And They Loved Not Their Lives Unto The Death!

It’s been longer than intended to get another post on line, but I had been in Los Angeles for a few days representing H.O.B. to some folks on a church mission’s board, as well as other things needing my attention. The morning after returning home, we began a move from one town to another. I hope never to have to move from again, but I remember having said that many times before! Bottom line rests with God. Unless it is in His plans for us, we will never move again…Very possibly the next move will be one where we hear that great shofar calling God’s remnant, the Bride of Christ home for the great celebrations specifically planned for our arrival. As for me, the only thing I can really picture doing is falling on my face at Jesus’ feet, wrap my arms around His feet that still bear the great scars from the cross, and thank Him with every fiber of my being–and then worship Him. How can I not?? I am finding myself thinking about this much these days and know that it is very, very close now. 

I have received more updates from R***, the founder of House Of Blessing in Jerusalem and would like to share at least some of the details with you for your encouragement. I have some other thoughts I need to share which I would rather put into a separate post due to the subject matter being a bit heavy. The Lord has been speaking to me for several months now about what is about to happen. I have been reluctant to say much because it is not the type of thing that a lot of people care to think about. Our western style of “happy” thoughts has become something that has skewed our view of reality. I now know that I can’t put it off any longer. At this point, I’d much rather upset people than fail God in what He asks of me.

As far as what is happening through the open doors that our God has opened for H.O.B., it has been miraculous from beginning to end. The great outpouring that was witnessed and has only increased in greater and greater measure. It is now spilling into neighboring Arab Muslim nations. For those that are not aware, several weeks have gone into very intense teaching and training of people that have become disciples of Jesus since the first week or two of April, 2012. 2,000 Bibles were initially provided which for the most part were distributed in northern Jordan. God planned it long ago, but the timing for it to happen arrived right about the first week of April, this year.

These new believers are now fulfilling the “great commission” that Jesus left. They are doing this with great effectiveness and increasing supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit. The price has been very high in lives lost, but those that step up to take the place of those lost for their faith in the true Messiah Jesus, are at least ten-fold, but often if not usually, much higher. Within the last 90 days or so, multiplied thousands have found the true Messiah Jesus. This is not at all surprising as official statistics show that millions of Muslims are becoming committed new believers in Jesus Christ every single year now. What a blessing it is to be involved in one of these unique underground ministries that God has His hand on and is blessing to such an extent! The blessing for reaching out to these religiously blinded and people who have no hope whatsoever, is beyond anything we can even comprehend. What was it that Jesus said of this “beyond-our-imagination” reward granted to people that just give a cold glass of water in Jesus’ Name? If we had any idea of that reward, we would do nothing but give people glasses of water for the rest of our lives!

The last few weeks I’ve taken up most of my posting time with news from Jerusalem and the developments with the House Of Blessing ministry. This continues to go forward with more and more locations opening up. The miracles happening are the type that we rarely get to see here in the States. But as I already mentioned, the cost in lives is very high, and getting higher each week. Whereas people were being murdered by the 3’s and 4’s at a time, two weeks ago saw eight killed, six the week before, at least 16 last week, and about 22 this week. Yet, they keep going to where the going is the roughest. Most of the ones getting killed are meeting eternity in Syria. Syria these days is a brutal place to be. Over 20,000 people have lost their lives since the rebels started trying to take Assad down. These are the official figures, but I’m sure the real numbers are much higher. Yet, these young believers have such a love for God, and an unfathonable love for the people they’re sharing with–enough that they put their lives on the line every day, knowing that they could lose their lives at any time. Amazing, isn’t it?

It makes me search the Word of God deeper yet for a better perspective on reality. I have run across many passages of Scripture lately that provide some reality as to what the Christian life is really all about. I have seen that quite a number of God’s statements kind of go against the grain of much being taught today concerning the Christian life. God did not intend the Bible to be read hap-hazard fashion, nor were we meant to pick out all the things in Scripture that make us feel good while ignoring the rest. We teach our children that they need to eat the vegetables along with the the parts of the meal that they like much better– and THEN dessert. Many churches and pastors are guilty of keeping their congregations on a steady diet of spiritual candy and dessert. As a result, the congregation are sickly and very, very weak. In no way will they have the spiritual power or even knowledge to handle the challenging times–which are coming in our direction like a out of control freight train.

One of the Scriptures that dropped into my mind this afternoon while I was driving was the one that said, “…and they loved not their lives unto the death.” We read through a passage like that real fast and don’t stop to contemplate the gravity of what is being said. What is being said??? Before reading my comments, take a moment or two to define what you think is being said. This is important.

Much in Scripture confirms the same point being made. Doesn’t the Apostle John say that we shouldn’t love the world, because if we do, the love of the Father is not in us? He made a point to say that the love of the eyes, love of the flesh, and the pride of life will destroy us because it keeps us from the intimate communion we desperately need in order to fulfill what God has called us to do while still on this earth.

I am afraid that so many of us are so hooked on a “feel good” gospel and teaching that we miss the gravity of what Jesus described. He made it clear that it is a necessary part of the life we were intended to live as the “set apart” remnant. I think it is rather telling that almost everyone left Jesus when He began describing what it really meant to live the life God intended us to live. I have much to share along that line in the posts coming up, and am looking forward to sharing this. It is crucial for us in our world today.

A very good example of this is found in John 6. In verse 46 Jesus introduced Himself as the Bread of Life. He then went further and contrasted Himself with the manna the Israelites lived on in the desert for 40 years, only telling them that by partaking of Him as the Bread of Life, they need never die. This of course set off the Scribes and Pharisees and as was their habit, they challenged Him. When they could not outwit Him, they always went back to their plans of finding a way to kill Him.

In this passage however, it wasn’t just the religious leaders that struggled with what He said. Almost everyone had a difficulty with it–so much so that verses 60-69 showed that a large percentage of His followers decided His requirements were too much for them. Isn’t it really that way today as well? We put up an argument with nearly everything that God asks of us. Many teachers have become guilty of teaching their people that they have rights as God’s kids, and they are not experiencing the quality of life that God intended unless they demand God fulfill His end of the deal.

Every word in the Bible is true, and God will always do what He has said He would. Do we forget though that we are the created ones and HE is the Creator? For most in this pampered Christian (and often a bit too arrogantly self-serving) society, God’s requirements are too much to expect of us. Really!! The Creator of the universe gave HIS ALL to save us from sure eternal destruction! The least we can do is LIVE for Him. IT IS A PRIVILEGE! The burden of the heart of God should be the burden of our hearts. The more intimate our walk is with God, the more our priorities line up with His. God is way more concerned about a lost one finding Him than He is in whether we manage to get the latest model of Cadillac or Gulfstream Jet for our pleasure–even if we call it ministry! I am not at all condemning God’s provisions for those that are serving Him. I am however criticizing the many that are abusing the power they have in manipulating people to give to their ministries. This is especially disgusting when you hear of people with next to nothing being convinced that if they give their last to the “kingdom of God”, God will replace it hundred-fold. Just for the record, I believe that God can and does do that in His sovereignty when it is His will, but it is ALWAYS by the direction of the Spirit of God and not the greedy, misguided manipulations of some of the scheisters on radio and TV–especially on Christian TV!

That said though, there is an enormous need to get God’s Word into places that are hard to get into. It’s especially difficult to get Bibles into Muslim areas. The blood-lust of the Muslim fanatics is beyond what most of us can even comprehend. The sight of a Bible brings on a demonic hatred that originates in the pit of hell itself.

It is because of this that when I see someone going into these areas that are absolute “death-traps” for true Christ followers, I am moved to tears, and I’m an old stoic German! Then, all of a sudden I find myself more than willing to sacrifice the daily latte or banana split at my favorite Dairy Queen (neither of which I really do) so that I can put together an offering beyond the normal amount I usually give. How can we not? In fact, when I really think about it, my fleeting thought that I deserve to be able to provide myself with the latest and best, so that I can have “what I think I deserve, or think I’ve earned”, the thought kind of gets a real sour taste to it.

My intention folks is not to sling condemnation all over the place, because the bottom line is this: It is none of my business whatsoever what anyone does with their finances. In fact, I have a bathroom in the modest home we just bought that needs remodeling, and unless God tells me otherwise, I will do just that. One thing I did do though. I took the total of my finances to the Lord in prayer and asked Him what I should do in helping H.O.B. In my case He was quick and specific. I suspect He will tap the resources He has given us again as well. I’m good with that. My life is run totally by Him. I highly recommend that every person that makes the claim to be a Jesus follower do the same. I can’t even find words that are strong enough to describe the satisfaction in my soul for doing what He asked besides being privileged to see the results. Please, don’t miss out on that enormous blessing!

We are at the time folks when we need to realize that what we do today may just be the way we finish our life’s work on this earth. The Lord’s call for His remnant is that imminent. Most of us can’t even imagine the things that are coming to pass–all at the same time. It’s no accident or coincidence. Live today and do today the things like it might just be the last one you have the opportunity to do so. And if it is not…so what?? You will have had your obedience and love expression to the Lord recorded in heaven’s books. There really are books of records like this. I want those books to show that Jake Geier did his very best.

As far as H.O.B. is concerned, the outreach is now over several national borders. The opening into Iraq is an amazing one and is producing results just like what is happening in Jordan. H.O.B. has a good sized group of very well trained disciples ministering in several places. They are however being hit the hardest with loss of life. Yet, with every one that falls, there are many that rise up in their place. The devil cannot stop what has started!! That gives me joy beyond description. I just so much wish I could have part in the actual hands on part of the ministry, but God did not place me in the place to do that. I can only share with you what is happening and ask you all for potent prayers and whatever financial sacrifice God asks of you. It is the time of the latter day harvest and we need to do our very best to be part of that. If we shut our ears to the cry of God in our souls…I can’t even describe how the consequences will play out. Look how God has blessed us as Americans! Do we really think that God blessed us in this way so we can blow it on ourselves? I think not.

I have never been one to ask people for money. I hate the process, and I really don’t like doing so, especially because of how it has been abused by so many charletans. I however, am not a charletan. Won’t ever happen! In the churches I pastored, those that know me also know that I never even passed a plate. From the very beginning, I just had a tithe box in the back and God used this to meet the needs. It was great. But here, I am in a position to know how badly the Bibles are needed, and they cost $15 a piece. The cost cannot be circumvented because of the strict border rules in Mideast countries. They have to be picked up within the countries they are going to be distributed.

One of the things that the Lord impressed on my heart when Anne and I made this miraculous contact on our trip to Jerusalem was that there was not a single Bible that God would not use in a special way–NOT ONE! What an honor to be involved in something like this! I know there are people that can not afford very much at all. Our economy is a mess and getting much worse–yet, it is probably still better than 95% of the nations on earth. It is going to fall soon, and one thing to recognize is this: Every single Bible provided will bring a number of souls into the Kingdom of God. God recognizes where the money came from. Don’t ever doubt that! His blessings are bountiful–additionally when it has to do with help provided through Israel. It is scriptural.

H.O.B. told me not long ago of a widow that asked again and again to put her house on the market for sale. She wanted to donate the whole thing, just to see her countrymen have a chance at finding the loving and forgiving God she did. R***** of H.O.B. has been real reluctant to let her do this because she would then need to rent a place and has no income to do so. That is a burden we need to take on as an expression of love to the One that gave His all for us. Jesus loves the most despicable criminal on earth as much as He does us! He really does!!! That provides a bit of reality to it all, doesn’t it?

The disciples that have gone to Syria for one thing have been able to get right into the middle of a huge amount of badly wounded and dying people. There is no hope for them because medical help is almost non-existent. There isn’t even a count available of the many that have been prayed through to the Kingdom of God virtually with their last few breaths. Can you imagine?? Others are not on death’s bed but are badly wounded and quite readily accept the free gift of forgiveness from the only One that can offer it. It makes me wish I could be there. I have had that experience here in the States many times and know what if feels like to have that experience.

Please pray for these people that are willing to die so readily–just to share the gospel to one person. Also, please ask the Lord what He would want you to do to help with this project. The overhead is almost non-existent. Food to eat is considered a low priority. Buying Bibles to give to these people and then teach God’s Word is #1 on the priority list.

Thank you for reading this rather long post. Do Keep Looking Up! It’s soon—-VERY SOON!

BTW, I have not edited this post because I have been so long in getting another one out. I’m sure I’ll find things later that will need changing, but it is at least on line now…!

Jake