God brought something to mind last night....Schindlers' list - How if Schindler had not lied and played the Nazi game, many Jews would have died rather than made it through. There are some called in this hour to help protect and save Jews & others, just as in WWII. We need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, so don't judge others who may have this call. We don't know what God will do through many. There were just as many political prisoners murdered by Hitler as there were Jews ! Those who stood up against the evil also went to concentration camps like Corrie Ten Boom and her family. The early christians led hidden lives IN ORDER TO CONTINUE SAVING SOULS. In Russia when bibles were outlawed, many were aided by angels to find christian underground meetings to provide bibles.
BE WISE AND NOT PRESUMPTUOUS about what you do. The Lord told me at least 20 years ago, that one day we would have to meet in homes, but in hiddeness like the early christians, and would even have to change where we meet week to week. That it would be like Nazi Germany in this hour when they were after Jews. God will do many amazing and supernatural things, but don't PRESUME to know without His telling you what to do.
Lessons From Cappadocia
Nov 12th, 2008
Priscilla Van Sutphin
On two nights in a row [ Nov 1st & 2nd ] God led me to watch shows, one on TBN - And one secular and the first one was on Cappadocia , Turkey and the drive through History guy was showing the churches carved into the rock, underground cities, and caves.
There was an underground city carved originally by Hittites, that was used for early christians to hide from Romans and later Muslims there that held 10,000 people. It had an air shaft that was used to carry out waste and rocks, etc...There had to be people who helped them, just like in Corrie Ten Boom's day. They received supplies through that shaft as well as needed air.
Then next night, I turned on the TV and to PBS channel and there was a travelogue on the same city in Turkey. It is a fascinating place this place of caves and the hiding places some of the early church used. There was an early church there, but it seems unknown who established it.
Gezelhurt I think was the name of another town where Muslims, & Christians live in peace together, and enough off the beaten path to be a great place to visit without all the tourists. Again he showed cave homes. Homes carved in rock.
I kept thinking of the scriptures in revelation about how they will hide in the caves and rocks from the terror of the Lord.
or just google Cappadocia & photos
[Cappadocia was traditionally a Christian land. But Turkey and Greece traded population groups to reduce the numbers of religious minorities. Today Moslems, live here. The fairy chimneys are not suitable for residences. But cave housing is still commonplace in modern Cappadocia.]
Well, I kept thinking there was something prophetic about why on two nights in a row I was drawn to watch this, and tonight I looked up in the Bible encyclopedia to see if they had anything on Cappadocia.
What I found is that it covered an area from the Hildys river to the upper Euphrates, not just the city and the upper portion was called Pontus.
THAT then brought what God was pointing to, which was 1 Peter.
In first Peter, he addresses the message to the Dispersion of saints in the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bythinia, Asia.
Peter talks of many things in this letter, of Hope for the future, of Trials they were going through, anticipation in the past, urging them to be HOLY, ...
1 Peter 1:13-21 NKJV
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
He then urges them to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, To desire the WORD of God, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, ..
1 Peter 2:7-10 NKJV
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense."
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
He then urges them to abstain from fleshly lusts...It was no different then than now. There were pagans all around, and much temptation. He then urges SUBMISSION to the GOVERNMENT...business & marriage.
1 Peter 2:13-17 NKJV Submission to Government
(cf. Romans 13:1-5)
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17 Honor all people.
Love the brotherhood.
Fear God.
Honor the king.
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1 Peter 3:8-12 NKJV Called to Blessing
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For
"He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
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Suffering for Right and Wrong
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
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Yesterday in the news was a woman who was not doing anything but wearing a cross, attacked by homosexual militants. She was seriously suffering while not doing anything wrong.
Christ's Suffering and Ours
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
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Christ suffered for the unjust stuck out to me...thus we also suffer for the unjust whether in the church, or the lost. How many have seen the transformations movie ? How in Calli, Columbia, one pastor died, having been shot by drug dealers, and it brought the whole city's pastors together, and then all the saints together to worship and pray ! The weekend they did it there were NO MURDERS in that city that usually has 15-17 every weekend.
1 Peter 4 NKJV Christ's Example to Be Followed
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
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Serving for God's Glory
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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Love here is CHARITY:
NT:26 agape (ag-ah'-pay); from NT:25; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast: KJV - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
NT:25 agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o); perhaps from agan (much) [or compare OT:5689]; to love (in a social or moral sense): KJV - (be-) love (-ed). Compare NT:5368.
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Suffering for God's Glory
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
He then goes on to “submit to God and resist the devil.”
All in all this seems quite on for our times. It is not an easy thing to do given all the corruption in the world, and governments of this world.
Submission to government is often spoken of in the New Testament.
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But defiance to government that is evil is often supported by the Lord, as it was with Corrie Ten Boom, and others who hid Jews in WWII.
We may have no choice in some arenas to obey.
Think about if some satanist had you and told you to plunge a knife through a baby on an altar or you would likewise be killed. Let's say he was a CIA agent. Would you do it ?
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We are not blind guides, nor guided by our fears, but rather the fear of the LORD. As much as possible we are to obey the laws of the land, but, the HIGHER LAW IS THE LAW OF GOD.
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When Hitler came to power, there were many in the church who compromised and did not speak truth in love, nor did they cower in the fear of the LORD, but they bent to the fear of MAN. God urges us vigilantly to not fear what man can do to you, or what Satan can do to you, but to fear HIM - for Him to be our DREAD.
The bottom line is always
1. Do WHAT GOD SAYS to do.
2. Pray always without ceasing
3. Suffer as a good soldier in Christ - Carry our cross for others.
4. Rejoice in our suffering - Worship
5. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.
6. Study the Word...keep in the word, while we still can.
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John was no doubt pushed around and abused by soldiers on Patmos.
He was so close to the Lord, that he received such precious revelation due to the intimacy he had with Jesus, and Holy Spirit. We also need to be laying our heads on His chest right now and getting His orders, His perspective on things. Not all is as it appears. Many things He told me many times would be turned around, but many things would not. He can't erase what He's written. We need to rejoice that the time of His coming is NIGH.
