IN THE FATHER’S FINISHED WORK?”

By J. Farrell Fisher, June 23-25, 2017

I pray that you clearly understand a ‘metaphor’ because when the Word of God speaks about a ‘lion roaring’, it was not a physical lion but it represented Satan, demonic activity, and, yes, even some human lives “roaring against God and His people”!

At the same time one must consider his/her choices that puts one at times in perilous, dangerous circumstances, yes, opening the door and inviting “the roaring lion” in! As a result, most live on the edge, or even have already invited spiritual warfare, opening the door to the ‘wild lion’ of devilish intent with one’s life as the “wild lion’s battlefield”.

As Hebrews 4 talks about the promise of rest, and especially in examining “the fear of the lions’ roar”, this passage is highly relevant. Hebrews 4:6-12 tells us, “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it (God’s ‘rest” in Christ!), and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”.

For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from His works as God did from His.

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. {Rest from the bondage of sin? Certainly! Rest from demonic world influences? Without a doubt! Rest from the “lions’ roar” or deafened to Truth by it?}.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [Exposing reality as it is – all-out surrender to Christ’s Lordship or compromising with Satan as the ruler of darkness?]. And there is NO CREATURE HIDDEN FROM HIS SIGHT, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

It was Shakespeare, in “Measure for Measure,” [Act 11, sc.2. l. 73], who wrote: “Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once; And He that might the vantage best have took Found out the remedy.. How would you be, If He, which is the top of judgement, should but judge you as you are?” Oh, and in Daniel 5: 27, I read: “You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting,” which is true of every life without Christ, or true of the ‘disciple’ who followed Him, then abandoned Him, or, yes, true of every man in the kingdom or out who opens the door ‘playing with the lions’ roar’!

Sadly, many men ‘laugh’ about the “Lions Roar”, and, yes, ridicule those who examine themselves as to whether they ‘fear the lions’ roar’ or “rest” in the faith of Father-God’s finished work through Christ through the cross and resurrection! Sin, rebellion, disobedience, denial of life in the spirit-realm only through Christ’s shed blood, eternal plan, purpose, and power to fulfill it, are ‘blinded by the “fear of the lions’ roar” rather than resting in Christ’s gracious gift’!

“Fear of the lions’ roar” even closes many minds to the inevitable doom of their deplorable minds as they journey, yes, in darkness that they really think is ‘light’, living loftily in the flesh, blinded to the tomb of their impending death and a death that will not die, because they had no faith in Christ’s finished work at the Cross in and through His eternal plan of “His Shed Blood and Gift-Offering of intercessory death”!

The greatest tragedy of all human existence? A fleshly heart that has no awareness of God’s great love, interceding sacrificially on the Cross, yes, Christ taking the toll, enduring the suffering, so that the “lions’ roar” would be silenced by the Hallelujah Chorus of the Savior’s Resurrection, but unbelief, rebellion, and the captivity of demon forces, hold them forever in the devil’s prison!

Tragedies as the result of the “lions’ roar”? “The wages of sin is death”, a death that will not die, a death that eternally has to hear the “lions’ roar” – no ear-plugs in Hell! “The wages of sin is death”, a death capitalized by Satan himself without any dividends, only pain, heart-aches, and bankrupt wages, a death that is not gentle but eternal in its pain of lost fleshly dignity, ill but no physician, a death that turns ‘fleshly pleasures’ into constant hellish torment, a death that constantly, twenty-four hours a day, reminds the “devil’s new classmates”: “There is no graduation, no cap and gown, no awards but only curses, no open doors or even windows but closed to light, love, and liberty – only darkness, only hate, only bondage – and the chains are heavy”!

Dare I tell you? There will be, in Hell, “good men” who were deaf to Amazing Grace who will share the tortuous consequences of men who refused to be “washed in the blood of the Lamb”, offering themselves to be, yes, Christ’s Holy Temple, but they said, “No! I’m my own man determining my own fate!” The death of a “good man” but deaf to the call of God is fleshly obstinateness and can only, in Light of God’s love, be described as ‘a cheapened life’!

Don’t you find it strange that mortuaries or funeral ‘homes’ are voiceless concerning deaths, and I’m sure would never want to have to talk about the Christ-filled life OR the finished product of the lions’ roar? But be assured, I’m sure that there are ‘guardians of the bivouacs of the dead’ because both Heaven and Hell will protect its own! I found Socrates’ words in “Plato’s Apology” to be so unsound when he wrote: “Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.” Really?

Later, in the same writing, as I read it, I said to myself: “Plato should have apologized, but he couldn’t because I’m not sure he knew anything about the “fear of the lions’ roar” or “Faith in Father-God’s Finished Work” at the Cross through Christ! Plato wrote: “To fear death, gentlemen, is nothing other than to think oneself wise when he is not; for it is to think one knows what one does not know. No man knows whether death may not even turn out to be the greatest of blessings for a human being; and yet people fear it as if they knew for certain that it is the greatest of evils.”

No – death is not the greatest evil; the greatest evil is rejecting God’s love through Christ to transform men now from sons of Satan into sons of the Savior and Lord! I say to you, that men fear death because they have no fear of God! I even read one man writing about “fine dying is a man’s privilege”, but without Christ dying is an unceasing scourge, not the ‘fine wine of pleasurable living’! There are no “sweet hopes” after death for a Christ-rejecting life lived out under the “sweet tyranny” of a sour Satan!

I’m not sure what John Greenleaf Whittier was trying to prove when in his “Maud Muller” he wrote: “Ah well! For us all some sweet hope lies Deeply buried from human eyes; And, in the hereafter, angels may Roll the stone from its grave away!” Really? Slaves of Satan have no “sweet hope”, and what Satan plans to do is not hidden away but clearly revealed in the Holy Word of God, and heavenly angels will not be “rolling away stones” for those who’ve already chosen their assignment to the devil’s ‘playground?’! “Holy God, continue to open blind ears, deafened ears, hardened hearts, even stubborn, rebellious men who ‘dance the dance of death and Hell’!”

Considering “Fear of the Lions’ Roar Or FAITH IN FATHER-GOD’S FINISHED WORK?”, how could one ignore the message and truth of Job’s journey unless the Holy Word of God to them is unimportant? Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD!” And Job’s journey is highly enlightening!

In Job 2:1-10 we’re introduced to the Sovereignty of God, to Satan’s attacks on all mankind, to ‘divided allegiance’, and to True Faith sustaining the “blood redeemed” even through Satanic attacks! It says:

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” [Have YOU witnessed Satan’s ‘walking back and forth’ around you, your home and family, your city, state, or nation, even your ‘church grounds’?’].

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who FEARS GOD and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity (a Gift of God’s grace!), although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But Job said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” [Have YOU ever seen the “troubles of your soul” as stepping stones into the fullness of His blessing and His protection and watchcare over you?]. IN ALL THIS JOB DID NOT SIN WITH HIS LIPS.”

Oh, YOU may find yourself at certain times “sitting among the ashes” like Job because, just as Job, true followers and disciples of Christ will be “tested” by the powers of darkness, or if you’re really a threat to Satan, you may be met by him face to face! But, praise God, He wants us to know: “True Faith IS Faith In Christ’s Finished Work”, and even when “crucified”, HE AROSE three days later!

And Satan’s darkest ‘night’ surrounding your soul may put you into a moment of doubt and desperation! But, child of the True Faith, be reminded of Gypsy Smith’s song of the early 1930’s, “Jesus, Revealed in Me”! It says: “Christ, the Transforming Light, My love, my strength, my will; Piercing the darkest night, Making His glory shine. Oh, to reflect His grace, Causing the world to see, Love that will glow Till others shall know Jesus, revealed in me.” (Like Job?). AMEN?!?

GRACING MY LIFE WITH OR IN CHRIST?”

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, SEPTEMBER 9-10, 2018

Though the ‘worlds’ were framed by God’s eternal intent, I really find it hard to believe those who ‘see’ (?), ‘No God in the founding of a world’s ‘culture’, or any awareness of the ‘so-called’, “need of God”, or that ‘divine, eternal purpose’ has any part in “my determination of what’s good for me and mine”, even shunning Joshua’s call to, (Joshua 24:15), “If it seems evil TO YOU ‘to serve the Lord’, CHOOSE YOU this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now dwell; but as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD,” and that’s the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, with His eternal purpose in mind, in freely giving to every birthed individual the option of whether to ‘choose’ the ‘flesh world’ at its limited ‘best’, OR the spiritual world of God’s grace, mercy, and love of a life being birthed by repentance and faith, fully aware that, without God, one chooses ‘self-will’ over “Divine, Eternal, Richly Blessed Life-Choices in and through His Amazing Grace”!

Thank God for amazing men like Moses in the early days of His creation, learning, yes, by the Holy Spirit, the reality of eternal intent for all mankind, though many then and now, refuse to consider Almighty God’s eternal purpose for men in their world, which He clearly gave to all men, the right to choose whether they would live ‘life’ on their terms or a ‘Life’ He determined in His grace, mercy, and love through their surrender to the Lordship of “Christ in me my hope of eternal glory” and, yes “eternal fruitfulness in and through Christ’s abiding Presence in my heart”! And the problem every birthed human has is, to decide for himself/herself by ‘mental evaluations’ or by “Sovereign intervention”: “My world – my way” OR “God’s world allegiance – God’s Way”?

Amazing words found in Numbers 23:19-24:1-19!! God met Balaam saying to him, ‘Go to meet Balak and speak to him what I say,’ and, first, we read Verses 19-24 of Chapter 23, Balaam saying, “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it stand? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He has blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has He seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of a unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel; according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God Himself wrought (or worked out!)? Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift himself up as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”

Verses 25-30, And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Did I not tell you, saying clearly, All that the Lord speaks, THAT I must do? And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray you, I will bring you unto another place; peradventure it will please God that you may curse me them from there.

And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looks toward Jeshimon. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. ( It’s gracious and good when God sends a man with a message, and the receiver of the Word does what God said!).

Now, Numbers 24:1-19!! And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel (Are YOU called of God to “bless others” or do you live with the frame of mind, “They are not my concern!”), he went not, as at other times, to seek enchantments (against Israel), but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said: He has said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: (What did he see?):

“How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of His buckets (Water of the Holy Word poured out?), and His seed shall be in many waters (various kingdoms around our world?)

He shall pour the water out of His buckets, and His seed shall be in many waters, and His King shall be higher than Agag, and His kingdom shall be exalted. God brought Him forth out of Egypt; He has as it were the strength of an unicorn: He shall eat up the nations (who are) His enemies, and shall break their bones, and piece them through with His arrows (arrows of the Living Word that DO pierce into minds, heart, and wills!). He couched (humbled Himself), He laid down as a lion, and a great lion: who shall stir Him up? Blessed is He that blesses YOU, and cursed is he that curses Him.

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, ‘I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor; but, lo, the Lord has kept back that honor (at least, for now). And Balaam said unto Balak, Did I not speak also to your messengers which you sent unto me, saying, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the Lord says, that will I speak?

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise (promote) you in what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.” And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said: He has said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes opened (to Eternal Truth!!):

I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold Him, but not any time near; but there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for His enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. (Physical Israel or Spiritual Israel?). Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remains of the city (of unbelief, of rebellion, of disobedience to the Word of God!).”

Are YOU personally aware of Christ’s dominion over ‘sin and death’, and that those who yield to Him experience the saving, Sovereign, sure reign of divine Life, holy power and purpose, becoming an eternal part of His eternal ministry of Life, divine love, anointed ministries, extended to others around you, and the awesome blessing of His abiding Presence with the Promise to “never leave you nor forsake you”?

And the key understanding of true conversion through repentance and faith in the shed blood of the Lamb of God with the eternal confidence in the ‘heart-home’ of all who, yes, invited Him in as Lord, as Savior, as Master, as Commander-in-chief over your life? Yes, it’s Him who RULES IN THE REPENTANT, TRANSFORMED CHILD OF GOD! Colossians 1:18 says, “And He (Christ Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead: that in all things He might have the preeminence.”

Questions YOU as a ‘professing church member’ must answer: When it comes to one’s ‘profession of faith’, what does he/she profess? “I’m a mortal man, I live in the mortal sphere of misguided men, and because I believe in Jesus, I try to do the best I can?” “Religious traditions” or RESTING IN DIVINE, ETERNAL TRUTHS? “Best-Effort Mentalities” or BLESSED BY THE HOLY PRESENCE OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST IN THE REPENTANT HEART? “Self-Motivated Lives” or LIVES LIVING UNDER THE MASTERING OF THE RESURRECTED, REIGNING CHRIST”? “Religious without a ‘knock on the heart’s door’ to let Him in, in His Resurrection Presence to be Himself in your “new-graced-Temple of praise and worship” where He knows He’s now at home reigning in and through your surrendered, yielded, ‘hands-off-allegiance to self-life’, daily inviting Him to have His way through you to the glory of God?”

Highly interesting, instructing Verses of the Word from the lips of Jesus when He said in Mark 11:24-26, Therefore I say unto you, “What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But IF you do not forgive (others who come against you), neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Another powerful Word of God is found in Malachi 3:8-11 when the prophet, inspired of God, said: “Will a man ROB GOD? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, ‘Wherein have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are CURSED WITH A CURSE: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. (That’s Israel then, but what about now? Israel only, or most of Israel, most of Africa, most of Europe, most of South America, most of North America – wherever humans breathe, you’ll find “thieves”!).

Verses 10-11, God also saying, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in My house, and PROVE ME NOW HEREWITH, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” PROVE GOD NOW HEREWITH, in your obedience, in your faithfulness, in your willingness, yes, to DO WHATEVER GOD SAYS!!!! Holy God is NOT a ‘promise-breaker’ but a “Promise-Keeper”! Always has been – always WILL BE!! “PROVE ME NOW AND HENCEFORTH”!!

That Is His Faithful Word! That Is His Faithful, Never-Ending Response! That Is For YOUR “HERE AND NOW” because the very heart of God is His desire to be “proven” in any generation, any country, any nationality, anywhere, any time, by “any-who(?)”!! “PROVE ME”! He still calls, He still knocks on every heart’s door, He still asks for permission to enter, never violating one’s free will to accept Him or reject Him, but always, clearly, and in a convicting-manner, explaining: “There ARE Eternal Consequences!” WHAT IS YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY?