SONSHIP.010

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                        ONE OF A CITY
        
             After  the  ten-tribed  Israel had been  taken  into  Assyrian 
        captivity, the Southern kingdom of Judah fell into the same  terri-
        bly  sinful condition which had caused the captivity of the  North-
        ern kingdom.
        
             In  chiding  with  Judah, the Lord  wrote  to  the  Northern 
        kingdom some statements which were prophetic-- spoken concern-
        ing the people who live today, and are followers of the Lord.
        
             It was a clarion call at that time-- for Israel to repent of her 
        sins and return to the ways of the Lord.  It was also a clarion  call 
        to  the Christians of today who have backslidden into the  denomi-
        national system (with the resultant captivity) which we have today.
        
             Malachi  bemoaned  the fact that integrity and  morals  had 
        deteriorated  to the place that evil was called good, and  good  was 
        called  evil.   We  find  ourselves  in  the  same  condition  today. 
 
        Business men say they can not be honest and prosper.  Church and 
        denominational  leaders  today say they can not embrace  the  true 
        principals  of  Christianity.  To do so would  wreck  their  system.  
        The  "system"  has become a form of business--  and  a  cut-throat 
        business at that.  Little wonder the wrath of the Lord is building to 
        explosive proportions.
        
             When  the  "system" is crushed-- many of  its  leaders  will 
        also  be crushed.  God is not, however, primarily displeased  with 
        MEN  who believe on Him.  He is displeased with how men  have 
        become  CAPTIVE to that which they have invented-- "to  further 
        the  Gospel".   It  (the  system) has  become  a  "Frankenstein"  of 
        sorts, and is a very cruel taskmaster.
        
             Yet, ironically, out of, and in spite of, the mess which  the 
        Christian  community finds itself in today, God will  perform  His 
        Will and Plan for his Blood-bought people world-wide.
        
             You  don't  believe  He  can do  it?   Think  again,  friend.  
        Look  at the mess which the Hebrew people were in at the time  of 
        the  birth,  life, and crucifixion of Jesus.  Did that deter  the  
Lord 
        from the timing and performance of His Plan?  NO!!!
        
             The  message  to ten-tribed Israel was:   Jeremiah  3:12-14    
        Go  and proclaim these words toward the north, and  say,  Return, 
        thou  backsliding  Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I  will  not  cause 
        mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, 
        [and]  I will not keep [anger] for ever.   Only  acknowledge  thine 
        iniquity,  that  thou hast transgressed against the LORD  thy  God, 
        and  hast  scattered  thy ways to the strangers  under  every  green 
        tree,  and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the  LORD.    Turn, 
        O  backsliding  children, saith the LORD; for I  am  married  unto 
        you:  and   I WILL TAKE YOU ONE OF A  CITY,  AND  TWO 
        OF A FAMILY, AND  I  WILL BRING YOU TO ZION:
        
             The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision which troubled him 
        very  much.  He saw a terrible thing taking place among the  lead-
        ers of Israel, and it was causing the people to commit a very  great 
        sin.  The Lord sent a man with an ink horn among the people--  to 
        put  a mark upon those who "sighed and cried" over the  abomina-
        tions which were committed.  Then, another was commissioned to 
        go  through  the  nation and slay everyone who  did  not  have  the 
        mark  on  them.   When  so  many  were  slain,  and  Ezekiel  was 
        spared,  he  cried out to the Lord, "Lord, will you  kill  EVERY-
        ONE?"  See Ezek chs. 8 & 9
        
             These  two portions of scripture are prophetic, in that  they 
        give us an idea of what and how God is working within the  Chris-
        tian  Community today-- selecting and marking a group of  people 
        who  are meeting the demands of a Holy God for THEIR  lives  in 
        this  day.   You and I have no way of knowing who they  are,  for 
        we can judge by appearances only.  GOD KNOWS THE HEART.
        
             They  are NOT PERFECT.  No one is.  But, their  manner 
        of life-- dictated by their heart condition, is such that God  consid-
        ers them to be CANDIDATES for the special ANOINTING AND 
        IMPARTATION OF HIS SPIRIT which will empower them to do 
        what He has DETERMINED shall be done in the TIME OF  THE 
        HARVEST.
        
             MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.
        
             II Peter 1:10,11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give  dili-
        gence  to  make your calling and election sure: for if  ye  do  these 
        things, ye shall never fall:  For so an entrance shall be  ministered 
        unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord  and 
        Saviour Jesus Christ. 
        
             YOU AND I CAN BECOME CANDIDATES!

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