Response Take 3

First Comment: 

(These are actually two comments, but I do believe they are from the same individual, and so I’ve pasted them together, so I could answer them both. If they were not from the same individual, I sincerely apologize for the misread. It was not intentional, but as I said, they are in the same vein, and they bring up some good, and worthwhile points we ought to discuss more fully.) 

Could you please reconcile these two statements: 
from this post - "Never once did I intimate or suggest that I would withhold, or otherwise not share anything that I was commanded to share."
and, from the vision of The House That Stood - "I have not released a dream or a vision in two years, and if not for the specific instruction 'tell them' I would have been hesitant in releasing this dream as well. As I explained in a recent radio interview, the reason why I have not released any visions or dreams is because many within the household of faith have become, for lack of a better term, prophecy junkies. At every gathering, at every meetings, there is always the inevitable 'what's the Lord been showing you lately', as though He hasn't shown us enough, or as though His word is not clear enough. I specifically asked permission of God to withhold what He was showing me for a season, and have single-mindedly focused on preaching Christ, and Him crucified wherever I was asked to preach, because our safety, our shelter, and our protection is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Savior and King."
It sounds as if you have asked God to either stop gifting you with these revelations, or to make them for yourself only as you do not wish to reveal them. If this is true, I find it very sad, and a great loss to the Body of Christ. But perhaps the explanation is, that "season" was the 2 years in which you did not release anything, and that "season" is now over. I hope so. 
To your credit, you have not shied away from the topic of persecution and the American church not being exempt. What would be extremely helpful and timely now would be 2 things: practical advice on how to prepare for this, since your family lived through it - and by this I mean things like Wurmbrand wrote about, such as thinking and planning in advance how to maintain an underground church; and - how to prepare ourselves psychologically and spiritually. By this I mean, there are probably Christians in the middle east who, while having their heads sawed off with a dull knife, were thinking - but Lord - You said your angels would bear us up in their hands lest we cast our foot against a stone. You said only with our eyes would we behold the reward of the wicked. You said not to fear. You said if we made you our refuge, no evil would befall us. You said not a hair of our heads would perish. There are other Christians, along with many non-Christians, women and girls taken captive as sex slaves and are suffering so acutely that they have smuggled out messages to the Americans asking to bomb them and put them out of their agony. Is suicide EVER forgivable, in such extreme circumstances as this? There are accounts both in the bible and in modern times of famine so severe that parents butcher and eat their own children, and of people cannibalizing each other. When one has gone mad from hunger, how are these things judged? We are facing some incredibly tough times with tough dilemmas. To me, sincerely repenting of my sins and shortcomings on a daily basis, and trying to walk as honestly and faithfully with God as I can, is easy compared to trying not to fear when I am about to be burned alive, or worse. How DOES one get through times like that? - because they are coming. 

P.S. to my previous comment about severe persecution. Most of us know the verses about it, that all who strive to live Godly in Christ will suffer it; and that the servant is no better than the master; and that the world will hate us. We know the facts of reality, not only what is happening even now in other parts of the world, but that all but one of the apostles died horrible deaths, and that on one day it was God's will to send an angel to physically break shackles and open gates to let Peter out of prison, and on another day, to stand by and let him be martyred. 
What I am asking for help with, is how can we get our minds around these seeming contradictions? If we are not prone to psychological compartmentalization - and by that I mean, able to accept that today one verse is true but not the other, and tomorrow, the opposite - how do we reconcile these things so that our faith can be solid? Are the verses of protection meant for the next life - once in heaven, the enemy cannot touch us? That would make sense, yet those verses of protection and safety are constantly used in reference to this world. Perhaps that is misapplication. I know there have been millions of martyrs and there will be more. Someday I hope to understand that. For now, all I can do is wonder why, since our suffering and our blood saves no one. 

My Response: 

As far as reconciling the two comments, when I wrote, "Never once did I intimate or suggest that I would withhold, or otherwise not share anything that I was commanded to share", it was in reference to the initial post which started this entire discussion.

Have there been moments where I’ve asked God to release me? Yes, there have, and I know to some that sounds anathema, but unless you limp a mile in someone’s shoes, you don’t know what they go through.

God does hold us to account, God does correct us in His grace and love, God does test us frequently, and oftentimes painfully, and having worked with a man who served until his final breath, I know that these tests, these trials, the ongoing battle to remain humble and not allow the enemy any inroads is a lifelong endeavor. Believe me when I tell you it takes its toll, it gets tiresome, and sometimes, when you look back on your life and realize that for the better part of a quarter of a century you’ve been preaching a message that for the most part was either mocked, ridiculed, or went wholly unheard, it gets disheartening.

All I am is human. All my grandfather was, was human. I’m sorry to dispel the myth, but if there is anything worthwhile in me it is not due to my lineage, my heritage, or something I did in and of myself that pushed me to the front of the line. It is all God, His choosing His will, and if I’d had any input or say in the matter, like Moses, I would have pointed out why I am not well suited for the task.

These men and women that to this day suffer, and bleed and die for the cause of Christ, they’re not braver or better built than you or I, they’ve just made peace with the truth that to die is gain and to live is Christ. In a nutshell, that’s what will carry us through it all, but I will endeavor to go a bit deeper into this topic, because I know many believers have a difficult time reconciling certain passages in scripture, especially when it comes to suffering.

On the one hand, we are comforted by the promise that we will be kept and protected, on the other hand we are told we will suffer persecution, and to our minds it doesn’t compute.

The first thing we must do is differentiate between persecution, and suffering the wrath of God together with the world.

The promises of God to His children, the promise of being kept, sheltered, and protected, have to do with the wrath which He will pour out upon the godless.

I do not believe for a second that we will suffer the wrath of God as the world will, I do believe wholeheartedly that in those times we will see the miracles of God, we will see supernatural provision, we will see supernatural protection, and we will see supernatural guidance.

This is why we do not fear. This is why we have hope. This is why we have joy, and peace, and can still retain our sanity knowing what we know is about to descend upon the earth.

How will God provide for me and my family? I have not a clue, but I know He will. I know I will not have to resort to cannibalism, or any of the other hellish things men resort to when they are mad with hunger, because my God is able to keep me, and He promised that He would.

We have enough examples in the Bible wherein God provided supernaturally, protected supernaturally, and kept supernaturally. It’s still the same God, with the same power, and if we don’t believe that He can do for us what He did for those of old, then the issue lies with us, and not with the promises of God.

With that having been said, we were never promised we would be spared persecution.

Why do you think the martyrs of old would go to their deaths singing songs of praise to God? Knowing they would shortly be savaged by wild beasts, or set ablaze after being dipped in tar, or crucified, or beheaded, or stoned, or a hundred other different things, what made them do what they did?

Simply put, they knew of the reward that awaited them. They knew that a martyr’s death received a martyr’s crown, and a martyr’s reward. Not all are called to be martyrs, but if one is so called, they will be given the strength to bring glory to God, even in their final hours.

We all owe a death sooner or later; it is dying well that’s hard for many folks.

Our singular desire is that by our life or by our death we bring glory to God. How does my martyrdom glorify God? I am not Him, therefore I do not yet know, but I am at peace in the knowledge that He does, and if this is the path He chooses for me, then I will walk it joyfully.

Men make much of this present life, even though it is but a breath compared to the life to come.

I know I have not answered all your questions or concerns, how can I possibly, but I do hope I’ve shed a bit more light on the subject, especially the difference between suffering the wrath of God, and suffering persecution as a faithful bondservant of Christ.

Second Comment:

Thank you for posting such a thorough and sincere response. I agree that it seems unreasonable to continually speak forth a supernaturally given message of coming events decades beforehand. However, my brother Dumitru Duduman no longer walks this earth and those given messages are precisely why he’s known in American homes. He is not known in America because he emphasized John 3:16. He is known to me and people around the world because he obeyed God and spoke what he was given to speak and did what he was commanded to do. That’s why there exists the public ministry to which you’re chairman, because of a man who threw out reasoning and obeyed God with what he was given to say and do.
I’ve often recalled your dream in 2003 when the angel declared: “It is not for you to judge the success the message has in the hearts of others. You were called to be a servant, serve.” Daniel 12:9 is fundamental for the true last generation: “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” There are words the last generation is to expect to be opened and unsealed at the time of the end in the fulfillment of God’s plans and purposes. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” We have got to obey God no matter what we may consider most important. My friend and brother, perhaps you should re-read Revelation 11 as to what the two witnesses will be doing. It won’t be “Jesus loves you and so do I.” No. God’s wrath is coming and there is no fear in lovers of truth. 

My Response: 

My brother, we can speak of the love of God without diminishing or taking away from the severity of God. We can speak of the grace of God, without diminishing, or taking away from the justice of God.

I was writing in regards to Christmas, or in regards to the celebrating of the birth of Christ. Within that context, it was love that compelled God to send Him, and it was love that compelled Him to walk up the hill, stretch out His arms, and die upon the tree.

A one dimensional God, whether that dimension is all love, all wrath, all grace, or all judgment is dangerous, because we serve a multi-dimensional God, whose love compelled Him to send Jesus, but whose justice compels Him to judge the rebellious and disobedient.

Third Comment:

Michael, I agree with you. If God has a message for your to share, you will share it. If there is a lack of a prophetic message to proclaim, why not edify people with a biblical message? I'm the fellow that met you in Iowa two years ago, that enthusiastically informed you about the Blood Moon Eclipse Theory. Have you reconsidered my words, or do you still feel that God doesn't send those types of signs in the skies?  

 I am the Peter to your Paul. Although I cannot claim the title of fisherman, I can claim the title of simple, and for me some things are just hard to understand. Never discounted, just could not claim understanding when I did not possess it. 

2 Peter 3:14-16, "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation - and also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scriptures."

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.