I find it no coincidence that the topic of this devotional, which is Costly Grace, is written on the 5th of the 5th Month, 5 being the number for grace. Dietrich
Bonhoeffer was a German Theologian during the WWII and very outspoken about his
absolute disagreement with the ideology of Hitler. He saw that his beautiful country was about
to be destroyed. All that Germany stood for, the music, arts and academia,
which was from the best in the world, and most importantly their Christian
standards completely uprooted. He loved
his country and saw the role of the Christian as vital to the upholding of
Godly standards in society and that if anyone is to be blamed when it comes to
their countries downfall, it is that they as Christians did not in themselves
uphold it in authenticity, and therefore could not display nor demand it. Needless to say that Hitler and his buddies
did not like him at all.
In his book, “The Cost of Discipleship”, he starts
his first chapter with the same title as this devotional – “Costly Grace”. Grace being a regular topic of debate has
caused many a drift between God’s flock.
However, in this devotional I was led to address both sides and should
also be read as such. It is interesting
to note that when Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote this book, it was first published
in 1937, just before the war. The noose
was slowly tightened around their necks as propaganda was everywhere forced
upon the citizens until they were given over to the deception. No one dared to defy the “Fuhrer” and
everyone knew that it meant persecution.
And so one can
see how even now, we as believers are once again in the same position as
history repeats itself, the noose tightening around our own necks. The issues of then have become the issue of
today. We too hear the beat of war drums
not only globally, but also spiritually.
We see the same pattern of control of where previously a star was
required on the arm, now a “VC” is required.
Where a number was tattooed on the arm, a quantum dot tattoo soon. Where there was a food shortage and the
economy in serious trouble, we too are constantly threatened with the same
demise. Concentration camps are stealthily
built under guise as prophecy plays out before our very eyes. Indeed the anti-Christ spirit is rising very
fast threatening every sphere of life, political, academic, medicinal, and yes,
even in our homes. Jesus promised us
that this will happen. I have a sense in
my spirit that what division we have seen so far amongst our family
interaction, is about to become bigger and even more hostile. You should expect this as Jesus promised
this. Although Jesus is speaking to His
workers here, we do also know that this applies even now.
Mark 13: 9 - 13
9 But take heed to
yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye
shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake,
for a testimony against them.
10 And the gospel must
first be published among all nations.
11 But when they shall lead
you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak,
neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that
speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall
betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up
against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of
all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be saved.
Therefore, it is
of utmost importance that we understand that we are not to fall asleep and
place our heads in the sand like the ostrich, hoping that it is not that
desperate and critical yet. It is, and
so we are to have our ears to the mouth of God that we may receive instruction
and be guided by His Spirit, daily. Not
only corporately, but personally. What
is God telling me personally about my role in the time we are in?
Bonhoeffer
writes that if grace cost God so much, why is it that we think that it will
cost us little? Jesus drew our attention
to the same principle when it came to be His disciple.
Luke 14: 26 - 35
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own
life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after
me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth
not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is
not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to
finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king,
sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to
meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he
sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not
all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the
dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Peter confesses
his undying love to Jesus at the last supper, even to the point of dying for
the Lord if need be. However, when it
came to those asking him, “Are you not one of them?” or whether he knew Him,
his answer came swift and emphatically “No!” I cannot help to think of spoiled
children that with the snap of their finger or just enough moaning are able to
get the most extravagant gifts at such great cost. Demanding their rights as children to be
given what is theirs on the basis that they are children. Whether it is the latest car, game, brand
name clothing, jewelry or technology, the parents are willing to pay the
bill. Indeed it is costly, but for
whom? The parents. What they receive in return for these gifts,
that costs an arm and a leg, is entitled, obnoxious, spoiled brats that do not appreciate
what the parents gave them. The value of
what they have received is based on what they paid for it…nothing! It costs them nothing and so easy come, easy
go. Here we have Peter and we see how
quickly it was for him to deny Christ.
The same man that received the revelation by the Spirit that Jesus was
indeed the Son of the Living God who alone has the words of life. This betrayal was met on the shore after a
night’s fishing with Jesus preparing a meal for Peter. By this time, Peter was well aware that this
gift of grace bestowed upon him, did not cost Jesus an arm and a leg, but His
body was torn, lashed and beaten, stripped of flesh, hung on a cross, pierced,
blood poured with brutal suffering, unto death.
When Jesus asked him “Do you love me Peter?” it was not because Jesus
did not know, but rather because Peter needed to know. He needed to know that love, agape love, is
the requirement to feed His sheep and that that love comes at a great price, the
Cost of Discipleship. I remember years
ago I asked Father to fill me with His love.
I wanted the real thing, I wanted the depth of it. At this Father said, “You do not know what
you are asking”. And then He said, “No
one has greater love than he who lays his life down for his friends”
(John15). The cost of grace is very
high. It costs our Savior much.
At this point I
want to ask “To what end are we saved by grace through faith?” and “at what
cost cheap grace comes then?” Grace and
discipleship are inseparable, and discipleship costs. Grace to follow Christ, to walk as Christ and
to live and die as Christ. Any other
agenda or motive is outside of the faith and a deception. Bonhoeffer was not writing as one unaccustomed
to persecution, but as one who became a voice in the wilderness, a very
dangerous wilderness, and was hanged by order of Himmler. He knew the cost, because he counted the
cost. What you say and to whom you say
it could cost him his life. It was a
reality to him. And today, we find
ourselves in the same place. Once again,
the question has to be asked, “To what end are we saved by grace through faith?”
Grace has at the
heart and intent of it discipleship and this discipleship should not be segregated
from grace. Costly grace has been turned into cheap grace because of this very
segregation. It has become the
justification of the sin, rather than the sinner. Grace is given freely to us for the purpose
of being His disciples, because without His grace we can do nothing. When grace is about us, about our salvation
only and reaching heaven, we have indeed made it cheap. It is not that by our discipleship we obtain
grace, but rather by grace we obtain discipleship, and therefore it is
costly. Cheap grace frees you from
discipleship, but costly grace binds you to it.
This is what makes grace a gift.
It is our enablement to be His disciples. Once again, the call of discipleship is
inseparable to grace. The cost of cheap
grace is the lack or no discipleship and the Kingdom of God suffers for
it. We can do our A, B, C’s and call
ourselves Christians without being the thing in itself, which is a disciple, a
follower of the “The Way”. What
way? The narrow way. Please read more on this way in my post
called “Followers of the way”. Anyone can be a Christian simply by asking Jesus
into their life and to forgive them their sin without the clear requirement of
what it means to follow Christ, which is to carry your cross daily and to die
daily. And so, subconsciously a license
is given to sin because grace abounds. You
do not have to lay your life down because Jesus already did that for you. But this grace is to enable us to sin no more
as His disciples, which comes at a great cost.
Having said all
this, we have to see this in the light of the present spiritual climate where
this cheap grace without discipleship will indeed eventually come at a very
high price. For if we have looked upon
the gift of grace as to only save us from destruction and have scorned the call
to discipleship, then the fundamental purpose for this grace is not only
rejected, but ignored, for which Christ paid a very dear price. This grace is the gift that enables us to lay
our lives down for our King. Father has
placed this upon my heart very clearly that some are soon to receive their assignments
and that they should indeed consecrate themselves afresh to this call. All of your life has been in preparation for
the time we are in now. He has shown me
part of my assignments and to this I want to emphasize that more than one will
be given at the right time. The point
is, how are we able to lay our lives physically down if we have not counted the
cost, if we have not prepared ourselves spiritually in being a disciple by
dying daily? If we cannot deny ourselves
now in the comfort of our own homes in the smallest of matters, how will be
able to do it when our literal lives are at stake, just like Peter’s life
was? Make no mistake, what He is
teaching us now is vital for this time we are in, it is His gift of grace to
us. If we choose to uphold cheap grace
and have chosen to justify ourselves on the basis of atonement without applying
the grace for its true intent, still loving our lives, we will try to save it
at all cost when the time comes. At
which point this cheap grace will become very costly.
At present we
are inundated with different opinions about the VC whether it is the Mark of
the Beast or not. The word states that
there are eight requirements.
Revelation 13: 16 - 17
16 And he causeth all, both small and
great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or
in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell,
save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Now before I briefly discuss this point, please know that whether
it is or is not, is not now the discussion, but rather the hearts of men, even professing
Christians willing to take the VC.
The eight requirements according to Revelation 13 are:
1. They
cause all (meaning you end up with no choice but to comply)
2.
Both
small and great, free and bond (no discrimination…it applies to all)
3.
A
mark is given (many assume a visible mark – G5482, which means to sharpen with
a point, scratch, a stake, badge of servitude…The Jew’s badges were a yellow
star)
4.
On
their right hand (This has been shown to mean shoulder. G1188 means right side, and in this case it
means hand…when somebody stands on your right hand, they are not literally
standing on top of your right hand, but next to you. The right hand is referred in the Bible as to
a place of strength. Most people are
right handed and it is known as your strongest hand. The point is that it shows that this mark
will influence everything you do.)
5.
On
their foreheads (This means between, which is G3326 in the Strong’s Concordance). Of late we have seen the implication of those
who have received the VC and the affect physically and neurologically. Once again, we have been programmed through
the years that it will be a visible sign. But is it?
6.
No
man may buy or sell without it (we are already there)
7.
The
Name of the Beast (We know the substance Luciferase is in the VC’s for tracking
purposes and for the purpose of authenticating that a person has indeed
received it. The name of the Beast is
indeed Lucifer.
8.
The
number is the number of man, being 666 (The patent number of the VC is 060606)
The present VC and the quantum dot tattoos, pills and plasters are
all fulfilling all these requirements. The
fact that it will be linked to 5G and that this technology makes the 5G the
trigger and the VC the mark, makes them both part of the whole and should not
be seen as separate. If I have a bomb, but not the trigger, I
still have a bomb in my possession. They
are both needed to activate, but still the same thing. Therefore it cannot be stressed enough apart
from all the adverse reactions out there, that we are to speak up!
I want to focus on the fact that Father chose divinely that this
number had to be the number of man.
Why? I have said before that without
God, man is a beast. The flesh is the beast
system within Babylon. The flesh, that
beast that hates the Spirit. When we
give our right hand, that is to say all that we do in subjection to be in
servitude to the enemy, we are in fact giving over to the government of man,
which is the body of the Beast, just like we are the body of Christ. This government as we know are controlled by
principalities and powers. The patent
number being 666 is in essence claiming ownership over all who has this VC. Their lives belong to the system, that is to
say, the Beast System. We were given the
Kingdom mandate to rule and reign on this earth, and so when we comply we are
in fact laying down our Kingdom mandate in order to subject ourselves to the
Beast. Whether that is our intention or
not. We lay our crowns down not before
the King of kings, but to the Beast and his kingdom of darkness.
Further, the word clearly says that cursed is he who trusts in
man. When we take this VC or those we
know, they are in fact, whether in fear or ignorance, choosing to trust in the
government, believing that their intentions are right and good. Even though the whole world is aware that not
enough research time was given for the developing of these VC’s, and still
people are willing to take the chance.
Why? Nobody is exempt from the consequences of this even if they agree
to this out of ignorance or feel that it is just fear mongering. If they have not done their research, they
will not be pardoned on the basis of “we did not know”. They willingly chose to trust man and not
God. They in fact laid their life down
for the Beast. This falls into the issue
at hand which is costly grace.
The enemy works on the basis of covenant just as our Father
does. They know that innocent blood carries
with it the greatest power and this possibly could have been the reason for
their outright vengeance on our Lord and Savior on the cross with such venom. And so whenever sacrifices are made on
satanic high days, the purer and more innocent is chosen for this very
purpose. This is not just witchcraft, but
satanic covenant. Innocent blood must be
shed. Here we have in our lifetime the
greatest sacrifice made ever, apart from the cross. The enemy works also on the basis of a life
for a life, just as Jesus gave His life for our life. Many are presently making covenant with the
Beast, by allowing the very name written within our DNA, our book of life, to
be removed, because life is within the blood.
I just recently read on Fresh Oil Released ministry’s post about
the Name of the Lord in our DNA. She
says there are sulphide bonds holding together the two strands of DNA and they
occur after the 10th pair of nucleotides, again after the 5th
pair of nucleotides, then 6 pairs later and then again 5 pairs later. The 10th letter of the Hebrew
alphabet is yod. The 5th
letter is hey, the 6th letter is vav. YOD, HEY, VAV, HEY spells “Yahweh”. We are made in His image.
The life within the blood is not just a nice statement of how no
one can live without blood, but that very life, is the life we live from. The only one that breathed it into us at
conception. This is the sacrifice of the
innocent made presently by covenant. The
VC is covenant. The enemy knows this and
his aim is not just to defile mankind by mixing species as in the days of Noah,
but by removing the name of God even from our blood, and thus thereby becoming
the “life” of that blood, subject to him.
We have to remember that we are in a spiritual war between two Kingdoms
and not lose sight of this by focusing on the tree and then missing the forest,
so to speak. Those who chose to take the mark are eternally damned. You may
disagree with me, but having fulfilled the eight requirements and just waiting
for the proverbial bomb to blast, I cannot see what we are waiting for more?
The trigger may only be switched on in years to come, but safe to say we are to
take note that he is already standing where he ought not to be, which is in the
temple of God. 5G however, is in the
air. It is here and only a matter of time. However, having said all this, the issue is not the mark of the Beast, but costly grace. There is a good chance that many will only hold onto what they want to and could possibly miss the whole premise of this devotional, which is, are we sufficiently prepared in our life for what is coming? Have we allowed His gift of grace to prepare us to be His disciples? Are we still fearing man and what man could say, especially if we should contradict their views on the VC? Especially our family and friends? Is it more important for us to spare their feelings and not to offend, than to possibly save their lives? It is more important to respect their views? This is the very reason why there will be division within the homes at first. For there must first come this division as foretold by Jesus, because here the goats from the sheep will be separated, those who profess like Peter, but unable to see it through.
Are you
upholding to this cheap grace without considering the cost in the time we are
in? Are you denying this grace to make
you His disciple? Or, are you upholding
to costly grace, but in fact have cheapened it, not by your confession, but
your unwillingness to die to the smallest of things in your daily life? We are quick to point a finger at cheap
grace, but are you living up to the confession of your costly grace? Either one will cost us.
That which is upon us requires immense grace not only to not fall
into this trap ourselves, but also to warn those we love with everything we
have. Eternity is at stake here and we
just cannot be silent and think that we as Christians need to respect other’s
opinions when so much is at stake. We
are to hear from our Father how to address this very serious issue for
ourselves personally and also to those we come into contact with. Because the antichrist spirit is already so
rife, we should expect vehement opposition and persecution. The question is, are we ready for it? Because cheap grace will not suffice. If we have been too busy to try and evade
hell and making light of it, and do not take into consideration the true cost,
then we are outside of the faith. The
good news is not just salvation by grace through faith, but that by that grace,
which is very costly, He who is greater than he that is in the world, has
already overcome him. We are no longer citizens of this world now, meaning not
that we cannot wait to go to heaven, but are already as citizens of heaven
establishing His Kingdom now. It is and
will remain a moral conflict and on the same basis that our King of kings
destroyed the enemy, will be the same basis by which we obtain this costly
grace to overcome…the cross. For there is
no greater love than he who lays his life down for his friends. No greater force than love, and that love
comes only by the cross.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer ends this particular chapter with the
following words:
“Happy is the one who knows
that discipleship simply means the life which springs from grace and that grace
simply means discipleship.”
