Brethren, yes, I get it. The world is bombarding us with 24/7 doom and gloom such as riots, looting, lawlessness, COVID 19, political corruption, wars, terror, and all other forms of Godlessness you can imagine. People are losing their jobs for speaking out against such evils, churches are being fined for meeting, and even the United States Supreme Court upheld a violation of the 1st amendment, limiting the number of people that can attend a church service.

We believers are under attack from all sides and angles. Sadly, many believers are not even aware that they are being distracted and conditioned for something with a hidden agenda. Indeed, many genuine believers are drowning in fear. We would expect this from the unsaved people of the world as the events of the day are hopeless to them. But, why are many in the church cowering in fear? From pastors and elders terrified of government officials, to the layperson in the pew preoccupied with the worries of the day.

Where is this spirit of fear coming from? Who is this hidden enemy? Let us look at the “Angry Mob.” They throw bricks through windows and then cart off cars, TV sets, and jewelry (STEALING). They prowl the streets harming and murdering others (KILLING). They wreck, smash, and burn public and private property (DESTROYING). Right, then let us see… Just whose M.O. (modus operandi) is that? This spirit goes by many names. He is called a thief, a dragon, a serpent, accuser of the brethren, and the adversary (Satan) “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10a). There is a spirit of immense power and destruction with an innumerable host of demons that wants to steal your peace, kill your body, and destroy your soul.

I don’t know about you all, but it seems to me we are at war. Not a war for territory, wealth, or natural resources, but a war for the souls of men. It is you and I that stand in opposition to the objectives of the adversary. Therefore, you and I must be silenced, neutralized, and eliminated. Do you not know that as true born-again saints that the Holy Spirit resides in you? “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). It is hard to imagine the hatred harbored against you just for that fact. Do we not know that God is with us? “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Despite all the “Doom and Gloom” being fed to us, it is not that bad yet. Bad is coming. If you are brushed up on your eschatology (end-times studies), you can clearly see a horrific picture painted of the wrath of God being poured out upon the rebellious world. A wrath that believers will be spared from (rapture). Even so, before the rapture happens, those who are blood-bought by Christ, we will still face persecution and tribulations in this world. We ought not to fear such times, but instead embrace them. If the fact that we are bought with blood, claimed by God as one of His, and an utter annoyance and displeasure to the enemy just for sharing the Gospel, then let it be a joy to our souls to be such an annoyance to the enemy.

Do not fear the world or the spirit of it!

Brethren, I am not coming from a high and mighty horse telling you to be fearless because I never fear. Quite counter, I too am being worn down from this world. I have been crippled by fear in my life. I thank God for repentance and His word of truth. His word is replete concerning how we should handle fear. Let us heed His word concerning fear:

“The LORD is for me; I will not fear what can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6). To be sure, man can take your life away, but can man condemn your soul to eternal damnation? “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

King David, while relentlessly being hunted by Saul, cried out with all his heart, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident” (Psalm 27:1-3).

God Himself speaking in Isaiah:

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). “I am with you” Said the LORD. This was reiterated upon the great commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). He said, “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.” If Almighty God who cannot lie, cannot fail, and cannot deny Himself promised this, it MUST be so. If God is for us…

John states this fact: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love” (1 John 4:18).

Therefore, if we are perfected in love and have peace with God, what can we fear? If we are killed for being an ambassador of the Gospel, then so be it. The transition will be seamless. One moment we will be in this “body of death,” in this broken, fallen world, and the next instant we will be in the presence of God, perhaps hearing something like this: “And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME‘” (Revelation 4:8).

If we are put into chains and imprisoned for this Gospel, then let us start a prison ministry. I am QUITE sure prisons are full of souls that yearn for and need the forgiveness and salvation only Christ Jesus can give. That spirit of the LORD is within you and me, perfecting us to be Christlike: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1).

It is this Gospel that we are commissioned to share with the lost that puts us all on the “MUST be DESTROYED” list of Satan. Do not capitulate further into fear. Get off this drumbeat 24/7 doom and gloom news cycle that is permeating deep within you. STOP, turn off the TV, and open your Bible. After all, the prophets of the Bible are surer than tomorrow’s headlines.

These were just a few examples of God commanding us not to be fearful. It is fear that can stumble us, can silence us sharing the Gospel, push us into sinful habits, and outright wound our soul deep to its core. It was fear that made Peter deny Jesus three times. The Bible account tells us that Peter “Wept Bitterly.” “The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62). Put yourself in Peter’s shoes (or sandals) and tell me his soul was not wounded.

Do not let the choice of fear disable us. As one of my beloved brothers says, “You are Plan A. There is no Plan B.” In God’s plan, we (the church remnant) are Plan A. Just as Jesus going to the rugged tree was Plan A, Sovereign God does not have a Plan B! The LORD stated over and over and over, “Fear NOT, for I AM With you!” Therefore, if God is telling us not to fear, and our pea brains are screaming to cower, who would you say knows best? Yes, always submit to God. In fact, He, in His infinite wisdom, left us the answer to combat this evil spirit of fear (Satan): “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Granted, I’m not a rocket scientist, but I think this scripture is perfectly clear. By submitting to God and resisting the devil, a massively powerful being will flee from you. Looks to me like the devil is the “fraidy cat.” Simple enough. Submit to God. Resist the devil.

Fear God!

The Bible says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding‘” (Job 28:28).

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10).

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

We are adopted sons (and daughters) of Father God: “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Romans 8:15). But it says “not a spirit of slavery leading to fear.” Indeed so. That is a fear of eternal punishment. The “fear of God” does not mean to be afraid. It means to be reverent and in awe of Him.

Since the nuclear family has been nuked, it is becoming harder to make this comparison, but I shall, nevertheless: As a small child we looked at our father in awe. He was WAY bigger, stronger, taller, and louder. When that booming voice said, “BED,” you might have gulped, and despite not wanting to go to bed, you obeyed. Failure to comply might lead to any form of discipline. We also knew DEEP down in our heart that “DAD” would protect us. Even from those little evil monsters that lived under the bed. That is called a healthy fear of reverence and awe. This is the fear we need to have of Father God. He is, after all, the “Ultimate Awesome Father.”

Therefore, we ought to heed His instruction, obey His rules, accept His discipline, and Love Him with all our heart: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Trust in the LORD

Brethren, we are left with a choice to make. Do we choose to listen to the lord of the world, the liar and thief? The prince of the air: “according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2b), who is also the prince of the airwaves.

The mass media, unbeknownst to them, are serving a satanic agenda. The influence of FEAR is now to the point that many pastors are becoming compliant to the conditioning for the antichrist to come, thus suspending in-person church services until next year. All because of fear.

Let us ALL choose to trust in the LORD. “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11).

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11-12).

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

Brethren, I urge you to take a stand for the word of God. When trouble comes, and it will, call upon the LORD: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).

Rally yourselves and get back in the battle!

Shalom,

Brian Lazewski

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Immodest: lacking humility or decency. Synonyms: improper, indecent, indiscreet, immoral, forward, bold, brazen, unblushing, unchaste, unvirtuous, shameless, loose, cheeky, naughty, saucy.

Immodest Women, whether a Christian or in general, will be judged not only in this life but in the one to come as well. Back when I was in Middle/High School, girls who wore tight clothing, heavy makeup, had big hair and flashy jewelry were called ‘judgmental and degrading slurs’ either to their face or behind their back. Basically, they were ‘looked down upon’ for dressing in such a ‘forward or promiscuous’ manner. Some felt shame and changed their way while others did not seem to care and continued on in this behavior. The payoff it seems was in ‘getting attention,’ albeit the ‘wrong attention,’ but ‘attention nonetheless.’

Humble: having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. Synonyms: meek, respectful, submissive, modest, free from vanity, servile.

As Christians, we are to honor God with our bodies and let our adornment be of a meek (humble) and quiet spirit, which is of ‘great price’ in the sight of God. The World tells us to be flashy, showy, and the ‘more skin exposed’ the better (leaving little to the imagination) without any exaggeration! Now, instead of ‘old-fashioned dating’ before starting up a relationship, the youth these days send what is called ‘nudes’ to each other through Snap Chat or other methods; and if they like what they see, then they will ‘hook up.’ So much for liking someone for their personality, mind, sense of humor, or anything of substance!

Whatever happened to the good ol’ days where the young man came to the door with flowers in hand for the young lady and to ‘respectfully meet the parents’ before taking her to a nice dinner and an event or a movie? Apparently, all such ‘respect and formality’ has been ‘thrown out the window’ due to gross immorality, immodest women, cheap sex, and disregard for God’s Word and all authority! The world does not want to do things ‘God’s Way’ anymore and clearly has not for some time now!

Instead of ‘growing and evolving’ as a human race as some would have us to believe, we are actually ‘devolving’ and literally becoming ‘less intelligent’ mentally, emotionally, physically – and more importantly – spiritually with each and every subsequent generation! The enemy has been successful at ‘dumbing us down,’ to put it mildly! This should prompt us to wake up to the enemy and his ‘wiles and schemes’ and to change not only our course in this life but our ‘mindset on this issue’ before it is too late!

1 Timothy 2:9-10 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

When God tells us something in the Bible, it is not to ‘limit or stifle’ us or our fun, but instead it is to ‘protect and help us’ to value who we really are in Him! The World teaches Women to ‘devalue themselves’ by cheapening their worth through exposing and giving themselves away bit by bit and piece by piece until they forget who, what, when, why they are even here or were ever created!

As a Woman, I have had my fair share of Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and being Taken Advantage Of; and I have to say I have come to hate being viewed as a ‘piece of meat’! Growing up, I sometimes wore dresses, even though I never really liked to wear them, and it is even worse now because I have experienced what it feels like to be ‘helpless and vulnerable.’ Another aspect of vulnerability, or in putting one at risk, is when a Christian Woman or any Woman, for that matter, exposes her cleavage. Not only is that the ‘height of immodesty,’ it is manipulative because we know that men are visual beings and that will draw ‘immediate yet sinful’ attention all around!

1 Peter 3:1-4 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

From rubyintherough.co.uk: 10 Ways Women Dress Immodestly

Some of you might be thinking: ‘What right do men have to share with me what they find immodest. Modesty is between me and God.’ If that’s you, I would ask you to consider what it means to dress with decency as required by the above text. The Greek word for decency means: ‘a sense of shame or honor, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.’ Thus, to dress with decency is to dress in a respectful, reverent way with regard for what others think. Modesty is not all about us and our own standards. If most men find our clothing indecent, we should care.

Here is the list they came up with along with their reasoning. They were real and raw in explaining how the male mind is wired. Obviously, the list was subjective. You won’t find a place in the Bible that says ‘Thou shalt not reveal thy cleavage.’ However, I have spoken to a number of men about this list, and they have been in agreement. See what you think. If you disagree, why not ask your brothers in Christ for their opinion…

1. Dresses or skirts with lengthy slits
2. Dresses, skirts or jeans which tightly cling to the butt
3. A skin-tight upper garment
4. Unbuttoned blouses, low neck lines or cleavage
5. Sleeveless tops with large, gaping arm holes
6. Low-rise skirts or jeans
7. Skirts and dresses that are just plain too short
8. See-through clothing
9. Skin-tight trousers or jeans that tightly hug the buttocks, the thighs and the crotch.
10. A bare midriff and back

Well, I don’t know about you, but I was certainly challenged by this list! I’m aware some of you may be thinking, ‘It’s not my fault if men lust after me… that is their problem.’ Yes, men are fully, 100% responsible for not lusting after us (Matt 5:28). Yes, some men will lust whatever we wear. However, that does not take away our God-given responsibility to try and dress modestly and decently (1 Tim 2:9-10). I think to love our brothers is to say, ‘If my tight, figure-hugging, see-through, short, cleavage-baring dress with a slit up to my butt could stumble you, however much I love it, I will not wear it.’ Is it really loving or Christ-like to say, ‘I don’t care if my dress is overtly sexy and distracts your mind. That’s your problem…deal with it. It’s my right to wear it?’ Is it really loving to say to our married sisters in Christ, ‘I don’t care if my dress distracts your husband. I am free to parade my body in front of him if I want?’ –Source

On that note, it also really bothers me to find that certain ‘Christian Celebrities’ who name the Name of Christ but at the same time, with their ‘worldly actions,’ they are essentially taking the Lord’s Name in vain. By identifying themselves through certain behaviors such as dressing immodestly and acting provocatively, they are, in essence, saying God’s Word about practicing ‘godly behavior’ does not matter. By their practicing these ‘liberties and influences,’ they are essentially confusing young girls, women, and not to mention new Christians to the Faith! This should not be for those who identify themselves with God’s Name!

From gotquestions.org: What Does it Mean to Take the Lord’s Name in Vain?

If we profess to be Christians but act, think, and speak in a worldly or profane manner, we take His name in vain. When we misrepresent Christ, either intentionally or through ignorance of the Christian faith as proclaimed in Scripture, we take the Lord’s name in vain. When we say we love Him, but do not do what He commands (Luke 6:46), we take His name in vain and are possibly identifying ourselves to be among those to whom Christ will say, “I never knew you. Away from me” in the day of judgment (Matthew 7:21-23).

The name of the Lord is holy, as He is holy. The name of the Lord is a representation of His glory, His majesty, and His supreme deity. We are to esteem and honor His name as we revere and glorify God Himself. To do any less is to take His name in vain. – Source

For example, there are certain celebrities who claim Christianity, but one quick look at their Social Media accounts and you will see photos of them donned in bikinis, swimsuits, short shorts and skirts, among other ‘immodest apparel.’ Did you know that in the Bible ‘exposing your whole thigh’ is equated with ‘uncovering your nakedness’? Let us get real for a moment, shall we? Wearing a bikini is basically like wearing an ‘intimate undergarment’ out in public for all to see, which is ‘unmistakably immodest’!

Isaiah 47:2-3 “Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.”

Ladies, we need to realize our worth is in Christ and not in our outward appearance! Instead, we are to put on Humility, Compassion, Kindness, Gentleness, Long Suffering, and Patience. To ‘esteem others higher than yourself’ means that we are not to be ‘high minded’ or to think that we are better than anyone else. Godliness is to serve others through Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion. This is way easier said than done, and I know that I ‘fail miserably’ at times; but I also know that through Christ we can do all things, even put off our worldliness!

Colossians 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”

Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Until next time… Maranatha!

(JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!)

Jesus is Coming!