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1) BRIAN MASON MESSAGE - 09 03 13

 

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity.

 

Nehemiah chapter 4 verse 4

Whatever else may be suggested the Christian life is not one which is trouble free. If it is then this needs to be questioned. Although the verse being considered in this message is from the Old Testament it illustrates that whenever there is a work of God this will be contested all the way.

 

There will be nothing of ease which will cost us nothing for this would conflict with both the many examples of God’s workings in the Old Testament and with what the Lord Jesus spoke about to his followers or is contained in the epistles of Saint Paul.

Let us consider the work of Nehemiah. Although a Jew Nehemiah lived in exile in the Persian Empire. He held a responsible position as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. He could be said to have a comfortable life without needing to be concerned about the needs of others. This is the position of many so called believers today. How easy it is to live in a comfort zone which evolves around our own concerns whether they be self centred, our family needs or going to church each week.

 

We can live quietly being fully satisfied with our lot but that is all it is. The devil will not disturb our peace because we are not a threat to him. The vast majority of what goes under the name of Christianity today is just like this going along in self interest and self satisfaction and posing no threat to the devil and the principalities and powers of darkness which remain undisturbed from their work of sweeping souls blindly into hell whether they be church goers, followers of other religions or hardened sinners.

It is only when we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling us to allow him to live and work through us that the devil and his powers are disturbed and are aroused into action. In Nehemiah’s case he was first of all brought into identification with the needs of his fellow Jews who still lived in Jerusalem. Nehemiah met some men who reported that the remnant in Jerusalem who had not been taken into captivity were in great affliction and reproach.

 

An even greater concern to Nehemiah was to hear that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were destroyed. Would we have reacted like Nehemiah at hearing this news? It is only the man and woman who are as close to God as is possible who will act in identification with those matters which concern God and His people. 

Nehemiah sat down and wept not just for a passing moment but for many days as he did not just feel sorry for his fellow Jews but faced up to the implications of what needed to be done and who would do this. It is easy to leave the matter to someone else. However, to God’s intercessors of whom Nehemiah was one comes responsibility. Is it a surprise that today intercessors are as scarce as when God was looking for one at the time of Isaiah.

And he saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor.

 

Isaiah chapter 59 verse 16

Or in the case of Ezekiel who said:

 

And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

 

Ezekiel chapter 22 verse 30

O how the heart of God grieved in the time of Isaiah and Ezekiel and how much more it grieves today when there are few who will accept His call to surrender their own life and let the Holy Spirit take over their body to live His own life as God through their bodies and in doing so be the intercessor through them. There can be no intercessor on earth today except the Holy Spirit finds bodies to indwell not in an arbitrary way but to have his own way completely.

Christianity is not a game to be played as and when it takes our fancy. It is the most serious business in the world today as it is God’s business but he chooses to work through men and women in order to fulfil His purposes. He found someone in Nehemiah who would give their all. Nehemiah prayed and God heard. It was a costly prayer for it consumed his comfortable life. He prayed for days until he came up to the level required.

 

This level was to identify himself with the sin of the Jews for going so away from God that they had to be sent into exile. It was during this period of exile that Jerusalem had fallen into disrepair. Note that Nehemiah does not blame others but also includes himself by saying “ we have sinned.” Are you prepared to go to these lengths of identification. When the Holy Spirit takes over he will take us to any lengths in order to answer a prayer. Nehemiah saw the only answer was to be through himself. When the king asked him why he was so sad he was presented with the opportunity to speak to the king about that which he had prayed.

 

Nehemiah found boldness in the sight of the king to ask all that was upon his heart and above all this that God had prepared the king to grant all that Nehemiah needed to be able to go to Jerusalem and carry out the work of restoration.

Nehemiah acted in faith when after assessing the work needed he found Jews who would do the needed work of restoration. The opposition soon appeared too. There were non Jews who had entered Jerusalem and made themselves a comfortable life. The coming of Nehemiah was a threat to them and sought to both hinder and discourage the work from succeeding. How true this is for those who dare come out of the comfort zone today and give their all to God the Holy Spirit.

 

Immediately a full surrender is made this will be tested out. Whatever form this may come as we are not to be afraid. The Holy Spirit in us is greater than Satan and every demonic spirit working through the principalities and powers of darkness which are in direct conflict with God’s intercessors over the gospel being made known to every creature and the return of the Messiah to Jerusalem. 

Nehemiah stood firm. He used every means available to overcome the opposition. The work was completed because God heard Nehemiah’s prayer that his people were despised and turned the reproach of His people upon their enemies for these enemies were the enemies of God. The principles are still the same today. God’s intercessors are to be identified wherever the Holy Spirit shows them to be and use all the resources available to them.

 

These are praying on the word of God through as the Holy Spirit prays the word of God through them. Authority is here when the unction of God brings alive the word of God and just as the enemy in Nehemiah’s day had to retreat so the principalities and powers of darkness seeking to defy God today and the prophesies of God’s word they have no chance when God the Holy Spirit has bodies through whom He can destroy the works of the devil.

 

There is a war going on in the heavenly places between the principalities and powers of darkness and God’s army of intercessors which is as real as any war on earth. Are you in the comfort zone which will not be a concern to the devil or are you prepared to put your hand to the plough and obey these words of Jesus.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

 

St Luke chapter 9 verse 23

Those who dare obey and come out of their comfort zone will wonder what has hit them for the principalities and powers of darkness are real but the Holy Spirit is more real as through you He will destroy these powers. After reading this message you cannot say you have not been made aware of the conflict today. The deeper spiritual life is still available today for all who will say not my way but God’s way.

2) BRIAN MASON MESSAGE 03 04 13

 

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.

 

Haggai chapter 1 verse 5

 

These words from the prophet Haggai were not just relevant to his day but should ring out in our own day.  Where are the prophets shouting out the words “ Consider your ways”.  Apart from the occasional voice there is a wall of silence.  It is as though the ministry of the prophet is no longer seen as relevant today.  This is against the Word of God for does the Bible not tell us the following:

 

And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.

 

Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11

 

The role of the prophet is clearly there in the structure of the New Testament Church.  It is evident that the prophet is still expected to have a role in the Church today.  Why does the Church today not place the same emphasis on the role of the prophet as is seen in both the Old and New Testaments.

 

This is simply that just as in the days of Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and all the other prophets people do not like to hear what God has to say.  The prophets were not popular and the people did not clamour to hear them.  Why should this be so? 

 

It  is because in the main they made known God’s anger with a disobedient people who were clamouring after other gods and living for themselves rather than God. 

 

Lord raise up prophets today who like those of old are fearless of being rejected by society.  Men and women who not only hear the voice of God but sound out the message even at the expense of being despised, rejected and persecuted.

 

Haggai had a clear message from God.  The people were concerned with their own lives whilst the house of God was in ruins.  The people had their own houses but their lives overall were not prospering.  This is evidenced when Haggai speaks of:

 

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; Ye eat, but ye have not enough; Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; Ye clothe you, but there is none warm; And he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

 

Haggai chapter 1 verse 6

 

Even stronger words which confirm the clear judgement of God are given:

 

Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, And the earth is stayed from her fruit. 

 

And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains And upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, And upon that which the ground bringeth forth,

 

And upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

 

Haggai chapter 1 verses 10 and 11

 

What a condemnation of society.  All was the opposite to that which it should have been.  Disobedience and self seeking had brought about scarcity: had brought about conditions like those of today, that of a recession. 

 

Haggai’s message to bring about God’s remedy was a simple one.  This was to put God first.  There was to be action taken and in doing this God’s judgement would be removed and the people prosper.  The action to be taken was as follows:

 

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; And I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

 

Haggai chapter 1 verse 8

 

The people responded to the message of Haggai.  There was a holy fear, a reverence for whom God is and above all a response which obeyed not in reluctance but wholeheartedly. 

 

God saw the response and they began to prosper.  What should have been the norm returned.  Scarcity became a thing of the past. 

 

Let us consider what message God has for the people of Britain today.  The message is that God is angry with both the State and the Church.  The State has forsaken being a nation ruled by a sovereign under God.  This should be a nation of the Protestant reformed religion. 

 

What do we find but a nation which consistently passes laws which are an abomination to God for they are the direct opposite to God’s Word in the Bible.  Why is there silence from the Church.  It is because the Church itself apart from a remnant has also gone after other gods and forsaken the Word of God by replacing the written Word with human ideas.

 

A further abomination has been the infiltration of other gods in society, be these the gods of the European Union or other faiths or the god of the love of money.  Constitutionally Britain is still a Christian  nation but in practice it is a heathen nation.  There is judgement on the nation.  There is a famine. 

 

The Lord still speaks today through His prophets.  Thus says the Lord.  Unless  the people of Britain will repent and come back to Me then as My Word says so shall it be:

 

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 8

 

The famine will extend to every area in life and touch every person who does not know Me and does not live a godly life.  Only those who have repented of their sin and received a new life through Jesus Christ shall be saved from My judgement.  My remnant shall be separated unto Me, a people who are holy, righteous and pure.  A people untouched by the corruption of a nation ruled by the god of this world, Satan himself.

 

The message could not be any clearer.  No repentance: no prosperity  Just the opposite for the present situation is as nothing in comparison to the judgement still to come.  In order to remove the judgement, sin, both individual and as a nation ( a national day of repentance has to be called) sin has to be confessed  so it can be forgiven. 

 

There is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ.  It is His blood alone which can cleanse sinners and reconcile them with a holy, righteous and pure God.   There is no forgiveness through the innumerable gods of other religions.  Neither is there forgiveness through works of the flesh for God is a spirit and they that worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth.  Where is the truth today in a godless society. 

 

God is seeking a people who are godly not evil.  He has asked for this and has provided the means in Jesus Christ.  Jesus as the eternal Son of God brings His own resurrection life into the new believer.  This is a life where all the old life of sin needs to go to the cross for the cross has only one outcome and that is death.  No compromise here for it is a life crucified with Christ. 

 

This is not the old life being improved as is the teaching of the false church but a totally new life, a life transformed by the life of Jesus.  It is that new life which lives for God rather than self which as this takes place in every part of society in Britain will remove God’s judgement. 

 

Beware people of Britain until this takes place judgement will remain and become more severe.  Jesus Christ alone must be given His rightful place, that  of pre eminence as He alone is God, Saviour and Lord.

3) Message 31 10 13

 

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

 

Psalm 11 verse 3

 

Righteous what a word of beauty for this word brings us into a deep relationship with God.  It is only the righteous who can know God for the righteous have to be right with God in order to be able to walk upright with God.  How otherwise could this be for  fallen nature can have nothing  with  the ways of God which are the ways of righteousness and only those who have the righteousness of Christ can know these ways and His life.

 

There is a clear distinction between those who are righteous and those who are ungodly.  The Psalmist speaks of the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly.  Both these ways are known unto God.

 

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 

Psalm 1 verse 6

 

The way of the ungodly is one to get away from as this ends in the soul perishing.  Our hearts can rejoice, though, in that a way has been provided by God Himself which leads to the way of righteousness for this leads to God Himself.  This is the royal way for it is the only way which can lead to Life, that life which is found through Christ alone. 

 

That no one is righteous of themselves is made clear by Paul who speaks of both Jew and Gentile being under sin.

 

There is none righteous, no, not one.

 

Romans chapter 3 verse 10

 

This righteousness cannot be obtained through religion.  It cannot come through the Law for the Law speaks of “ Thou shalt not.”   Righteousness is to do with Life, the life of God Himself.  Religion as seen in the Pharisees does not bring life for this brings demands which cannot be fulfilled and that which says you shall not do.

 

For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

St Matthew chapter 5 verse 20

 

Jesus spoke of the need to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.  He knew it was impossible to fulfil the Law so He had come to make a way to fulfil all that God demanded.   Jesus spoke of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

 

St Matthew chapter 5 verse 6

 

There has to be a hungering, a thirst.  Without this how can the deep things of God be obtained.  There can be a best, a better and for those who are really earnest, the very best. 

 

A perfect salvation has been provided through the loving heart of the Father when He sent His only begotten Son to be the Savior.  Had there been another way Jesus need not have died.  Yet there was no other way and the only way for sinners to be reconciled with God was for Jesus to take the sinners place on Calvary’s cross and suffer and die in their place.  Jesus alone could be the sinners mediator.  He took the sinners punishment and accepted death on their behalf.

 

Do you know this Jesus who gave His life so that those who repent of their sin and have their sin crucified with Jesus so that repentant sinners receive a whole new life, that of Jesus Himself who comes to indwell them.

 

This is life for the barrier of sin which prevents sinners from coming to know God is removed when Jesus comes to indwell through His Spirit.  Darkness of the soul is replaced by the Light of Jesus.  Heaviness of soul is lifted.  Joy and peace become the portion of those who belong to Jesus, for this is more than just believing in Jesus.  He becomes our life and our whole outlook on life changes. No longer inward looking, for Jesus becomes the whole of our life for we will want to give Him our all.

 

When Jesus has our all we have His Life and this Life is no longer a ministry of condemnation under the Law, it is a ministry of righteousness.  No longer “Thou shalt not” as instead this is the life of Jesus through the Holy Spirit who has come in to transform our whole life so the Life of Jesus flows through us.  This Life of the Son of God flowing through His vessels to minister to those still in need of Him and sharing His Life with those who already know Him.

 

May those who belong to Jesus and know him as both Savior and Lord ever be true to Him.  There is a spirit at work which does all it can to destroy the foundations of  the pure word of God.  The word which reveals the God given way to Himself through the Son of God, Jesus. All other ways lead to another Jesus, a false Jesus, a Jesus who is not righteous and cannot bring a sinner to God and cannot make a sinner into a new creation.  For the gospel has to transform for the Life of Jesus brings about a new life.

 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

 

2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17

 

All things new, not just some for once we have tasted of Jesus we will want nothing else.  Let those who are His go on to receive all His fullness for He alone is the answer to the empty souls who are still seeking to be quenched at the waters of the world who can never satisfy.  Neither can those who are entwined by another Jesus which leads to being self centred and not centred wholly in Jesus lead to knowing all that there is to be found in Him.

4)  Message - 03 August 2014

 

And I sent messengers unto them, saying I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

 

Nehemiah chapter 6 verse 3

 

Nehemiah had responded to the need when the men had told him about the destruction of the walls and gates in Jerusalem. “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4)  He had put his life on the line in telling the king about the need for someone to go to the city of his fathers and repair that which had been destroyed.  Nehemiah had understood both the character of God and that God is ever true to his covenant promises.  As Nehemiah stood in faith and laid the situation before the king he found that God had gone before him and the king provided all that was needed for Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and undertake the task. “And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.” (Nehemiah 2:8)  God will always honor those who are fully committed to all the will of God.

 

The task was far from easy as at every turn there were those who sought to hinder and even destroy that which Nehemiah had gone to do.  As Nehemiah acted in faith the remnant of the Jews remaining in Jerusalem responded and began to work on rebuilding the walls and replacing the gates.  Those who did not belong to God’s people constantly opposed the work.  Nehemiah, though, was not deterred as he kept his eyes upon God and also used wisdom to overcome every hindrance of the enemy. “So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” (Nehemiah 4:6)

 

Nehemiah would not compromise no matter how persistent or scheming the enemies of God tried to distract Nehemiah from the task before him.  He was fully focused on God and as he honoured God the task was completed and the enemies of God confounded.

 

In these days there are also at work forces of evil from Satan’s pit of hell which are intent upon defying all known Christian principles.  Many of these forces come under the name of Christianity.  Who is prepared to act like Nehemiah and be so committed to the will of God that they are vessels which have become pillars to enable Christ to build His Church which is composed of living stones.  The living stones being those who have seen Him nailed to the cross in redeeming love where He accepted the penalty for their sin.  These living stones are pillars of Christ’s Church which stand erect and unmovable for they are built upon the foundation of Christ Himself who is the rock upon which the remnant Church is built.  Christ the rock is unmoveable as on the cross at Calvary He destroyed completely the principalities and powers of Satan when He made an open show of those who dare to seek to hinder a building which is far greater than the walls of Jerusalem, for this is the building of the Church which is the body of Christ. The Church which is not a physical building, it is the individual believers who belong to Christ. Each one has come to Him in faith and trusted in the gift of His atoning blood as God’s way of forgiving repentant sinners.

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