Early this morning I asked the Lord if there was a special scripture or message he wanted me to share today. I was immediately led to open my bible and my eyes automatically zoomed in on Joel 2:1-2. God loves us all so much and it's with HIS love that I give this message to all who read it. I have posted many scriptural references at the end as back up.
Sound the Alarm
Joel 2:1-2 NKJV - 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning [clouds] spread over the mountains. A people [come], great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any [such] after them, Even for many successive generations.
There's no time for beating around the bush. There was an urgency in the air with the Lord. It is time for us all to fall to our knees and REPENT of ALL sin before the LORD.
God wants us to come out of the world. We must leave this world behind and separate ourselves because he that LOVES the world is an enemy of God. James 4:4 If we are immersed in the world and all that it stands for, God is willing and able to clean us up after we come out of the world. It is by our faith in Jesus, the lamb of God whose blood was poured out upon the cross that we are cleansed. It is notable in the bible account that the leper went to Jesus, he asked to be cleansed and Jesus was willing to cleanse him. When we closely associate with the world we get contaminated with a spiritual leprosy. Leprosy was a disease that left ugly sores on the body and a foul stench . The world of sin, its evil entertainment, sexual immorality and all things unholy, unclean is likened to ugly sores in the eyes of a holy and righteous God. This spiritual leprosy of sin leaves a foul stench in the Lord's nostrils as well.
Those who have truly come out of the world and I'm not speaking of physically coming out but meaning they are IN(live in) the world and NO PART(no PARTicipation) of any sorts of the world). No participation is like saying no association, plain and simple. As mature Christians we likewise find every form of evil, including ALL EVIL worldly entertainment, ALL the sexual immorality as REPULSIVE to look at, as it is to look at a leper's sores and we find this world smells as foul as the opened running sores on a leper. God is not going to LOWER his standards and values to those of the world. We must ELEVATE our mindset and change to God's way of thinking.
That's what true REPENTANCE means...to turn around changing our course while getting on the right path, the path of righteousness. This is why he says, come out of her (Babylon the Great) my people if you do not want to share in her sins. Revelation 18:4 Simply stated babylon the great is the WORLD EMPIRE of EVIL. He is coming SOON to destroy all who love the wickedness of this world.
But before he comes to destroy the world, he is giving a fair warning for us to get our houses in order. Just like in Noah's day, men were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage til the flood came and swept them all away. Just like in the days of Lot and other times of the past sexual sin was prevalent, men sleeping with men, women sleeping with women, men sleeping with animals. God punished those worlds but before he did he sent his angels to remove LOT and his family and an ark to save Noah and his family.
If we've left the world which is the SODOM and Gomorrah of today, then that's great! We have taken a great step with a good start but we must maintain a healthy fear of God and know that He is Lord of our life. Yes, take a warning from Lot's wife. Wavering, looking back at the world longing for it again can get us in spiritual trouble. If we still love the world and turn back to it before Jesus comes, we may lose our life just as Lot's wife who turned to look back after leaving was turned to a pillar of salt. Going back to the world is like a pig going back to wallow in its own vomit. That is gross and so is the evil in this world if we see it as God does. We must all learn to hate what God hates and love what he loves.
We can see the severity of God and also see the LOVE of God in that he wants to save his people who come to him. He doesn't want to see anyone lose their life. Instead he gives us a new life to be lived in him. Rest in him knowing that he loves us with an unfailing love.
Scriptural References:
God is Sounding the Alarm; Giving Fair Warning of His Coming Wrath (The Day of the Lord)
Joel 2:1-2 NIV - 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
Come Out ~ Be No Part of the World
2Co 6:17 NKJV - 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
John 17:14 NIV - 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
Can't Love the World and God too
James 4:4 NIV - 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
John 7:7 NKJV - 7 "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. (The World hates God-it is his ENEMY)
We Must Repent
Mar 6:12 NKJV - 12 So they went out and preached that [people] should repent.
Luk 13:3 NKJV - 3 "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Act 2:38 NKJV - 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We Must Hate EVIL As God Hates EVIL
Proverb 8:13 NKJV - 13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
Amos 5:15 NKJV - 15 Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Isaiah 5:20 NKJV - 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Jesus Extends His Love~ Ready to Clean Us From the Spiritual Leprosy of this World
Mar 1:40-42 NKJV - 40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out [His] hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Time Is Urgent ~ Running Out
Rom 13:11-14 NIV - 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Leave the World Empire of Evil-Babylon the Great
Rev 18:2-5, 8, 24 NKJV - 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ... 8 "Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her. ... 24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth." (This verse (24) shows that "Babylon the Great is the EMPIRE of EVIL, no one country like the US as some say is babylon the great, is responsible for EVERYONE SLAIN on the Earth)
We Must Get Our House (cleaned) and In Order
Matthew 23:25 NKJV - 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Ephesians 5:26 NKJV - 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
James 4:8 NKJV - 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [you] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [you] double-minded.
1John 1:9 NKJV - 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Days like Noah and Lot (Sodom and Gomorrah)
Matthew 24:37-44 NKJV - 37 "But as the days of Noah [were], so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 "Then two [men] will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 "Two [women will be] grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
God Will Punish Again Those Engrossed In Sexual Sin ~ He has not changed
Romans 1:26-32 NKJV - "26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."
Sound the Alarm
Joel 2:1-2 NKJV - 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning [clouds] spread over the mountains. A people [come], great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any [such] after them, Even for many successive generations.
There's no time for beating around the bush. There was an urgency in the air with the Lord. It is time for us all to fall to our knees and REPENT of ALL sin before the LORD.
God wants us to come out of the world. We must leave this world behind and separate ourselves because he that LOVES the world is an enemy of God. James 4:4 If we are immersed in the world and all that it stands for, God is willing and able to clean us up after we come out of the world. It is by our faith in Jesus, the lamb of God whose blood was poured out upon the cross that we are cleansed. It is notable in the bible account that the leper went to Jesus, he asked to be cleansed and Jesus was willing to cleanse him. When we closely associate with the world we get contaminated with a spiritual leprosy. Leprosy was a disease that left ugly sores on the body and a foul stench . The world of sin, its evil entertainment, sexual immorality and all things unholy, unclean is likened to ugly sores in the eyes of a holy and righteous God. This spiritual leprosy of sin leaves a foul stench in the Lord's nostrils as well.
Those who have truly come out of the world and I'm not speaking of physically coming out but meaning they are IN(live in) the world and NO PART(no PARTicipation) of any sorts of the world). No participation is like saying no association, plain and simple. As mature Christians we likewise find every form of evil, including ALL EVIL worldly entertainment, ALL the sexual immorality as REPULSIVE to look at, as it is to look at a leper's sores and we find this world smells as foul as the opened running sores on a leper. God is not going to LOWER his standards and values to those of the world. We must ELEVATE our mindset and change to God's way of thinking.
That's what true REPENTANCE means...to turn around changing our course while getting on the right path, the path of righteousness. This is why he says, come out of her (Babylon the Great) my people if you do not want to share in her sins. Revelation 18:4 Simply stated babylon the great is the WORLD EMPIRE of EVIL. He is coming SOON to destroy all who love the wickedness of this world.
But before he comes to destroy the world, he is giving a fair warning for us to get our houses in order. Just like in Noah's day, men were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage til the flood came and swept them all away. Just like in the days of Lot and other times of the past sexual sin was prevalent, men sleeping with men, women sleeping with women, men sleeping with animals. God punished those worlds but before he did he sent his angels to remove LOT and his family and an ark to save Noah and his family.
If we've left the world which is the SODOM and Gomorrah of today, then that's great! We have taken a great step with a good start but we must maintain a healthy fear of God and know that He is Lord of our life. Yes, take a warning from Lot's wife. Wavering, looking back at the world longing for it again can get us in spiritual trouble. If we still love the world and turn back to it before Jesus comes, we may lose our life just as Lot's wife who turned to look back after leaving was turned to a pillar of salt. Going back to the world is like a pig going back to wallow in its own vomit. That is gross and so is the evil in this world if we see it as God does. We must all learn to hate what God hates and love what he loves.
We can see the severity of God and also see the LOVE of God in that he wants to save his people who come to him. He doesn't want to see anyone lose their life. Instead he gives us a new life to be lived in him. Rest in him knowing that he loves us with an unfailing love.
Scriptural References:
God is Sounding the Alarm; Giving Fair Warning of His Coming Wrath (The Day of the Lord)
Joel 2:1-2 NIV - 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.
Come Out ~ Be No Part of the World
2Co 6:17 NKJV - 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
John 17:14 NIV - 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
Can't Love the World and God too
James 4:4 NIV - 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
John 7:7 NKJV - 7 "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. (The World hates God-it is his ENEMY)
We Must Repent
Mar 6:12 NKJV - 12 So they went out and preached that [people] should repent.
Luk 13:3 NKJV - 3 "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Act 2:38 NKJV - 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We Must Hate EVIL As God Hates EVIL
Proverb 8:13 NKJV - 13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
Amos 5:15 NKJV - 15 Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Isaiah 5:20 NKJV - 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Jesus Extends His Love~ Ready to Clean Us From the Spiritual Leprosy of this World
Mar 1:40-42 NKJV - 40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out [His] hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Time Is Urgent ~ Running Out
Rom 13:11-14 NIV - 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Leave the World Empire of Evil-Babylon the Great
Rev 18:2-5, 8, 24 NKJV - 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ... 8 "Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her. ... 24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth." (This verse (24) shows that "Babylon the Great is the EMPIRE of EVIL, no one country like the US as some say is babylon the great, is responsible for EVERYONE SLAIN on the Earth)
We Must Get Our House (cleaned) and In Order
Matthew 23:25 NKJV - 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Ephesians 5:26 NKJV - 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
James 4:8 NKJV - 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [you] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [you] double-minded.
1John 1:9 NKJV - 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Days like Noah and Lot (Sodom and Gomorrah)
Matthew 24:37-44 NKJV - 37 "But as the days of Noah [were], so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 "Then two [men] will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 "Two [women will be] grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
God Will Punish Again Those Engrossed In Sexual Sin ~ He has not changed
Romans 1:26-32 NKJV - "26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."
RSS Feed
