The Lord is impressing to me that many today are in this very situation. They have made a covenant with death and hell; they believe that they will be hidden when God comes in judgment.

How does one go about making such a covenant, you ask? A covenant or pact is made, by the things that they accept, believe and act on. As with all of the scriptures, we should read them in their entire context. Isaiah is one of the most powerful books in the Bible. Much of what Isaiah prophesied has yet to be fulfilled...in this generation. We should approach all scripture very seriously; it is the Word of God to mankind. The way in which we receive the Word determines the work that is accomplished in our lives through the Word.

If you are in disbelief that these are the last days, you will not be able to hear this message. However, if you are aware of the condition of the church in today's world, you will know that we are falling far short of that to which we have been called. Man tries to judge spiritual things from fleshly understanding. "That which is spirit is spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh." To possess spiritual discernment requires that we have already laid down our life and are no longer led by the flesh [our reasoning mind] but follow the direction of the Spirit of God within. One cannot walk with God and walk in pride at the same time. The nearer one draws to God, the more one feels humbled and privileged just to be a servant of the Most High. If you will prayerfully read this entire chapter, you will begin to grasp the significance of the message it contains.

When we accept and cling to the many doctrines that have infiltrated the churches today that propose universalism, we are straying from the path. When a doctrine is based on anything other than the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, it is counterfeit. These universal doctrines hold great appeal to the flesh. If they were true, they would also effectively nullify and make of no effect the price that our Lord paid with His life for our redemption back to God. Be very careful what you believe.

We will never find the rest if we refuse to hear and believe. If we remain spiritual babes, we will never overcome. (10) For precept (commandment) must be upon precept (commandment), precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

We must grow up into full stature sons, following Christ's example. We do that one step at time, spiritually comprehending the commandments that our Lord has given us. It takes the Holy Spirit to make the connections within, to make the transition from the dead letter to life giving Word.

A toddler learning to walk stumbles and falls, but gets back up and tries again. Before long they're running all over the house; walking has been conquered. We are spiritual babes. We must learn the rules and regulations of the Household into which we have been re-born. We will stumble and fall, but we must get back up, get our eyes back on Christ and press on. As we do this, we will see a change take place within. Like the toddler learning to walk, we will gradually be transformed into a man or woman of God. We will grow in spiritual discernment as well as in our relationship with God.

Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. We grow up as we learn the doctrine of Christ, as we walk in His commandments, as we put down our flesh and walk in the Spirit.

Recently I heard one of the prominent religious leaders of today make a statement on television. He said, "God doesn't care what you call Him. God is so big that it doesn't matter if you call Him Jehovah or Allah or Buddha, He's still God." Especially since 9/11, we are seeing more and more the attempts by religious leaders and politicians to lump all the religions of the world together. To bring everyone to the same level, to promote tolerance of differences, to create a generic form of religion that is acceptable to all men so that they can live together in peaceful co-existence. It is becoming more and more apparent that the day is fast approaching when anyone making a stand for Jesus Christ as the one true Way, will be deemed a radical and a troublemaker.

The religious substitutions that men are creating from their own imaginations are gaining ground with the masses. Many will hail these as breakthroughs mankind has achieved, and embrace them gladly. The day is coming when anyone who does not participate in promoting and supporting this way of thinking will be classified as a danger to society. I have already heard statements made on national broadcasts ridiculing the belief that out of all the people's and religions of the world, Jesus Christ was the only way to God. This should catch our attention.

Those behind this way of thinking have already made their covenant with death and hell. Their confidence is based in their own strength; and reinforced with lies and falsehoods. They do not believe in God. They will scoff at being told they shall face the wrath and judgment of the Most High. They feel secure in their lies.

(12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. This is just as applicable to believers today as the day it was given to Isaiah. There is a way to know God, through Jesus Christ his son, but we must walk in it. The message has gone forth to every generation, but many refuse to hear it. How we receive the Word makes all the difference. (13) But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Who is it that goes backward, is broken and snared and taken? It is those to whom the Word of the Lord is simply commandments, without commitment. No life changing knowledge of God is imparted; they simply observe the laws and reject the life. There has never been a time in recent history when our personal relationship with God was of more critical importance. To place your trust in anything other than the cleansing, saving blood of Jesus is to place yourself outside the protection of God. God's judgment is coming. God's wrath against all ungodliness is coming. All the falsehoods and lies men have built up in which to hide themselves are going to be swept away. What we believe is critical. Choosing to believe that there is no hell will not make it any less of a reality. Choosing to believe in reincarnation, will not give you another chance at life.

Darkness and deception go hand in hand... Isaiah 28:17,18 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

God is going to do His strange work, and bring to pass His strange act. It will not be strange to those who are in right standing with Him, because He tells His friends what He is about to do. To those who are not in right relationship, it will be terrifying. Isaiah 28:5In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue (remnant) of his people. Let them that glory, glory in the Lord, and that their names are written down in the Lamb's Book of Life. In the 13th Chapter of Mark, Jesus told the disciples what the signs of the end would be. He began with... Take heed lest any man deceive you, and ended the chapter with... And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Now is the time to be awake and aware. Compare what you are hearing with the Word of God. Do not judge what you hear from the limited understanding of your reasoning mind. Pay close attention to the reaction within your spirit. There are things being presented today that sound good, even appealing to our reason; but the Spirit within is repelled and grieved.

Again in Mark 8:15 he warned, Take heed, beware of the leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees (exclusively religious), and of the leaven of Herod (politics). There are 64 places in the Bible that use the expression 'Take heed.' Another way of putting it might be 'pay close attention, this is important'. Mark 4:24 Jesus said Take heed what ye hear: with what measure (degree) ye mete (measure), it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear (understand) shall more be given (additionally). We find in Luke 8:18 Jesus telling us Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. Luke 11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. These are all warnings that pertain to every believer.

We all must make critical choices. We must determine who and what we are going to believe. Will we believe every word that Jesus spoke? Will we put down our flesh and allow the Spirit to reign in our life? Will we obey and walk in all that Christ commanded us? Or, will we listen to the doctrines of devils? Will we go for safety in numbers and conform to the crowd? Will we compromise the Gospel of Christ and hope that He didn't really mean what He said pertaining to hell and judgment? Now is the time to solidify your relationship with God. Now is the time to prepare our hearts and grow up in our inner man.

A covenant is a pact or agreement. "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" Deut. 7:9. To make a covenant requires two or more parties. We see in the Word that God repeatedly made covenants with man down through the ages. A covenant is absolute only as long as the parties to the agreement comply with the stipulations agreed to. Man has failed to keep his end of the pact over and over. Man has turned aside to serve other gods; he has rejected and deserted following after the one true God. When man does this, (rebels) God is no longer bound by the covenant.

Hebrews 10:16, 17 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. We should be aware that we are making a covenant with God when we accept the gift of salvation. We are committing ourselves to follow Christ, to make him LORD of our life. When we fail to walk in the commandments given, we are failing to keep the covenant we made. Man wants God's protection and blessing, without having to surrender the life we have known. It doesn't work that way. Our life is no longer our own if we have accepted Jesus. Note what the writer of Hebrews had to say concerning this subject. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"Hebrews 10:28-31.

We are responsible for our actions. We are going to have to give account for what we have done with the grace we have received. Have we made Jesus Lord of our life, or have we treated the gift of salvation with contempt? We saw above that God will write his laws in our hearts and in our minds. The only thing that will prevent this from happening is our own resistance. We are all participants, whether consciously or unconsciously. May we seriously consider and examine just how well we are keeping our part of the covenant. Exactly where and in what have we placed our trust and confidence? Because these are the end times and the spiritual darkness in the world has never been greater, many are making covenant with death and hell. Be alert and on guard, that you may not be counted among them.

Amen

Cathy Morris

04/11/03

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