It is Mine to Avenge; I Will Repay,”Says The LORD

Romans 12:19-21
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

You cannot overcome evil by returning evil. You have to return good for evil. If you return evil for evil then there will be more evil on earth. Just ponder on this for a moment and refrain from returning evil on those who do evil to you. God who is just and holy knows what to do with evil. Make room for His righteous and upright wrath. He knows how to turn men away from sin. He has been in this for the past 6000 years or so, since Adam and Eve first fell into sin. For Cain, Adam and Eve's evil son, who killed Abel his brother out of jealousy, God was just towards him. We can read that in book of Genesis in the whole of chapter 4. But, think of the consequences of living in sin. Just pause and think after reading that chapter. After you have pondered on that deeply, now ponder carefully on the given passage below.

2 Samuel 21:1-6
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD’s inheritance?” The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.” “What do you want me to do for you?” David asked. They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the LORD’s chosen one.” So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

David was put in a very difficult situation. He was the king of the land where injustice was practiced by the past king, king Saul. As a result of king Saul's evil rule, king David had to settle matters that regard injustice and unfairness for the people of his land. He talked to the affected people. But before he talked to them, it was the LORD who had alerted him of this gross injustice. The LORD brought three years of continuous famine. King David felt that there was something wrong and he sought the LORD in prayer. Sure enough, the famine was sent by the LORD to signal the unresolved injustice in the land. King David upon hearing the injustice done to them made peace with the people (the Gibeonites). They sought revenge from the LORD against Saul's house and they got it through king David. This is a lesson where we should learn that God knows everthing that is going on here, on this earth. Every injustice is taken into consideration by God. He waits for the right time for a man like king David to come into power. God is in control of everything on earth but it may seem as though He is not. Don't be fooled, you would have to give account to God , one day. Never think in your heart that you could do as you please, this earth and everything in it , is His!
There will be a day of vengeance and a year of retribution from the LORD and you will not be able to escape from Him.

Isaiah 34:8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.

The Biggest Question or Mark?

Isaiah 59:6-8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace

The biggest question mark is, who you belong to? Like a tree that shows no marks of its fruitfulness until it is harvest time,we do not know who belongs to the Lord and who really don't. Anyway, harvest time is coming soon! Our mouths can claim the heavens but what are we marked out for? Ruin and destruction or eternal life and peace in Christ? Is the mark of the beast or the mark of the name of Jesus found on you? If you live obeying the sinful nature of the Devil then the mark of the beast will be found on you. If you have Christformation in you, there will be the permanent mark of Jesus on you. By the way, '666' is the mark of maturity of the sinful nature of the Devil in you. That would mean you have obeyed the sinful nature of the Devil in you to the maximum. The full fruitage of sinful living will show through you. If you choose to obey the sinful nature of the Devil in you to the maximum, you must be ready to face the eternal consequences of your own willful actions.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

The Day When The LORD Listened to A Man

Joshua 10:12-14
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

There are many instances where God had listened to man but this one is special. Joshua had asked God for something that none of us would dare ask for. To ask for the sun and moon to stand still for nearly twenty four hours.The record showed no one had dared ask God for such a thing as this. What was the reason Joshua had asked for this impossible thing? "Till the nation avenges itself on its enemies".The enemies were five nations that had united to attack Israel. Surely Joshua needed the help of the Lord. Justified reason! God listened to Joshua and fought for Israel with His power and majesty as the God of the universe. What have you to say about this? Amazing God of the universe, right? He is there when you really need Him!

But, why Joshua? Joshua was a man who saw everything God's way while they were in the wilderness and when he had spied the land that they were about to enter. Except for Caleb, all the other ten spies who had spied the land brought negative reports about the people who lived there but Joshua and Caleb saw everything through their eyes of faith in God. Joshua's faith in God pleased Him. He was chosen to succeed Moses because of His faith and obedience to God.Here, Joshua was just obeying God, warring in Gibeon and Valley of Aijalon. Anything done out of faith and obedience to God honours Him. Therefore, God was on the side of Joshua.

Joshua 14:6-8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.

God is Sovereign over the Kingdoms of Men

Daniel 5:20-24
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes. “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

God speaks but when He knows they won't listen, He writes it down as His decree. King Nebuchadnezzar thought that no one could oppose or overthrow him now. He did not know that God opposes the proud and overthrows the wicked. In God's eyes, you are considered proud and arrogant when you do not acknowledge Him to be the Most High God who is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. When you start thinking that you own everything in this world and no one can terminate your service or replace you, that is when you have become proud and arrogant.Nebuchadnezzar had thought that no one could challenge his authority for he had at one time taken captive of even God's own people. He became proud and arrogant.Little did he know that God was watching him closely. He thought he could do just anything he wanted and get away with it.Not for long though!

As proud as Nebuchadnezzar was, he was abased to the position of the lowest of all animals- a grass eating cattle. His mind was transformed into the mind of a grass eating cattle. Was this possible? Why not! He ate grass like cattle and lived with donkeys.This tells us that nothing is impossible with God. He can change anyone to be anything, if one's heart becomes proud and arrogant when he or she will start doing things as though they were soveriegn over the kingdoms of men. Until he learned that God alone is sovereign over the kingdoms of men, he was so lowly abased before men. He was once living like an emperor and now the lowest of all animals, not even better than the lowliest of all men. This should remind you of Lucifer, who was once the highest of all God's angels and how he was turned into the lowliest, a dust eating serpent. You have to pay a heavy penalty if your heart becomes proud and arrogant towards God which translates into evil actions before man. You will show no respect towards God and His things when you are proud and arrogant in heart and mind.

What about his son, Belshazzar? Do you think he learnt any thing from his father? No, 'like father, like son'. Belshazzar, like his father was proud and arrogant too. He knew what had happenend to his father but he never learned anything from it. Probabaly the pride came from the capture of God's own people. He thought that their God was as the people he had taken into captivity. No it was God who had willed this for His people so that they would turn from their sinful living. Belshazzar dared to challenge the great God who had created heaven and earth and the whole universe. He did not honour the God who had willed all these. Instead, he gave the praises to images he had made to be his god. In his drunkeness, he did not respect God. He was slain on the same day he had received this rebuke from God's prophet Daniel, after he had described the inscription on the wall to Belshazzar. God is to be feared.

Even if you are the next great Pharoah, you ought to rever the God who is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. Exercise some fear for Him because we know what had happenened to the great Pharoah in the end.

Isaiah 61:11
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Many False Prophets Will Appear

Matthew 24:10-12
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

At a time when there is an increase of wickedness, we have witnessed the love of most people become cold. There is that growing mistrust because of betrayal and hatred for each other. Truthfulness is visibly lacking. People do not know who they should trust and not trust. In the first place, why do people have to place their trust on fellow man, when they can place their trust in God. God cannot be seen, so it is safer for them to place their trust in man. If life is just about survival on earth, then it will be okay to trust in fellow man, but life isn't just about survival. What is it then?

Ecclesiastes 3:11
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Life is about eternity. This is what many are not aware of. Many just choose to live a temporal life, not wanting to know where we each one of us are eventually headed to. There is that personal freedom of choice deep inside of us, even though we do not admit it openly, for fear of persecution of men. Our eyes are narrowly focused unto fellow man because we cannot see God. Yes, I admit it is not easy to see God but it is easier to claim that you have seen God. If we have seen God we would not behave in the same way we do today. So, we take a lousy short-cut to life. We just trust anyone who claims that they have seen or heard from God. The problem here is we can never see or hear from God until He wants to reveal Himself to us. So it is not about seeing or hearing God but about believing in Him even though you do not get a chance to see or hear Him.

John 20:27-29
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

When it comes to God, if you only believe when you see, then there is a possiblity of you seeing the wrong thing for the right one. One can believe in God even without having the need to see Him first for this is faith in God. You do not have to see the like of Him to believe in Him. Some still insist on seeing the like of Him to believe in Him. This won't be necessary if you have the faith of God in you. In this way, you would not be easily deceived.
In fact, this is how many false prophets will appear suddenly. This unbelief of God is from the sinful nature of the Devil in you. The Devil who has sowed this unbelief through his sinful nature in you, will introduce these short-cuts to you. These short-cuts are the false prophets.You do not need to seek God yourself but you can go through these false prophets who are his agents to destroy your faith in God

Hebrews 11:1
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Through your faith in Christ, you should be hoping for full Christformation in you. You must be certian that when you believe in Him, you will be filled with Him in everway so that God the Father will be pleased with you. For this to occur in you, you will have to obey God the Holy Spirit who dwells in you and not just anyone who claims to be a prophet of God. This is God's provision for you- God the Holy Spirit to lead you to full Christformation. Prophets of God are there but they too trust in God the Holy Spirit to lead them on earth. They do nothing on their own.

Luke 11:13
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Always remember that the five-fold ministers of God are led by God the Holy Spirit to assist you with Christformation in you to its fullest. If that doesn't occur in you and something else strange or worldly is being introduced to you, WATCH-OUT! for they haven't heard from the Great Shepherd of God's flock-The Lord Jesus Christ and this could spell danger for your faith in Christ that should result with full Christformation in you. You must be led by God the Holy Spirit to be watchful and careful of the spirit of the False Prophet.

Revelation 16:12-14
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty

Living a Life of Falsehood

Proverbs 30:7-8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
“Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Your daily bread can only come from God. Poverty and riches that come as a result of you living a life of falsehood will bring along the curses of God with it. When you choose to keep on obeying the sinful nature of the Devil in you but still claim you know God, you will be living a life of falsehood. We know the consequences of choosing such a path.

Revelation 22:14-15
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

The right to 'eat' from the Tree of Life is Christformation in you. You have to 'eat' daily through your obedience to all that Christ our Lord had commanded. You will live on Mt. Zion if you do this. Outside of Mt.Zion, will be those who love and practice falsehood. Falsehood produces the above sins that God detests such as witchcraft, sorcery, idolatry, murder and all forms of sexual immorality. If you love and practice falsehood, you will love and practice all these sins too.

The Greatest Sin

1 John 1:10
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

We have committed the greatest sin when we call God a liar through our actions that proceed from the sinful nature of the Devil in us and yet not admit it to Him. What we claim to be may not be what we really are. If you claim you have not sinned when you know you really had, then you do not have the fear of God in you. You are calling God a liar. You will be committing one sin after another and yet not admit it to God that you have sinned, if you do not have the fear of God in you.

You had thought in your heart that God is blind like a human sculpture. You are claiming that God cannot see your sins that you commit wilfully when He actually can. Aren't you a great liar through your actions? Do you think that there would be place for God's word or truth in your life when you are a liar yourself but deliberately call God a liar instead? This deception comes from the sinful nature of the Devil in you.

John 8:43-45
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

The greatest sin that proceeds out of the sinful nature of the Devil is lies. The Devil is the father of all lies. So, if you keep obeying the sinful nature of the Devil in you but still claim that you believe in God, you are the greatest liar on earth and God is not the liar but you are! There will be no place for God's word to be formed in you as long as you are that great liar in God's eyes.

Revelation 21:8
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”