Echoes From Paradise #Part 8
The Bottom Line
“Here I stand,” Cheerful Meek spoke as he stepped forward, “with a plumbline in my hand to measure all, to place it against everyone who claims to be a Christian; yea, and to cut off the refuge of lies too!”
“A-a-amen!” The multitudes shouted while clapping their hands, as Cheerful lifted his line with the plumb head on it. Then he proceeded, “I am here, sent from God, to measure all by the truth, the simple truth, set forth in the scriptures, and anything that deviates in whatever degree from the simple truth is a refuge of lies!”
“A-a-amen!”
“Therefore, thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Isa 28:16
“Jesus is that true foundation laid in Zion by God himself. Everything is measured back to that foundation. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Cor 3:11
“Whoever believes in him shall not make haste, shall not be confounded, shall not be put to shame, shall not be moved. Yes, do you believe Jesus? Sure? Let us find out. If you believe in Jesus, then you believe in all that he speaks… do you? sure? Uh… let us see.
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [senseless, stupid, idiot, shit, thick-headed, extra], shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Mat 5:21-22
“If you believe in Jesus at all, then you believe in the above words. And that means no abusive words leave your mouth at all! Exactly! Words such as foolish, stupid, silly, to hell, thick-headed, you pig, extra, are foreign on your tongue, if at all you believe in Jesus! That is what the foundation says!
“Your religious refuge of lies is measured in the balance and found wanting; that which cannot convert you to walk according to the precepts of life is a lie! Salvation converts you into the image of God, and if your belief has not done it, it is a religious lie! For there is only one foundation that is true, the same was laid in Zion, and that is Jesus Christ.
“Yes, any other foundation is a lie! The Islam foundation is a lie! How many say ‘Amen…’ to that?”
“A-a-amen!” Cried the multitudes.
“The Roman Catholic foundation is a lie! It is based on human traditions and spiritualism. ‘Hail Mary’s’ and all such stuff is nonsense! How many say ‘Amen…’ to that?”
“A-a-amen!”
“The Protestant and Pentecostal foundations are a refuge of lies! They are based on intellectual interpretations of scriptures contrary to the simple truth. That is why they are different one from another. A thousand and one Protestant and Pentecostal sects, pulling away from one another, each claiming to be the true church, shows how much confused all are! A refuge of lies!” Cried Cheerful as he preached.
“The multitudes who daily flood such camps are no different from any other man on earth. They lie, cheat, curse, abuse, swear, hate, kill, murder, lust, covet; they are proud, boastful, high-minded, know-it-all’s, running after the world and her delicacies just like anybody else. Refuges of lies are their religions! How many say ‘A-a-amen’ to that?”
“A-a-amen!” Shouted the auditory.
“No other foundation shall be laid! Jesus is the only foundation which God laid in Zion. Any other foundation laid by men is a lie! And if you are built on Christ as your foundation, then the plumbline upon your life flashes with the foundation. Remember, Jesus Christ is known by his words! You can’t know him otherwise. The image of Jesus is revealed in his word. As he speaks so is he. Anything that deviates from that is a lie!
“If you are saved in Jesus, then the plumbline upon your life should be in line with the image of Jesus; anything short of that is a refuge of lies! Your life should flash with the life of Jesus Christ. You have to walk as he walks! How? He is righteous, holy, true and faithful; he is kind, meek, humble and lowly; he is patient, long-suffering, forbearing and forgiving; he is loving, gracious, merciful and easily touched by our infirmities. Yes, he loves everybody as himself, and if his life is in you, you will walk the same way. You will tow the line no matter the challenges. Anything else is a refuge of lies!
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1John 2:4-6
“There is the plumbline on you today! If your Catholic faith cannot make you walk as Jesus walked, it is a refuge of lies to be swept away by the hail! If your Protestant faith cannot afford that for you, it is a refuge of lies to be swept away by hail! If your Pentecostal faith cannot bring you to the mark of that plumbline, it is a refuge of lies worth being swept away by the hail. If your Branhamism faith cannot bring you to that foundation, it is a refuge of lies to be swept away by the hail! Any other faith that cannot convert you to walk exactly the way Jesus Christ walked, is a refuge of lies worth the dunghill! Jesus is the only true foundation and everything else must be measured back to that foundation. And here is how Christ walked towards all his neighbours: he loved all, even his enemies and died for them; all men are his neighbours, marque. Hear this:
“There is the rule by which all shall be judged irrespective of what they are! No matter who you are, that is God’s plumbline upon you! That is how Jesus walks, and if you are in him, you will walk likewise. No mincing of words here, if you are in Jesus, you will walk like him!
“Look at what the foundation says:
“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Mat 5:33-37
“If you still swear, yet you claim to be saved, know that your foundation is a refuge of lies! No other foundation to be laid than that which God laid in Zion, the same is Jesus, and we know Jesus by his words. The words of Jesus are himself expressed. Therefore, if you are in Jesus, that is how you will walk. No swearing will leave your mouth… why? You are dead to all that and are raised in Jesus to walk as he walked! Hallelujah!
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Mat 5:38-42
“That is exactly how Jesus walks, and all who are in him walk in the same way. Failure to do that means you are yet to be converted. Whatever religion you claim has no meaning; if it cannot convert you to walk like Jesus, then it is a refuge of lies! Any who is in Jesus will never avenge himself; he will never retaliate. Those who do so are yet to know Jesus!
“Yes, come on! Sit still. Your seat is yet to be hotter. Only those who are willing to stand the word-test can abide the approaching temperatures. Judgement begins in the house of the Lord, so today the plumbline is to be placed upon you for uprightness. Yes, Simon, are you upright or tilted? Ninety degrees upon the word or less?”
“My dear brother, I am willing… may the Lord help me. I cry to be ninety degrees upright. Oh Lord, help me! Poor as I am, am willing… only willing.
“Yes, many times I am guilty of tilting away from the words of Jesus in selfishness. Many times, anger and wrath broods in my breast against my fellow men because of fussing over trivial things. Many times, I curse my enemies, not so much with my mouth, but with my heart. What a Judas Iscariot is in me! Betraying Jesus, the word of God, over and again. Woe is me! I am undone. The plumbline finds me off-guard.
“My brother, pray for me. I need to be converted. I need a circumcision of heart; I need it, so bad. Oh, God, have mercy upon me!”
“Yes, Simon, hear is the blueprint; here is the plumbline. It is the word, the word of God. and Jesus is that word. His life, his ways, his stand, his conversation spells the word of God. He breathes the word of God. He talks the word of God. He walks the word of God. He lives the word of God. He is upright, just, righteous, faithful, and true to the mark; he is humble, meek, lowly, and kind to the point; he is forbearing, long-suffering, forgiving on the dot; pure, holy, clean, without blemishes, blameless, and faultless, exactly! The gentle lamb of God he is!
“Dear Simon, conversion brings you to that foundation. Your life will flash with that cornerstone. There is no shortcut about it. Be zealous and repent. Forget your religious inclinations. All are a refuge of lies, if they have failed to convert you to walk as Jesus walks.
“Look; could Jesus avenge himself?”
The congregation roars, “No-o-o!”
“Could you expect John, Peter or James, after Pentecost, to have avenged themselves, striving over some worldly possession?”
“No-o-o!”
“Yep, do you think blessed Stephen, the first martyr, could curse his enemies?”
“No-o-o!”
“Could you expect Paul or Silas to have gone around cursing and swearing?”
“No-o-o!”
“Do you expect John the Baptist to have borne a grudge against Herod?”
“No-o-o!”
“Do you expect Mary Magdalena, after Pentecost, to have fussed, argued, debated about the politics of her times?”
“No-o-o!”
“Do you expect Martha, and her sister Mary, to have gone after the fashions of the daughters of the world, going after men’s wear like trousers, miniskirts, tight dresses that could show their body outline; skirts with slits that could show their thighs as they walked, some dress that could show part of their breasts, some skirt that could hardly cover their knees when seated… or such like vulgar attires of adulteresses?”
The multitudes (and especially the sisters) shouted, “No-o-o-o!”
“Why? Why couldn’t they do it? Yes, because they were converted! They were like who?”
“Jesus Christ!”
“They had the faith of who?”
“Jesus Christ!”
“Yes, with your religious faith (Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, or Branhamism faith) you might still curse, swear, strive, lust, wear immoral attires, expose your knees, thighs, breasts to be lusted after; yes, you can still argue and fuss over worldly possessions, over politics, over games and sports, over power and popularity, over religion and traditions of men… but with the faith that was originally handed to the saints, you can’t do that! Which faith is that? The faith of Jesus Christ!
“Yep, the faith of Jesus makes you act like Jesus. Period! Any faith that fails that test is not the faith of Jesus! I don’t care who founded it. Any other foundation is a lie, a lie of the devil from the pit without a bottom!
“Yep, come on brother…! We are here for business. Eve played with the rattlesnake, and it squeezed its venom into her. How poor all her posterity has been ever since! We are not going to leave a stone unturned today. Are you a Christian? Brother, sister… say it! That means to be like Jesus Christ! Loving like Jesus Christ. Caring like Jesus Christ. Righteous like Jesus Christ. Holy like Jesus Christ. And here is Jesus Christ:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Mat 5:43-48
“There is the true image of Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh! Not that painted thing that hangs pitifully on the wall of your room… no! Whether Hoffman’s or not, all are pitiful things attracting idolatry! The image of Jesus Christ is his words! The true picture of Jesus Christ is the character revealed in his words! As the words of a character in a play paint his image, so also the words of Jesus Christ paint his image; I don’t need any other. All others are pitiful and useless! The scriptures are the reflection of Jesus Christ. His character is revealed in his word. I don’t need a miserable thing, in the name of Jesus Christ, to hang on my wall. I leave that for heathens.
“There, the plumbline catches up with you, Eliud. Are you ready to be measured… as vertically upright as your Saviour? Ninety degrees upright? Is the plumbline upon you flashing with the foundation of Jesus Christ laid in Zion, the city of the living God?”
“I am willing my brother, pray for me. I cry, I plead, I long to wear the image of that man from Galilee. He is as firm as his words are… Oh, my God, help me to surrender all!
“Wanting I am, in every way. I am drawn into political debates many times, … what a vanity fare! I argue and fuss in self-defence… what a wicked behaviour! I fight to retain the little possessions that I call mine, when the enemy comes to snatch… what a wicked heart in me abides! An evil eye is mine, envy belongs to me… what a devil’s heart is that! How many times have I desire the necks of my enemies… what a murderous, heinous heart is that! I think some people foolish, stupid or idiots… what a chief demon in me is that! How fouled with death! O…
“Yes, my mouth sometimes utters blasphemies… how ugly and disfigured is such a mouth! How foul and soiled with refuse is a heart that can whisper such crude words… words of hate; words from the ghastly mouth of death; words whispered by the very chief demon! Hating, accusing, cursing, abusing, envying, gossiping, whispering, backbiting, speaking filthy and profane sentences… what a filth, crude, foul mouth is that! Suited for none other than the chief enemy of righteousness and holiness. Oh, what wretch I am… who shall save me from the chief demon in me!”
“Yes, my friend Eliud… Only Jesus Christ can save. Only Jesus can change your life. Without the Word was not anything done that was done, and without the Word there is nothing saved that is saved! You cannot be saved outside the Word of God. The Word of God is Jesus Christ. Without him in you, you are yet to taste salvation. Get it? Repent and turn to Jesus!”
“I do it… with all my heart. Have mercy on me, this once. Come in, oh Lord Jesus, and convert me to be like you, this once. For, lo, here am I, my cry comes to thee…”
“Hold on that foundation and you will experience life. Don’t begin to claim to be Catholic, Protestant or Pentecostal of whatever calibre; that means nothing before God! Your baptismal card means nothing before God! It is a mere paper that smokes away with mere candle fire. The true baptismal card is the Holy Spirit! That is the only token that heaven recognizes!”
Eliud, wearing a blushing face, cast to the ground a paper that he had been carefully carrying all along. He fell to the ground and let out a doleful lamentation. On looking at the chit of paper carefully, I realized it was a baptismal card issued to him by some Protestant sect.
I was surprised to find out that there were many strangers in this place, who like myself had strayed hither. And as Eliud lamented his case and repented, I was so touched, for I had been exactly like that a while ago. Then I realized that God himself guided our feet to flee from the wrath to come, and from vain Gentile religious traditions in the name of Christianity.
“That is what the foundation in Jesus says, and anything else is a refuge of lies worthy the dung hill!” Cried Cheerful. “
“If you are in Jesus, then you walk as he walked. For being in him means his way is your way, no matter who you are. Don’t begin to claim, ‘I am Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal or Branhamite…’ that means nothing! Bring here your life. How is it in comparison with Christ’s words?
“Hohoho-o-o! Measure your life with Christ’s life! He lived what he spoke! Whatever came out of his heart meant what he was and still is! He never changes, marque. And he is the plumbline that I am pulling out against you today! There you are, come on board! Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin!
Echoes From Paradise 
The plmbline is the Lord Jesus Amen and amen. Lord I pray that you measure my life and help me Lord Jesus to be like you. Amen
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In the beginning was the word and the word was God. And the same was made flesh to dwell among us. And more so today walking among us on two feet. OOH. How i long on earth to be like him! Help me lord, i pray.
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