I was meditating on a verse that my husband shared with our children during family bible study today. We are going through the book of Mark. The verse stuck with me much because the Lord had shared the same meaning with me in the past. The Lord showed me how this verse still applies to todays church!
Mark 6:19-20
"Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly."
It says that Herod knew that John the Baptist was a holy and just man and that Herod gladly heard him!
The Spirit has spoken to my heart and told me many professing Christians are like Herod. They love to hear good preaching from godly men but when it comes to obedience they will shun the godly man because they are unwilling to go through the trials because of their unbelief in God's word. This exposes their hearts and show that even though they loved the preaching they never had real faith in God. They become like Herod. When things got hard for Herod he cared more about saving his own life and reputation than standing firm on the truth he enjoyed hearing.
I have seen many Herod's in Christiandom. These professing Christians love to listen to real preaching that comes from godly men like Tozer, Pink, Ravenhill, ect. But command these people to personally OBEY the preaching they listen to and they will shun you, run away, form a group against you, and call you all sorts of names. Just like Herod, who loved Johns preaching, when the truth came out and exposed his own life, John was made the enemy. When trials come upon these professed Christians they will end up persecuting the true saints, like Herod, to save their own lives.
God also took me to Ezekiel and showed me a similar verse. Many of those who claim God's name are like those in Ezekiel. God sees EVERYTHING. Nothing is hidden from His site.
Eze 33:30 “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’
Eze 33:31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
Eze 33:32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
Eze 33:33 And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
These verses describe well of many profess Christians today. Oh, how they love to hear good preaching and talk about the testimonies of many godly men. They will travel state to state, conference to conference to hear godly men preach. Ezekiel and John the baptist were true men of God who preached in the Spirit and wisdom of God and many loved to hear them, but did not obey what they said. Just like today. Many Godly men like Piper, Daniels, Washer, ect... are being heard today by so many Christians who really hear them as more of a lovely song, a form of entertainment. For with their mouth boast of godliness, but the Lord sees that they are disobedient and their hearts still pursue their own gain!
Are we like the majority of the children of Israel who were hearing only? Have we taken the message of the cross seriously from the godly saints that God use to stir up the body?
Let us examine ourselves to make sure we are those who HEAR and OBEY the word of God.
This just occurred to me a couple days ago. While I was sitting on the couch meditating on the Lord's ways a clear word popped in my head. The word was "you don't have a home". I came to understand the word immediately and agreed with joy! Yes, I do not have a home here on earth! God has brought me to a place like Jesus, where He says that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Meaning, He did not have a permanent home on earth. Now I'm not saying that the christians who have homes are in sin. Its about not setting your heart, your affections on your house where it can bind you. How does it bind you? When you are working stressfully in supporting your lifestyle, your home, more than you need, that God can't use you because your so busy establishing a home on earth and working for it.
When our family sold our house in Texas, not realizing at the time that He was doing a wonderful work in our family. We put our house for sale not knowing where we would be living, where God was leading us too, but by faith forsaking all knowing He will be faithful in showing us the next step after we take the first step. Through giving up our home the Lord has taken away all desires in us to establishing a permanent home anywhere. The great thing about this is that Sean and I have no worries about not having a permanent home on earth and take joy in truly believing and trusting that God will take care of us!
We knew in the beginining that Mexico would not be a permanent stay, but that God has greatly used Mexico to continue to refine us, kept us from settling and making a comfortable home here knowing that He will call us to preach in other places. God has truly use Mexico to strip us from all the world's pleasures. Sean and I truly do not desire any pleasures from this dying world and find that we only desire to know and follow Jesus wherever! God has open another door again and called us to preach and glorify Him in another land, not even having a desire to set a home there either, but to be faithful to Him wherever He calls us. Knowing we will only be here on earth for a short time till we go home and be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Before we make our journey to Asia, the place we are called to next, we will be making a stop in Texas so we can have our baby there and get his passport. But to think that we go back to Texas where Sean and I were raised, having no place to call our home, but that our home for our family will be wherever we lay our heads! There's no permanent home for us in this world and I can't believe how great I feel about this! It is definitely the Lord who worked this wonderful grace in me causing me to desire and be one with His cross! We do look forward greatly to our home in heaven, to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus!!!
Sean and I always had a passion from the beginning to reach Asia and the Middle East. And knew without a doubt that God will call us out on HIS TIMING. It seems what He has promised us in the begining by birthing in us a passion to proclaim Him over seas has come true! It took awhile for this promise to be given to us, but we understand that the Lord had to take us through the wilderness, to refine and mature us, to build us up and set our face like a flint toward His way that we may not look back. For those who keep looking back to Egypt (the world) are not worthy to be His disciple and be entrusted to carry His Gospel (Luke9:62). God has surely brought us to the cross, to die to our rights and obey Him no matter the cost! We can surely say our life is not our own to do as we please, but it is the Lord to do as He please with our lives and I pray that our family will glorify Him to the utmost!
We will surely miss Josef and Lina. They are true brethren who surely care about the glory of God more than their life! They understood from the beginning and knew Sean's passion to see muslims saved so they were not surprise that God has called us out from Mexico and into a place that is more populated with muslims. I can testify also that this couple "has nowhere to lay their heads" and that they take joy knowing that a better home is awaiting them in heaven. Sean and I do pray that the Lord would have us meet up with them again someday, until then we both know that this separation for a short time is for the greater glory of God, that we all may glorify and proclaim Christ in Mexico and Asia! To God be all the glory!
Luke 9:57-59
The Cost of Discipleship
57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
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