Hi, it’s me again, writing to remind you that our treasures are still stolen and must be recovered. Thank you for your response to part two of the article. If you are having trouble opening your e-mails you can always go to jubilee ministries.org and download the articles. Please share these with everyone you know and let us hear from you in response.
Now let’s move to the matter of the content our ministry. Please receive these teachings in the prophetic spirit in which they are written. If they apply to you and your church pray through and change, if not rejoice, but don’t defend against the truth and don’t let your flesh control you.
On the subject of heaven, the Father is there; Jesus came from there and returned; the Holy Ghost is from there and seeks to return. The saints of the ages are there; the angels are there and I want to go there not just to escape Earth and its problems, but to see Jesus and to be free from tears, pain, burdens, darkness, death and sorrow. I want to see streets made out of transparent gold, walls made of diamonds, twelve pearl gates, the river and the tree of life, the crystal sea, the throne of God and to have a new body that is illness free. For the past twenty-five years we have written very few new songs about heaven and have preached very few sermons about it for that matter. For the last 500 years of Reformation, every time God has sent revival the focus of the saints has always been on heaven, how to get there, longing to go, singing about it, preaching about it and talking about it. Today we act like a group of Jehovah Witnesses planning to stay here forever. We are but pilgrims and strangers on this earth and the Holy Ghost in me is longing for home.
Repentance– we so rarely hear that word today: however, it was the message of the Old Testament prophet John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles. Repent is the final word of Jesus to five of the seven churches. Repentance means to change one’s mind, to learn to hate sin and especially your own, stop making excuses for sin. “I’m sorry” is not repentance if one continues to sin. It is merely a character reference.
Holiness is to be separate, set a part. In most cases today, you can’t tell the difference in saints and sinners. The divorce rate, sexual sin, greed, our envy and anger are all equal to that of the world. The Scriptures teach us without holiness no man shall see God and they that take part in the first resurrection shall be holy. A thrice holy God commands that we be holy even as he is holy. God demands and provides the tools necessary for change .John Wesley said, “If the church was afraid of sin as it is of the word holiness she would be much better off.”
Now to the issue of cross bearing. Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34 Luke 9: 23 and Luke 14: 27 teach us that the love for our family should look like hatred compared to the fervent love we have for Jesus. Jesus said, “If you do not bear your cross, you are not my disciple.” If you have not counted the cost, if you have not denied yourself, (Matthew 10:38) you’re not worthy of Jesus. Bearing the cross involves suffering (I Peter 2: 21 and 4:13). It involves shame (Hebrews 12 :2): ridicule (Matthew 27: 39): rejection (I Peter 2:4), and self-denial (Matthew 16:24). Cross bearing will help us in our battle against sin, satan and suffering; let us not neglect this important doctrine.
Pragmatism versus principal, therapeutic need versus the truth are two positions that have dominated our thinking and our teaching which have created a “needy” group of neurotic, biblically weak Christians. Then there are the issues of obedience versus legalism and the correction of bad doctrine (even if it is televised). I will address all of these together. We are caught in a cult of bigness and success in the American church. In today’s church, large means right. In one of the largest churches in America the pastor recently said, ” I don’t know the Scriptures very well, and what’s wrong with making people feel good about themselves”? For one thing, it lulls them into a false sense of security thinking they are fine when they have never been born again. Those that live good should feel good, not those who live in sin. Sinners should not feel comfortable in the presence of God which should be in every church service in America every time we gather. Pragmatism says if it works, it must be right. This is foolishness to the highest degree. Men love darkness rather than light (John 3:19) and many times they gather in places of lower light so their sin will not be exposed. The principles of Jesus are the only truth and right in this world.
What about the hurts and pains of the people? Most of their problems are the result of sin, theirs or someone else’s. The largest Christian counseling center in America said ten years ago they would have to lay off 90% of their staff if the American pulpit would do one thing: go back to preaching there is a hell to shun and heaven to gain. Problems would be dealt with at the altar; self would die and stop pleading and plotting to get its own way. Stop calling the truth judgmental. Jesus said,” I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man cometh unto the father but by me.” It is the truth that will judge us at the last (John 12:48.) A.W. Tozer taught us that the church will have reached the zenith of apostasy when she begins to call obedience legalism. Make no mistake about it: no obedience, no New Testament faith. (John 14:15). “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Love will produce obedience and it is faith that works by love.
Perhaps the touchiest of all subjects in today’s church is the matter of money. Money is not the gospel message: Jesus is the message. Five percent of scripture involves money, yet we have an entire movement built upon money. You can preach money cometh till the cows come home, but it will not produce a move of the Holy Spirit, nor set the captives free. Jesus never said, give me an offering and I will heal or deliver you. No seed faith offering? How scary: “How will I ever pay for this Bentley?” The wolf is in the sanctuary. When will the hirelings stand up and stop bleeding the people dry and stop preaching this greedy gospel message? Giving should be based on gratitude not coercion or false promises. Jesus said more about money than He did heaven or hell knowing it would be the determining factor for most people. He warned us against covetousness and trusting in uncertain riches. If your pastor is not warning you against the wrath to come and against false prophets, he is a hireling.
Works of the flesh, in Galatians 5: 19-21, “Those who practice the works of the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom.” Death to self, victory over Satan and death to sin, not a counseling session. Accountability in most cases has literally become nothing more than sin management. Holiness is sin eradication and sin shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To love the world means to be at war with God. Does that sound promising you?
The name of Jesus is the only name that brings peace, power, healing, and authority over the devil and true salvation. Let us never forget: it is the name above every name and never cease to preach the wonders of that name.
The fear of the Lord is not negative; it is clean, the beginning of wisdom and the fountain of life. We have become so scared of being negative until we have promoted a half-truth which is a whole lie. We must never forget it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Please examine yourselves and your church and stop believing a lie because it draws a crowd and produces finances. We have been taught that any doubt is of the devil, being convicted of sin is not doubt, and it calls for self-examination and repentance. Let the word of God be the governor of your life, church and ministry. Let us not be deceived by another spirit into another gospel and another Jesus and go to hell from church believing a lie and being damned.
Robert D. Pilgrim
