Offense
Offense is a major theme of Jesus’ end time plan. Offense must occur, because the truth is offensive to the people of the earth. Jesus is coming to take over everything, as He should. His Bride is going to enforce the truth of His victory over everything BEFORE He appears. This basic reality, that a company of people will actually believe the truth of the Bible to such a degree they will offer their lives literally declaring the truth no matter who is offended by it, will create great division on earth…great offense. Jesus came to start this process of “unity by division,” which is maturing until the last day. This is a CLEAR teaching of Jesus:
Luke 12:42-53 And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? (43) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. (44) Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. (45) But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, (46) the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. (47) And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (48) But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (49) "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (50) But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! (51) Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. (52) For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. (53) Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
Just the simple truth of Jesus’ plan to use loyalty to truth to create division that will give Him one united and pure spotless Bride is offensive! Many do not like this truth, but that doesn’t change the reality of the truth.
Truth will remain, and anyone offended by the truth, will find that THEY are offensive to God.
God promises to offend those that claim to be the ones that know Him if they will not submit to the plain and simple truth of His word. His plans are easy to find if you will actually look.
Many claim to be the ones in the know, but Jesus has a different opinion about them than the world seems to understand at this moment. Jesus calls many that refuse to acknowledge HIS unusual plan a “synagogue of satan” rather than truly His people:
Revelation 3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
Many who currently claim to be the spokespeople for God are actually offensive TO God, simply because they will not humble themselves and agree with God about His plans, and the truth behind them. These self-proclaimed leaders feel offended by God’s messengers who proclaim this simple but offensive plan, but what they don’t realize is that THEY are offending God. God is sending out many new shepherds in this hour….shepherds “after God’s heart.” They are like David, the man after God’s own heart…worshipping warriors. They value worshipping God as the highest form of strength…stronger than logic, or marketing, or guns, or provisions, or political influence…these seemingly insignificant shepherds have been quietly tending the sheep all along, but in this hour, God is raising their voices. He has appointed them in a way no man can for a position no man controls…just like David.
The release of new shepherds is an end time promise that is a sign of the times. They will release understanding that helps to thresh, or divide out, the harvest. From a relentless stand on truth, these end time shepherds are beginning to thresh the harvest. As people react to the plans of Jesus clearly written in the Bible and expressed by these new shepherds, the people of the earth are choosing their leadership: mankind or God… one here, another there…in one location or church a multitude will humble themselves to Jesus’ plan, in another only a few. Many are called but few are chosen. You choose yourself by agreeing with Jesus:
Jeremiah 3:14-15 "Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (15) And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
God’s plan to work out the events of Revelation, which is His harvest strategy, is unusual by design. The prophet Isaiah prophesied it was “strange.” This is because part of seeing the hour is coming into agreement with the harvest plan. The harvest plan, most easily seen in Joel 2:12-32, but literally described in hundreds of places in the Bible, is really the completion of the great commission the same way the disciples started the great commission….but because the church has drifted in many ways far from what Jesus began, this straight-forward plan seems unusual. This is what God said through Isaiah:
Isaiah 28:21-23 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. (22) Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth. (23) Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech.
Isaiah said “pay attention.” The harvest plan is unusual BY DESIGN…that factor is part of the process. It is important that the pure and spotless Bride choose to stand for truth at cost, just like Jesus did. God’s plan for the messiah was unusual, ON PURPOSE. It offended the Pharises with its apparent weakness. That is why the Pharisees missed it! You need to learn this, friends. The second coming of Jesus is a MORE FULL expression of His first coming…the exact same dynamics will be at play because it is a fuller expression of light coming into darkness.
Right now, in this hour, you are being subjected to a similar test the people needed to endure at the first coming of Jesus. Don’t take my word for it. Find out for yourself! But, before you dismiss my words, listen to Isaiah’s warning “don’t mock it, or YOUR bonds will be made stronger.”
The bonds Isaiah was warning about are the bonds of pride. This is because a person that finds God’s very specific and singular plan “offensive” is actually offending God. God is giving everyone what they want in this hour. If you want, in pride, to mock God’s plan, He will actually give you over to that mocking spirit…it will only be harder for you to see the brilliant truth of His plan. God has promised to give everyone an end-time decision to make. Mocking His plan is a part of making this decision:
Joel 3:9-14 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. (10) Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' " (11) Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. (12) "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. (13) Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great." (14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
You are in the valley of decision right now, whether you realize it, or not. The news of the day is forcing the decision. You really need to pick your strength.
Either you choose the strength Jehoshaphat did, which was to worship God as his battle plan, or choose man’s strength, either way, you are literally preparing for war…right now. While you watch the news…ISIS, Mosul, Gaza and Israel, Nigeria, Ebola, earthquakes, hurricanes, caliphates, stock markets, inflation….while you watch these you have a choice: believe mankind can fix this mess, or believe only Jesus can. If you believe mankind can, then you are choosing the strength of man, if you believe only Jesus can, then you MUST realize you are obligated to partner with Jesus in it. If you really believe Jesus is the answer, then only His return can fix it, and you must cry out to Him day and night to return and teach others to do the same. Otherwise, you are evil…if you believe Jesus is the answer and don’t make your life about agreeing with Him about how He will return. It is really simple. This is HIS teaching:
Luke 18:6-8 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. (7) And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
Things are going to continue to get worse for those who choose man-based strength in order to reveal the evil in this choice and force the choice in others. Simultaneously, things are getting better for those who choose Jesus as their strength, find out His end time plan, and actually agree with Him with their choices of what they say, do, spend their time on, and spend their money on. This increasing greatness on those loyal to Jesus will not be obvious, though. True believers will be persecuted for this choice…but inside, their hearts are soaring and WILL SOAR much more.
If you agree with Jesus, you WILL offend the world. If you don’t agree with Jesus, you are offending Him. All that offends will be removed:
Matthew 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, (42) and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus is the truth, and His appearing…the appearing of truth…is a process. It is like the dawning like the bright light of day. Every lie, every prideful theft of Jesus’ glory, and all the things that offend God will be gathered out…one here, and one there…here many and there few. It is happening right now. Many are getting offended by the simple articulation of this truth. You want to make very sure you are not pitting yourself against God and growing more clueless, because you haven’t taken the time to sort out His strange plan. Those that mock and claim to know will be found to have offended many others who followed them, yet they will believe they are serving God. Ugh, the depth of the error of pride!
The heart ties of pride are very strong. If you hang on to your pride and the tradition of men, rather than humble yourself and find out what the Bible says about the return of Jesus in a practical way…asking the Spirit for humility and eyes to see…then your bonds…your heart ties of pride… will be made stronger. It will be harder and harder for you to repent as time goes on, by design.
That is what happened to Pharaoh. God gave Pharaoh over to his own error and that hardened his heart. That same pride of not accepting the signs and the truth that comes with them will cause you to sink like a rock worse than any millstone. The bonds of that pride, as Jesus turns mankind over to the desires in their hearts, will only get stronger. The choice for humility will also grow in strength for those that choose humility.
Everyone gets what they want. If you choose a little pride now, it will get stronger and stronger. If you repent and choose humility, that will grow stronger and stronger. This is an end time passage, for the wedding feast of the Lamb IS the ultimate expression of this teaching:
Luke 14:8-11 "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; (9) and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. (10) But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. (11) For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus says that it would be better to have a millstone physically tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea, than to choose to let pride make the bonds of your error stronger in the end time hour. With a physical millstone, at least you would have a chance to wrestle free and swim up for air. Pride, when God removes His restraint from it, will harden you more. THAT is what caused satan to fall:
Ezekiel 28:17-18 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. (18) "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.
It was God releasing satan to the fire “from within him” that ended up devouring the cherub made in perfection. Satan was simply given what he wanted, which was the reality of being his own leader…which in the end is death. All who live like satan will be turned over to themselves…just like their father. It is important to sift out what you want in this hour, and, in repentance, let go of anything not based in humble desire to agree with Jesus in this hour. Everyone WILL get what they want. You don’t need to be afraid, you simply need to be honest.
Let all who have ears listen:
Luke 17:1-2 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! (2) It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Luke 12:42-53 And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? (43) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. (44) Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. (45) But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, (46) the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. (47) And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (48) But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (49) "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (50) But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! (51) Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. (52) For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. (53) Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
Just the simple truth of Jesus’ plan to use loyalty to truth to create division that will give Him one united and pure spotless Bride is offensive! Many do not like this truth, but that doesn’t change the reality of the truth.
Truth will remain, and anyone offended by the truth, will find that THEY are offensive to God.
God promises to offend those that claim to be the ones that know Him if they will not submit to the plain and simple truth of His word. His plans are easy to find if you will actually look.
Many claim to be the ones in the know, but Jesus has a different opinion about them than the world seems to understand at this moment. Jesus calls many that refuse to acknowledge HIS unusual plan a “synagogue of satan” rather than truly His people:
Revelation 3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
Many who currently claim to be the spokespeople for God are actually offensive TO God, simply because they will not humble themselves and agree with God about His plans, and the truth behind them. These self-proclaimed leaders feel offended by God’s messengers who proclaim this simple but offensive plan, but what they don’t realize is that THEY are offending God. God is sending out many new shepherds in this hour….shepherds “after God’s heart.” They are like David, the man after God’s own heart…worshipping warriors. They value worshipping God as the highest form of strength…stronger than logic, or marketing, or guns, or provisions, or political influence…these seemingly insignificant shepherds have been quietly tending the sheep all along, but in this hour, God is raising their voices. He has appointed them in a way no man can for a position no man controls…just like David.
The release of new shepherds is an end time promise that is a sign of the times. They will release understanding that helps to thresh, or divide out, the harvest. From a relentless stand on truth, these end time shepherds are beginning to thresh the harvest. As people react to the plans of Jesus clearly written in the Bible and expressed by these new shepherds, the people of the earth are choosing their leadership: mankind or God… one here, another there…in one location or church a multitude will humble themselves to Jesus’ plan, in another only a few. Many are called but few are chosen. You choose yourself by agreeing with Jesus:
Jeremiah 3:14-15 "Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (15) And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
God’s plan to work out the events of Revelation, which is His harvest strategy, is unusual by design. The prophet Isaiah prophesied it was “strange.” This is because part of seeing the hour is coming into agreement with the harvest plan. The harvest plan, most easily seen in Joel 2:12-32, but literally described in hundreds of places in the Bible, is really the completion of the great commission the same way the disciples started the great commission….but because the church has drifted in many ways far from what Jesus began, this straight-forward plan seems unusual. This is what God said through Isaiah:
Isaiah 28:21-23 For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon— That He may do His work, His awesome work, And bring to pass His act, His unusual act. (22) Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth. (23) Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech.
Isaiah said “pay attention.” The harvest plan is unusual BY DESIGN…that factor is part of the process. It is important that the pure and spotless Bride choose to stand for truth at cost, just like Jesus did. God’s plan for the messiah was unusual, ON PURPOSE. It offended the Pharises with its apparent weakness. That is why the Pharisees missed it! You need to learn this, friends. The second coming of Jesus is a MORE FULL expression of His first coming…the exact same dynamics will be at play because it is a fuller expression of light coming into darkness.
Right now, in this hour, you are being subjected to a similar test the people needed to endure at the first coming of Jesus. Don’t take my word for it. Find out for yourself! But, before you dismiss my words, listen to Isaiah’s warning “don’t mock it, or YOUR bonds will be made stronger.”
The bonds Isaiah was warning about are the bonds of pride. This is because a person that finds God’s very specific and singular plan “offensive” is actually offending God. God is giving everyone what they want in this hour. If you want, in pride, to mock God’s plan, He will actually give you over to that mocking spirit…it will only be harder for you to see the brilliant truth of His plan. God has promised to give everyone an end-time decision to make. Mocking His plan is a part of making this decision:
Joel 3:9-14 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. (10) Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' " (11) Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. (12) "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. (13) Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great." (14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
You are in the valley of decision right now, whether you realize it, or not. The news of the day is forcing the decision. You really need to pick your strength.
Either you choose the strength Jehoshaphat did, which was to worship God as his battle plan, or choose man’s strength, either way, you are literally preparing for war…right now. While you watch the news…ISIS, Mosul, Gaza and Israel, Nigeria, Ebola, earthquakes, hurricanes, caliphates, stock markets, inflation….while you watch these you have a choice: believe mankind can fix this mess, or believe only Jesus can. If you believe mankind can, then you are choosing the strength of man, if you believe only Jesus can, then you MUST realize you are obligated to partner with Jesus in it. If you really believe Jesus is the answer, then only His return can fix it, and you must cry out to Him day and night to return and teach others to do the same. Otherwise, you are evil…if you believe Jesus is the answer and don’t make your life about agreeing with Him about how He will return. It is really simple. This is HIS teaching:
Luke 18:6-8 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. (7) And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
Things are going to continue to get worse for those who choose man-based strength in order to reveal the evil in this choice and force the choice in others. Simultaneously, things are getting better for those who choose Jesus as their strength, find out His end time plan, and actually agree with Him with their choices of what they say, do, spend their time on, and spend their money on. This increasing greatness on those loyal to Jesus will not be obvious, though. True believers will be persecuted for this choice…but inside, their hearts are soaring and WILL SOAR much more.
If you agree with Jesus, you WILL offend the world. If you don’t agree with Jesus, you are offending Him. All that offends will be removed:
Matthew 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, (42) and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus is the truth, and His appearing…the appearing of truth…is a process. It is like the dawning like the bright light of day. Every lie, every prideful theft of Jesus’ glory, and all the things that offend God will be gathered out…one here, and one there…here many and there few. It is happening right now. Many are getting offended by the simple articulation of this truth. You want to make very sure you are not pitting yourself against God and growing more clueless, because you haven’t taken the time to sort out His strange plan. Those that mock and claim to know will be found to have offended many others who followed them, yet they will believe they are serving God. Ugh, the depth of the error of pride!
The heart ties of pride are very strong. If you hang on to your pride and the tradition of men, rather than humble yourself and find out what the Bible says about the return of Jesus in a practical way…asking the Spirit for humility and eyes to see…then your bonds…your heart ties of pride… will be made stronger. It will be harder and harder for you to repent as time goes on, by design.
That is what happened to Pharaoh. God gave Pharaoh over to his own error and that hardened his heart. That same pride of not accepting the signs and the truth that comes with them will cause you to sink like a rock worse than any millstone. The bonds of that pride, as Jesus turns mankind over to the desires in their hearts, will only get stronger. The choice for humility will also grow in strength for those that choose humility.
Everyone gets what they want. If you choose a little pride now, it will get stronger and stronger. If you repent and choose humility, that will grow stronger and stronger. This is an end time passage, for the wedding feast of the Lamb IS the ultimate expression of this teaching:
Luke 14:8-11 "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; (9) and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. (10) But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. (11) For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus says that it would be better to have a millstone physically tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea, than to choose to let pride make the bonds of your error stronger in the end time hour. With a physical millstone, at least you would have a chance to wrestle free and swim up for air. Pride, when God removes His restraint from it, will harden you more. THAT is what caused satan to fall:
Ezekiel 28:17-18 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. (18) "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.
It was God releasing satan to the fire “from within him” that ended up devouring the cherub made in perfection. Satan was simply given what he wanted, which was the reality of being his own leader…which in the end is death. All who live like satan will be turned over to themselves…just like their father. It is important to sift out what you want in this hour, and, in repentance, let go of anything not based in humble desire to agree with Jesus in this hour. Everyone WILL get what they want. You don’t need to be afraid, you simply need to be honest.
Let all who have ears listen:
Luke 17:1-2 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! (2) It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
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