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Freedom From Religion

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The Prophet Ezekiel provides a stern warning for all who claim to be spiritual shepherds of God’s people prophesying: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, even to the [spiritual] shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought to find, but with force and hardhearted harshness you have ruled them. 5 And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts of the field. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill; yes, My sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought for them. Ezekiel 34:1-6 AMPC

The Bill of Rights of these Untied States guarantees the free exercise of religion – but it does not guarantee the freedom from religion. Religion without a relationship with Jesus is what crucified Him in the first place (and still does). Religion is self-centered, and self-focused, on the self-effort of “do-it-yourself” adherents. Religion is rutted routines without Life or Substance. Religion puffs up its adherents with pride having knowledge void of experience. Religion generously measures its own performance while stingily judging the efforts of others considered inferior and lacking. Religion, according to Genesis 3:19, is plowing the fields for your own bread while eating it in the sweat of the curse of the knowledge of good….AND evil.

Christmas reminds us of the Good News declared to the first shepherds, and echoed in Ezekiels’ prophecy: Therefore will I rescue My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will raise up over them one Shepherd and He shall feed them, even My Servant David; He shall feed them and He shall be their Shepherd. 24 And I the Lord will be their God and My Servant David a Prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. 25 And I will confirm with them a covenant of peace….Ezekiel 34:22-25

The Watchmen!

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Revelation 4:1-2 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne!

In John 10:1-7 reveals to us Who the Door is in Revelation 4:1-2. It states: I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way (elsewhere, from some other quarter) is a thief and a robber.2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The watchman opens the door for this man, and the sheep listen to his voice and heed it; and he calls his own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out.4 When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.5 They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call.6 Jesus used this parable (illustration) with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.7 So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep. AMPC

Watchmen open the Door! Watchmen know His Voice! Watchmen listen for the Shepherds Voice! Luke 21:36 reminds us: Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man. AMPC

What are we to be watching, praying and waiting for? The Return of Jesus. But, especially during this time of year we are to be watchful, and listening. Is there a specific thing we are to seek? Revelation 4:1-2 gives us a clue: Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne! Now you may be tempted to say, Robert I can’t know what will happen in the future. I am not a prophet. Let me ask you a question. How much of the Bible do you believe and trust? Your Bible promises you in John 16:13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. AMPC

Did you see that? Do you believe it? If you believe it then you can know from the Revelation 4:1-2 connection with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – that you and I have been given an invitation to know what must take place in the future. Now you might say this passage only applies to John. I can’t go into Heaven. Yet Eph. 2:6 states, And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). AMPC According to Scripture our spirits are already seated in Heavenly Places with Jesus.

In conclusion, Can you see that the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of all prophecy? (Revelation 19:10) Prophecy fulfilled is the manifestation of spoken words becoming manifested reality. From this passage you can deduce that the testimony of Jesus contained in Scripture is a prophetic testimony waiting to manifest. Scripture is a collection of testimonies of Jesus manifesting in others lives. It is through the testimony of Scripture that Jesus became a Manifested Reality in your life. Scripture was given to us by God not simply for us to know about God but to see His Testimony manifested in our lives.

During this holy season don’t be content with simply preparing for the Return of Jesus. Take the time to step out in faith on the testimony of His Word to ask Him, Lord what is coming this new year that you want me to pray with You about and prepare others to know? He’s knocking in Revelation 3:20. Are you willing to open the Door? Are you willing to listen to what He has to say?

Happy New Year!?

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Obviously many of you reading this are not Jewish but believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). When 2 Timothy 3:16-17 was written there wasn’t a New Testament. The “Scripture” Paul referred to was the Old Testament, or the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant revealed God’s calendar of events in the Person of Jesus (consider Passover and Pentecost). And it is through this Old Covenant that God reveals future events (Feast of Tabernacles – when God will tabernacle with His people) revealing God’s calendar of major events. At sundown tonight a new year begins – according to God’s calendar (not simply Judaism). Presently, God’s year is numbered at 5784, yet today marks a new year, 5785. Happy New Year!

What significance does this have for you and I? According to Scripture, this is the time of year God came down to meet with Moses and the children of Israel. God essentially peeled back the Heavens causing His Throne to manifest on Mount Sinai (also called Mt. Horeb). This Manifestation was accompanied by a loud trumpet blast (called a shofar or rams horn). Exodus 19:16-19 The third morning there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.17 Then Moses brought the people from the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.18 Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, for the Lord descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like that of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 As the trumpet blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice. AMPC

Based on this Scripture modern Jewish people believe God draws near at the beginning of a new year. This is why many practice what is known as the Ten Days of Awe, which culminates in the major fast day of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Why is this significant to us? Rev. 4:1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne! AMPC

Notice in verse one of the AMPC translation states: And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet…” The Apostle John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when Jesus appears to Him. Jesus draws near to John to call to Him like a war trumpet or shofar. Just like Moses in Exodus 19 John was invited to “Come up Here” where he saw a door standing open. Jesus is the Door of Revelation 4:1. We know this from John 10 where Jesus taught that He was the Shepherd and the Door for the Sheep.

Whenever I fast, or seek the Lord purposefully through worship, thanksgiving and prayer; when ever I come near a prophet or an apostle – I become aware of one thing: when Jesus, the Light draws near He exposes the darkness in me. Things surface and the darkness in me is exposed. What I want you to be aware of, in this high and holy season, is that Jesus has opened the Door to Who He is. As He draws nearer to us His Light exposes the darkness in and around us. Many believe the Return of Jesus is imminent and it is. But know that as He draws nearer His Light kicks up the darkness making it easier to see and recognize. Presently you and I are hurtling toward His Light and whether you are conscious and aware of it or not – His Light is exposing darkness in and around us. Darkness is as dust before His Feet but its at His feet we find our salvation draws near calling us to repentance and transformation.

I say all of this to make you aware of God’s Processes and Ways so you will be conscious and aware of the Light which exposes the darkness in you. Consciously choose to repent quickly and not to blame others for your actions, or attitudes. When His Light kicks up the darkness in you agree with Him quickly, confessing it, and forsaking it. Pray for His Grace to operate in the opposite spirit and to be set free from the dust of darkness.

In John 8 Jesus stooped to write in the dust and as Jesus stooped down – He delivered and saved the woman caught in the act of adultery. Brad McClendon reminds us “Jesus got His identity through the trial and attack of the religious pharisees.” It was in “stooping” to save that He was the Light of the World in that given situation. Php. 2:9 reminds us Jesus emptied Himself – stooping so low – to bring salvation to us, not simply a woman caught in the act of adultery. If Jesus had to stoop low in the dust of religious accusation to be the Light of Salvation you too will have to stoop and join Him in the dust of the darkness that is still in us and surrounds us. During this high and holy season seek to join Jesus in stooping in the dust of darkness that you might be delivered from your darkness into His Light.