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Lost in Zion
Lost in Zion
Lost in Zion
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Lost in Zion

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Lost In Zion is a culmination of years of travel and ministry which started in the year 2002 and is still ongoing. During my years of ministry. I have had the opportunity to work with many ministries in the Christian Faith which has allowed me to experience and witness a trend that seems to be ever growing within the body of Christ. Lost In Zion is about what I have discovered and about Jesus says we as the body of Christ can do about it.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherWestBow Press
Release dateDec 10, 2020
ISBN9781664215726
Lost in Zion
Author

T. Preacher

T. Preacher, has been in ministry for over 38 years and during their travels has had the opportunity to work with many different ministries. Having done so it has provided them with a vast amount of knowledge as to what works in the church and what doesn’t as far as spiritual growth is concerned. Through their experience, witness, interaction and testimony God has given them a bird’s eye view in the spirit where the church of today now stands as a whole within the spirit of Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost.

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    Lost in Zion - T. Preacher

    Copyright © 2020 T. Preacher.

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

    This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

    WestBow Press

    A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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    Bloomington, IN 47403

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    844-714-3454

    Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

    Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

    Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

    Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

    • Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    ISBN: 978-1-6642-1571-9 (sc)

    ISBN: 978-1-6642-1573-3 (hc)

    ISBN: 978-1-6642-1572-6 (e)

    Library of Congress Control Number: 2020924431

    WestBow Press rev. date: 12/10/2020

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    CONTENTS

    Acknowledgments

    Introduction

    Chapter 1 Laodicea

    Chapter 2 Letting the Enemy In

    Chapter 3 Unconquered Territory

    Chapter 4 Spiritual Blindness

    Chapter 5 True Leadership

    Chapter 6 The Witness

    Chapter 7 The Fostering Ground of Faith

    Chapter 8 Time for a Change

    Chapter 9 Enduring Contradiction

    Chapter 10 The Watchman

    Chapter 11 Answering the Call

    Chapter 12 Where Do We Begin

    About the Author

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    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    I would first like to give all the praise, all honor and all the glory unto my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who brought me through this journey and allowed me the opportunity through the eyes of the Holy Spirit to see, hear and understand what the Spirit is saying concerning the body of Christ today. For this I am eternally grateful. It has been a journey of discovery, truth and revelation. The revealing of things, I might not have never known nor seen had He not taken me on this journey, to God, be all the glory. This book spans twenty years of experience, witness, testimony and travel. Along the way my eyes were opened as well to experience that which I had not experienced, to witness that which I had not witnessed, and to see that which I had not seen before in my sheltered little world. Truly I can say that the Holy Spirit has broadened my spiritual view, my world, and has given me a deeper understanding of the will of God, and unto the truths that are found in the Word of God and I hope after reading this book the Holy Spirit will be able to broaden your spiritual view, and give you a deeper understanding as He broadens your world too.

    And He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. – Ezekiel 8: 7, (KJV)

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    INTRODUCTION

    Solomon after he finished the building of the temple and placing in it everything that he desired in his heart to place in it, prayed this prayer; -

    "Now, my God, let, I beseech Thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

    Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into Thy resting place, Thou,

    and the ark of Thy strength: let Thy priests, O LORD God, be

    clothed with salvation, and let the saints rejoice in Thy goodness."

    2 Chronicles 7: 40, 41, (KJV)

    God in turn answered his prayer in a dream by night. –

    "And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and

    said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen

    this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

    If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts

    to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

    If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,

    and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will

    I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

    Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent

    unto the prayer that is made in this place."

    2 Chronicles 7: 14, 15, KJV)

    Down through the centuries, this one set of scriptures has been quoted over over again in the houses of God, never has it been so needed to be put in remembrance in the minds and hearts as it is today. If my people who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face,- (2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV), this is a call unto the church, the body of Christ today, as well as it was to the nation of Israel of that time. God is calling the church unto prayer and the seeking of His face, His will and not our own. Every time the children of Israel turned from the seeking of God’s will and sought their own instead, they got into trouble. The word of God does not speak an untruth when it says, I know that, there is no good in them, but to rejoice, and to do good in his life. – (Ecclesiastes 3: 12, KJV) Because of the sin nature of man, unfortunately our will is tainted with the weakness to sin, to be disobedient, rebellious, and rejecting to and of the will of God in our lives. This is why we need the salvation of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost in and present in our lives to keep us, guide us, hold us, and strengthen us on a daily basis in order to stay strong in the presence of a fallen and wicked world. We are the temple that the Lord dwells in, the place of sacrifice, (2 Chron. 7:12, KJV). Where our will is sacrificed for Christ’s will to be present in and over our lives. So that the promises of God can manifest in our lives the way the Lord wanted and still desires to see and to be in our lives today. Solomon prayed for the Lord’s presence to be in the temple, God gave him the instructions for His present to come and be able to dwell in the temple. We are the temple, - 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, (KJV), and the instructions and stipulations still stand in us as well as the houses of God and our nation. The Lord still expects us to be clothed with righteousness and the salvation of Jesus Christ, (Isaiah 61: 10, Revelation 19:8, KJV). If the people were to turn away from following God and forsake His statues and commandments and go and serve other gods, then the Lord begins to list the different problems, troubles, and judgments that they would bring upon themselves, - 2 Chron. 7: 19-22, (KJV). One of the main judgments that I see happening today in many of our church houses for forsaking the will and the Spirit of God is found in verse, - 2 Chron. 7:21, (KJV);

    And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?

    The church as a whole has become an astonishment to many. Many are asking the question, What has happened to the church? Why is there no power in the house of God? And Where is the Spirit of God gone? These questions and more are being asked not only by those who remember the power the church once had, but also by those who are seeking a relationship with the Lord and salvation, hungry to know the Lord Jesus Christ that the word of God tells us about. There are those who are hungry to know the truth and a life that is different from the world and the life that they have been living, their seeking a changed life. A life that represents the Savior they have heard so much about. No doubt the nations which surrounded Israel when they fell into following after other gods who were no gods and tried to combine this with the worship of God bringing the correction and judgments of God upon themselves, were asking the same questions, What happened? Where is their God?

    This question is still being asked today, What has happened to the church? "Where is our God? The answer lies in the word of God-

    If my people who are called by my name will

    2 Chronicles 7:14, (KJV)

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    ONE

    LAODICEA

    When I first started to write this, I was going to write about an personal experience, I had went through while in church, but since then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me, He was changing my book to include the church, and that what I had experienced is being experienced by many, many others in the church. He told me that the church was now in the seventh letter in the book of Revelation to the church in Laodicea. I said, Lord, this is prophetical, He answered me; Yes it is. He told me that the church body as a whole, even though there are some still holding on to the Holy Ghost are striving to serve the Lord in Spirit, power, and in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Those that are not have become complacent. I have found that many serve more out of formality, as in order of service, than out of true love and worship of God. He said to me, that the church as a whole have become, lost.

    We understand that to become lost, we must first lose our way. When we stray from the path that gets us to where we are trying to go, and step off into unknown territory, we do not know, it is easy to become lost in the wilderness. Many times we think we are going in the right direction because it feels good to us, or it is going along with what we think is right. As it says in Proverbs 16: 2, (KJV);

    All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighteth the spirits. – Proverbs 16: 2, (KJV)

    One of the greatest problems to the church is not what we suffer behind those outside of the Christian Faith, such as persecution, but from what the church is suffering with from within. History has proven, that when man persecutes the Christian faith all he does is cause it to grow. As Paul the Apostle proved when in seeking the Lord Jesus Christ from deliverance from something that had become a thorn in his flesh;

    "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

    And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12: 8-9, (KJV)

    So you see, persecution does not destroy the church, it will however cause it to grow. When we lose sight of God and who we are, and what our lives are suppose to reflect in Christ and of Christ, we become lost. I find we lose our way when we put anything before the will, the purpose, the work and the Spirit of God in our lives, we become lost. Each letter to the churches mentioned in the book of Revelation not only pertained to what was happening in the various churches mentioned at that time, but also, they were prophetic as to what would be happening in the church down through the ages as well, ending in the latter age, the church of Laodicea, before the return of Christ. To this effect, Christ told John to write. ;

    Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; - Revelation 1: 18, 19, (KJV)

    The name Laodicea itself, means, People Ruling, a fitting name given the circumstances of Christ’s letter. The church in Laodicea much like many of our churches today, have begun to forget about the true fellowship and worship with God going through the motions, without a notion as to what the Lord really expects, and wants from us, which is love from the heart, true fellowship, and our true worship, surrendering our all to Him, and trusting in Him to guide and to provide all our needs, which is why Christ told His disciples in Matthew sixth chapter:

    "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6: 31 - 33, (KJV)

    Christ knew the dangers of becoming too caught up in the things, instead of the Spirit of God. Things of this world take our eyes off of Christ and the real purpose of having Christ in our lives, our soul’s salvation, freedom from the judgment of sin and assurance of an eternal life with Christ, which is why He warned them about laying up earthly treasures that rust and corrupt. -

    "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

    But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal:

    For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

    No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." - Matthew 6: 19 - 21, 24, (KJV)

    For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Now that is the sum of the matter. What you value or treasure is where your heart is. The question is, are we treasuring or valuing Christ, or are we treasuring or valuing something or someone else? The church in Laodicea evidently had begun to treasure their wealth, and material possessions, along with their considered intellectual achievements in the community more than the one who blessed them with it. I have noticed, the trend here lately, how there are more and more messages coming across the pulpit pertaining to having wealth and material possessions more, than having one’s life enriched with and by the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit seems to be becoming less and less sought after. Which is a shame really, because the need and the importance of having a Spirit filled life is just to staggering for words. More and more of our Christian churches are becoming more of an entertainment center than a place of true worship. It seems as if here lately, many of our churches today, seem to be caught up more and more in things that have no spiritual value or precedence, when it comes to one’s life or walk with Christ. I even had one pastor to tell me, my people don’t know anything about the Holy Ghost. He went on to say that he has to feed them with a long handled teaspoon when it comes to the Holy Ghost. That there to me, said a lot about the people in his congregation, as well as himself. My reply to him was, it is time out for feeding them with a long handled teaspoon you have to give them the fullness of the Word of God. If they are going to be prepared for this life and for Christ’s coming, whether standing or sleeping, they have told the truth, no holds barred. You cannot let fear people and what they are going to say stop you from following Christ, because as long as we live, people are going to talk about you whether you are right or wrong. That is the sin nature, and not speaking the truth out of fear of losing following, makes you just as guilty as the one or ones who are rejecting the truth. When we omit to do the will of God it makes us just as guilty as those who reject it. No matter how you look at it, it is still a form of rejection. We fool ourselves that we are lifting up Christ, but in reality, we are only lifting ourselves in many of our churches today we are doing just what Paul talked about in Thessalonians, we are quenching the spirit - 1 Thessalonians 5: 19,(KJV), to please those who do not want to accept the word of truth for themselves. In many churches, neither the Holy Spirit nor the Holy Ghost Baptism is being talked about much. Where is the spirit of Christ, where is the anointing and the power of the Holy Ghost, where is the true direction and worship of God? Have we so lost our way so completely that we cannot even be restored? Has our spiritual sight so declined that we can no longer see the light of truth? Has our eye become so single based on ourselves that we can no longer see the light of Christ?

    "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

    But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" - Matthew 6: 22, 23, (KJV)

    In other words if our focus is on Him, then our body or our being shall be full of the light of Christ, but if our focus is not on Him, then how dark is our sight and our vision, to what depth of darkness, the blocking out of the Spirit of Christ have we come to when it comes to our love of Christ and following after His will for our lives? What level of blindness have we succumbed too? As Paul said in the book of Galatians, -

    "For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

    I do not frustrate the grace of God:" - Galatians 2:18, 20, 21(a), (KJV)

    If we accept again the things that caused us to stumble and to sin, such as following after ourselves and believing and accepting that which is not truth, instead of accepting that which is truth, when it comes to what is expected of us in order to truly live a Christ like life, we do frustrate the grace of God which was given to us by and through the shed blood of Christ on the cross, who became our sacrifice for having followed after a life of sin and rebellion.

    O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? - Galatians 3: 3, (KJV)

    In the year 2014, I was given a vision, where I was walking through the dark with Christ leading the way and holding my hand. The only light that I had to see my way through the dark which was all around me, was the light that shown from Christ Himself, He was the light. As we walked through the dark, the light that shined from Him lit the way before us. Christ’s light shined to the left, the right, and in front of us. The place that wasn’t in the light coming from Christ was that which was behind us. Wherever His light shined, it uncovered demonic spirits, demons that were hiding in the darkness that was around us. In His hand right hand, Christ carried a two edged sword that looked to have a wave pattern in the blades on both sides, ending in a sharp point. It kind of reminded me of the blades that are used when you really mean to cut into something difficult. As we went forth together, Christ cut through the demons hiding in the darkness standing in the way trying to prevent us from going forward. These were those that stood up against us, trying to block our way. The light of the glory of Christ would reveal them and at times, one of them would run up behind me, and would grab at me and cut me with their hands as they grasped at my arms or body trying to pull me away from Christ, but because my hold and Christ’s hold of my hand was so strong and the fact that I did not want to let go of Christ’s hand, because I knew if I let go of Christ hand, I would be destroyed, so they couldn’t pull me away, instead they just cut me and wounded me. Sometimes the wound would be so deep and painful, that you could see my bones, but even though I would be bleeding greatly, I continued to walk holding onto Christ’s hand. I knew that without Christ to light my way I would have been lost in the darkness that was surrounding me. This is why it is so very important that we who are Christians, followers of Jesus Christ our Lord and King, keep the Spirit of Christ, which is the truth, the way, the light, and the life at the head of our life at all times, putting His will before our will. -

    "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

    I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." – John 8: 12, 14: 6(b), (KJV)

    When moving around in the dark, you never put the light behind you, you keep it in front of you, symbolizing, that which is past, is past. That which is before you is what matters most to Christ Jesus. Our decisions and our choice to walk with the Lord and serve Him is what is going to determine if we make it through the darkness and the temptations to sin or fall back in Christ in this world. Paul said in Philippians, -

    "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

    I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3: 13, 14, (KJV)

    The only time you shine a light behind you is when you turn around to see what is behind you. The light is still in front of you, because now, you have turned around and are now facing it, which is why Christ said in Matthew -

    "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

    Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5: 14(b), 15, 16, (KJV)

    Jesus is the city that God has lifted up before the world, on Golgotha’s hill, not to be hid from the world. He is the light, that was sent into the world, to be the light of the world, that we who once stood in darkness, at the peril of the hand of the enemy of our souls, may now through Christ, walk in the light and be found of Christ Jesus, as He said in the Word of God :

    I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. - John 12: 46, (KJV)

    Too many of us have gone backwards in our thinking, in our serving, and in our walk with Christ. We have put ourselves and others, and other things, before the Lord and His will for our lives, and He is our light! Without Him, we are left to dwell in the dark, blind and in need of a spiritual, healing eye salve from the Spirit of the Lord to anoint our eyes so that we may once again see His will be done in our lives. As Christ said in the Word of God, when it came down to following His will during the greatest trial of His life here on earth or whether or not to follow the will of the Father. -

    "Nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." Mark 14: 36(b), (KJV)

    Even when facing trial and death on the cross, Jesus humbled Himself to the Father’s will so that we might have the opportunity to be saved. Let us not forget, just as He was fully the Son of God, He was also fully the Son of man. He felt everything! Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically! No sorrow or pain, or trial, or temptation, was left out. He looked to the prize of receiving the church and the world more valuable than His will to not have to suffer the cross. What do we deem more valuable in our walk with Christ, ourselves, or God’s will?

    I sometimes think that we don’t know or seem to understand just how much darkness surrounds us, and when we are not standing in the light of Christ, we stand the chance and the danger of being lost to Him forever, which is why Christ spoke about the focus of our eyes. When He talked about the eye being single and full of darkness, He was speaking concerning one looking only at himself. Thinking only of oneself, selfish, sinful, immoral, it goes against the holy nature of God. Do we not know to put anything or anyone for that fact before the will of God and the Spirit of God for that fact, is corrupt. It changes our way of thinking about the Lord. We put other things before Christ and lose His light to guide us along the way. Which brings me to the question, which is better, to follow Christ, who is the light or to follow after ourselves and our own will, which sits in the darkness of the flesh, without Christ? If this is where we are, we cannot see, and are blind. We do not know or understand the place where we stand. There are many today, unaware of where they are standing in Christ. The church in Laodicea, (Revelation 3: 1-22, KJV), was in this predicament. They had lost their place in Christ and because they were caught up in thinking that their wealth, material possessions, and achievement, not their life in Christ: put them in a favored place with the Lord, not so .The enemy of our soul has found the weaknesses of too many in our churches today and is using them against us, to cause a weakness in the body of Christ as a whole. As Christ said in the book of Matthews 5: 13, (KJV);

    Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. - Matthew 5: 13, (KJV)

    If we have lost our effectiveness in this world to lead others to Christ because we have lost that which makes us effective, than like the salt that has lost its savor, we are good for nothing, but to be trodden underfoot - Matthew 5: 13, (KJV), which is exactly what is happening today. The enemy of our souls is trying to make the church, the body of Christ, look as if we have lost our effectiveness to lead the lost to Christ in this world. He is trying to make us look like just another empty religion, run and governed by man and his emotions, and his imaginations, like the false idol worshippers in the Bible did. I continually thank God for those whose light of Christ is still burning bright in the world, just like that city set on a hill - Matthew 5:14, (KJV). It is the Spirit of Christ that keeps us from being just another empty religion in the world, instead of a Faith and a true belief in the one and only God, our Father, and Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ.

    In the parable of the ten virgins - Matthew 25: 1-13, (KJV), the ten virgins waited for the call to go into the ceremony with the Groom, five were wise, and five were foolish. The five that were foolish had not prepared, they didn’t purchase extra oil in case they ran out. They took things for granted and when confronted with the fact that they had not prepared they tried borrowing from the five wise that did prepare, and where turned down. The fact being, the five that were wise had just enough for their own lamps to keep burning. Proving that God supplies exactly what we need to live this Christian life. The only reason we would not have what we need spiritually to live this life according to the will and the word of God, is that we aren’t truly seeking for it. Many Christians today or those that say they are Christians are happy with a mediocre and still life in the church. Not wanting their world disturbed by the work or the warfare of the Spirit. They feel that if they don’t seek, they will not find. The reality of this is, if they don’t seek they will not be found. The five foolish virgins had become or already, were lazy. Not willing to get up and make the effort to get the oil needed for their lamps while they had the opportunity to do so like the five wise before the call came to enter into the Bridegrooms chambers. Just like today there are many not willing to make the effort to seek after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is the oil in our lamps, or lives that cause us to shine before a world steeped in darkness so we can become a light to others who like ourselves were once lost in the darkness of this world. We listen to others telling us that it does not take all of that to live saved, one of the biggest lies that ever left hell and unfortunately still being accepted by those who like the five foolish virgins don’t want to put forth the effort to live a truly saved and Spirit filled life before God. Many today, that feel that just because they say they are Christians, but are not truly living a Christian life are going to be surprised when the trump sounds and they are left behind, having no Spiritual oil of Christ burning bright in their lives will have left them behind and in the dark. The oil or anointing and indwelling of the Holy Spirit not being present in one’s life means no light. To be saved is not enough you must also seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit. To be saved and not seek after being filled with the Holy Ghost is like being given a car, having no engine or motor and no understanding as to how to go forward.

    Many of us are facing spiritual wrecks and wreckage in our lives because we are trying to live the life or drive the car, so to speak, without the Holy Spirit to guide us. Christ never meant for us to live this life without the Holy Spirit, because He knew that we were going to need the Holy Spirit in order to live this life and stay saved in it. Without the guidance, the knowledge and the power of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives we are running on empty and trying to drive the car without instructions. This is why so many of us crash in our faith and our walk with Christ. Many end up going back out to the world because there is nothing to hold them in Christ. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer. He seals us in Christ. Without the Holy Spirit operating in our lives, we become like those of the church of Laodicea, lukewarm Christians, not having fire or passion for Christ, susceptible to weak teachings and false doctrines.

    Lukewarm water is a breeding ground for all types of diseases, germs, bacteria which can make the body sick, affect and even destroy the body, depending on what germ or disease was introduced to the body, which is one of the reasons why we should not make a habit of drinking lukewarm water. Boiling water as we know kills germs and bacteria. Cold water refreshes the soul. Lukewarm water just makes the body sick and can and will cause vomiting, because of the germs that have been breeding in it. Just like having a lukewarm spiritual life can cause your soul to be sick and can tear down your walk with Christ if not corrected.

    When reading the letter to the church of Laodicea, which is also the last letter to the church as a whole, you can see the similarities to the parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins in it. The only difference is that the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins takes it a little further, revealing the results of living a lukewarm life before Christ, they were left behind and the door was closed unto them. Without the Spirit of the Lord to light our path and show us the way, we stand the chance of being overtaken by the same darkness that is in this world. Just like the five foolish virgins were left out in the dark, for their complacency with being prepared to meet the Bridegroom, many today in the church are unfortunately going to suffer the same fate if this is not corrected. I often wondered why two of five virgins were mentioned. The number five as we may or may not know, in biblical numerology is said to stand for grace. We are all given the same amount of grace by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to live this life, what we do with it is up to us. When Christ gave His life on the cross as a sacrifice for the forgiving, the cleansing and the washing away of our sins, it was more than enough for all who would seek to be saved and born again. His grace was and is sufficient for us. What we do with it is what is going to determine our outcome with the Lord. When the Rapture does come, only the prepared will be able to go back with Christ when He comes for His bride.

    Christ taught many parables in helping us to be and get prepared to go back with Him to the wedding feast that is going to take place in the Father’s house - Luke 14: 16-24, Matthew 22: 2-14, (KJV). It is up to us to take heed to what He is saying to the church. Many of us think today because we are a member of a church, that it assures us of a seat in heaven, not so, neither does our degrees, wealth, or social standing. Take a note from the Pharisees and the Sadducees, it is not our education, nor our degrees, nor our wealth, nor our prosperity, nor our acknowledgements, nor any of these things that are going to assure us of a place in God’s kingdom. It is the life, and the Spirit of Christ moving and working in us, the light; that is going to open the door for us to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He comes back for His church. After the seventh letter was given to John on the Isle of Patmos, we see in - Revelation 14: 14-16 (KJV), Christ is instructed by the angel that came out of the temple, to thrust in His sickle and reap the harvest of the earth, which is the rapture or the catching away. Immediately following that, another angel comes out to thrust in his sickle, and there is a war or battle in which there is much bloodshed that comes up to the horses bridle. In - Ezekiel chapters 38 - 39, KJV, you find a more descriptive view of this battle that takes place after Christ, described as the Son of man, reaps His harvest from the earth. It is after this battle we see where God’s wrath begins to be poured out upon the earth. It is going to be a terrible time. No one should want to be left behind.

    Many of the parables dealing with this

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