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Lowell Brueckner

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An Endtime Dilemma

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“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves.”
                                                                                                             2 Timothy 3:1, 2

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, the human race separated from its Creator and consequently died spiritually. For six thousands years, it has been putrefying and an ever-increasing stench fills the nostrils of God. As bad as the history of mankind has been, it still awaits its worst moment. Paul prophesied that there would come a generation in the last days, who would surpass all others for indwelling wickedness. Heading Paul’s list of godless characteristics, and probably the cause of all those that follow, is self-love.

   When Jesus spoke of the last days, He first mentioned deceit and He repeatedly warned His disciples, during that discourse, that there would come an unprecedented deception. I believe, the father of lies brought into play two great factors, conceived in the nineteenth century, one after the other, which have contributed to the development of a unique mentality, deeming man the master of his own destiny and determining that he should stop at nothing to fulfill his dreams. It is the mindset at the beginning of this millennium and is preparing the world for the reign of anti-christ. One factor is the theory of evolution (Charles Darwin, 1809-1882) and, although I may offend some, I will dare to say that the other is psychology (Sigmund Freud, 1856-1939). These relatively new doctrines are prominent and almost universally accepted as legitimate sciences.

Romania… Words are not Enough

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“Revival is not for those who want it; it is for those who want nothing else.”

 I was in Romania from May 31st to June 12th, returning home on the 14th. I´m sitting here thinking about writing an article for my blog about what I observed in that country. My special interest is with a group of younger Christians, couples and singles, with Brethren background, who have been praying for revival before I first met them.

Eliza and Vali
Vali was a roommate at a camp maybe 10 years ago, probably more, and when I arrived, the camp director, another roommate, said, "There is a 26-year-old young man at this camp with a special hunger for God. I hear him crying even in the bathroom, as he prays for revival." Since that time, I have come to know Vali well; in fact, I spoke at his wedding. He has become a publisher, who translates and publishes the very best in Christian literature. (http://www.perlasuferintei.ro/)

One book that has had a tremendous effect, as well as serious repercussions, upon Romania is "Joy Unspeakable" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Because Jones, a theologian, pastor and writer, highly respected in all of Europe, advocates a post-conversion baptism in the Holy Spirit, people in the “Brethren” movement had denied Vali any position of leadership in the church, as well as any opportunity to preach.

Seeking the Spirit of the Kingdom, chapter eight

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Has anyone suggested selflessness as the evidence of a Spirit-filled life? Should it not be? To be filled with the Holy Spirit, certainly means to be emptied of self. The eighth and final chapter of this book considers one of the most beautiful stories in the entire Bible. Its beauty lies in the spirit of the main character. Did I say main character? He certainly isn’t seeking that position; in fact, he would turn our attention towards others, who play a part in this account… to Isaac, to Abraham, or to Rebekah. He is only on a mission for his master.  Open your heart and learn from a slave the meaning of being wholly under the control of the Holy Spirit. Does his example evoke a cry from your heart to be like him?


CHAPTER 8

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED LIFE

AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE ETERNAL PLAN

The final and perhaps best chapter
The word genesis means beginning or origin. The book of Genesis takes us to the beginning of everything that we know. There begins a revelation of the personality of God and His eternal purposes. It speaks of creation and we can see in it the first steps in the development of the plan for which the universe was created. We begin to enter into the book and we discover Abraham, a man who only existed for the Kingdom of God. God’s specific purposes for Abraham in His Kingdom were two: First, Abraham was to be a patriarch of a nation that God was raising up, through which He would manifest Himself to the entire earth. The second reason was that he would be the father of all that would come near to God by faith.

Genesis 24 relates a story that occurs as Abraham’s life was coming to an end. Sarah, his wife, had died and Abraham begins to think about the next generation and how the divine plan would unfold. It is obvious that his son, Isaac, would have to be married and have a son, who would carry the seed that God had promised. Therefore, Abraham sent his slave to Mesopotamia, where Abraham had his roots and where his relatives still lived, to seek a bride for Isaac.

You Must Be Born Again!

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I invite you to enter into a study that I am undertaking, concerning the theme of the new birth. In the book, God Made the Country, I wrote on the same theme, but in this work, I am approaching the subject in a different manner with a different purpose, emphasizing some things that I didn’t mention in the book. Also, I am presenting this more in the form of an outline, recognizing that it lacks substance and details. But using the outline, you can develop the subject, jotting things in a notebook or your own computer that will help explain to you the things that I am presenting. So, we can join and learn together from this study…


New Birth or Regeneration

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12-13

Introduction:

In this introduction, I want to first make a general appeal for basic truth, for pure doctrine and biblical theology: Above all, the teachers and preachers of the gospel, myself included, have a responsibility to present truth. There are many things that we may not like, as we learn, but we cannot change divine, eternal truth. We are not the fountain of righteousness, and our view of what is righteous, at best, is imperfect, therefore, we must learn to yield to God and learn to love the truth that He teaches in His word.  There must be no selfishness in our quest, which we may try to disguise as something more spiritual, but is actually a lust for recognition for our cleverness in our presentation or for any other personal benefit that we might attain as expounders of spiritual themes. We must be on a single-minded mission to bring honor to God.

This is also a plea for an expectation of definite divine intervention in the work of personal salvation. Such an intervention does not take place automatically, as a result of having taken certain steps towards salvation: i.e. “Recognize, this, this, this and that, then pray and you will be saved”. God must be in every conversion. Good doctrine states that you are adopted into the family of God, when you place your trust in the person and work of God’s Son. Regeneration demonstrates that you are in the family, in plain view of the entire universe. If there is no new birth, there is no adoption.  

Seeking the Spirit of the Kingdom, chapter seven

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There are evangelistic methods, probably many, that are pragmatic… that is, they produce results… just as surely as McDonald’s and Coca Cola produce results. But, if you intend to see that the people you contact in evangelism walk on streets of gold some day, you had better be sure of two things: 1) That you are using Biblical principles and 2) that these principles are anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Abraham and Sarah put two and two together and produced an Ishmael. It was a successful plan and totally within the realm of human possibilities… and therein lay its weakness. It was not according to God’s promise or His supernatural power. God simply was not in it. Every person who comes into the Kingdom of God enters through a supernatural, God-exalting, heavenly new birth. God, and only God, can do that work (Jn.1:12,13) Read in this chapter about the essential work of the Holy Spirit in evangelism.  


CHAPTER 7

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EVANGELISM

THE MESSAGE OF THE LOVE OF GOD IS FOR BELIEVERS


































































































Jesus also spoke of the Holy Spirit in the work of evangelism: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged” (John 16:8-11). It is important, before we consider these verses, to see a question put to Jesus by Judas (not Iscariot): “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” (14:22). Jesus first answered the part of the question, concerning manifesting Himself to His own, and afterwards the part about the people of the world: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (verse 23). Jesus’ purpose was to establish a personal relationship of love between His disciples and God. In His prayer to the Father in chapter 17:3, He showed us that eternal life consists in knowing the Father and the Son: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Quotes from People Who Understand the Righteousness of God

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I hope that you will not misinterpret my intentions, as I post various articles that have to do with the justice and the wrath of God… not that any misinterpretation will make any difference in the posts that I present in this blog. I realize that modern mentality will judge this “unbalanced, judgmental, and lacking of love”. But the comments that I will post will deal with that opinion.

First, I have a book of daily meditations that major in that subject throughout the month of June. Secondly, there is a tremendous lack of emphasis in this area in the church in general. Come on folks, let’s wake up from the sleepy diabolical notion, dominating the evangelical pulpits in our times, that God will overlook our sin and love us, even though we love our sin more than we love Him. So, please pay attention to the following excerpts from various authors, present and past:

Franklin Graham calls them cowards!!

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I guess one of the things that most provokes my ire are "Christians", who pretend to have convictions in private conversations, but when it's time to express themselves publicly against sin, false doctrines and false prophets, they hide under the bed. They think themselves prudent and wise Christians. But Franklin Graham in this article categorizes them where they belong... among the cowards who will take their place in the Lake of Fire... 



http://blog.faithandfreedom.us/2014/05/franklin-graham-to-pastors-god-hates.html#.U5oiUbEzKSo

Seeking the Spirit of the Kingdom, chapter six

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CHAPTER 6

THE HOLY SPIRIT IDENTIFIES
WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST

THE HELPER OR COMFORTER - THE PARAKLETOS

Chapter 6 is taken from this book.
In John 14-16, Jesus mentions four times that the Holy Spirit is the helper or comforter, depending on the version you use. I think many versions are trustworthy and we can read them with confidence, knowing that what we read is legitimately the word of God. Comforter or helper is a good translation of the original Greek word parakletos. Nevertheless, it is also true that sometimes the translators have erred or, more commonly, have not given all the significance that comes from the Greek. The truth of the matter is that not always can they do so, because the English vocabulary does not provide a word that is equivalent to the original Greek.

The one who seriously studies the Bible, at times must be willing to dig a little on his own account into the classical Greek language. He does not have to learn it entirely, nor become a Greek expert, especially in these days, when we have been given much help. Anyone can get a Strong’s concordance, which includes a good Greek and Hebrew dictionary that will give you the literal meaning and, at times, the roots of the words. Also a Greek concordance of the New Testament is very useful and I like an interlineal Greek-English New Testament. Then, it is easy to find a study book about biblical words. Perhaps one of the best is the edition by W. E. Vine.

Seeking the Spirit of the Kingdom, chapter five

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CHAPTER 5

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH


THE AUTHOR OF SCRIPTURE

Chapter 5 is taken from this book
When the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews cites a portion of the Scripture, he does not attribute it to a prophet, or the Psalmist, or any other human personality, but directly to the Holy Spirit. For example, referring to Psalm 95:7-8, he says, “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 3:7-8).

In Hebrews 9:8, he shows that it is the Holy Spirit who is teaching about the Holy of Holies, mentioning that only the high priest could enter there and only once a year: The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed.”
For the third time, in Hebrews 10:15-17 he cites Jeremiah 31:33-34, attributing directly to the Holy Spirit, that which is written in the Old Testament: The Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them,’ He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’”

The Reality of Being in the Presence of God

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It wasn’t long ago that we posted the testimony of Hector. If you haven’t read it, be sure that you do. You will easily find it, just a couple articles below this one. It would be good, if you read it first. Many told that God did an important work through this entire circumstance. I believe that this testimony is more than a comforting account; it was also a message from the Lord, advising a people of things that will be taking place in the near future. They will be very difficult days, but at the same time, very precious, in which the eternal and heavenly things will become a clear reality. Paul called these difficult things light afflictions… compared to the exceeding weight of glory. Jesus taught that the Christian does not ever die; he only departs from his body to go immediately into the presence of God.  

An individual who was present in the funeral parlor, where Hector’s body lay, at that moment received a revelation and tells the story in the paragraphs that follow…

Whenever I recall that time surrounding the accident of our dear Hector, it comes with a sweet sense of the presence and glory of God, mixed, of course, with the suffering and pain caused by such a situation, in the first place, that of his family, and then others, whom God permitted to be part of his life, in one way or another. There are many things and moments from those days that are worthy of special mention, but there is something that stands out to me that will be with me forever. I saw, as I have never seen before, the reality of eternity and resurrection life. Human language, I know, is very limited, when it comes to explaining things that are not of this world, but in spite of that, and with the help of God, I will attempt to do so.

June 4 – June 14 Daily Meditations in the Psalms

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June 4

Psalms 47:5-9

5.  God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6.  Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7.  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8.  God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
9.  The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

     We are coming close to the day, when we will see the clear manifestation of His sovereign reign. From resurrection to judgment, He must rule until all enemies are subdued under His feet. Jesus has ascended up on high to the shouts and trumpets of angels. His resurrection victory marks the pivotal point of history, though it was settled in the mind of God before the foundation of the earth. Let us join with the angels, as the revelation, which they have long known, becomes clear to us. Jesus is victor! “His right hand and His glorious arm have gotten Him the victory!” Shout and sing! He is the King of all the earth. He reigns over the heathen upon the throne of holiness. All the nations are as a drop in a bucket in comparison to His eternal kingdom. All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and proclaim in the Holy Spirit that He is ruler over hearts. Observe a holy people snatched from the heathen, as He gathers them from among the inhabitants of the earth. They are made princes, who were conquered by His throne and inducted into His kingdom. He calls them together now, the people of the God of Abraham, the father of nations. The formation of that kingdom, which shall have no end, is in progress. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The silver and gold are His and He possesses the shields of the earth. He has the resources to work all things after the counsels of His will.