Volume 12 Issue 7 - July 1997 RESPECT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:40) Ever since Jesus uttered this simple prerequisite for a true believer to experience the glory of God, the Church throughout the centuries has been on a quest to see it fulfilled in their generations. Our generation is no exception. American Christians are increasingly becoming more and more disillusioned with the Americanized gospel. A diluted gospel that has produced Christians who are more at home and more comfortable with personal, as well as national sins, than they are concerned about the holiness of God. Very few, it seems, are even aware this posture even offends the holiness of God. Add to this unfortunate condition, the encroachment of the dominant evils of the land that are invading our souls with enhanced vexation, and you eventually stumble upon a people who are desperate enough to cry out for God to reveal His glory to revive us once again. All over this nation, prayer groups, solemn assemblies, and anointed intercessors are fervently seeking the Lord to change the course of our nation, to bring down the strongholds that have polluted the land, and to send a heaven-sent revival that will reveal the glory of God. These brothers and sisters are aware that we as a people are beyond a political, educational, or financial solution that will rescue us from sliding down the primrose path to destruction. God’s intervention is all that remains and the Church must meet the conditions for God to visit this nation with His holy redeeming power. In Isaiah 35, the Word of God reveals the awesome manifestations that accompany a people who are privileged to see the glory of God. It strengthens the weak hands and confirms the feeble knees. It encourages those with fearful hearts to be strong and fear not because our God will mete out divine retribution to our enemies and He will save us. It goes on to describe the miracles that God performs in order for man to perceive His glory. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. The lame man shall leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. It promises to renew, restore, and reform a land made barren by the rebellious sin of its inhabitants (Psalm 68:6). Listen to the prophet as he continues to reveal the extraordinary benefits of seeing the glory of God. Waters shall break out in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. The passage ends with the assurance of God’s power to keep them on the highway of holiness that shall lead them to a blessed state where the believer obtains joy and gladness while sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Obviously, something as magnificent as this carries with it an enormous potential for the good of mankind, but we must also beware of the potential dangers as well. For instance, scripturally, fire and water are symbolic of the manifest presence of God, the flow of His Holy Spirit, and the realization of His glory. Just a brief consideration of these elements should be sufficient to point out the truths I’m seeking to hammer home. First off, fire is one of the greatest blessings mankind has ever harnessed and now enjoys. Fire warms our homes, cooks our meals, heats our water for bathing, purifies our precious metals, and fashions our tools and machinery that contributes to our comfort and convenience. Fire, under control, is a God-sent blessing that benefits our daily lives. But let that same fire with its potential to benefit mankind break out in a man’s home while the family is sleeping and a tragedy may occur. Let some incendiary put a torch to a hotel and dozens of lives are immediately endangered. Years of diligent labor can be destroyed in a twinkling of an eye. A lifetime of savings can be turned into ashes, as people helplessly stand by waiting for the fire department to come and salvage what may remain from the fiery disaster. Water is also an absolute necessity and a vital part of our lives. It is essential for drinking, cooking, cleaning, growing crops, and is an abundant source of recreation. But let a tidal wave come and all our recreation will be wiped out, leaving in its wake a path of destruction and misery. A gentle rain that refreshes one moment, can, without warning, turn into a torrential downpour and cause massive flooding with serious repercussions. By now you may be wondering, "What has this to do with respecting the glory of God?" I believe the simple definition of God’s glory will hopefully answer that question. In the Hebrew language, the word that describes the glory of God is called "Kabod," which surprisingly means weight. In other words, the glory of God is a weighty matter. It is nothing to trifle with, treat frivolously, or mishandle. One just has to observe what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 to confirm this truth. Here is a couple, the Scripture teaches, who plotted to appear spiritual in their giving, but actually ended up lying to the Holy Ghost. Peter discerned the situation, exposed their folly, pronounced God’s judgment upon them, and they were immediately struck dead. In this particular instance, God was not the "God of the Second Chance" for Ananias and Sapphira. I don’t know about you, but this account always troubled me and not by what you may suspect. I was not troubled by the seemingly harsh reaction by our Lord, though it does appear very severe for what most Christians would consider a slight discrepancy in their giving. I mean, they still gave a large portion of the sale of their property to the work of God. In today’s Church, instead of men of God praying imprecatory prayers upon their heads for lying and misrepresenting the situation, they would most likely offer them a position as Elders for their generous gift. No! What is so disturbing to me is that this infraction is so minor compared to the horrendous transgressions that are running rampant within the Church today. The frequency, the intensity, and the depth of our sin in the church makes Ananias and Sapphira’s sin pale in comparison. Yet, the God of the Bible "appears" to wink at us while He came down so hard on them. The question is why? Why the variance on God’s part concerning His past dealings with sin at the birth of His church and His apparent lax dealings with us today. The answer is found in the fact that the early church was filled with great grace, great power, and through this Ananias and Sapphira episode, the great fear of God was also introduced. The truth is, the glory of God was so weighty in the early church, that every sin came under the scrutiny of our Holy God and was immediately judged. The historical lesson is clear, we must be prepared for God manifesting His glory amongst us. As we cry out for this great blessing to revive God’s people, we must take into consideration, God’s glory is a two-edged sword that cuts both ways. We must treat God’s glory with the utmost respect due to the example found in fire and water. Though they truly are beneficial and we can’t live without them, we must also highly reverence them because of their awesome power to destroy. God’s manifest presence and glory is no different. It has the potential to revive, renew, restore, and reform, but if mishandled or mistreated, then the church better make preparations for a new ministry called "Pick and Shovel Ministries." HERE COMES #7! "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." (Genesis 18:19) Praise the Lord! God has seen fit to bless the Thomas home with another reward from Heaven. We just received the good news that Liz is pregnant with out 7th child. Our other children are filled with joy as they talk to Momma’s stomach welcoming their latest sibling into our hearts and home. Liz and I decided to graduate from being the Thomas Tribe to now becoming the Thomas Nation. (We don’t just preach pro-life, we practice it as well.) Our philosophy is simple, convert as many as possible while making our own. Either way, God is going to have a godly seed in the earth. Pray for our other children as the attacks continue to rage. Five of them have come down with a severe case of whooping cough. They have spent a week being quarantined. The medical bills and other bills are rising as a result. Please remember us in your giving to the Lord’s work this month. Also, remember Liz in your prayers as she sends me off to battle in Dayton, Ohio. Neither of us know what we will face as we confront the child-killing industry there. Though National Leaders and I have crossed the F.A.C.E. bill line a number of times, the threat of them charging us is always present. First conviction carries with it 18 months in a Federal Prison along with a hefty fine. Obviously, with the advent of our 7th child coming, Liz will need a special grace from the Lord, if anything should happen to me. Thank you for standing with my family and this ministry as we press on to the high call and prize of the Lord Jesus Christ. IT’S TIME FOR A MOVE "And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it." (Deuteronomy 31:7) For over nine years now, Liz and I have been on a prayerful journey seeking the Lord for our own land, our own inheritance, our own home, and our own property. This year, I turned forty one and with the addition of our seventh child coming, this desire increases with each passing day. There is no question, biblically, that there is a sacred connection between God, the land, and His people. The Ten Commandments alone reveal God’s will for His people to own property, land, and houses by the laws He instituted to protect such possessions. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 19:14, "House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord." Liz and I made a quality decision years ago that we would honor the Lord and give ourselves to pass on a godly legacy and a righteous inheritance to our children. It is clear from Proverbs that this inheritance is not just limited to just spiritual in nature, but that it also includes financial and material possessions being passed down from the parent to the child. Our family is planning on moving from the house we are living in and possibly moving into a house being vacated by a precious family from our church. We will probably be paying rent there at the same rate we spend here. We will have access to this home for a year, maybe longer, if this family decides to stay in North Dakota where they are moving. Our goal is to use this time wisely in preparation to seek God for the wherewithal to buy our own home. We are asking our supporters of Elijah Ministries to stand with us in prayer and as God leads, financially, so our family will have a place to call our own. We have been on the threshold many times, but something would always arise and our plans would be thwarted. This is something that burns in my heart for my family, particularly for my wife, Liz. Only God knows how much she has sacrificed for the cause of Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom through Elijah Ministries. I humbly submit this request to you, knowing that the Lord in His time will answer this nine year old prayer. FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR DAYTON "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6) As I write this month’s newsletter, pastors, O.R.N. leaders, and saints alike are seeking to meet the necessary conditions for God to move in Dayton in a mighty way. Our desire is for the Lord to not only touch that city, but to use this event to shake America as well. This event will be like no other O.R.N. has ever sponsored. There are three important reasons why I make that observation. The first deals with the call to fast and pray. We are trusting God to fulfill Isaiah 58:6 in our midst, as we earnestly seek Him with our whole heart to visit Dayton to loose the bands of wickedness (shut down the death camps) and let the oppressed (the unborn child) go free. The call to fast and pray will culminate in a Solemn Assembly. This is the first time a national O.R.N.event will begin in this manner. We will come before God in brokenness, humility, and repentance, acknowledging that even that posture is the gift of God and cannot be artificially produced. We will, by God’s grace, take ownership for our personal sins, as well as identify with the transgressions of our whorish nation. Like King David of old, we will confess that we have ultimately sinned against God and Him alone. Like Ezra of old, we will admit the height and depth of our iniquity, "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens." (Ezra 9:6) Can there be any doubt, the cry of the sin of America has reached heaven, as surely as the cry of Sodom once did? Our hope contained in the Solemn Assembly can be summed up in the following statement. Therefore: Considering the urgency of the hour, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, clearly instructed by God’s Word, we gather together, moved by God’s Spirit, to pray at this Solemn Assembly before our God on this night of Sunday, July 13th, 1997. We come to repent and cry out to Him on the behalf of the church in Miami Valley and our beleaguered nation. We are trusting that God’s forgiveness, favor, and renewed blessing will be granted to us, our children, our city, and to our nation once again." The third dynamic that will be introduced at this event is the concept of Ecclesiastical Court. A tribunal made up of anointed men of God, recognized leaders of God’s church, will hold Martin Haskell and the other abortionists in Dayton in contempt of God’s court. We will publicly hold these child-killers accountable for their sins against God and their crimes against humanity. The essence of the proclamations and prayers that will go forth on Friday, July 18th, is found in the four words the righteous have always cried out when tyranny and injustice oppressed mankind, "HOW LONG, O GOD?!" The bottom line comes down to this truth, "Lord, You are the Sovereign God, You are the All-Knowing God, and You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Based upon that sure foundation, You know whether these evil men will repent and find your abundant pardon or whether they will continue to defile your sanctuary and profane your Holy Name through the despicable act of child-killing (Lev. 20:1-5). In other words, Lord, if their sole purpose on this earth is to mass murder Your children and pollute the land, then in Your mercy, stay their hands of execution and cut them off from the face of the earth. May they become an astonishment, a hissing, and an example to all those who mock God and refuse to come under His righteous rule by shedding innocent blood. May Your judgments fall in such a way that America will be reintroduced to the fear of God, that we would depart from this grave evil and learn righteousness once again (Isaiah 26:9)." On Saturday, August 9th, 1997, Christian Family League (a new pro-life/pro-family ministry we are helping to establish along with Amber King and Russell Kirk) will sponsor Challenge ‘98. Challenge ‘98 is designed to challenge and help equip families and children as they head back to school for the new school year. The subjects we will address range from peer pressure, drugs and alcohol abuse, abstinence, gang prevention, and of course, a strong dose of the Gospel of the Kingdom. We have a tremendous line-up of anointed ministries, heart wrenching testimonies, worshipful songs and powerful dramas that will be sure to inspire and bless the families of Waco. Included in the day’s activity are Tom Blackerby the State Director from American Family Association in Alabama (Tom was one the the organizers for the "Save the Ten Commandments" rally in Montgomery, Alabama). Other ministries featured will be a drama written by Vince Carpenter from Church on the Rock, Jimmy Garcia from Promise Keepers, Heaven’s Saints (a Christian motorcycle group made up of ex-Hells Angels), Stan Mason, a Waco police officer, a skit from Robinson Church of Christ called the Sin Box, the local Crisis Pregnancy Center, the head coach of the Baylor Bears and the Bears for Christ, the Waco Wizards, and Yours Truly. We are still waiting confirmations from Governor George Bush to kick off the event and A.C. Green from the Dallas Mavericks to be one of our key-note speakers. The time and location for this ground-breaking event will be approximately 4 or 5pm-9pm at the Hippodrome Theater. We may have to change location to Waco Hall on the Baylor campus if interest continues to grow. For more information on what you can do to participate or help with this event, contact me. Thank You! "Let My People Go!" "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
The Vision "Let My People Go!" represents a concerted effort that transcends racial and denominational differences to expose the "Angel of Light" that has come to deceive, and thereby, destroy God’s people under the guise of helping them. Though there are many strongholds inspired by the "Spirit of the Age" that have become entrenched in the Church of Jesus Christ, there are four key issues this specific conference will address. They are: Biblical Manhood, Racial Reconciliation amongst God’s People, the Abortion, Racism Connection promoted by Planned Parenthood and a Biblical response to the "New Plantation," otherwise known as the "Welfare State" that has enslaved millions to a life of sloth, drugs, poverty, and violence. We are convinced that God and His Holy Word alone holds the answers to these maladies that have killed our children, hurt our families, and replaced the role of the Church in our beleaguered nation. The"Let My People Go!" conference is designed to provide the inspiration, the courage, the vision, and the Biblical answers that will bring a revelation to liberate God’s people in Waco. We are also praying that God will use this conference to challenge the Church to rise up, get involved, and to make a righteous difference in this city. Our keynote speaker for "Let My People Go!" will feature Pastor Johnny Hunter from Virginia Beach, VA. Pastor Johnny is the head of L.E.A.R.N. which facilitates a national network for African- American pro-life/pro-family groups and organizations. He is the recipient of numerous lifetime awards, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Religious Award in 1990. The conference dates are set for September 20th-24th. On Saturday, September 20th, we will kick off the event with a Pastor’s Breakfast, where Pastor Johnny will address the Elders in our city. On Sunday night, September 21st, the three nights of rallies will commence. The conference will culminate on Wednesday morning, September 24th, as we have church in the streets in front of the infamous killing center at Planned Parenthood where black genocide continues unabated. The location for the three nights of rallies, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday will be announced. If you’re from the Waco area, please begin to pray and make plans to participate in this historic and life-changing event. God bless you richly.
IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas |
