And after these things I saw four angels standing
on the four corners of the earth, holding the
four winds of the earth, that the wind should
not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
And I saw another angel ascending from the east,
having the seal of the living God: and he cried
with a loud voice to the four angels, to hurt the
earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth,
neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Revelation 7:1-3
The previous six seals when opened a call to an overcomer and certain gifts, power, etc., were given along with warnings that if you are not an overcomer then you are subject to the wrath of God. When the angel comes with the seventh seal another illustration to John about the wrath of God and it being held in check, at least for a time. In this time of waiting all Authentic Christians are to add to their faith and virtue knowledge: "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience godliness" (2Peter 1:5). God's great mercy and love is such: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2Peter 3:8-9). Think on this: the angels are ready to come and destroy the earth and all that is in it but God restrains them so that all who want to come to Him can come. If God had destroyed the earth at the time of the first sin by Adam where would you be? Not all anything! If God had destroyed all at the Great Flood where would you be? You would not be! But God rewards faithfulness and saved Noah, his wife, and his three sons with their wives. God's patience though must not be confused with His permission. God in His timing sent His Wisdom, Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity to be clothed in flesh to die, and His death was not only the payment owed to God, but is an everlasting atonement for sin. God sees His children through Jesus Christ and if you are not one of His brides then how can God see you? He cannot, but due to His mercy and patience He has held off destroying the world so all who want to come to Him can come. God is calling! Are you listening to the voice of God? Are you hearing and reading and coming to the knowledge that you need a Savior? After coming to Him are you adding to your faith and virtue knowledge? Knowledge will not save you for only God can save but knowledge allows you to be used by God for His purpose(s).
A problem that has plagued Authentic Christianity is the adding of knowledge, a knowledge of man and not of God. New innovations, new doctrines, new requirements all seemingly godly but when examined they are found wanting. We have here in Redding a "church" that has become worldwide and their "School of the Supernatural" that teaches what has before condemned as heresy: i.e., Sozo movement, the misuse of the gifts of the Spirit, and many are falling prey to them and to others who teach a knowledge that is not what we are to teach and believe. I just talked with a young man of that school and all he could do is speak about his mission to heal people to go about praying and healing people. This is not the message, this is not the true knowledge that one should have for Jesus never taught us to do those things.
Our knowledge and the knowledge we are to preach, teach and take to others is the cross, the cross on which Jesus died for sin. We are not to waste our precious time in exalting a rootless morality: i.e., homosexuality, abortion, pornography, and other such sins, nor to become enslaved to empty platitudes, and vague abstractions as some have done to the book of Revelation. We are to go to the root of the problem, to the root of the matter, and show to men and women that there is a disease that only God can cure and to show their state of sinfulness, this state that only God can cure and He only can save. Some object to such preaching and teaching about Gehenna and that all sinners will be thrown into this Lake of Fire never to return to life again, that this is old fashion fear-mongering preaching. In some ways I agree for even that was poorly done and often for wrong reasons: but, and this is important: if a person does not come to know, have the knowledge that there is a time when God will throw, sin, death, sinners, angels that fell from heaven along with Satan into this Lake of Fire then they will never get to the truth, the knowledge that God will and has done, destroy men and women, children, who will not come to faith in Jesus Christ. We teach the goodness of God by sending Jesus to die for sin, and that God will apply the blood of Jesus to all who come to Him. Paul speaks of the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:8) and the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ is that He died for sin and you can be saved by His blood spilled on the cross. He did this for you! God is waiting! Do not hesitate for God will as He has promised destroy this world and all who are of the bride of Christ will live in a new world, have a new body that cannot be destroy, and man will no longer be plagued by Satan and the fallen angels who fight against you with him. STOP! The knowledge of God that is to be implanted in your forehead, the place where in your brain system emotions, and feeling, and desires are to be found, all about Jesus Christ. We are to believe on Jesus Christ and then we will be saved.
God will seal you with this knowledge of Jesus Christ but you must receive this free gift of God. He is handing this free gift out, and it is yours by faith and that faith come by hearing the word of God, it this knowledge that you are sealed by God. Will you accept this free gift?
Deal bountifully with thy servant,
that I may live, and keep thy word.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may
behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Psalm 119:17-18
Open your eyes to what God has done
Richard L. Crumb
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