No Plague Shall Come Near To You

A Scriptural Perspective to the Corona Virus

Corona Virus (aka Covid 19) is an infectious disease of which we have encountered many in our generation. In biblical terms, Corona Virus would be identified as a plague or pestilence. The world is dealing with this recent plague according to its own knowledge and understanding. However, what the world does not understand nor acknowledge is the spiritual significance of plagues and pestilence. The Church does (or should) know the spiritual significance of plagues and/or pestilence.

A study of Scripture with regard to plagues will, therefore, give us God’s perspective on the matter, and reveal the response God expects of His people whenever a plague comes upon the land (i.e. nation, world). 

A key is the understanding that God is always in control:

The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: (Isa. 14:24 KJV)

That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. (Isa. 45:6-7 KJV)

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. (Ps. 103:19 NASB)

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: (Eph. 1:11 KJV)

Corona Virus did not take God by surprise; it was ordained by God, and came exactly when and how it has occurred, because God is Sovereign. In addition, this plague like all others has a purpose in God’s overall plan for mankind. As those who have a covenant relationship with God through Christ Jesus, it falls to us to discern God’s purpose that we may come into alignment with His will.

First, we need to understand the reasons plagues come upon mankind. 

1) Plagues come that man (i.e. the entire world) will acknowledge God as Sovereign, to whom the earth belongs and all in it including man himself (Ps. 24:1; Ex. 9:14-16).

2) Plagues come as a result of sin (Lev. 26:21). Indeed, plagues are symbolic of sin, because a plague is a manifestation of uncleanness, and all uncleanness is sin (Lev. 13:11, 45; Isa. 64:6).

3) Plagues come as a result of disobedience and failing to honor God (Dt. 28:15, 20-22, 58-61).

4) Plagues come whenever God’s chosen people complain of adversity and His provision, and thus, become ungrateful and carnal (Num. 11:1, 18-20, 32-33).

5) Plagues come whenever God’s chosen people are faithless (Num. 14:36-38).

6) Plagues come when God’s chosen people grumble and oppose the leaders He anointed and appointed to lead them (Num. 16:41, 46-47).

7) Plagues come as a result of God’s chosen people giving into the idolatry of the world and fornication (i.e. sexual perverseness) (Num. 25:1-9).

Second, plagues and pestilence are signs of the end-times and subsequent coming of Christ as Judge of the whole earth. They are a wake up call to the world and the Church calling men to repent and prepare to meet their God. With respect to end-times, Covid 19 is not one of the plagues prophesied to occur during The Tribulation (i.e. 70^th Week of Daniel) since the 70^th Week of Daniel has yet to occur. Covid 19 and all the other plagues we have encountered thus far are precursors (Mt. 24:8).

And there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. (Lk. 21:11 NASB)

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Mt. 24:7-8 KJV)

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Rev. 9:20-21 KJV)

Third, we need to understand how God expects His people to respond whenever He sends a plague.

And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. (Eze. 22:30 KJV)

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Chr. 7:14 KJV)

Whenever adversity comes, it is God’s call for His people to seek His face and pray. This is the responsibility of those who have a covenant relationship with God through Christ. He looks to us to stand in the gap and make up the hedge like Abraham, Moses, and Daniel did (Gen. 18:23-33; Num. 16:47-50; Dan. 9:3-19). A prayer-less Church grieves the heart of God, because it is contrary to the very character of God, who sent His Son to die for us, and who sits at God’s right hand interceding for us. We are one with God through Christ and the indwelt Spirit (Jn. 17:20-21; Eph. 4:4; 1Jn. 1:3, 5-7). Jesus intercedes for us, and the Holy Spirit intercedes in us. And it is our responsibility to intercede for the world and each other, because we are the ones, who pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And it is our prayers that God expects to hear, listens to, and answers favorably.

Father, we, Your children dwell in Your shelter under the shadow of Your wings for You are the Most High God, Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. And Lord Jesus, You are Lord of lords and King of kings before whom every knee bows and every tongue confesses that You are Lord to the glory of the Father. And Holy Spirit, You are God, who dwells in us and works in us to sanctify us and conform us to the image of Christ in whom we were created. We stand in the gap and make up the hedge about Your people and our nation America. Forgive us for our disobedience and rebellion. Forgive us for giving in to the idolatry and fornication of this world. Forgive us for the innocent blood we have shed. Forgive us for rejecting Your word and Your will. Forgive us for being all that You have called us to be as Your children, who walk in covenant relationship with You through Jesus Christ, Your Son. Forgive us for our lack of faith and trust in You. To us belongs shame of face, and we are overwhelmed by our failure and faithlessness. But You, Father, are a God who is quick to show mercy. And You, Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. And You, O God, are faithful to forgive us when we repent, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness that we may draw near and serve You with consciences cleansed of all guilt. And in the blessed state of renewed fellowship, we pray that Your anger be assuaged; we ask that You stay your hand; we ask that the plague that threatens to destroy Your people be stayed; and we ask that You heal us of this affliction. Restore the health and prosperity of Your people. Cause Your favor and blessing to turn our mourning to joy inexpressible and full of glory. Heal our backslidings, Lord, that we may return to the faith and faithfulness of our fathers, and become once again the nation that trusts in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Let Your glory shine through the darkness, and Your light illumine our hearts once more. In Your name and for Your glory. Amen.

You Saw Me and You Chose Me

You saw me before the foundation of the world. And You chose me then before I ever was. The truth of it is too awesome for me to comprehend, and the wonder of it causes me to bow before You in fear and trembling, as I worship You and praise You with thanksgiving for Your salvation. I stand in awe of You, O Lord. Be magnified, be exalted, and be glorified. Amen.

A Dream and its Interpretation

1/22/2020

I’m walking along this dirt road. I come upon a group of young people. They are walking toward this building were there is someone speaking at a spiritual gathering. Some of these people are coming out of the building and walking away. Some have Bibles in their hands, and are saying, “It’s deception.” I agree with them and tell them to beware of deception that sounds spiritual but is false.

The dream shifts and the land I was walking on becomes convoluted, as a series of many small hills and gullies, like sand dunes. People are climbing up and down this convoluted land, and I can see in the distance a mountain with its top shrouded in clouds. People dressed in white are climbing the mountain intent on reaching the top. The people that are making their way to the mountain are dressed in regular clothes. When they reach the base of the mountain, their clothes become red. Then as they proceed up the mountain, their clothes are white. The dream shifts again, and I see this young man dressed in white. Another one dressed in a black jumpsuit shoots arrows at the legs of the one dressed in white and wounds him. 

The interpretation is clear. The dirt road represents the world in which every believer walks, and in which there is much spiritual deception that has infiltrated the Church. But God’s elect will not be deceived, because they know the truth in Scripture, which reflects the ministry of true shepherds—prophets/pastors/teachers—who are teaching them the truth of the word of God, and as a result, the Lord, our Good Shepherd, through the Spirit, is drawing His elect sheep out of the deception of worldliness in the Church to continue on their journey of faith through all the ups and downs they have to face in this world toward the high ground of intimate, unbroken fellowship with Him through the cleansing power of His blood, and ultimately into His kingdom. The devil is against us, and while we are on our journey of first love with Jesus, he will shoot his arrows of malice, deception, and worldliness at our feet in an attempt to defile our walk, therefore, we must be diligent to maintain our relationship with God in Christ through repentance whenever we fail in thought, word, or deed, and in diligence to pursue Christ through the knowledge of Him through the word, worshipful prayer, and sharing of the gospel and truth of God’s word.

We thank You, Lord Jesus, that You sit at the right hand of the Father always making intercession for us; that our faith will not fail, and of all those whom the Father has given You, You would lose not one. Help us by the Spirit to walk with You ever closer in first love; faithful and steadfast until we see You face to face. In Your name and for Your glory. Amen.

God is not like Us

music:bensound.com

The Trinity of Sanctification

There is a trinity involved in sanctification. That tells us that God is all in, which begs the question: "Are we?" As for me? I'm all in.

Pouring Out of the Holy Spirit

Abba Father we honor Your holy name. Lord Jesus be glorified. We thank You O God that You dwell in us by the Holy Spirit. Your fullness dwells in us, Lord Jesus. And we see by the signs of the times that You are coming soon, and indeed, Lord, we rejoice exceedingly in this. Therefore, we remind You of Your promise O God to pour out Your spirit, and ask that You perform Your word for those who call upon Your name with a whole and undivided heart. Revive us O God as You did on Pentecost. May the Spirit rise up in us, lead and guide us, empower us, and anoint us to fulfill Your word and Your will in the world and in our generation that You may be glorified in the earth, and many will come to rising of the Son of God as His saints proclaim the majesty, mercy, goodness, and faithfulness of the Lord. In Your name and for Your glory. Amen.

A Word for January 8, 2020

The Church is coming around full circle

In a dream/vision, I saw groups of people gathering in homes as the Church of Acts did at first. And this move was universal. The Church is coming around full circle. It began in violence with the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and the persecution of the saints, which in seeming paradox caused the Church to grow in number but also more importantly in holiness. It will end in the same manner as the Church enters the 70^th Week of Daniel, the Tribulation, as the saints are purged, purified, and prepared to meet the Lord as He comes to establish His kingdom on earth. 

Jesus said, “I have come to cast fire upon the earth,” and “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.” (Lk. 12:49, 51) And this He spoke in the context of His second coming when He will judge the earth. Already His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He is sifting the wheat from the chaff. The wheat will enter His kingdom and the chaff will be burnt up in unquenchable fire (Mt. 3:12).

Lawlessness and apostasy are increasing in our day, and the lawless one will soon be revealed. And the Church is being defiled all the more as perverseness and doctrines of demons has begun to infiltrate and build strongholds of lawlessness among the ranks of God’s elect. But the Lord is and will continue to divide His sheep from the goats, and gather them together into sheepfolds of His own choosing, and His holy ones will meet once more in homes and small groups (church buildings) as thousands of points of light over the whole earth. And the Lord will give them true apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors/teachers, who will feed the Lord’s sheep with truth and edify them unto holiness, as they prepare the way of the Lord, by preparing the saints and elect of God to meet their Lord and King. And the paradox of violence will draw many of the Lord’s chosen to follow hard after Him with holy zeal and undivided hearts to forsake all for the surpassing greatness of knowing the Lord (Mt. 11:12; Phil. 3:8). And, as lawlessness and apostasy increase among those destined for judgment, holiness will increase among those destined for glory at the coming of the Lord.

Hatred and persecution of the Lord’s Church will increase to sift the wheat from the chaff, dividing the true believer from the pretender, and prepare the Church as His holy, spotless bride. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Lord Jesus, search us and know our hearts, try us and know our thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. We remind You of Your promise that of all those whom the Father has given You, You would lose not one; therefore, we trust You to do Your part to sanctify us by the Spirit, as we sanctify ourselves in cooperation and obedience to You, Lord, that we may be made ready, thoroughly prepared to meet You when You come to receive us to Yourself. Even so Lord come, and be glorified. Amen.