James Robison A Weekly Commentary
Why is the Friday before Easter referred to as “Good Friday,” when Christ’s death was so visibly gruesome and awful? It is because it was an expression of the grace and goodness of God through the gift of His Son and the sacrifice He made for us. The word “celebration” may not seem appropriate for an occasion that marks history’s darkest day and humanity’s brightest hope, but we certainly understand the importance of celebrating His glorious resurrection with indescribable gratitude. Every person should gladly receive the resurrection life He offers because we can experience the fullness of life through it. I don’t think there has ever been a time of greater need for those who profess faith in Christ to experience the fellowship of His suffering and the power of His resurrection.
Paul understood the importance of Christ’s suffering because it was clearly an expression of His love and compassion. Many people have become convinced that church people do not care about others. Nothing could be further from the truth for those who truly know the Lord Jesus. You see, it is the transforming power of His life and love that leads to the manifest power of true redemption. This is a far cry from mere religion. This is new life, which leads us to pursue the knowledge of God our Father—who is not merely the Father in heaven but lives in our hearts. His love fills us, spilling over like a river of life in loving expressions toward others.
Every sensible person understands that our nation is on a perilous course. We’re facing challenges that seem insurmountable and perplexing. How is it that even this week our Supreme Court is discussing whether America should approve same-sex marriage? How could we have reached this point? You might also ask how we could have removed prayer from our public schools? We would best answer that question by asking, “Why did so many Americans leave prayer out of their own homes and their personal lives?” Had Americans and professing Christians been committed to prayer, it never would have been removed from our public schools. This bad court decision should help drive us to our knees and inspire us to be more diligent in our pursuit of God’s will. No power on this earth can prevent us from seeking God, serving Him, or praying.
We should also ask how it is that committed Christians can tolerate what has now become America’s holocaust. Hitler killed 11 million people because he deceived and manipulated them into allowing the annihilation of innocent men, women, and children. He even convinced the Jews on their way to the gas chambers that he was taking them to safety and security—a better place. For 40 years Americans have tolerated the slaughter of innocent babies in the wombs of their mothers. The American people have not adequately defended the preciousness of life. Always remember: When you devalue any life, you have devalued all life. We will continue to witness the ever-increasing number of elderly and senior citizens and those who have health challenges become less important to many Americans, even to their own families.
How have these trends gained momentum? It is because the transforming resurrection power we are about to celebrate has been replaced with mere religious consent or church membership. It is obvious Christians have not led people to Christ. Their witness is weak or missing. Unless hearts are changed and minds renewed, people will not think right, live right and they certainly won’t vote right. Most professing Christians (Catholics, Protestants, and Evangelicals) don’t vote. If they did and voted on principles, we would not be on our present disastrous course because they are by far the largest identifiable percentage of the population.
It appears this week our highest court and what seems to be the majority of our population, especially among the younger, will approve that which God’s Word has disapproved. While standing against unbiblical lifestyles and practices, we must never encourage or even tolerate mockery, belittling, bullying or attempts to make anyone feel like a second-class citizen.
It’s not a matter of imposing our Christian principles and beliefs on unbelievers. That will only lead to even greater rebellion, resistance, and polarization. There will never be a substitute for the transforming power of the cross of Christ, true spiritual redemption, and living the resurrected life of Christ.
No true believer would ever put down people who are trapped by desires, appetites or who are hindered by weakness anymore than they would belittle someone who has experienced the tragic consequences of a divorce. True believers, above all people on this planet, must freely manifest the love of God expressed on Good Friday when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t really understand what they are doing.” In other words, they are being held captive by a power beyond themselves, which is so true of many. This is why we must be anxious and free to offer grace and forgiveness.
At the same time, we do not endorse or embrace choices that are contrary to the Word of God. There are many people who are held captive by desires, appetites, and addictions. Those who are defeated should diligently seek to find help and bring their actions in line with truth and true freedom, which is the liberty and overcoming grace that can be found in the Christ, whose glorious resurrection we celebrate on Easter.
We must never change God’s Word to accommodate anyone’s faulty lifestyle. We ask God to grant us the grace and ability to see our practices and appetites brought in line with His Word and truth. It is truth that makes us free, and only truth can keep us free. God’s Word is truth, and the Jesus who was raised on Easter is alive to live in us with delivering power. He has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us and enable us to overcome temptation. It does not disappear, but Jesus offers us the power to prevail. Believers don’t have to live in defeat as prisoners to unbridled passions. We can live as over comers experiencing the liberating power of God.
When asking the very important question, “What are we to do about our nation’s direction?” One might answer, “Surely we need to elect principled leaders with strong character.” This is true, but keep in mind that misguided, misdirected, deceived people do not recognize good leaders, and many people who decide to run for office will themselves prove to live unprincipled lives controlled by deception. How are we going to know what is best? Only by putting aside the deeds of darkness and fixing our eyes on Jesus, committed to the Word God has given us to guide our steps.
I am convinced that every priest, pastor, preacher, politician, parent, business leader, and laborer needs a fresh encounter with Christ. As Jesus said, everyone must experience a spiritual new birth, and even those who have are in obvious need of a present day spiritual awakening. Believers need to experience what Paul referenced in Philippians as the “fellowship of His sufferings.” We need to identify in a personal way with what is on our Lord’s heart to first identify with His concerns, and then to experience the power of His resurrection.
The main reason our nation gropes in darkness right now is because people who claim to know the light and who are called to be light in this world have allowed that light to be hidden, covered, and even compromised. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christians on this Easter weekend would recommit wholeheartedly their lives to the Lord Jesus and His commission—to be disciples and witnesses on this earth, here at home and around the world for His glory?
It is very important for every American to be praying for our leaders, to be concerned about our nation’s direction, to care about our neighbors—and yes, to even hope for great leadership and principled election results. Every Christian must know this: Winning elections is not nearly as important as winning hearts and minds. Until the heart is changed by the power of God and the mind is renewed by the truth of His Word, we won’t have qualified leaders with the necessary character and strength. Without changed hearts and renewed minds, we’re not going to have voters with the integrity, wisdom, discernment and understanding necessary to choose those who can best lead.
Until Americans correctly “choose this day whom they will serve,” they are going to find themselves “bond slaves” to out-of-control appetites, compulsive behavior, lack of sensitivity, diminishing compassion, over reaching government and ever-increasing, unbearable bondage. Only Jesus can break the shackles, set the captives free and give us the hope, peace and security our hearts long for and everyone deserves. God the Father so desires it for us, He gave His Son to pay the price for our sins and raised Him to live in us—to give us life now and forever. A phrase we often hear from the lips of politicians and public speakers in their closing remarks is, “God bless America!” We might better ask, “When will America and our citizens once again wholeheartedly seek to bless God?”
I realize it is of grave concern that we pray for our leaders and those in authority. Our prayers should be that their blinded eyes be opened by the eye salve of Jesus Christ, their deaf ears unstopped by the voice of his word, and their unrepentant heart of stone will be made flesh so they can receive his Spirit. On the other hand, if we understand that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, we see the end time signs manifested before us, and are aware of the prophetic fulfillment of this age, then it is time sound the Gospel trumpet as never before and prepare for the day of the Lord.
Our most fervent prayer should be as John wrote in Revelation 22, “For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man will add to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book: And, if any man will take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies these things says, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” We do not want to see any man or woman outside of the salvation of Jesus Christ and found guilty of this destructive prophecy. Lord God have mercy. However, here is where we are:
Daniel the prophet wrote, “The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which will be diverse from all kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down, and break it in pieces. In scriptural context this beast has 3 primary characteristics; it is a serpent, it is a power, and it is deceptive. The result of these characteristics produces death as it devours the whole earth. This is none other than Satan and his scheme to kill, and to steal, and to destroy. John describes this beast in Revelation 12, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, which is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightening.
The kings or leaders of the nations, which Satan uses, will be and are being deceived by the same subtlety the serpent used in the Garden to the woman by convincing her Elohim’s original word could be changed, she would not be punished for changing the word, and the change would make her wiser. Listen closely;
“And he will speak great words against the most High, and will wear out the saints of the most High, (war against you with materialism, technology, hypocrisy, lies, fraud, and think to change times and laws.” This is where we are. The serpent, Satan, has influenced and deceived the political leaders of the nations by speaking great words against the most High, just as he did to Eve. Their voices and actions are saying that we have outlived Jesus Christ; we do not need him any longer. Satan has filled their minds with such unbelief and deception their conscious has been seared with a hot iron and their message of confusion comprised of politics, religion, and supernatural devils sits on the pale horse (power) and the rider’s name is death and he has devoured the people of the world whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world. This seduction from the power of Satan has brought these leaders to the threshold of anointing them to change the times and the laws. The times they speak of are days of peace and prosperity if only the people will support their political agendas. The laws they change are the laws of God and by worshipping the creature more than the creator, God has given them up to vile affections. No people in history has ever been reconciled back to grace and salvation once God gave them up. You cannot find it.
Hebrews 6 says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they will fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” This nation and its citizens have been partakers of the gift of God and have walked away from it. This is the unforgivable sin of blasphemy. Like Cain Elohim said, “You will be accepted also if you identify with the same bloody lamb on the altar your brother sacrificed. But, the sin of worshipping the creature more than the creator, the sin of worshipping the works of his hands, the sin of murdering his brother Abel, the sin of blasphemy by refusing to repent, lies at the door of every nation and people. The second crucifixion of the Son of God is being revealed before our eyes and “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance.”
While these deceived leaders preach their political and religious message of peace and prosperity The Apostle Peter wrote this prophecy by divine inspiration:
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein will be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.” Here “we have no continuing city but we seek one to come.”
Thus says the Lord, “this nation will not be reconciled. This America has not known the day of its visitation and has ignored and walked away from God’s servants and prophets. They have spurned and mocked Jonathon Edwards, James MacGready, Peter Cartwright, James B. Finley, Jeremiah Lanphier, Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey, Mariah Woodworth-Etter, Billy Sunday, Aimee Semple MacPherson, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitfield,
Asahel Nettleton, James Brainerd Taylor, Charles Grandison Finney, Lyman Beecher, Barton Stone, Alexander Campbell, Peter Cartwright and James B. Finley. Charles Parham, William Seymour, Frank Bartleman and William Durham.
In the aftermath of the initial outpouring there came more pioneering revivalists, like Aimee Semple McPherson, Florence Crawford, A. H. Argue, R. E. McAlister, A. C. Valdez, Carrie Judd Montgomery, Charles Price, Raymond T. Richey, and a host of others in America. John Alexander Dowie began to discover divine healing before the turn of the century, as did Maria Woodworth Etter, who exercised a powerful Pentecostal ministry before and after Azusa.
In Europe T. B. Barratt, Lewi Petrus, Alexander Boddy, Smith Wigglesworth, George and Stephen Jeffreys, and other ministries furthered the work. Other nations had their own carriers of the Fire.
The second wave was called the “Healing Revival” which occurred in the late forties and fifties in America. William Branham, Billy Graham, and Oral Roberts were the most influential figures. Jack Coe, A. A. Allen, T. L. Osborn, W. V. Grant, Don Stewart, Kathryn Kuhlman and Morris Cerullo and James Robison were among about ninety healing evangelists who traversed the land with their message of healing and hope.
It brought a new harvest of converts and renewed hopes of national revival all over the world. We pray as Abraham, “Lord, if you can find ten righteous, or if you can find 5 righteous in this God forsaken land, then please spare the nations. “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.” Even so come quickly Lord Jesus! Sirs, we would see Jesus. We do not need another president. We do not need a third political party, we do not need another church building and the programs which follow; we need our King back. We need our Lord Jesus Jesus back. We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.”
Not truer words were spoken. Spare a thought and prayer for Australia, far behind America spiritually, and with a Prime Minister who has publicly declared her atheism.
Gay marriage and homosexuality is NOT acceptable by God no matter how many times MAN says it is ok. IT IS NOT OK. IT IS AN ABOMINATION UNTO GOD. I know that sounds awful and it is awful, BUT THE TRUTH SOMETIMES HURTS THOSE WHO DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH.
1 Corinthians 7:2 says, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every MAN have HIS OWN WIFE, and let every WOMAN have HER OWN HUSBAND.” It is supposed to be MALE AND FEMALE – not man and man, woman and woman.
JESUS said in Matthew 19:4-6, “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them MALE and FEMALE, and said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not MAN put asunder.”
The UNREPENTENT man who occupies the Oval Office by his very position in leadership is no less attempting to put asunder, even destroy, the very foundation of family and replace it with abomination.
The scriptures are clear on this issue. And ANYONE, whether it be a man of God or not, is in DEEP TROUBLE if he tries to change what is clearly stated in God’s word, the Bible.
Genesis 1:27-28, – Leviticus 18:22, – Leviticus 20:13, – and Romans 1:24-28
IF YOU WALK IN GOD’S TRUTH, YOU WILL BELIEVE THE TRUTH.
If you DO NOT WALK IN GOD’S TRUTH, you will try to justify your sin.
Soon, churches will be required (if they have a 501c3 exemption) to accept homosexuality (just like abortion) and any other mandate set down by this evil govt, else they will lose their exemption. IT IS COMING.
Churches should begin home Bible studies and services WITHOUT GOVT EXEMPTIONS. Or, MAKE SURE YOUR CHURCH REVOKES THEIR OWN 501C3 STATUS IF THEY DO NOT WANT GOVT INTERVENTION.
Most churches claim that all they want to do is save souls and preach God’s word. That is absolutely fine, except that the Bible includes a LOT more than just salvation. It teaches us what is accepted and unaccepted by God – THIS INCLUDES HOMOSEXUALITY, WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTED BY GOD.
It is so disheartening to know that our church leaders are AFRAID OF THE GOVERNMENT. I’d rather be afraid of God and what He will do to me – NOT THE GOVT. (Matthew 10:28)
Pray that strong followers of Christ, leaders in the church, STAND UP AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD ABOUT THE DEGRADATION OF OUR FREEDOMS and the truth about abortion and homosexuality, as GOD HAS COMMANDED AND NOT MAN.
IF YOUR church compromises on any of God’s words, YOU ARE IN DANGER!
It might do us all well to Reread: Revelation 3:14-22.
Acts 5:29 WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN
God blesses those who boldly choose to do His will, despite the unpleasantries that they might have to endure.