by Leonard V Johnson
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has admonished us to ‘seek first and foremost the kingdom of God and His righteousness.’ – Matthew 6:33. And our beloved Apostle Paul wrote ──
“See then that you walk circumspectly [meaning, cautiously, wary, prudent], not as fools but as wise, 16) REDEEMING THE TIME, because the days are evil.
17) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is [in other words, what the will of the Lord is for you]. 18) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation [as in, wasteful expenditure]; but be filled with the Spirit.” – Ephesians 5:15-18.
Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers ── we must know what the LORD God’s will is for us. As our Lord Jesus Christ has told us, “’ If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” – Matthew 16:24.
Now, if you don’t know what God’s will is for you, then seek the Eternal One. Seek the LORD with ‘all your heart, mind, and soul’ ── because those who earnestly seek Him find Him (cf. Jeremiah 29:13-14). Seek Him through prayer and through His living word ── the Holy Bible. The LORD God reveals His will to those who earnestly seek Him ──
“Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good.” – Psalm 143:10.
“And do not be conformed to THIS WORLD, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2.
We must be obedient and faithful. Our Lord Jesus has said, “’ If you love Me, keep My commandments.’” – John 14:15. We must live according to the LORD God’s moral guidance and teachings in alignment with His will ──
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk HUMBLY with your God?” – Micah 6:8.
“Rejoice always, 17) pray without ceasing, 18) in EVERYTHING give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus FOR YOU.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Let us not waste the time we have frivolously.
We are a lot closer to the end of this present evil age than we were when we began this glorious journey! Clearly, the horrific and appalling geopolitical, military, economic, and social developments that are currently happening in the Middle East should have every one of us ‘watching’ and paying attention! ──
“’ Watch therefore, for YOU DO NOT KNOW when the master of the house is coming ──’” – and anyone that says they do, is a liar. “’ … in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning ── 26) lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37) And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!’” – Mark 13:35-37.
And it’s not just watching world politics shaping itself like a clown shapes a balloon into a dog; it’s also watching that we are always walking with the LORD God and are always doing His will. There is indeed a limited time for us to ‘take up our cross’ and develop the Godly character necessary to eventually be born-again into the glorious family of God. (For additional information on this important subject, ‘born-again’ and what it truly is, be sure to watch our sermon, “Being Born Again”).
Truly, the ruler of this earthly kingdom knows this: That those in the highest heavens are rejoicing! And great woe is soon coming to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, because this ruler, the Devil and Satan, will soon be thrown down to the ground, forbidden to be in the atmosphere of the kingdom he rules ── he knows he has but a short time left, and he will have great wrath! – cf. Revelation 12:12.
Our beloved Apostle Peter has warned us ──
“Therefore HUMBLE yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, … 8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9) RESIST HIM, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” – 1 Peter 5:6, 8-9.
We, dear brethren, should not be ignorant of his devices ── 2 Corinthians 2:11.
And yes ── our enemies do go about ‘roaring like a lion,’ which means, like a lion roars to proclaim its territory, dominance, and to scatter any rival males ── Satan and his minions use fear, lies, and even a seed of bitterness and jealousy to destabilize a follower of our Christ Jesus. And he will also use “ministers of righteousness” ──
“But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may CUT OFF the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14) AND NO WONDER! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light [or, even Marian apparitions]. 15) Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Corinthians 11:12-15.
Now, just like the fawning sycophants that I have come across since I first began this living work of God ── as an example: Be sure to read our article “You're Not Welcome Here!” they too, to an undiscerning eye, look just like a ‘minister of righteousness’ ── O’ my, they wear a suit and tie, and they’re not dressed like “The Dude”! Yet, our Lord Jesus Christ has told us, “’ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but INWARDLY they are ravenous wolves. 16) You will know them by their fruits. …’” – Matthew 7:15-16.
You will know them by their very own character.
Thorns Among the Wheat
And great multitudes were gathered together to Him
Our Lord and Savior ── the very soon-coming King of kings and Lord of lords ── has warned us within a parable ──
“On the same day Jesus went out of [His] house and sat by the sea. 2) And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on shore. 3) Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4) And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5) Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6) But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7) And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8) But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9) He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” – Matthew 13:1-9.
He later explains this parable to His disciples ──
“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ 11) He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
18) Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [the gospel of the kingdom], and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21) YET he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word [or, as an example: when one reads articles intended to strongly influence your faith, like “The Daughter of Babylon” by Bruce Renehan, and one has no solid root], he immediately stumbles. 22) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who HEARS THE WORD, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23) But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’” – Matthew 13:10-11, 19-23.
An old adage goes, “It’s not how much you read in a lifetime, but it’s what you read.”
Our LORD God sows the seed everywhere, even among thorns, to show that His calling can land in a heart already tangled with worries, wealth, and other worldly distractions. Those “thorns” can choke the growth, but the seed still carries the promise that, if the person turns away from those things, it can still bear fruit!
Our Lord Jesus has also warned that there will be a generation [a certain era] that witnesses all the signs that He has warned would occur before the coming dreadful and dark Day of the LORD ──
“’ Now learn this parable from the fig tree [a fig tree represents modern-day Israel, ‘those who are in Judea’]: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves …’” ── “’ … you know that summer is near.’”
33) So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near ── at the doors!
34) Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.’” – Matthew 24:32-34.
And it is absolutely true: the original and partial fulfillment of this prophecy was the events leading up to AD 70 and the utter destruction of the second temple, but it also has a final fulfillment in our time.
Our beloved Apostle Luke recorded ──
“ Then He spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree [again, modern-day nation of Israel], and all the trees [the surrounding nations in the Middle East]. 30) When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.’” – Luke 21:29-30.
Straightforward and in its simplest meaning ── this war with Iran (the Islamic Regime of Iran) and its proxies could indeed be hastening the ‘summer’ that our Lord Jesus was speaking of in His dual prophecy. Please note: Summer in biblical prophecy is often a metaphor for the end of a season.
We appear to be in ‘this generation.’
So, Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers ── not only are we to ‘watch!’ and pray always, but we are also to ──
“’ Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass [and even the things that are currently coming to pass], and to stand before the Son of Man.’” – Luke 21:36.
Certainly, to be ‘counted worthy’ refers to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calling on us to be vigilant and always prayerful to remain spiritually prepared for the end-time events. He is emphasizing spiritual readiness and reliance upon Him, solidly grounded in our faith ‘which was once for all delivered to the saints.’
Be Not Lukewarm In Our Faith
Another warning our Lord Jesus gave His Church is ‘not to be lukewarm’ ──
“’ These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you …’” – here speaking to many that are part of the Body of Christ. “ …’that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16) So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot [let’s remember His parable He gave regarding the ‘thorns among the wheat,’ ‘But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; YET he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.’ – Matthew 13:20, 21], I will vomit you out of My mouth.’” – Revelation 3:14, 15-16.
Indeed, procrastination in our faith is like being lukewarm because both reveal a lack of wholehearted commitment to the LORD God.
Our beloved Apostle James wrote ──
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6) BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7) For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8) he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” – James 1:5-8.
Truly, a ‘double-minded’ person is one whose heart is divided between the LORD God and this world and all its ways ── leading to instability in faith and the Christian lifestyle. It reminds me of the idiom, “don’t talk the talk unless you can walk the walk.”
We, as true Christians, should not make excuses for why our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ may not have answered our prayers ── because if we are doing the will of God, walking with God, and obeying God ── we should know in faith that they will answer our prayers. Just maybe not always in the way we might expect.
God’s living word does have a lot to say concerning slothfulness and laziness ──
“The soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” – Proverbs 13:4.
“The lazy man says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!’” – Proverbs 22:13.
“The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.” – Proverbs 20:4.
Now, of course, there are times when our prayers for others are not always enough, as the Apostle James explains ──
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16) and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” – James 2:14-17.
So, having a good heart, good intentions, and prayer is not always enough ── there are times when proper action needs to be taken. □