Hail
the Heaven born Prince of peace
Hail the son of righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Going
a little deeper here it is important to remember that before Christ, we lived
in darkness and under the curse of death. Likewise, those that we seek to reach
with the gospel are living in darkness and under the curse of death. These are
not trivial matters and it extends to those who are in the modern apostate
church system. Jesus once preached how deep is the darkness for those who have
convinced themselves that their darkness is light. I tell the story all the
time of the testimony of Kim Walker-Smith, lead worship leader for Jesus Culture
from Bill Johnson's Bethel Church. She often tells of a waking visitation she
claims she received from Jesus who whisked her away to the throne room where
she met the Father face to face. She asked him what he was thinking when he
made her and this entity masquerading as god ripped out a piece of his own
heart and shaped a miniature version of Kim to dance ands sing for him while he
clapped maniacally. Now the story in and of itself sounds so demonic but we can
be assured this was not God because the bible tells us no one can see God and
live! Assuming she was not lying, we are left to conclude that she was accosted
by demons and could not tell the difference. How could she being raised and
taught in the demonic cesspool of Bethel? This is how deep one's darkness can
get but the light of the true gospel can pierce any darkness and ends the curse
of death. When Christ defeated the grave He rose us above it, those that believe
in Him. That is the healing spoken of here. Jesus brings spiritual healing,
which is the process of reconciling us back to the Father. This is not to be
confused, as places like Bethel do, with physical healing. God still can heal
physically because He is God. Beware false teachings that assert God must heal
us. The healing He rose with was a spiritual healing over the curse of death in
reconciling us back to the Father. Glory indeed!
Mild
He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hark the Herald Angels Sing concludes by continuing the emphasis on being born again. Jesus was born that man no more may die! Born to raise the sons of earth! Born to give them second birth! Do not be deceived by the wiles and logic of man. There are not many ways to heaven. One must be born again and one only comes to the Father through the Son. This is why Jesus taught that we would be hated. People hate Christianity because of its exclusivity. There is but one way to heaven! One way to no more die. One way to be raised with the sons of earth! That way is the second birth. It is what Jesus was teaching to Nicodemus in our key verse. One cannot see the kingdom of heaven unless they are born again. You see Hark the Herald Angels sing of the glory of what God has done through His Son but never lose sight that narrow is the way and few are those who find it. Many will say Lord Lord on the last day only to discover that Jesus never even knew them. As Paul Washer once said, right now God is drawing man unto Him with one hand while holding back His wrath with the other. Soon he will drop both hands.
One of the common criticisms of discernment ministries is the appearance of being overly negative. The truth however is that there are far too many Kumbaya ministries that do not even pretend to preach the uncompromised gospel. Folks are churched. They may even see miracles and demons cast out but on the last day they will mournfully lament, "Lord Lord." There is nothing more positive than encouraging someone under false teaching to leave that teaching while there is still time. To step into the glorious light and embrace the promises contained in the bible and sung in Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Jesus was born to raise the sons of earth! Born to give them second birth! Hark the herald angels sing! Glory to the newborn King!
Reverend Anthony Wade - December 23, 2021
