Daily Devotional for Wednesday April 16, 2014
Did You Know that the Masses are Still Calling for Barabbas Over Jesus Today?
(Mark 6:6-15, Romans 11:2-5)
***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, on the first anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing and so much media coverage surrounding this horrific act of terror, why haven't you ever mentioned it at all?
ANSWER: Actually, you are wrong. I DID devote an entire Daily Devotional to the event when it happened. Here is the link to that Devotional ( http://www.liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=5144 )However, I am disgusted that in all the coverage, no media outlet has the guts to tell the truth that this is how Islam has operated around the world for the 1400 yrs it has existed. I am equally disgusted that as sad as it was for those 3 innocent people to lose their life on that day, the media refuses to acknowledge the apx. 4,000 innocent babies murdered in this nation EVERY 24 hours, WITH MUCH OF THAT SAME MEDIA ADVOCATING FOR, PROMOTING, AND CHEERLEADING FOR THIS ACT OF INFANTICIDE!!!
Did you know that the masses are still calling for Barabbas over Jesus today? As we approach the coming special days ahead, we will read some of those great passages in the Bible about the events of what we now call Palm Sunday through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus. One of the events that took place soon after Jesus was seized by the Romans was Pilate allowing the masses to vote for either Jesus or a criminal named Barabbas to be released as was custom during the Passover.
Pilate felt certain the people would ask for Jesus to be released, thus allowing him to escape being used by the Jewish religious leaders to put Jesus to death. After all, the crime Jesus was guilty of was stating that He was God, a non-violent theological debate that he really wanted no part of. Barabbas on the other hand was a violent revolutionary working to overthrow Rome. However, when Pilate gave the people their choice, Jesus or Barabbas, they cried out for Barrabas!
My friend, whether you understand this or not, the people today are still crying out for Barabbas. They have rejected Christ, His Truth, and in open rebellion to Almighty God are calling for sin so they can live in opposition to God and His Truth. Our society today has chosen to promote the agenda of satan while rejecting Christ and the Truth of God's Word.
I can't even begin to tell you how heavy my heart has been about this nation, the world we live in, and so many people dying every day and spending eternity in hell. The fact is, this nation and world could be looking forward each day to God's blessings, instead of awaiting His soon coming wrath and judgment. So many people die each day and end up in hell, when many of them would have accepted Jesus as their Savior and been spending eternity in Heaven if someone had only told them how to be saved. I have spent much of the past 6 years on my face before the Lord, asking for His guidance in fulfilling the ultimate plan and purpose for His work here at Liveprayer
In the Bible, we read about the REMNANT. No matter how evil and wicked the children of Israel became, God always had a remnant of the faithful who refused to bow their knee to Baal. Throughout the ages, God has always had a remnant. Despite the spiritual freefall this nation is in due to its' gross sin and wickedness, God still has a remnant today who refuses to bow down to the false gods and idols of this world, and have remained faithful to the Lord.
In the Bible, we read about the religious institutions that became corrupt, were mostly about money, had become part of the spiritually bankrupt culture due to compromise and worldly motivations, and their leaders who lived a life of luxury off of the sacrifce of the people they were supposed to be guiding spiritually. Isn't it amazing that in the year 2014 nothing has really changed? Most mainline denominations have bought into the perverted liberal theology of the day that accepts many sins and opposes Biblical Truth. They have embraced ecumenicalism, laying aside the absolutes of the Bible to fellowship with the cults and false religions of the world.
Other churches have bought into the man-made marketing plans of our day like the seeker movement, the purpose driven church, the emerging church, and the prosperity gospel. So called Christian leaders sell out the Gospel for their own benefits. Many preachers think they are celebrities and use the sacrifices of the people they minister to to live like the ruler of a small nation. Is it any wonder why our nation is in spritual freefall when the very institution God created to lead our culture and the people to the Lord, has allowed itself to become part of this sinful and rebellious landscape?
Sadly, in the Bible, other than the prophet warning the people, the remnant was quiet never heard from until AFTER God's wrath and punishment rained down upon the children of Israel. It was ultimately the remnant that led their nation back to God and His Truth during that time of punishment, and helped re-establish the worship of Almighty God and following His Truth in the aftermath.
I don't believe that the remnant needs to remain silent and sit back while our nation experiences the wrath and judgment of Almighty God. I believe that if the remnant will rise up with one voice, we can see God's hand of judgment stayed for a season. However, we have no time left. As I told you in November of 2007 years ago, we would see God's wrath and judgment begin to fall on our nation very visibly starting in 2008, and we have. Believe me when I tell you the current economic crisis has only just begun. We have a true enemy of God leading our nation as President. This is only the start of God's judgment on this land. We must act now!
This can not be a movement led by a mere man of flesh and blood, but must be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Works of men are little more than fiefdoms, and we already have thousands of them in Christendom which is a major reason why the church has virtually no influence over our culture. This has got to be a movement of the remnant, God's true and faithful followers. Those in the remnant refuse to bow their knee to the gods of this world, their goals and desires are heavenly and not earthly, and they seek to use their God-given gifts and talents to serve and glorify Him.
As for Liveprayer, God has uniquely positioned this end-days ministry to be a catalyst to rally and lead His remnant, to sound the trump of warning, in the marketplace and help guide His remnant to lead this nation back to God and His Truth for a season. It is amazing what God can do with only a few who are completely and unconditionally sold out to Him! In just 15 years, Liveprayer, one small work of God operated out of the back of a used car lot, has literally impacted tens of millions of lives worldwide through the Internet and secular media, responded to over 100 million emails for prayer, have over 8 million praise reports archived, and seen over 800,000 souls we know of come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Liveprayer has refused to get involved in the politics the big-time Christian ministries become ensnared in, stayed true to our mission to reach out to the lost and hurting masses in the marketplace despite knowing the road to comfort and prosperity in the minsitry is paved through the Christian media, and has never compromised the Gospel and God's Truth found in the Bible regardless the personal consequences to myself or that it caused many key donors to stop supporting God's work here. When I die it is God, no man, who I will stand before, just like you and every other man will!
Today, I am looking for just 7,000 who refuse to bow their knee to Baal and will go to their death faithfully serving the Lord. We have set up a special web page for "The Remnant" at: www.liveprayer.com/remnant.cfm . Please take a minute and go there, read what being part of the remnant means, and take your stand with others who over the years have committed to be one of the 7,000 who will make up the remnant in these last days!
The fact is, every person has gifts and talents God has bestowed upon them. Some have more than others, but everyone has something God has blessed them to be able to do. It is time for the remnant to rise up where God has planted you and take your stand for Him! Where you live, where you work or go to school, where you shop, where you recreate, none of that is by accident. God has placed you in strategic places in these last days to be His voice. Pray, seek the face of the Lord, ask Him for courage and boldness, and use your life to serve and glorify Him as He opens the doors, while without shame proclaiming to all he brings into your life that Jesus is their only hope and only answer!
I am also asking those 7,000 who become part of the remnant to pray about making a sacrifce of $300 between now and the end of March to God's work here at Liveprayer. God has opened the doors for Liveprayer to have a visible and prominent voice in the mainstream media. It is a needed and critical voice that will give one voice to all in the remnant as we take on the lies of satan and stand for Biblical Truth in the marketplace, something NOBODY is doing on a national secular media stage. Again, having a strong unified voice is the key for the remnant to be successful in helping to turn this nation back to God and His Truth while leading lost souls to faith in Jesus Christ. It will be the sacrifce of those in the remnant, the sacrifce of their time, talent, and treasure, that will give us the tools we need to see victory!
I love you and care about you so much. While this nation calls for Barabbas, there is still a faithful remnant calling for Jesus! There is NO EXCUSE we still slaughter 4,000 babies in this nation every day. There is NO EXCUSE we have men marrying men and women marrying women in this nation. The is NO EXCUSE for the proliferation of porn and gambling. There is NO EXCUSE that the media puts out the unfiltered garbage it does 24/7. THERE IS NO EXCUSE THAT SATAN IS ABLE TO INFLUENCE THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE MASSES 24/7 WITHOUT ANY OPPOSITION!
Today, I echo the challenge Elijah issued to the people of his day on Mt. Carmel, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
Here is the reality of where we are at today. We have forsaken God for the false gods and idols of the world. The leader of our nation is no friend of God. The economy is not going to get better anytime soon, it is going to get worse. The heart of our society, marriage and the family, has been decimated. We are in all out rebellion to God and evil operates virtually unopposed throughout this nation and world. Our nation and this world is overdue the wrath and judgment of God for our gross wickedness. Now is the hour for the remnant to rise up and be heard before it is too late. Our time is up and we are currently operating on God's grace and mercy at this point.
THE FACT IS, WE CAN SEE POSITIVE MOVEMENT IN THE SPIRITUAL COURSE OF THIS NATION, A TRUE CHANGE IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THIS NATION IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. WE HAVE THE TOOLS, GOD HAS THE PEOPLE (HIS REMNANT), AND THE FUNDS NECESSARY ARE MINISCULE IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THE WORLD SPENDS TO LEAD SOULS TO HELL. THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO STAND FOR THE LORD AS THE REMNANT HAS ALWAYS STOOD. MAY HISTORY SHOW WE WERE FAITHFUL!
LIVEPRAYER WILL LEAD THE REMNANT AND ESTABLISH OUR POWERFUL VOICE FOR GOD'S TRUTH IN THE MARKETPLACE TO CALL OUR NATION AND THE WORLD TO REPENTANCE AND THE LOST TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. IT WILL BECOME A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE THE TRUE REMNANT AND MOBILIZE THE FAITHFUL TO WIN VICTORIES OVER THE SOCIAL ISSUES OF OUR DAY AND LEAD THE LOST TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! TIME IS RUNNING OUT, THE HOUR IS UPON US, IT IS TIME TO ACT AND ACT DECISIVELY!!! WILL YOU BE PART OF GOD'S REMNANT???
My question for you today is simply this. Who will you call for, Barabbas or Jesus? To call for Jesus and take your stand with others who have made the commitment to the Lord as part of "The Remnant," go to: www.liveprayer.com/remnant.cfm
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller