The Vengeance of God

     Lately I have been hearing a lot about an angry vengeful God who is about to pour out wrath and anger and horrible things upon the earth. I heard someone quote Hebrews chapter ten where it says “Vengeance is mine and I will repay.” So I thought about these things and Father led me to Isaiah 61. Here it mentions the vengeance of God.

Isaiah 61

1: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2: To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

 *and the day of vengeance of our God;*

 to comfort all that mourn;

3: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.


     Did you see that? Right there in the middle of verse two it mentions God’s vengeance and then it goes on to tell us what that vengeance is. 

     God’s vengeance is just like everything else he does. It brings healing. How does he avenge? It tells us in verse three. It says he will comfort those who mourn, to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the heavy spirit that weighs us down.

     We don’t have an angry God. We have a loving God who is always merciful and graceful and always wanting to heal and deliver. We must learn to overcome evil with goodness. We must learn to think like he thinks.

     When Jesus came he quoted these scriptures in Isaiah 61 and said they were fulfilled in him. Let’s look at Luke Chapter Four

Luke Chapter Four

16:And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 

17: And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20: And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 

21: And he began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

 22: And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 

23: And he said unto them, ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24: And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 

25: But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 

26: But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 

27: And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 

28: And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 

29: And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 

30: But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

     Jesus stood up and quoted these words and told of the favor and goodness of God. He said the message from God was sight to the blind, liberty to the captives, healing to the sick and blessing to the poor. As usual the people got angry when he spoke of the goodness and kindness of our God. Religion always wants a mean vengeful God who is angry. That way they can keep people in fear and bondage and keep them under their control.

     It’s the same today, people want an angry God who is ready to destroy the world with fire and anger. When you tell him he’s not like that they get angry, but we have to do just what Jesus did. Even when in their rage they tried to push him off a cliff, he just loved them and disappeared from among them. He demonstrated love and kindness even towards those who hated him.

     Later when he was being nailed to the cross he demonstrated that goodness again when he asked for their forgiveness because they didn’t know what they were doing. When he was being persecuted by Saul he met him on the road to Damascus and saved him. He changed him into Paul and sent him out preaching of the goodness and kindness of our God. 

God's way of vengeance is to take his enemies and make them his children. He is not angry, even at those who are angry with him. Over and over again he has demonstrated that love towards us and expects that we do the same toward each other.

     Just as he demonstrated, we must love those who are in bondage to religion and must help them escape. They don’t know they are in bondage to all the fear mongers who preach destruction and doom. They aren’t bad people, they are just confused and haven’t come to know the loving kindness of our Father. 

    They don't understand that the plan of our Father is to fill the earth with the glory of his goodness and to save all who will come to him. His plan is to dwell with us and be with us forever. To show us through all ages his love and his grace towards us.

     They don’t understand the finality of the cross of dealing with the sins of the world. They don’t realize that Jesus really did take away the sins of the world and now all that is necessary is to get the people that are already forgiven of their sins to get born again and join the family. That’s why the apostle Paul said in Second Corinthians chapter Five:

17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

18: And all things are of God, 

who *hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,* 

and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

     Many people say that Father turned his back on Jesus on the cross but it says here that he was right there in Jesus taking all the sins of the world upon himself so that he wouldn't have to count them against the people of the world. He has already reconciled the sins of the world. 

     All sin was forgiven at the cross and we must tell the people to accept this forgiveness and be reconciled to him. Sins are forgiven but all must be born again to enter the kingdom. We must meet him at that cross and accept his great act of love and lay our lives down and receive his new life. 

     Father is not angry. He loves us so much that he poured out the blood of his only son to save us. Does that sound like anger to you? He loved us so much that he chose us as his dwelling place. Of all the places in heaven he could dwell, he chose us. Does that sound like anger to you? He sent us Holy Spirit to teach us about this free gift called righteousness so that we could leave behind the ways of sin and walk in holiness. This is not anger but expressions of his great love for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Do you believe in him? Do you believe in a loving God or an angry God?

     So the next time someone tries to scare you with the vengeance of God think of these words:

 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, 

and the day of vengeance of our God; 

to comfort all that mourn:

 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,

 to give unto them beauty for ashes, 

the oil of joy for mourning, 

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; 

that they might be called trees of righteousness, 

the planting of the LORD, 

that he might be glorified.

    I hope you are encouraged by these words.

Until next time,

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

For more information please visit:

www.holyreignministries.org

or

www.michaelottministries.org

Little Children

Mark Chapter 10. 

13. And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14:But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15: Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”16: And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.   

     While praying today our Father gave me this passage of scripture and then began to speak to me about becoming a child again. He asked me to share his words with you and I am honored that you would take time to read them. 

   My son, Share these words with my beloved. With your beloved also. They are your brothers and sisters and I know you love them. Don’t be afraid to tell them how much they are loved.

     It’s time for my children to become children again. Not in wisdom but in innocence. It’s time for my children to come to me and know that I am their Father and their Shepherd. I long for the tenderness that my children once had. I have called you to be warriors and champions of light against the enemy but when you come to me I want the heart of a child. I want you to love me and trust me and let me be a Father to you. Let me be who I am and show you how delighted I am that you come to me.

     Many of you have said that you don’t want to bring me your problems but I want them. Your problems are mine. Don’t see it as bothering me. See it as worship. When you bring me your problems you are saying that you need my help and that you can’t do it without me. Don’t you see that in itself is an act of worship to me?

     There is only one catch. Expect me to handle your problems. Don’t bring them to me and then climb down out of my lap acting like you were never here and like I didn’t hear you. I heard you and I invented prayer just so you would have to come to me. I know what you need before you ask but if I just gave you everything without asking then I wouldn’t hear from you and would never get your attention. I love your attention. What Father doesn’t love it when his children come to him? 

     Those of you with children think of it this way. Would you rather your children come to you with their problems or just ignore you and try to figure it out on their own. Or even worse, go to a stranger for help? See where all this is leading? It’s leading you right into my lap where I want you to be.

     Here is the problem my church is having with prayer right now. They have set up a bunch of faith rules based on a twisted idea of what faith is. They come to me with their scriptures and a bunch of legalistic speak about a covenant. Yes there was a covenant but now you are not under contract with me; You are my children. 

     You don’t have to have a legal document with statements about why you need what you need and twenty places where I promised you I would answer. We are family. Families don’t behave that way. Employees have contracts. Families have inheritance. The only legal representation you need is sitting at my right hand saying yes and amen to anything you ask according to my will.

     So what is my will? I have given you all things that pertain to life and godliness. Anything that brings my eternal life to you is yours. Anything that will make you more like me is yours. Anything that will bring death or harm to you is absolutely not. 

     All my promises are yes and amen in my son Jesus. Not in the book. In the man. The word became flesh and is still flesh and is seated with me saying yes and amen anytime you ask for anything that makes you godlier. Yes the bible is a collection of my words but the word is my son and he is with me and you are in him and he is in you and we are in each other and that is where my church is missing it.

     Yes it is a holy bible but that bible is my love letter to you. That written book is not God. I am God and those words lead you to me. Jesus told the Pharisees that they searched the scriptures looking for eternal life and they looked resurrection in the eyes and didn’t recognize him. Jesus is the resurrection and he is the word that became flesh and he is the only way you can get to me.

     Your enemy knows the bible better than you do and yet he can’t come to me as my son. He that has the son has me also. So put aside all the legal wrangling and come to me as your Daddy and sit in my lap and tell me every care you ever had about everything and let me heal you and deliver you and teach you and then when you get out of my lap leave all those problems here with me.

     I love being your Father and I love providing for you. Once again I ask you to consider the birds of the air. Did you happen to hear them coming to me with ten scriptures about my promise to feed them tomorrow? Did you hear them singing anything about covenant rights and crying about promises that are unanswered? No, you sure didn’t. But if you listen you will hear them sing for joy and they don’t have barns to store up for tomorrow. They are happy just being alive today and living to worship me. 

     Now think of this. You put feeders in your yard to feed the birds but you bring your children into the house to eat at your table.

     Don’t you know who you are my beloved? All the birds of the air don’t add up to one child. Don’t you know who you are and can’t you see what I paid to get you? Don’t you know how precious you are to me? I paid that price because you are my joy and my delight and I love you with an eternal love that never fades and throughout eternity there will always be room for you in my lap and at my table.

     So here is where I want you to rest your faith. I am your Father and you are my beloved. I will care for you all the days of your eternal life and that’s all the faith you will ever need. Come to me my little ones. Get rid of the legalistic thinking and come to me as my little child.

     Bring me your broken dreams, your broken hearts, your broken faith system, your broken relationships and let me fix them. I will even trade you for them. You will love what I will give you in exchange for your problems. I will give you things like: Beauty for your ashes. Joy for your mourning. Peace for your turmoil. Prosperity for your poverty. Health for your sickness and eternal life in exchange for you laying down your life at my Son’s cross. 

     Will you trade with me? Will you worship me by bringing me all your problems and leave them all with me? I adore you my dear children. I am ready for you. Come to me.

     I hope you are encouraged by these words. 

Until next time,

Grow Rich in His Grace,

I love you all,

michael

For more information please visit the following websites:

Holy Reign Ministries


Michael Ott Ministries