Open Heart Surgery*

This message continues the series: "Search the Scriptures". I believe that the Body of Christ is in need of spiritual open heart surgery, as we have been dealing with issues of the heart (see last week's message). We will see how God works this spiritual surgery in us according to His Word. The Book of Hebrews identifies Jesus Christ not only as our Savior, but as our Apostle and High Priest: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (homologia/homologeo - to say the same thing as), Christ Jesus..." (Heb. 3:1). The first "heart problem" is identified here: our profession - are we speaking the same thing as the Word of God? Hebrews continues in warning believers: "...today if ye will hear his voice...", not to harden their hearts, as their fathers did in the wilderness, although they saw the mighty works of God. The LORD said of that previous generation: "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest." (Heb. 3:10-11). Hebrews then says: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God...lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (v. 12-13). Unbelief and sin cause our hearts to be hardened, leading to a departure from the Lord. There is also a rest to be entered into if we hold fast to our belief. It is the "rest" that the unbelieving Israelites in the wilderness were not allowed to enter (Heb. 4:1-3). "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (v. 9-11). The importance of the Word of God in dealing with this problematic heart condition is explained: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (v. 12-13). The Word discerns, and God sees, what is in our hearts, and a godly man places his heart and his thoughts before God for examination: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps. 139:23-24). We read last week in Jeremiah that the heart is wicked and deceitful above all things. Only the Word of God can reveal the things that are hidden in our hearts that cause us to harden ourselves against God. Proverbs also confirms this: "The (re)fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue." (Prov. 17:3-4). The LORD has a refining process by which He purifies the hearts like a smith purifies a precious metal - by fire. Both of the prophets Zechariah and Malachi also wrote the Word of the LORD concerning this purification and refining process by which the God will cleanse the hearts of His priests and His people in preparation for the appearing of the LORD among them (see Zech. 13:7-9 and Mal. 3:1-3). The apostle Peter also wrote to the believers, those "...who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time", about the trying fire of God: "...though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ...receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Pet. 1:1-11, excerpt, see also James 1:1-4). This purifying fire perfects our way of salvation in preparation for the Lord's appearing. If we need wisdom to understand the necessary working of this refining process in us, the Lord will give that wisdom to whoever asks Him for it (James 1:5). Scripture gives us another reason for the hardening of a heart: Pharaoh of Egypt was experiencing the trying plagues of the LORD for his disobedience of the command of God. However, once the plagues were lifted, Pharaoh would again harden his heart against the Word of the LORD though Moses (Ex. 8:15). King Zedekiah of Judah, was appointed king by Nebachadnezzar of conquering Babylon. However, Zedekiah was an evil king. He broke his agreement with Nebachadnezzar, which he had sworn by God, and "he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel." (2 Chron. 36:11-13). Unfortunately, as the king followed after evil, and hardened his heart against God, his sin influenced others in his kingdom, the chief priests and the people, to do the same. They followed after the abominations of the heathen and polluted the house of God. They would not listen to the messengers that were sent from God, mocking and despising instead God's warning words and abusing His prophets, until there was no remedy left, and the wrath of God broke out against them (v. 14-16). We see the same hardened hearts today, disregarding the Word of God and His servants, and open heart surgery is needed within God's own people. The prophet Daniel dealt with the son of Nebachadnezzar, Belshazzar, who became king of Babylon when his father died. He disrespected the holy temple vessels that the Babylonians had looted from Jerusalem. This king, Daniel said, had known about the terrible event that had overtaken his father when he had tried to exalt himself before the people of God. God had taken his father's sanity from him, and Nebachadnezzar had become like a beast. It was not until Nebachdnezzar had looked up to heaven that God returned his right mind to him. Even knowing what had happened to his father, Belshazzar still lifted up his heart against God and His holy vessels: "...and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.". Ominous handwriting mysteriously appeared upon the wall during the king's feast prophesying of his death to come that night. (Dan. 5:18-23). Even when a man has witnessed for himself the judgment of God, and His subsequent healing restoration, he can still harden his heart against the LORD. God spoke about the spiritual open heart surgery, even a heart transplant, that He has provided for His people: "...I will even gather you from the people...and I will give you the land of Israel...and they shall take away all the detestable things...and all the abominations from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." (Ezek. 11:17-20). However, as for those who continue to walk after their abominations instead, "I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the LORD God." (v. 21). Ezekiel wrote again the Word of the LORD: "Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you..." (Ezek. 37:25-28, excerpt). The cleansing water of the LORD is His Word received into our hearts (Eph. 5:26). This same cleansing Word of God, believed and confessed, saves a heart, and a life: "...The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Rom. 10:8-16, excerpt). Search the scriptures, and get life saving open heart surgery from the Lord. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/18/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Father's Day 2018

 

This message is for fathers on this Father's Day, but also to all professing believers. All must prayerfully consider today's message. There is a song by Jeoff Benward, "A Man of God", that expresses the hope that when others, his children included, remember his life, they will remember him as a man of God. This should be the desire of us all, and to achieve that goal, we each need to know and be obedient, to what God is calling us to do. This is especially crucial in these last days before the return of Christ. To learn more about this, please read or listen to the message from last week, "Are You Preparing?".

The LORD warned through His prophet Hosea, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame...."  Hos. 4:6-7

With these verses, God was rejecting the priesthood who was appointed to serve Him, because they rejected His Word, which is the knowledge of Him. We also have been called to be a kingdom of priests to God, reconciling man and God with His truth. Are we also rejecting the knowledge of Him, and despising our priesthood, as we turn away more and more from His truth?

Today in our nation, we are re-writing history, and using the Word of God inaccurately and out of context, in order to justify ourselves, and our sins. This has been done throughout our history as a nation, whether we were trying to justify our policy of the destruction of the Native Americans in the land, or trying to find the justification of slavery using the scriptures, and many more issues shameful to this country. All of these attempts at twisting away from the truth comes from the same root: a heart of sin.

This is certainly not isolated to the history of America, but exists throughout the scriptures. Jesus made it clear that He would never compromise on bringing the truth, and taught candidly about the consequences of walking in that calling:

"I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am straightened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three..." 

                                                                                                              Lk. 12:49-52

The words and works that Jesus would bring would cause divisions, even dividing households, between those who received the truth, and those who did not. He called the religious groups of the time "hypocrites" and "vipers" as they taught error, while holding on to their sins. Although they could understand the implications of natural signs, they purposefully refused to discern "this time", the time when their Savior from sin was in their midst. They could not even judge of themselves what was right. (v. 54-57). These also are the conditions of our generation.

Even now our nation is divided, both believers and non-believers, over issues and personalities, with both sides of the aisles of government missing the whole point: It's about the signs of the times! Jesus is coming back! Yet we refuse to discern "this time".

Teaching in a synagogue, Jesus was challenged by the religious leaders about whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus was about to heal a man with a withered hand. Jesus told them that they would rescue one of their animals on the Sabbath. Isn't a man even more valuable? Wherefore, it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." After Jesus healed the man's hand, the religious plotted how they might destroy Him (Mt. 12:9-14). Jesus consequently warned that a kingdom, city or house divided against itself shall not stand (v. 25). And we are indeed a nation divided by the Word of truth: for and against. Where is the Church? There are souls to be rescued.

We rely instead on political leaders to reflect ourselves, and our opinions, as we claim to stand on truth, but in reality we are turning away from truth. In scripture, the people of God also preferred a man to govern them as a king, as the nations of the world had, rejecting the governance of God's chosen judge and prophet, Samuel. They justified this rejection of God with reasonings and excuses, but God knew what was in their hearts: "...they have rejected me (God), that I should not reign over them."   1 Sam. 8:1-8

The sinful hearts of men made the same choice again when Pilate offered Jesus' release. They chose Barabbas instead, even insisting that they had no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:15). We in America have also rejected God's reign, upon which we were founded, and we have chosen Caesar over Christ.

Jesus taught that to stand for the truth of God's Word, to stand for Jesus, would bring persecution and hatred from the world:

"If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you...But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me...If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin...but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." 

                                                                                          Jn. 15:18-25 (Psalm 35:19)

We have seen how individuals, businesses, and organizations have been socially, legally and economically persecuted because they stood for what they knew to be righteousness. America worships many false gods and idols, as evidenced by what we now espouse and practice. While America demands tolerance of these idols, no tolerance is shown towards those who offend these false gods by speaking the truth of God's Word. The Church does not want to be persecuted, so they have compromised the truth of the Word of God in order to be loved and accepted. However, by so doing, they sever their identity with Christ, the uncompromising truth bringer, and additionally, the Church then conceals the remedy for sin from those who are perishing in it. Scripture says that those who deny their sin walk in darkness, and "do not the truth". The truth is not in them. If, on the other hand, we walk in the light of truth, if we walk with Christ as He is in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn. 1). "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 
                                                                                                      2 Chron. 7:14

The Church does no one a favor by hiding the truth about sin, and consequently denying the opportunity for any who desire to be cleansed and delivered from its deathly power.

During the Feast of Atonement, the Book of Jonah is read in the synagogues. Jonah, the prophet who ran from his calling to deliver God's prophetic word to Nineveh, died in the belly of a great fish, descended into Hell for three days and nights, and cried out to God for his rescue. God delivered him from Hell, and resurrected him from the dead - made death spit him out!. This is the same sign, the sign of Jonah, that Jesus promised to fulfill to a wicked and adulterous generation (Mt. 12:38-40), which describes our generation also. Jesus is the one who was dead, and is alive for ever more.
The physical evidence of Christ's great victory over sin and death, which supports every word of the scriptural account, is found on the fibers of the linen cloth used to enfold His body as He was entombed. We have the Word of God for the truth and solid foundation of our faith, and the image of the risen Christ on the Shroud of Turin for a gracious confirming sign.
Fathers and all believers, it is time to return to the truth. It is time to walk in the truth. It is time to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).

 

To Contact/Support the Ministry/Submit Prayer Requests/ To Order "NAZAH":

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

To See the Whole Message from Dr. Stevenson:

https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10211906889209430/
(Audio) http://everlastingcovenant.sermon.net/main/main/21189361
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.