November 2002

Christ:
The Landscape of Life

Part Forty-four

“LO and BEHOLD”

“Guarding our garments” (I)

    The Dict. root garnir for the word garment lit. means: “To equip”! Then equip is defined: “To prepare, array, or furnish for service or action.” Every soldier of Christ in the Army of God must be fully “equipped” with the Armor of Anointing if they are to stand fast in the evil day that is ever increasingly appearing in the earth! There is not a man, woman or child that cannot recognize the harsh changes taking place in the world; and their reactions to this terrible transition range from: denial, resignation, government regulation and escapism (with alcohol, drugs, sex, money-making, electronic/cellular wares, or even religious revival) to aggressive resistance! But such reactions prove we do not know the true nature of God as 1 Jn 4:8 reveals: “God is LOVE!”
          What do we expect from God’s Love? A never ending, earthly Utopia of hearts and flowers, sunshine and moonbeams? Such false expectations are void of Scriptural understanding and foster doctrinal myths like the “Rapture”! Man’s religions profane the Cross by teaching the church they shall escape tribulation by being snatched from the earth! Jesus Christ says, “In this world you SHALL have TRIBULATION; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!” (Jn 16:33) So if we enclose ourselves in the Ark of Christ- we, too, shall overcome the world- not escape it! Long-suffering Paul says, “We must enter into the Kingdom of God through much tribulation!” (Ac 14:22) So the only way into God’s Kingdom is through the great tribulation that Christendom has been taught to dread! Paul also says: “WE GLORY IN TRIBULATION for we know that TRIBULATION WORKS PATIENCE!” (Ro 5:3) The word, patience, Gk 5281, is interpreted here: “CHEERFUL, HOPEFUL ENDURANCE, CONSTANCY, CONTINUANCE and WAITING!” Hear this: tribulation produces cheerful, hopeful endurance, constancy, continuance and waiting!! And Isa 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings as eagles! They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint!!”
          God shall “clothe” the whole Body of Christ with the “garment of suffering” Jesus wore! Ro 6:4 says “We are buried with Christ by our baptism into His death; and as He was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, so we also will walk in the newness of Life.” Let us shun all doctrines with no Scriptural basis! The word, Rapture, does not in the Bible; but the word, Resurrection, appears 41 times! God resurrects us from the “death” of carnal-mindedness so “We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us!” (Php 4:13) What a greater victory for God’s Kingdom for a Body of Overcomers to walk the earth clad in His Glory; than a cowering, cowardly church who would miss their finest hour!
          Being “baptized into Christ” means to “put on Christ”! (Ga 3:27) Since Christ proclaims, “I AM Resurrection Life” (Jn 11:25); therefore the true Church is baptized into Resurrection Life! Like David they will cry, “I will not fear what flesh can do to me!” (Ps 56:4) As a boy outfitted in the armor of Anointing, David stood fearlessly against a giant who defied the God of all creation! Later there three other Hebrew youths who stood firm in their refusal to worship false gods were thrown into a fiery furnace; but those flames “had no power to hurt their bodies”; rather they were a radiant armor that cloaked them as they walked and talked with the Captain of their Salvation! (Da 3:25) These young men emerged victorious from their great tribulation “without the hair being singed, or their garments being burnt or even bearing the smell of smoke!” The only things incinerated were the ropes that bound them when they were thrown helplessly into the fire!
         If the Church is obedient to God and “Seeks first His Kingdom and His Righteousness”, (Mt 6:33) they automatically commit themselves to endure- not escape- great tribulation! For by their confession of unity with Christ, they bind themselves to His suffering and death! We do not reject poor, frightened, immature believers who shun tribulation to clutch at the straws of escapism; for our loving Lord said on the Cross, “Forgive them, they do not know what they are doing!” And when the time comes for them to be attired in the Anointed Armor of Christ, they shall march forth just as fearlessly as Noah entered his ark to face the terrible flood; and as Daniel entered that den of ravenous lions! Heaven is only populated by such new creatures in Christ, who stand firm in faith and withstand whatever their fiery trials are sent by God to purge and purify them!
How can we be Christ’s Overcoming Church, if we are not given something to overcome? How can we be called a House of Prayer, if there is nothing for which we are to pray! How can we be a Virgin Bride for the King of Glory, if our garments remain stained and spotted with FEAR? The Blood of the Lamb that removes the ugly spots and stains from our garments was produced by Christ’s suffering and sorrow! How are we fit to wear this spotless garment if we refuse to bear His Great Tribulation?! Verily, I proclaim to you, “The servant is not greater than his Lord!” (Jn 13:16) Consider how the natural man can be willing to “lay down his life” for love of family, friends, or country; while the professing church is unwilling to “lay down her life” for her Savior!!
         What is wrong with this picture? How must an unbelieving world see the Love of God if He would snatch “special people” from the earth, but leave the rest of His creation to “fend for themselves” in a world gone mad with self-destruction just before it implodes into obscurity! What foolishness! Run and hide behind the soiled skirts of your escapist doctrines if you must, poor frightened sheep; but understand it is “you” that is being “left behind” as the true Manchild of God is now being “caught up” in the Spirit to rule and reign with Jesus Christ here on earth- not in outer space! Know this too, if you ever hope to enter God’s Kingdom, it shall be through great tribulation!

[TO BE CONTINUED]