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“DAWN of LIBERTY”

-Extracts by Michael Phillips.

Dieder Palacki from behind the Iron Curtain addresses the West…

 

It was several long moments before he at last spoke.  “It has

been a curious past several days,” he began, speaking softly.

“I have been listening with great interest to the many discussions

and exhortations, all with the end in view of promoting the

Christian faith in a region of the world where one might conclude

never before had a single soul heard the name Jesus of Nazareth.”

 

“I must admit that when the invitation came to join you, and even

to address this gathering, I found myself seized with a certain

trepidation.  As you know, large assemblies of Christians such

as this have not been customary where I come from, and thus

most of my work among Christians has been in small groups of

less than one hundred.  Addressing several thousand I found a

very intimidating prospect.”

 

“In the end however, I decided to join you, for we pastors and

Christians from the regions formerly behind the Iron Curtain are

certainly excited about the new possibilities for evangelism in our

nations too.”

 

“But as I listened to more and more talk of money and pamphlets,

of missionaries being sent and books being shipped, of teachers

and pastors coming to help and train us in spreading the gospel,

and of your gospel TV and radio stations and your gospel trains

and gospel trucks full of your Western-style gospel paraphernalia –

your badges and tracts and stickers and music and gaily written

happiness-books with their joy-filled, razzle-dazzle Christianity – a

knot has steadily risen in my stomach.”

 

“Do not forget, I have spent much time in your countries.  I have

been in your churches and bookstores.  I have witnessed with my

own eyes the trappings of your so-called spiritual prosperity,

which is really no prosperity at all, but a hollow empty shell.”

 

“Something within me wants to shout and say to you all, “Go

home to your contented and wealthy homes and communities

and churches.  The Good News of Jesus Christ is alive and

vibrant and is fully capable of carrying itself abroad into the hearts

of hungry men and women without the benefit of your expensive

and lavish commercial efforts on its behalf.”

 

“Why do you think that those of us such as my brothers

Wurmbrand and Duduman and Vins and others have been

risking our lives for all these years?  Each of us has been

imprisoned, beaten, tortured, humiliated because of our preaching

of Christ’s gospel. Thousands upon thousands of our fellow Poles

and Russians and Slavs and East Germans have laid their lives on

the line for the sake of their faith and in order to share that faith with

others.”

 

“I tell you, my friends, God’s church is alive and well in the areas

you represent as lost and in such desperate need.  Small, perhaps,

it may be, but it is alive and thriving because in our corners of the

world there is a price to be paid to call yourself a disciple of the

Lord Jesus Christ.  A price that cannot be measured, as you seem

to measure all things – by money.  No, you who hear my words who

I hope and pray are my brothers and sisters, it costs to believe in

the East.  It costs all you have to be a Christian.  So there are very

few lukewarm, halfhearted souls among us.  To be halfhearted can

cost you your life!”

 

“For years we have tried to alert you Christians of the West to the

true state of affairs behind the Iron Curtain.  We have written, we

have traveled, we have spoken, we have prayed, we have wept.”

 

“How many of you listened to us?”

“My brother and friend Alexandr Solzhenitsyn attempted for a

decade to be heard, as have so many others.  We asked for your

prayers, for Bibles, for help in teaching and training our people.

And some help did come, for which we were grateful.”

 

“But the rest of you continued to feed your own mammoth

religious systems, building yet bigger and bigger transmitting

stations and more television stations and publishing more books –

all in the name of proclaiming the gospel.”

 

“But did you ever give of yourselves?  Did you come help us?  Did

you pray for us?  Did you suffer and die and starve with us?  How

much did you really care about the people you now so pompously

think you will save for the kingdom?”

 

“Where have you been all this time?  We needed your help and

prayers and support and Bibles when times were hard!  We have

been beaten and imprisoned and even killed for the gospel’s sake.

Where were you when it counted?  We lived our faith behind the

Iron Curtain, and now that it is down, who is to say we even want

you coming with your pompous egoism and self-reliance?….  Do

you truly expect us to share your enthusiasm and welcome you

and your wealthy brand of capitalistic Christianity with open arms?”

 

“Think again, my friends, those I would still call my brothers and

sisters in spite of your blindness.  Pause and consider the egotism

of your presumption and the worldliness of your method.”

 

By now the auditorium was filled with the heaviness of shocked

silence.  No one dared move a muscle or so much as shift in his

seat.  But Palacki’s chastening diatribe was not over yet.

 

“How dare you well-fed, contented, prosperous Christians of the

West, come here now and think you can throw your money at us

poor unfortunates and suddenly save the world with all the gadgets

and inventions and high-tech wizardry of electronic spirituality!  You

with your multi-million-dollar architecturally imposing churches, you

with your computer Bibles and preprogrammed Bible Studies, you

with your posh cars and soft, upholstered pews, your grand libraries

of Christian books, your leather-bound reference Bibles, you who have

all the answers to the world’s ills nicely at hand to spout off when

asked.”

 

“Have we Christians of the East been idle all this time?  What

would you have us to do, go off quietly somewhere so you can

come in and pat yourselves on the back before your watching

congregations and claim credit for saving all the souls who would

be lost without you?”

 

“No my shallow brothers and sisters of wealthy, contented

Western evangelicalism!  Build a prayer tower or a glass church

somewhere, but think not that your money can save souls.  Go

back from whence you came, and spend your evangelistic self-

gratifying mammon elsewhere!”

 

Suddenly he stopped, stood another two or three seconds gazing

at his listeners with calm countenance, yet flaming eyes.  Then,

with decisive motion he ripped the check he was still holding into

several pieces and let it drop to the floor.

 

Palacki turned and strode off the platform and out of sight, leaving

his hearers gaping in stunned silence.

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Abiding

Run that Ye May Obtain [podcast]


Don’t Walk. “Run.”

Saints we are finishing honest, holy, humble, repentant – crucified with Christ and confessing and never covering any sin (Proverbs 28:13).

1 Corinthians 9:16-27

16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

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Abiding

“I have Espoused you to one Husband” [podcast]


“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

After detailing the things that would be occuring in the earth before His return, Jesus then instructs us what to do: “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

We’ve come way to far to turn back now.

Now that the LORD has found and saved you, you are now engaged to be married eternally to Christ, the Great Bridegroom.

“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2

The word “chaste” is defined this way:

ἁγνός
hagnos
hag-nos’
From the same as G40; properly clean, that is, (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect: – chaste, clean, pure.

One source notes:

“The phrase “I have espoused you to one husband” is from the Bible, specifically 2 Corinthians 11:2. It is spoken by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth, where he uses a metaphor of a father ‘betrothing’ a daughter to a groom. In this context, he is the spiritual father who has led them to believe in Christ, and he has now given them to Christ, the one husband, as a pure virgin bride.

  • Spiritual father: Paul compares himself to a father who has arranged a marriage for his daughter. 
  • The Church as the bride: The church is the ‘daughter’ being given in marriage. 
  • Christ as the husband: Christ is the one husband to whom the church is being betrothed. 
  • Purity and faithfulness: Paul’s ‘godly jealousy’ is his fear that the church will be led away from its pure and simple devotion to Christ, much like Eve was deceived. He wants to present them to Christ as a ‘chaste virgin.'” 

What bride is Jesus returning for?

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27

How we know His bride:

The true bride of Christ that He is returning for is in the Word, being sanctified and cleansed by it  “with the washing of water by the word.” Jesus is returning for His remnant body, bride who are known in that they are walking, living in the Word. They are obedient to read and obey Him, it. Read Psalm 1.

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalms 1:2-3 

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready
8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 
9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. … 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22; 24:13

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

PRAYER: Father in Jesus’ name, please make me holy. Anoint my life to the death and burial of self that You might raise me up daily in Your victory and fruitfulness. Unite my heart to fear Thy name dear LORD. Into Your hands I here and now submit my spirit and life. In Jesus’ name.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Sabbath Keeping Hebrew Roots Judaizers ExposedThe Greatest of these is Charity | Be Ready in the Morning [podcast] | The Sure Mercies of David [podcast] | That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  | Great Commission | Christology = the Study of Christ

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Abiding

“Your Redemption Draweth Nigh” [podcast]


“Great podcast!” Robin Figtree

“Amen! This verse is hope for the remnant believers! As we are not to be like the world and the lukewarm Christians whose hearts are failing them for fear. Luke 21:26. But we are to put our hope and faith in our blessed Saviour who will come like a thief in the night. We are to live with an eternal perspective. And not to live in despair, hopelessness, and fear.” Karen Cochran

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

After detailing the things that would be occuring in the earth before His return, Jesus then instructs us what to do: “Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

Hebrews 10:35-39

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Jesus told us to “look up, and lift up your heads” when we see the signs of the end which would indicate His soon return. Rather than being overly preoccupied with the signs and Satan’s agents that Christ told us would be most evident just before His return, we should be all the more seeking the face of the Lord. Jesus is coming which should hasten us to do the ministry commission He left us to do—edify, nourish, teach and send forth His people into ministry to make Him known to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; John 21:15-17; Ephesians 4:11-15, etc.).

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Are you nourishing your heart daily in God’s Word? Who will you build up in Christ today?

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Prayer: LORD, please root me soundly in You this day. Produce the fruit and good works in this vessel that glorify You. Help me to nourish, edify, and equip others of Your beloved people. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | The Return of ChristStewardshipApostate Modern Church Exposed | Beware of the BUZZ WORD Bandits [podcast] | Preach the WordWolves Exposed | Church Membership Exposed | 100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich Podcasts | Knowing God | The Cross Life | Christology = the Study of Christ

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