TO KISS A FROG
OR
HOW TO BACKSLIDE
Howard Barnett
In our travels, we have begun to visit some congregations where the anointing would be on a level of eight, on a scale of one to ten, at one visit and down to a one or two at the next visit. When inquiring of the Lord the reason for this, the word was "backsliding". Many churches don’t realize that they cause their own ‘off-nights’. We all should know how to build up ourselves praying in the Holy Ghost. We surely should understand the principles of worshiping in spirit and in truth. And we definitely should know to share our love for the Lord and for one another. The scripture says that where two or three are gathered together, Jesus will be in your midst. The condition of our gathering is, we must gather in His name. Many, not understanding spiritual things, assume this ‘name’ to be a label or a plaque nailed on the building door. But His name for the hour may be wonderful. We all love wonderful. Wonderful makes us full of wonder. We love miracles. We rejoice when God astounds us or causes us to marvel. The problem with wonderful is that Jesus may be here as counselor for the meeting. Oops! Do we thank the Lord for counseling with hungry minds or ears? Or do we grumble because we want wonderful? Suppose He will present himself as the everlasting Father and maybe chastise His children, to demonstrate his love. Do we appreciate his correcting rod? Or do we want some more wonder or counseling, which might be preferable to having a few of our wrinkles ironed out? Or worse yet, maybe we don’t recognize Jesus as "Our Father". Those who don’t know him as "Father" will never get above a six on that one to ten scale. Even filled with the Holy Ghost, many don’t understand Jesus as Father.
The many scriptures that reveal this have been darkened by the Babylonian church systems for centuries. Her favorite pet, the Red Dragon, has tried to keep this from you. Only the true Father can beget true children. Many have not even recognized the marriage of the Lamb in the spirit. Not knowing this would be comparable to ignoring the principle of the virgin birth. We are the many sons of Hebrews 2:10, Hebrews 2:13, Isaiah 8:18, Isaiah 53:10 and John 10:29. Jesus has never left his bride. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."1 Never still means never. Many who don’t believe this are calling themselves "bastards".2 But brother, what about the marriage supper? Supper in the Greek is DAPANE or DAPTO, which means ‘to devour’ or ‘consuming’. First notice, that "his wife hath made herself ready".3 And notice what is listed on the menu, "that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great."4 This seven year consuming (supper) along with the fire, will cause the heathen to know "that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel".5
Only the true wife hath made herself ready for the GREAT GOD, THE KING OF KINGS, AND THE LORD OF LORDS.
Recognizing Jesus in these scriptures from Revelation 19:16, should reveal Him as the Mighty God. And most churches recognize Him as the Prince of Peace. But even with this in the right order, the harlot systems, the unmarried church spoken of by John in Revelation 17:5 as "mystery Babylon", won’t understand; even though the fire has already come. The lie that she has believed has not made her ready to share this light. She didn’t have this oil, or anointing, to welcome the husband as Mighty God. She expected to kiss a "frog" 6 and turn him into her prince.
Paul asked "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"7 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"8 "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, where we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."9
If we start our walk with a spiritual drink, we don’t add to the spirit by any natural drink. This is one of the lies from the harlot church that causes backsliding, or worse. "For many are sick and many sleep, because they drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord’s body."10 A lie works damnation. Can you not believe "for as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ."11 "What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not."12
Paul also said, "that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."13
Many ministers threaten the curses of the law upon the Lord’s sheep for not providing him with enough wool or sacrifice. The Bible is very plain on this, saying that he is not of the just, "for, the just shall live by faith".13 Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."14 Why are many ministries quoting the scriptures of Malachi 3:8, regarding tithing and the curse of Malachi 3:9. Jesus also removed the cause of the curse.
The storehouse of the Levitical priesthood is no longer in effect. Our priest, the Lord Jesus, sprang out of Judah - not Levi, which tribe Moses spake nothing of concerning the priesthood. "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God."15 Our goal in ‘drawing nigh unto God’ can only be accomplished by the "faith which worketh by love."16 "For if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."17
The Bible warns "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."18 I see many seed sowers seeking material things in the Kingdom of God. This ‘buying of favors’ is not scripturally of God. It sounds more like corrupt politics designed to make the rich richer. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."19 Doing good is the spiritual sowing.
Paul instructed the early church concerning the collection for the saints, saying, "as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."20 The early apostles were not building bigger buildings, they were collecting for the poor.21 There is only one church and there are more than enough buildings for it. The walls that separate us are not the brick and wood partitions that we have constructed. The doctrines of devils, the believed on seed of the serpent, the hedges or tares, separate God’s children. And what the tares don’t divide the carnal mind adds. Only the gold will survive the fire of God. "Every man’s work will be tried by fire."22 The disobedient, calloused ears of the harlot church will know when the Lord Jesus is revealed from the spirit with the angels of His power. "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God."23 The natural mind believes it won’t be here during this time. The spiritual mind knows better.
REFERENCES
1 Hebrews 13:5
2 Hebrews 12:8
3 Revelation 19:7
4 Revelation 19:18
5 Ezekiel 39:7-9
6 Revelation 16;13
7 Galatians 3:3
8 II Corinthians 13:5
9 I Corinthians 12:13
10 I Corinthians 11:29-30
11 I Corinthians 12:12
12 I Corinthians 11:22
13 Galatians 3:11-13
14 Galatians 3:10
15 Hebrews 7:15-19
16 Galatians 5:6
17 Galatians 5:18
18 Galatians 6:7-8
19 Galatians 6:9-10
20 I Corinthians 16:1
21 Galatians 2:10
22 I Corinthians 3:13
23 II Thessalonians 1:8
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