in a unique way. I am going to share a special experience that I had with you. One day, when I was younger, and while I was reading the Word of God; I was studying a passage about the prophet Elijah, who was taken up to heaven. Elijah took his mantle and slapped the water and the water parted. Then Elijah and his servant walked across on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:8) I did not know what a mantle was, and for a moment I paused to reflect on this; but then I thought that the mantle was not as significant as the lesson itself, so I continued to study. After I finished reading, I remained sitting, and I began to daydream. At the same time, I was thumbing through the Word of God, over and over again. I was not consciously aware of what I was doing at the time. Then suddenly, the Word of God fell open and it seemed as though the Lord literally took control of my eyes. The Lord led me directly to a passage, on a page, in his Word that said that the mantle was the outer garment. With all of my heart, I truly believe that the Lord was touched by my sincere desire to want to learn, and the Lord wanted to help me understand the meaning of the word mantle, so that I could appreciate the entire story. Words cannot express how much the Lord touched my heart at that moment or how grateful I was to him, for opening up his Word and his heart to me. A night rarely passed that I did not dream and frequently the dreams I had would relate to the Word of God. It was almost like watching a movie. Then the following day, while I was reading, I would find the portion that was related to the dream. It is as though the Lord was showing me his Word, before I ever opened it. I cannot count the number of times that the Lord has led me through his Word, and has taught me, himself. If I have a question and the answer is not there, then the Lord would lead me to another place, so that I can continue to learn. I am confident that if you truly want to learn the Word of God, the Lord will do this for you too! When you study the Word of God, share what you learn with your family and your friends. If you have children, learn together. When you come to a place in the Word of God that touches your heart, and you are reminded of a previous sin; acknowledge it, take time to meditate and think about the consequences your actions may have had on someone else. Then with a sincere heart, quietly and humbly pray, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you. We cannot erase our past mistakes, but sometimes we can correct them. If it is reasonably possible, try to right the wrong you have done. Then make a serious attempt, not to repeat the same mistake again. This is referred to as true repentance. Try to remember that an empty apology is as meaningless as a false profession of affection. We cannot keep walking in the same circle, never changing, and expect the Lord to forgive us.
Sometimes the Lord communicates with us through thought provocations. I will have a spontaneous thought, which I will recognize is not my own, and the next thing I know I may hear a song or something said that is relevant to the thought provocation. Sometimes this happens while I am reading. When I have a thought provocation, they are sometimes over my head and I cannot understand them. There have been times when I have had to look up the meaning of a word, in order to understand the thought provocation that I have just heard. Sometimes it seems as though the Holy Spirit simply writes the truth on my heart and I understand. Other times, I may hear the Spirit of the Lord speak softly, like a whisper. There have been times when the Lord has surprised me and spoke loud and audibly; however, only I could hear him. The Lord’s voice will be so audible that I will turn my head and expect to see someone standing there. The Lord created us in his image and like us; the Lord feels different emotions, depending upon the circumstance. If you have ever read the Word of God, you know that the Lord can be soft and gentle or sarcastic and fierce. Once, while I was visiting a Christian assembly, I was listening to a woman in the audience, who was sharing the testimony of her faith. She was praising Almighty God for his goodness and thanking him for his son, who sacrificed his life so that she could be saved. She told the audience that Satan had been attacking her and told her that she was not really saved; however, she felt strong and was confident in her salvation. In my heart, I knew that she was wrong and had been deceived by the teachings in this world, because when the Spirit of the Lord is angry, his voice is different and more firm, just as you or I are when we are angry.
The Lord will teach us and warn us and he will discipline us through many means. Sometimes the Lord will communicate with us as I have previously mentioned. Other
times, the Lord may show us visions and dreams. The Lord may even move us out of our comfort zone and away from our family and friends. Sometimes the Lord will lead us to a place, a person, or a piece of literature; in order to help us understand the meaning of his lesson. The Lord will use our circumstances and our environment. We are surrounded by lessons, if we will only take the time to listen and learn.
As you become sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord, it is important to become strong in your knowledge of the Word of God, because the Lord may test your heart or you may be tried by a demonic spirit. The Lord will test our heart in order to see if we are sincere about repenting. And the Lord will allow Satan to try our heart, in order to see if we will walk according to the way or submit to temptation. (Matthew 6:13) In the Word of God we have been warned to be cautious of the evil one, because he can portray himself as the light. (2 Corinthians 11:14) We need to be very careful that what we hear and what we do lines up with the Word of God, and is lawful according to his Word. We do not want to do something that will lead us into further trouble or create a spiritual estrangement between the Lord and us.
Most people are aware of the Ten Commandments; however, a majority of them do not realize that all of the laws and decrees written in the Word of God define the Ten Commandments. And although we may lack the wisdom to understand the reasoning of a particular law; it does not matter, because it still remains the law. If we are willing to submit to our local and federal authorities, in order to obey their rules and regulations; then how much more should we submit to the one who is the creator and lawgiver of all of humanity? It is just as unlawful to eat food that has been declared unclean; as it is to covet, steal, or lie.
The more you separate yourself from the things that are worldly, the stronger you will become spiritually. As you try to clean out your heart, try to clean out your home too. Start to avoid entertainment that is considered unlawful, according to the Word of God. Avoid tabloid magazines and television that encourage idol worship. Do not lend an ear to gossip. Avoid entertainment that is degrading or glorifies violence. Do not watch or participate in horoscopes, fortune telling, palm reading, sorcery, numerology, or those whom speak to the dead. Many people idolize the dead. Please do not do this. There is a popular form of entertainment that attracts young children and glorifies witchcraft and sorcery. Please remove this from your home. If you have magazines, books, games, music, or movies in your home that are inappropriate, please get rid of them.
Try to eliminate the television from your home altogether, because the television is a major source of idolatry, and in the last days, it will serve the Anti-Christ purpose. Many people will be led to and submit to the Anti-Christ, through the television and internet.
Seek entertainment that will lift you up emotionally, intellectually, and/or spiritually.
Search your home diligently and examine the items you find that may be considered unlawful in the Word of God. Have you collected items related to idolatry? If you have collected memorabilia such as autographs, pictures, posters, personal items, pins or buttons, sports paraphernalia, or magazine articles, etc., of someone you idolize or adore, please throw it away.
Avoid using the words: I idolize, I adore, I love, or I am a fan of…
In the Word of God, it is written that it is unlawful for a man to wear women’s clothing and for a woman to wear men’s clothing. (Deuteronomy 22:5) During the last several decades, we have become accustomed to everyone dressing alike; however, it is unlawful for a woman to wear pants. Women are not supposed to wear short skirts, sheer or skin tight clothing, or immodest swimsuits, and the general population should not see your underclothes. (1 Corinthians 12:22-25)
If you wish to please the Lord; then please consider going through your closets, and removing all of the clothing that is considered unlawful.
Eat to live, do not live to eat.
If you dine out, try to be more selective about where you eat and what kind of food you choose, because so much of what is served today is to unhealthy for you. Avoid store bought, prepackaged food, as much as you can; because there are too many unhealthy ingredients added to them, in order to prolong their shelf life. Purchase natural fruits and vegetables, instead of frozen or canned; when they are in season, because they contain more vitamins and nutrients, and they taste better too. If we did this, there would be much less to dispose of, thus creating a cleaner environment. And, you would be amazed at the substantial savings in your grocery bill, if you would limit yourself to purchasing the main ingredients, and start preparing your own meals. Your home will smell good and you will feel a sense of pride, because you have prepared your own dinner. If you have a family, try returning them to the dining room table, so that you can dine together. Try drinking more water, natural juice, tea, and decaffeinated coffee. When you pray, consider asking the Lord to bless the hands that have provided and prepared the meal for you, if in fact someone else has. Bless the one who feeds you, especially the Lord.
If you have land available, consider planting fruit/nut bearing trees for the latter days. Consider planting fruit bushes, herbs, wild onions, and sunflowers as well. If you do not have a yard, start to experiment with vegetation and learn how to grow fruits and vegetables in your home. If you enjoy walking in a park or the woodlands, consider planting something with each trip that you take. If you enjoy camping, consider planting several fruit bearing trees and bushes when you go. If you will take the time to do this now, you will be grateful that you did, during the tribulation. During the tribulation, many people will be displaced and find themselves homelessly wondering around the city or in the wilderness; because of this, it is important to start planting trees now, so that when the time comes, we may be able to forage for food. Try to be more compassionate when you see someone who is homeless, because if you are not considerate of them when they are hungry, then the Lord may not care―when you are.
During the first three years of a fruit bearing tree, we are forbidden to eat the fruit; therefore, allow the fruit to fall to the ground, to spoil, where it will serve the soil and the tree well. During the fourth year, we are supposed to dedicate the fruit to the Lord; therefore, gather the fruit and give it to a local charity or food bank, where the homeless and poverty stricken people may go, to obtain assistance. The fifth year, we are allowed to eat the fruit. (Leviticus 19:23-25) In the Word of God we are taught that if we observe this law, the trees will bear more fruit. The Lord has shown me that if we become displaced and discover a fruit bearing tree, he will overlook this law, because we would not know when the tree was planted or how old it is. However, if you have planted a tree, you will be held accountable; so if you have the ability to plant trees, plant them as soon as possible.
Try to stop smoking, because cigarettes will not be available during the tribulation, while you are confined in your home. Neither will alcohol; except for medicinal purposes. If you have an addiction, please seek professional help now, because a physical weakness will prevent you from becoming spiritually strong.
Stop wasting your time on expensive and mindless preoccupations. Too many parents today are neglecting their families, because they are too hesitant to discipline their children and to swift to purchase expensive gifts, so that their children can entertain themselves, while they pursue their own interest. Children are not supposed to rule the household, as so many of them do today. A child does not need to have their own bedroom, if there is more than one child and they are of the same sex. Children do not need to have their own entertainment center. There is nothing wrong with spanking a child when they misbehave or washing their mouth out with soap when they are vulgar. It is alright for children to wear hand-me-downs and help around the house, without having to be bribed. Children are a member of the family unit, and if they are ever going to learn how to grow up and contribute to society, then they need to understand that this is expected and responsible behavior. Without this, our children will become a menace to society. Children do not have to be entertained and as a parent, you should not have to go broke, in order for them to be involved a variety of activities. As children, we survived on much less, and so can they.
During the last days it has been prophesied that the sins of the children will be like the parents. (Matthew 10:21, Romans 1:28-32, and 2 Timothy 3:1-5) This prophesy has already been fulfilled. If we truly love our children and care about their well being; then, we need to discipline them and teach them to fear the Lord and obey his commandments. We need to do this for their benefit, as well as our own. Then again... How can we teach what we do not know and how will we ever learn, if we will not study the Word of God ourselves? We need to turn to the Lord in prayer and ask the Lord if he will forgive us for the sins of our past, and help us to put our lives and homes in order. If we will seek the Lord; then we may still learn, and hopefully live.
We live in a world that advocates debt and cashless transactions, and because of this; it will become a snare in the last days, just as it was prophesied. (Revelation 13:16-17) Try to avoid debt, as much as is reasonably possible. Pay off any credit cards you may have and maintain a manageable balance that can be paid off each month. If you have a nice home; consider selling it and buying a more modest one, in order to reduce your debt. If you have a vast amount of debt, but possess a large equity in your home; consider selling your home in order to pay off your debts. If you have a note on a new car, consider selling it and buy one that is less expensive. If you cannot afford something; ask yourself if you really need it, and try to be satisfied with less.
Finally, most of us have experienced cabin fever and understand what this means. Some of us have experienced this during a long, harsh cold winter or during a period of heavy rain. We become agitated and find it difficult to be still. Imagine cabin fever lasting for three and a half years. For this reason, it is important to learn how to be satisfied and quietly occupied, doing simple things now.
During the tribulation: You will want to be isolated like Noah, and submit to the Lord like the children of Israel, when they were in the wilderness for forty years. And it will be important to be strong in faith and in spirit, like the prophet Elijah and the widow.
