Martyrs and Martyrdom

Martyrs and Martyrdom

News flashes often display the utter depravity of mankind.

As we hear about the slaughter of Christians all over the world, what should we as fellow believers do? What can we do?

Some of us have open doors to speak to leaders, but all of us have been given an open door where we can boldly go before the Leader—The Sovereign King of Kings.

Many times when I see news reports I also see revelatory videos or pictures of people to pray for: specific individuals He is directing me to pray for in that moment. We find this kind of Holy Spirit revelation in the account of Ananias and Paul in Acts 9. I trust He is directing them as I pray according to His revelation.

Throughout the Bible we read of martyrs: people who were put to death for their allegiance to the One true God. Hebrew 11 summarizes many of their stories. Some of these martyrs were offered deliverance, but instead chose martyrdom:

Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Hebrews 11:35

There is a unique resurrection and reward awaiting those who suffer martyrdom for the Lord Jesus. It is a mystery as to what exactly this unique resurrection is, but these martyrs in Hebrews saw something we only read about.

I pray for deliverance for our persecuted brothers and sisters; I pray for strength to endure; I pray for routes away from those who seek to kill them; I pray for those who will be martyred to be given grace to see beyond their pain and fear into the glory that awaits them. In this way we can give them a cup of cold water in His Name.

As you see news reports, pray. And as you pray watch. Is there a specific person or group of people the Holy Spirit is directing you to pray for? Let’s pray with eyes wide open to God who sees and hears.

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Boredom in Paradise?

Boredom in Paradise?

There is no other place on earth like the assembly of the believers—a place where God promises He’ll be in their midst. A place where Jesus Himself said He would be. There is no other place where His body comes together. This uniquely belongs to the gathering of believers, for this is where God is in her midst.

If this is so (and it is), why is there so much boredom? How is it that people can come and go without their needs, whatever they may be, being met? With so much boredom, how is it that we should expect others, whether boomers, millennials, or Gen-Zs, to come and become a part of the assembly? The world is exciting, but shouldn’t God be more exciting? 

Boredom easily paves the path to sin. Maybe this is why there is little difference between believers and those who don’t know Christ. David was bored and look what happened:

It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

2 Samuel 11:1-3

David was supposed to be in the battle, but he was disengaged in the things he was supposed to be doing. Hence, his feet took him to a place he should not have been—a place where sin was crouching at his door.

Am I just venting or is there a point? 

I have never experienced anything more beautiful and worth giving my life for than the interaction of the Holy Spirit. I don’t mean just for the exercising of spirit gifts, but the real manifest Presence of God interacting with me. Though gifts often result from this interaction, especially in the midst of the assembly, they are not what I live for.

When He isn’t manifesting and when I am not encountering Him, I miss Him.

As New Covenant believers, He is everything to us. Without His anointing and manifest Presence we are bored—I am bored.

Church becomes a club.

Teaching becomes stale bread.

If the Holy Spirit was given proper place in His church, people wouldn’t want to displease the One who is so awesome. There would be a greater reason to live. People would share this Beautiful One with those around them. They would have an anointing to minister to others in power, rather than just talking from their head. They would get words of knowledge and prophecies as they spoke and the hearers would experience the reality of God.

The remedy for boredom is God! God Himself interacting with us. 

Pursue Him.

Encounter Him.

Love Him.

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Balaam's Doctrine

Balaam’s Doctrine

Revelation 2:14 and Numbers 31

In Jesus’ letter to Pergamos He writes about those who hold to Balaam’s doctrine. Have you ever wondered what Balaam’s doctrine was that Jesus references? Revelation 2:14 was a mystery to me for years. I was always looking for a way to fit it into Balak trying to incite Balaam to curse Israel. Although it’s on the fringe of that story, it isn’t what Revelation 2:14 is about.

Isn’t it interesting that the key to Revelation 2:14 is found in Numbers 31?

Some history: Balak, the Moabite king, was afraid when he saw Israel coming towards his land. Balak first went to Midian for help against Israel, then sought out Balaam. Balaam wanted to help Balak because Balak promised to pay him a lot of money. However, God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam acknowledged that he could not go against God and could only bless Israel for they were blessed by God.

Here is where it ties into Revelation. After Balak and Balaam went their separate ways at the end of Numbers 24, Numbers 25 starts off with the sin of adultery and idol worship with Baal of Peor.

Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. Numbers 25:1-3

God was so angry that He sent a plague into Israel’s camp. 24,000 people died in that plague (Numbers 25:9)! Notice the wording in 25:18 below says that the Midianites schemed against Israel. It wasn’t that they happened upon Israel and fell in love with each other. No, it was a plot to take down Israel.

“…for they [Midian] harassed you [Israel] with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian…” Numbers 25:18

Numbers 31 describes that payment God required from Midian for their treachery towards Israel was death. Israel was instructed to kill everyone who was not a young virgin. As Numbers 31 looks back and recollects upon the account, it gives a generous amount of detailed insight into understand Revelation 2:14:

“Look, these [Midianite] women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.” Numbers 31:16

With this in mind, look at Revelation 2:14:

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.” Revelation 2:14

But why does this matter to us, you may be thinking? Let’s revisit the story:

Balak hated Israel, so he tried to destroy them through, first Midian, then Balaam. Neither worked. Then Balaam had an idea: I can’t curse them, he thought, so how about inciting them into idol worship and sexual sin? That will get God to work against them. And it worked! 24,000 Israelites died through the plague God sent. It only stopped because Phinehas drove a javelin through an Israelite leader and a Midianite leader’s daughter, likely while they were having sex.

So, how about our enemy, the devil and his entourage? Here in the Pergamos church, they had a lot going for them. God seems to commend them for their works and their faith, even while some were martyred among them. Jesus acknowledges that they dwelt where Satan’s throne and dwelling was. Yet He rebuked them for:

“…those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

Jesus identifies Himself, in the introduction to Pergamos, as the One who has “the sharp two-edged sword” and at the letter’s close, as having a “sword of My mouth.” Likely paralleling the javelin Phinehas used. So intense was Jesus’ determination that they repent of these sins that He said He would literally fight against them with that sword of His mouth, if they did not repent!

This sounds an awful lot like someone is inciting people to sin against God. Isn’t that the doctrine of Balaam, according to Numbers 31? And this is where Satan had his throne and dwelling.

As I think about all this in view of the rampant sexual immorality, idolatry, and worldliness consuming the church of today, it becomes clear that the enemy himself is deliberately beguiling and deceiving God’s people into these same sins of Balaam. The prosperity doctrine is idolatry masquerading as spirituality.

How long has it been since you, dear reader, have heard a message about any of these sins?

I ask that the Lord would help us and send revival, lest Jesus fight against us with the Sword of His mouth.

  

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