The Joyful Sound

The Sound Of The Forgiveness Of Sins

There were golden bells on the hem of the High Priest's garments that tinkled with the sound of the priest as he ministered in the Holy Place. It was the sound Israel listened for to know their sins were forgiven and that the Priest's trip into the Holy of Holies was successful. When they heard the sound they were hearing the sound of the forgiveness of sins. They knew the High Priest was soon to appear before them to testify to the fact their sins were covered. Jesus went into the Holy of Holies in heaven over 2000 years ago. We are listening to the joyful sound through the ministry of the Holy Ghost, the sign He said would come to signify that He had made it to glory and had paid the price. The difference is our sins are no longer just covered, they are forgiven, taken away by the power of the blood of the Lamb of God. We're waiting on Him to appear at any second the second time without sin unto salvation. He's coming soon with another joyful sound - the sound of the trumpet. This is the testimony of Yom Kippur and the Day of Atonement.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Psalm 89:15
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

Exodus 28:33-35  - And beneath upon the hem of it thou shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: [34] A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. [35] And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goes in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

Leviticus 23:26-27  - And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, [27] Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

        This is a strange grammatical structure in the 89th Psalm. The Holy Spirit, writing through David, said "blessed IS the people who know the Joyful Sound." The King James translators, translating from the ancient Hebrew, felt like the Holy Spirit was designating people in the SINGULAR, not PLURAL. Thus, the statement "blessed IS the people," signifying the Holy Spirit was speaking to ONE Body.  We are one body of Christ!

Eph. 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

        If you are a Catholic, saved by the blood of Jesus, you're just as saved as I am friend. If you're Baptist, you're just as saved as the Catholic. If you're Pentecostal, you're no more saved than anyone else. The blood of the Lamb of God makes us all ONE IN CHRIST JESUS. We have one body, ONE spirit and ONE HOPE of our calling - and that hope is to be transformed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. He must INCREASE and we must DECREASE.

Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

        There is no such thing as being "half saved", "partially saved," or any such like. Some Christians may act like that, but there is no such thing as basement bargain salvation. Christ didn't purchase us "half-way!" We were bought with an eternal PRICE - the blood of CHRIST!!

1 Cor. 6:20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

        If you've been washed in the blood of Jesus friend and placed your faith in HIS FINISHED WORK, then you are a member of the body of Christ. The blood of JESUS is our authority! It is not a calling card to get God to do what we want with our selfish hearts. But it is the AUTHORITY that moves heaven and earth for the Kingdom of God.

1 Cor. 12:3-7
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. [4] Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. [6] And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. [7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
 

        Let me tell you friend, God was there before the Baptists ever started. He was there before the Pentecostals ever started. God was there LONG before there was a POPE! We are one. If you're saved, you're my brother. If you're not I pray you get saved before you finish reading this journal,  so you can BE my brother. We need YOU! The Lord Loves you today and so wishes you to become part of HIS FAMILY. He seeks those who think they are unseekable. You can't run from His Spirit friend. He'll go to the pit of hell to get you and dig you out of the morass of sin you may find yourself in. He's the GOOD SHEPHERD that goes looking for the one out of 100 even though 99 may not need finding. That ONE today is YOU and you need Jesus. Let him come into your life today and change you and transform you. He wants you to hear the JOYFUL sound today.  The joyful sound is the sound we ALL must hear.

        This is the beginning of a series of messages we hope to bring in the weeks to come on the joyful sound of God's plans for His body upon planet Earth in these last days. The first actually ties into this beautiful and solemn feast time we're celebrating - Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.

The Sound Of Forgiveness Of Sins

Exodus 28:34-35
A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. [35] And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

        We're talking about the joyful "SOUND." This text in Exodus shows us the sound of the forgiveness of sins.

        Yom Kippur has long been considered the most holy day in the Jewish biblical calendar under Moses. It was on this day the Great High Priest made his only trip into the Holy of Holies. Aaron, a type of the coming Messiah and Redeemer, came from the tribe of Levi and was Israel's first Great High Priest. Incidentally, Christ, the anti-type of Aaron, did not come from Levi, but sprang from JUDAH, a priest after Melchezidek.

Hebrews 5:2
Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

Hebrews 7:14-15
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchezidek there arises another priest,
 

        Aaron wore a linen coat underneath all other garments, including the ephod and the breastplate.  The linen coat, was a snow white garment, typifying the righteousness of Christ and the humanity of Christ, Who was to come. Over the linen coat, was the ephod, one of the most beautiful garments that any human being ever put on. The reason for its beauty was it was designed by the Holy Spirit Himself through the hands of Bezallel. The ephod  was a bluish-purplish color with scarlet. The colors each typifying an aspect of the Lord's death, burial and resurrection - the Great Sacrifice for all mankind.

        Under the ephod was the ephod coat, which was also blue. In reality, the coast was blue; the ephod was scarlet and purple; scarlet - sacrifice, purple -royalty, blue typifying heaven.  Over the ephod was the breastplate of righteousness, having 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. A type of Christ bearing our "names" before the Father, He knows us by NAME, and the very number of hairs on our head. Beneath the breastplate was the Urim and Thummin, meaning "lights and perfection." Most bible scholars have a wide range of views on the Urim and Thummin, but it seems they were prophetic, very prophetic, in nature. The testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of PROPHECY.

Matthew 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Rev. 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

        Around the typical coat of the ephod, it's blue color - typifying "heaven." Our salvation comes from heaven. Everything we have comes from above, not by man's wisdom. When the heavenly utensils would be moved, the golden lamp stand, laver, showbread, the altar of worship, pull back the veil, ark of the covenant with the mercy seat and the cherubim looking down at the broken law which was in the ark. When it was all moved, the cloud moved, "you move," all these utensils covered by blue clothes. When the Korahites packed it all up. Man forgets that today, the church forgets that today.

        Once a year on the Day of Atonement, all of Israel came together. Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, and the other feasts representatives came. On this day, when the great High Priest would go inside the Holy of Holies one time a year to offer up blood and sacrifice for the sins of Israel. That is what our text points to. If you can picture in your mind, thousands upon thousands of Israelites waiting with baited breath. Would God accept the sacrifice that would not take away sin, but push it back? The blood of bulls and goats can NEVER take away sin. John, seeing Jesus, declared "behold the lamb of God which TAKE AWAY, the lamb of God." Israel had never heard such in all the sacrificial services and ceremonies. The words, "taken away," were never heard or uttered. How could such a thing be? Sins had only been pushed back for nearly 3,500 years from Moses to Christ.

        All the animal sacrifices - nearly 250,000 lambs were offered up the day of Christ's death, according to Josephus, yet not one single solitary one of those delivered man from his bondage and took away the sin that was damning us all to hell.  The fires on the brazen altar, where all the sacrifices were offered, never went out. The day Jesus died nearly 100,000 priests operated around the clock around this altar, where the horns pointed north, south, west, east. Yet,  John said the one coming would TAKE AWAY the sin of the world.

John 1:28-29
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.
 

Hebrews 9:13
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh:

Numbers 19:1-6
And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, [2] This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: [3] And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: [4] And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: [5] And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: [6] And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
 

        On this great day of Atonement, the great High Priest would first of all kill the animal as stated. Roast the flesh, sprinkle the blood, then go into the Holy Place, on into the Holy of Holies, offer up the blood for Himself. Then come back, a second animal would be killed, this time for the sins of Israel. On both trips into the Holy of Holies he did the same thing. Dressed in beautiful garments - the white linen coat, the mitre on his head- HOLINESS to the Lord written on it,; the blue coat of the ephod, the precious stones flashing their beautiful colors, with a golden chain, shoulder pads with the names of the tribes of Israel -  the priest would take the blood with these beautiful garments made at the direction of the Holy Ghost. On the ephod was embroidered a  pomegranate and a golden bell alternatively all around the hem of the garment -  pomegranate, bell. Every time the priest walked, the bells would ring. That was his sound. Israel listened for the bells. If they heard the bells after he left the Holy of Holies, they knew he had made it IN and made it OUT and would soon to appear before them.

        As he walked into the Holy Place, to his left the golden lamp stand, to his right the table of showbread, in front of the altar of worship, and the veil that hid the holy of holies, where God resided. He would reach up, undo the shoulder pads, undo the chain, pull off the beautiful breastplate with its shining diamonds and other precious stones,. He would pull it off, gently lay it down, then reach and pull off the robe of the ephod, the sound of the bells being heard, then all of a sudden - NO SOUND. No sound would be heard as he entered into the presence of God.  He did this as a type of Christ, for when Christ went into the HOLY OF HOLIES to purchase our salvation, it was not  purchased with garments of beauty, but with His precious blood!

1 Peter 1:20-22
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. [22] Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
 

1 Peter 1:17-19
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: [18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

        When Jesus went to Calvary, the angels did not go with Him. Isaiah declared, "There is NO BEAUTY that we should have desired Him. For he shall grow up as a tender plant, no form or comeliness." There is nothing beautiful about the Cross. That's why God said, "not many mighty, not many noble are called," meaning that the offense of what was done there will cause many to stumble and miss eternity because of pride. Man's pride has always kept him from accepting this great sacrifice, but it is the place of man's victory and the ONLY source neighbor for your deliverance. There is no other.

        You say, "well I don't like this 'slaughterhouse' religion.'" Many churches are tearing pages out of their song books that have songs about the blood because it offends their affluent members. Preachers no longer preach the cross because it slaps at the very pride and ego most minister in and push behind their pulpits. NO FLESH GLORIES AT THE CROSS. Only the arrogant, proud and self-righteous reject the cross or make it just a "part" of their church's tenets of faith. The cross is not "part" of our doctrine neighbor - IT IS OUR DOCTRINE!

        To KNOW CHRIST, we must KNOW HIS sufferings. Christ can NEVER be separated from HIS CROSS. The cross was His destiny from the beginning - even BEFORE the beginning, as Peter said - 'the foundation of the world.' Everything we have today - sanctification, justification, grace, mercy, power, anointing, the working of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Sprit, the fruit of the Spirit, the delivering power of the SPIRIT come to us not because of OUR GOODNESS or our worthiness - but because HE DIED FOR US! WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS - CHRIST DIED FOR US!

Romans 5:8
But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
 

        The garments of beauty of the priest were laid aside typifying the Messiah could come, "despised of men, rejected, stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. Wounded from our transgressions, the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM."

        Nothing but with the white linen- spotless humanity - "without spot or blemish" walked in with a basin of blood, in the face of God ALMIGHTY. If there was sin there, he would be smitten on hand, DIE. They would tie a rope the priests ankle to pull him out should he die during this moment in eternity. That's how serious it was. The priest more than likely had stayed up all night before learning the ceremony to the "T" not to make a lethal mistake. The holiness of God was nothing to be tinkered with THEN and it's nothing to be TINKERED with today. All the flippancy and worldliness today we embrace in the church would CEASE if we ever got a revelation of that. Some wrongly think that because we're in the GRACE dispensation, God winks at sin. He don't. Lightning bolts may not be shooting from the Holy Of Holies but death is still occurring and one day the results of our foolishness will be made manifest to millions sadly. I was watching a video the other day on the monitor of local Christian book store and thought I was watching something off MTV. It was not off MTV, it was a "Christian rock" group that entertains thousands of our church youth today with the same spirit and the same demonic influences of Hollywood. We don't rebuke that in the church world today because we don't understand the holiness of God. We allow such to take place because we're so caught up in  being "seeker-sensitive," that we've forgotten about being God-pleasing and God-fearing. The priest had to have a reverence and fear about him or he would DIE in the midst of ministering in the HOLY PLACE. That is a striking parallel to today's ministry yet it is a dichotomy of it as well. We minister in the Holy Place oh so well today with all our trinkets yet we lack the reverence and fear the Priests of old did in the Old Covenant.

        The Priest would take the blood sprinkle the mercy seat, pour out the rest at the base, come back out into the Holy Place. Other priests would be outside the door "listening for the sounds of the bells." When he came back out, reach down put on the blue coat, take the breast plate, put it on over the blue coat, and as he walked, the "bells would start to ring." My, my, my, my. As Isaiah cried:

Isaiah 55:1
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

        The bells would start to ring, Israel knew for another year their sins were covered. They knew at any moment he would step outside the door. "Listen, listen," would whisper through the crowd. I can almost see it and hear it. Some 2,000 years ago, when Jesus offered up his blood on Calvary, he said  " you'll know it's alright and I've made it through when I send back the Holy Ghost- and when you hear the "ringing of the bells," I've come out of the Holy of Holies, I'm in the Holy Place about to come back to get my children." Oh GLORY TO GOD!

Luke 24:46-49
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And ye are witnesses of these things.  [49] And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
 

John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

         When you hear the ministry of the Holy Spirit, such as tongues and interpretation of tongues. When you hear prophetic words and other utterances of the Spirit that we cannot utter in human terms -  that's the sound of the bells! That is saying "the work is finished," and He's about to step out the door at any moment!!!! It's the SOUND of the forgiveness of sins! Pomegranates - fruit of the spirit, the bells, gifts of the Spirit.

1 Cor. 12:8-12
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; [9] To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; [10] To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: [11] But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. [12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

        He's coming, He's coming, I hear the ringing of the bells. He has offered up His blood and there is nothing that Satan can do any longer to keep man in bondage. The work of the Holy Ghost on earth today is the SOUND OF THE BELLS! You say, well those things don't let me know I'm saved. It does me. It does me. It does me. When I see the Holy Ghost in action on Earth today, I know I'm saved. I know I'm not trusting in the blood of "bulls and goats" or the corruptible things of silver and gold. I know my sins are not pushed aside. I know my heavenly High Priest is walking around in the Holy Place bringing revelation about worship, word and illumination, revelation. It's the sound of forgiveness of sins. HIS SOUND MAY BE HEARD.
 

        I mean neighbor, when that High Priest would step out, he was looking sharp. Every garment was in place, he walked up to the door, and his appearance was met with the SOUND OF A TRUMPET.

1 Thes. 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

        My Lord, my Lord. When Jesus comes back the second time without sin unto salvation, he's not coming back to be hung on a tree again, crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords, bright and morning star, and His name shall be called wonderful. The sound of the bells are being heard in the church today.

Hebrews 9:26-28
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: [28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

        Some churches are deader than bread because the "sound" is not being heard. If we don't have a revelation of the cross, we will not understand the sound. It's a JOYFUL sound! A JOYFUL SOUND. When He walks out that door, corruption will put on incorruption, we're going to be changed, in the twinkling of an eye. When He comes back, there will be no more sick. His sound is heard, His sound is hear, His sound is heard, it's a joyful sound!

1 Cor. 15:51-55
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

        It is not we shout, it is that we are not rapture right NOW because our sins are GONE. Do you understand that? You're FORGIVEN neighbor. You're free neighbor!. If you want to mully grub over some thing you did in the past go ahead. I can tell you from first hand experience and many failures in my past that the enemy will brow beat you night and day if you let him. He'll whisper things such as  "Look what you did," "don't you know that a Christian don't so such things?????" "If you were REALLY saved you would not fail like this." And then when he gets tired of doing it himself he gets some backslidden saint or preacher to get up and brow beat you some more. Self-righteous bags of wind; hypocrites, Pharisees; Jesus called them a "generation of vipers." The most arrogant and self-righteous condemnation you've ever HEARD will not come from the mouth of your sinner buddy at work but from your so-called Christian buddy on the front row of your church with his big bible and 3-piece suit on.  You need to stop listening to "that" and hear the JOYFUL SOUND today!!!!!!! PRAISE GOD. PRAISE GOD. I feel this all over me as I write this neighbor. I'm talking to somebody. You may have stumbled on this journal by mistake but it's not mistake. You're FORGIVEN.

        You say, "will the Lord forgive me for real, you just don't know what I've done!!" The Lord has ALREADY forgiven you, you just need to put your FAITH in what He did at the CROSS where our forgiveness was paid for WITH HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD.

1 John 1:6-10
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

        One day in the sands of Jerusalem, a woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The Law had given the religious of Israel every right to stone her to death because of the act. She was brought to Jesus as part of their plot to entrap Him. With his finger in the sand and a voice that sounded like the bells on the bottom of the priest's garments, she HEARD the joyful sound - "neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."

John 8:1-8
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. [2] And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. [3] And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, [4] They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. [5] Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? [6] This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. [7] So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. [8] And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9-10
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. [10] When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

        I'm not just talking to those who may have never experienced salvation - I'm talking to Christians here as well. We heard a recent sermon about how most Christians spend their entire life in the "outer court," repenting, and repenting and asking for cleansing over and over, many times over the same thing. It's because we never want to go through the veil. The outer court is where we find our victory but spiritual victory is not holding on to sins and failures that are 30 years old. If we're battling condemnation, it's because our faith has been shifted to something other than the cross and we've stopped listening to the "joyful sound of the forgiveness of sins."

    Child of God, Jesus Christ has forgiven YOU, cleansed YOU, it is no more there. When Satan brings it up, hit him with the BLOOD of Jesus, the grace of JESUS, the name of JESUS, hit him with the SOUND OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. HIT HIM WITH THE JOYFUL SOUND, the JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND.

       The enemy is slick and he can disguise guilt in a number of ways. He gets churches specializing in it, believe me. He gets entire denominations specializing in it. He gets preachers behind pulpits beating up their sheep telling the sheep how bad they are instead of declaring GRACE to those who have heard the joyful sound. I'm not making light of sin - God forbid. Sin is so damnable, deadly, horrible, horrifying, dark that it beggars description. I know what it is to be involved in ministry itself and be battling powers of darkness that are seeking to destroy your soul with every vice of hell imaginable. I also know what it's like to become puffed up with pride and not admit you have a need and problem too. I know that it's hard to get the church to truly minister to those in bondage today. I know the church is very adapt at pointing fingers and judging people who need deliverance instead of condemnation. The reason the church does that today is it does not KNOW the JOYFUL SOUND OF THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS!!

        I'm not pointing you to a church neighbor. I'm pointing you to the HEAD of the CHURCH, our GREAT HIGH PRIEST, who is walking around in the HOLY PLACE ministering for us before the FATHER today. He has sent back the HOLY GHOST to give us victory over sin, victory over the devil, victory over hell, victory over the world, victory over the flesh, victory over backslidden Christianity, backslidden preachers and the list goes on.

1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
 

        Our FAITH is the victory that overcomes the world. Not just "our" faith, but FAITH that places itself and anchors itself WHOLLY in what JESUS did for us at the Cross. Our faith is not in ourselves, but in HIM. His work has purchased the "sounding of the bells." When you hear the bells sound, you're listening to the work of the Son of God, paid for with His very own blood. The Holy Spirit will give you victory friend. He will not only bring peace and forgiveness to your heart, but will set you free!

Romans 8:1-2
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:9-13
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  [12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. [28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
 

        Listening to the sound of the forgiveness of sins, helps us hear another joyful sound - the SOUND of Pentecost.

The Sound Of Pentecost

Acts 2:1- ....and there came a SOUND from heaven as a mighty rushing wind.

        When we get saved by the blood and hear the joyful sound of forgiveness, we next hear the joyful sound of the Holy Ghost! It's the SOUND of Pentecost. Jesus didn't just die for us to be saved but that we may be FILLED with the HOLY GHOST. We cannot have spiritual victory without the HOLY GHOST. The baptism in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with tongues is NOT an option, it's a command. It's a necessity! The car is not going to run without HIM. The car may have the key, steering wheel, but without the HOLY GHOST it' isn't going anywhere. NO, you don't have to speak tongues to be saved, but you need a connection of POWER from enduement of high, you'll need all the help you can get.

        I remember a little course that went like this: It's "Not by might, not by power, but by my Sprit saith the Lord. This mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed., this mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed, it's by my Spirit saith the Lord. " That's the source of your victory friend. It's the HOLY GHOST. He's HERE TODAY because of the BLOOD of the cross of CHRIST.

Hebrews 9:14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

         Paul called Him the ETERNAL SPIRIT because it was through the HOLY GHOST that CHRIST was able to offer Himself without spot to God. The original language indicates that the Holy Spirit actually told Christ when to "give up the ghost." That's how connected the Spirit of God is to the work of Christ on the cross. Christ has come because our Great High Priest has paid the price for man's redemption and the blood of HIS sufferings has CLEANSED us and made us a fit temple for HIS GLORY.

Ephs. 2:20-22
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
 

            The sound of Pentecost was first heard with the sound of "wind." That wind is starting to blow all over the world. God is going to send the greatest Holy Spirit outpouring, YET, the world has known in its history. At the same time, and you won't shout about this, but the greatest falling away will also take place at the same time. It's already started. It's not in the future any longer, that has already started. Some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits. The greatest falling away the Pentecostal church has ever known is taking place now as well.

         At the same time, there is going to be the greatest moving of the HOLY SPIRIT that the world has ever known before. Some are going to believe God, some are not going to go back and flee after the weak and beggarly elements of the world.

Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

        Man always winds up in bondage when he places faith in anything else other than CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED!

        I'm saddened to say that that most of this move of God will not come to America,. I'm not saying none will. I believe there will be a revival of some proportions here in this nation but at a terrible price. America is in for trouble. We've turned our back on God. And our sin is not sin in the darkness of ignorance, it's sin with our eyes wide open and knowing exactly what we 're doing. Sin is sin, but sin against LIGHT is another matter. Our sin has been against LIGHT. Judgment is always rendered according to the measure of light one receives.

        America's hope rests in the youth that are getting hungry for God as we speak. There is an unprecedented move of God's Spirit among our kids today and I thank God for it. That generation may very well hold our nation's future in it's hand. The current generation could care less in many ways. I mean it's hard to get the current generation to even get out and register to vote in one of our nation's most crucial elections since World War II. From an eternal standpoint, it may be THE most important regarding America's future and the freedom of religion in this nation as it regards the church's place of liberty. Don't take it for granted child of God. Many do. The day will come when we wake up and it's all gone and we'll wander why it happened. It happened because WE FAILED TO MOVE IN UNISON with GOD and allowed the Devil to deceive our hearts into thinking temporal issues are more important than eternal ones. The winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing in both judgment and blessings upon America. We'd better wake up and realize that our hope rests in CHRIST, not our economy or our 501C3 tax-exempt status.

        Eastern Europe is experiencing a move of the Holy Spirit unlike it's have never known before. Communist China is also seeing a move of God that don't get reported on the evening news. Sudan, in the midst of horrific violence, is seeing a church stand up to the forces of Muslim darkness and boldly declare JESUS IS LORD. Millions are going to come to Christ as a result of this. Libya is opening up diplomatic ties with Washington, but a greater door is about to open - the door for the gospel of Christ to get in there and change a nation. Israel is experiencing unprecedented revival right now. There is actually a BODY OF CHRIST there now unlike 15 years ago when the number of true believers may not have even numbered 100. The Jewish people are coming home to their Messiah. As a result of America's work in Afghanistan and Iraq, I believe there will be doors opened there soon - maybe not for long - but God has never need a lot of time to get done what He needs to get done. What He has needed is the HEARTS of His people to be in tune with the WIND OF THE SPIRIT and HEAR THE JOYFUL SOUND OF PENTECOST.

Joel 2:28-29
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
 

        The wind is blowing. It's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's the MACEDONIAN CALL - "come on over, help us" We have HEARD the Macedonian cal today - "send the light, send the light." "Send the light, the blessed gospel light, let it shine from shore to shore, send the light, the blessed gospel light, let it shine forevermore."

Acts 16:9
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

        In the last days, I will POUR OUT of my Spirit, upon ALL FLESH. It means the Russian in Siberia, the Muslim in Iran, the Ukrainian in Kiev. The sound of Pentecost is getting the gospel to the entire world. The church at large has little true interest in that whatsoever. The last days ministry of the church is what the FIRST DAY ministry of the church was - GET PEOPLE SAVED and get them FILLED with the HOLY GHOST. The Holy Spirit was not given us Pentecostals to make us just feel good and jerk a little bit. The Holy Spirit came to empower us to be a witness and make JESUS SO REAL and cause us to love JESUS so MUCH, so MUCH LIKE JESUS, so KIN to JESUS, to POINT US TO JESUS, that we will tell everyone in the whole world about JESUS!

Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

        It's the SOUND OF PENTECOST and it's a JOYFUL SOUND, it's a JOYFUL SOUND.

        As I close this journal, and neighbor I wish you were here with me right now, I can hardly write because of the presence of the Lord. The gospel is the ONLY LIGHT that this world needs today. There is no light in communism, socialism, Islam or any other religion out there. Jesus has become just a side show for most today. It's sad. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD HELPING MEN TO FIND THEIR WAY. He is the lighthouse and we owe our lives to HIM, as the old gospel song says. We must get back to hearing the joyful sound. It's a joyful sound. It's a joyful sound.

        You need the baptism in the Holy Spirit. You need the infilling of the Spirit today. You need the power of God in your life to become a witness for HIM in such a way that will shake this world's foundations. We need another PENTECOST without a doubt. Then we need to hear the Macedonian call today - "come over and help us." It's being heard all over the world at this second. Lord, help us hear it today and not be slothful to heed it and help those in need today. Have you heard the joyful sound friend? Have you been to the ONE WHOSE BLOOD washes white as snow? Has He baptized you in the HOLY GHOST AND FIRE? Hear the joyful sound and be blessed.

Luke 3:16
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
 

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