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2 episodes with although christians
3 episodes with although christians
2 episodes with although christians
2 episodes with although christians
2 episodes with although christians
2 episodes with although christians
2 episodes with although christians
We're here to be witnesses for Jesus. The Holy Spirit will empower us to continually testify the name of Jesus. Although Christians may face opposition or persecution, they are to continually speak the name of Jesus and minister to those who don't know Him.
Although Christians pass through various trials in this life, God has still given us good reason to praise him. He has given us hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that those whose faith is proved through the trials are guarded by God for an eternal inheritance preserved in heaven. --GOD'S WORK-GOD'S PRESERVATION-GOD'S PROMISED OUTCOME
Although Christians pass through various trials in this life, God has still given us good reason to praise him. He has given us hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that those whose faith is proved through the trials are guarded by God for an eternal inheritance preserved in heaven. --GOD'S WORK-GOD'S PRESERVATION-GOD'S PROMISED OUTCOME
Although Christians pass through various trials in this life, God has still given us good reason to praise him. He has given us hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that those whose faith is proved through the trials are guarded by God for an eternal inheritance preserved in heaven. GOD'S WORKGOD'S PRESERVATIONGOD'S PROMISED OUTCOME
It's Friday, July 12th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Hindu extremists strangle pastor's son to death In the middle of the night on July 7th, Hindu extremists broke into the home of Pastor Sushil Kumar in India's Bihar State and killed his teenage son as he slept, reports International Christian Concern. Tragically, as Nilesh Kumar slept, the attackers broke his hands and strangled him to death. They then dragged the body of the pastor's only son outside and hung it from a nearby bamboo tree. For years now, the Hindu extremists had been harassing the Kumar family, verbally abusing and pressuring them to abandon their faith in Christ. After Pastor Kumar filed several complaints with the police, members of local high-caste communities threatened to kill his son. Although Christians are often attacked and even killed for their faith in India, such attacks are rare in the Bihar State. According to Open Doors, India is the 11th most dangerous country worldwide in which to be a Christian. Biden's latest gaffe: Refers to Zelensky as Putin President Joe Biden drew gasps Thursday evening when he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” — confusing him with the Russian tyrant whose forces have invaded Ukraine for the past two-and-a-half years, reports the New York Post. Listen. BIDEN: “And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President [Vladimir] Putin. “ Many in the auditorium appeared to wince as the words left the president's lips. World leaders onstage appeared unsure of whether to clap to welcome Zelensky or wait for Biden to correct himself, which he did. BIDEN: (Smattering of applause) “President Putin? We're going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky. I'm so focused on beating Putin, we've got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.” ZELENSKY: “I'm better!” Democrat Senator urges Biden to withdraw In light of Biden's obvious mental decline, Colorado Democrat Senator Michael Bennet is one of the first senators to publicly urge the President to withdraw from the 2024 election, reports RealClearPolitics.com. BENNET: “If things stay as they are, it's likely that Donald Trump will win the election and we will lose the Senate and lose the House." Actor George Clooney tells Biden to step aside Actor George Clooney wrote a devastating column in the New York Times yesterday. The headline read, “I love Joe Biden, but we need a new nominee.” He wrote, “It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe Biden of 2010. He wasn't even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.” To his shame, George Clooney and Julia Roberts were front and center at a Hollywood fundraiser that raised $30 million to help Biden and the Democrats in their reelection campaign. Australia's Sky News host Liz Storer didn't buy Clooney's claim that he just now realized how mentally unfit for the presidency Joe Biden truly is. STORER: “What a fraud! We're supposed to believe, that, all of a sudden, just over the last three weeks, George Clooney has been like, ‘Wait a minute!' “Where have you been the last four years while this poor, old man has slurred and stumbled his way through the most prestigious and important high office in the world? I don't buy for a second he's just come to his senses and been like, ‘Well actually, three weeks after raising $30 million for the Dems, I have to dis-endorse him now. I just can't go through with it.' “He always knew! They all always knew. The mainstream media, the guy's press secretary, everyone who works for him, his friends and family – they all knew the President has been struggling for a very long time. So, this pretending, ‘I've just had my come-to-Jesus moment.' Great act, George Clooney! That's what you do for a living.” Biden continues to vilify pro-lifers as extremists Military officials under the Biden administration continue to teach that their peaceful political opponents are violent extremists, according to a report about a terrorism presentation given to U.S. Army members at Fort Liberty, North Carolina (previously known as Fort Bragg), reports LifeSiteNews.com. Sam Shoemate, an independent journalist, tweeted on Wednesday evening a photograph of a slide he said was shown during an anti-terrorism briefing, right after one about the Islamist terror group ISIS. The slide names the pro-life groups National Right to Life Committee and Operation Rescue as “terrorist groups,” characterized by their opposition to abortion and the 1973 Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. Oddly enough, the Biden officials spelled the famous Supreme Court case client as R-O-W instead of R-O-E. While the power point slide lists various types of peaceful activism pro-life groups typically practice include sidewalk counseling, Life Chains, and picketing, it also cites “Bombing of Clinics” and “Attempted Murders” which are not only highly rare and have always ben overwhelmingly condemned by mainstream pro-life activists. Truth be told, in recent years, pro-abortion violence has been far more common than violence from those who want to end abortion, as admitted by FBI Director Christopher Wray in November 2022. Arkansas Secretary of State rejects pro-abortion ballot initiative On Wednesday, the Arkansas secretary of state rejected an effort to place a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion on the November ballot, saying organizers failed to submit some required paperwork with its signatures, reports NBC News. Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand.” ‘God's Not Dead' returns with new sequel urging Christians to vote And finally, with just a $1.5 million budget, the movie “God's Not Dead” made $60 million in profit which sent a clear message to Tinseltown that it had ignored the Christian audience hungry for uplifting and positive messages. A decade later, producers are gearing up for the fifth installment of the film franchise. The new movie entitled “God's Not Dead: In God We Trust,” hits theaters nationwide Sept. 12 and “explores the intersection of faith, politics, and our civic duty,” reports FaithWire.com. RONALD REAGAN: “If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” MOVIE PASTOR: “Now more than ever, Christians must realize that we are being called to deliver hope to a country that's feeling hopeless. Faith begins where your comfort zone ends. We need to step out into that faith.” Coming at a time of cultural chaos — a time when people fear cancellation and other social ills — “God's Not Dead: In God We Trust” tackles the importance of standing up for one's beliefs and taking action to have a positive impact. Proverbs 29:2 states, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.” Watch the trailer for “God's Not Dead: In God We Trust” through a link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com. Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, July 12th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Join me Adam McManus, and my two sons, Honor and Valor, at the Colorado Father-Son retreat Thursday, August 15th through Sunday, August 18th. Go to ColoradoFatherSon.com. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:3-7 — In this sermon on Colossians 1:3–7 titled “A Body of Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on a fundamental question: What is Christianity? Paul writes to the early church in Colossae, congratulating them on their love for God's people. He also affirms the gospel they heard from Epaphras, a fellow servant of God and a friend of Paul's. The church in Colossae, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, was not so different from the other early churches in the New Testament. It was most likely a collection of new believers, united by the gospel, meeting in a home to discuss and study the Old Testament. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is what Christianity is about. It is not about catching a feeling, as if Christianity were a disease. He says the core of Christianity is the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says it is about understanding and explains that Christ came for the redemption of sin, and whoever believes in Him has eternal life. Although Christians may argue among themselves, this incredible doctrine should remain central. In closing, he invites those who have yet to receive this salvation to accept God's grace.
Colossians 1:3-7 — In this sermon on Colossians 1:3–7 titled “A Body of Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on a fundamental question: What is Christianity? Paul writes to the early church in Colossae, congratulating them on their love for God's people. He also affirms the gospel they heard from Epaphras, a fellow servant of God and a friend of Paul's. The church in Colossae, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, was not so different from the other early churches in the New Testament. It was most likely a collection of new believers, united by the gospel, meeting in a home to discuss and study the Old Testament. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is what Christianity is about. It is not about catching a feeling, as if Christianity were a disease. He says the core of Christianity is the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says it is about understanding and explains that Christ came for the redemption of sin, and whoever believes in Him has eternal life. Although Christians may argue among themselves, this incredible doctrine should remain central. In closing, he invites those who have yet to receive this salvation to accept God's grace. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29
Although Christians may suffer much, and many things are against us, we will end up being hyper-victorious in Christ.
In today's episode, I react to Kat Von D's interview with Allie Beth Stuckey regarding how she's been treated by other Christians since she converted to following Christ. Although Christians are called for righteous judgement, there's a way to go about it and sometimes we can turn people away from the faith. Listen as I provide my constructive feedback to my Christian community and talk about Kat Von D's journey to how she came to where is now. References: Allie Beth Stuckey's interview with Kat Von D (FULL) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLfIjbOXgY0 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/righteous-judgment-2/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/my-reality/message
Although Christians are followers of the Truth, many find themselves tempted by the alternate “truths” offered by conspiracy theories. Christianity and conspiracy theories have had a long, complicated relationship. But today conspiracy theories are bringing our already polarized society to the brink of chaos. QAnon, the Big Lie, and anti-vaccination theories thrive online, disrupting faith communities. This timely essay collection explores the allure of conspiracy theories and their consequences—and ultimately offers gospel-based paths forward. Michael W. Austin is professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and senior fellow at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute. He has published twelve books, including Being Good: Christian Virtues for Everyday Life (Eerdmans, 2012), Humility and Human Flourishing (Oxford University Press, 2018), and his latest, God and Guns in America (Eerdmans, 2020). Gregory L. Bock is assistant professor of philosophy and religion and program director for the philosophy, religion studies, and Asian studies at the University of Texas at Tyler. He also serves as director for UT Tyler's Center for Ethics. He is editor of volumes 3 and 4 of The Philosophy of Forgiveness (Vernon, 2018, 2019) and coeditor of Righteous Indignation: Christian Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Anger (Fortress, 2021). Tell us about your background and why you decided to write this book? Let's start out with the basic definition of a conspiracy theory? In what ways are Christians susceptible to conspiracy? You mention the demographic of the white evangelical several times in the book, let's start out with a basic definition of evangelical? What are some themes that you observe within evangelical circles? You have a chapter on reasonableness. You mention that the conviction dial is on max strength. Can you describe Teflon hermeneutics? What makes racism so challenging to accept?
Although Christians are followers of the Truth, many find themselves tempted by the alternate “truths” offered by conspiracy theories. Christianity and conspiracy theories have had a long, complicated relationship. But today conspiracy theories are bringing our already polarized society to the brink of chaos. QAnon, the Big Lie, and anti-vaccination theories thrive online, disrupting faith communities. This timely essay collection explores the allure of conspiracy theories and their consequences—and ultimately offers gospel-based paths forward. Will and Josh speak with the two editors who endeavored to put this collection together! Buy the book: https://a.co/d/82C041uAccessible to all concerned believers, QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross features scholars of religion, ethics, and public life on the following topics: • evaluating evidence and forming beliefs • the Satanic Panic of the 1960s–1990s • understanding scientific methodology • conspiracy theories' appeal to those searching for meaning • the consequences of social media and echo chambers • productive dialog with people who hold different opinions • intellectualism in the life of faith • conspiracy theories in Scripture • QAnon's religious rhetoric Complete with a guide to reasoning, which outlines both logical fallacies and intellectual virtues, QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross is an indispensable resource for all Christians seeking the truth. Contributors:Chase Andre, Michael W. Austin, Bradley Baurain, Daniel Bennett, Gregory L. Bock, Chad Bogosian, Kevin Carnahan, Jason Cook, Scott Culpepper, Stephen Davis, Garrett J. DeWeese, Marlena Graves, Shawn Graves, David Horner, Dru Johnson, Nathan King, Rick Langer, Christian Miller, Timothy Muehlhoff, Michelle Lynn Panchuk, Susan Peppers-Bates, Steven Porter, Kaitlyn Schiess, Aaron Simmons, Domonique Turnipseed, Rachel I. Wightman, Keith Wyma, Eric Yang Support the showTo learn more about the show, contact our hosts, or recommend future guests, click on the links below: Website: https://www.faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/ Faithful Host: Josh@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Political Host: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Twitter: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics
Although Christians will grieve the loss of loved ones, we have two solid reasons for hope.
The Law is God's eternal, unchanging, unchangeable will and all men are required to order their lives according to it — including Christians. Although Christians are no longer under the curse of the Law, this does not mean that we are not to comport our behavior with the Law. As regenerate Christians, we walk in the Law and thereby produce fruits in keeping with a living faith. Similarly, Christians are to assess, to discern, to judge. We must judge not only our own actions — assessing whether or not they are in accord with God's Law —, but also the actions of fellow Christians, whom we must rebuke as brothers when and where they transgress. God's Word, in fact, gives the steps we are to follow when rebuking brothers. The world will latch on to the words “judge not” and attempt to make this the whole of what Scripture teaches, but that is most certainly not the case. Scripture does not contradict Scripture, and in many places Christians are told to judge. Consequently, we must carefully examine what is meant — and what is not meant — by “judge not”. Subscribe to the podcast here. Show Notes Formula of Concord: Epitome, VI - The Third Use of the Law Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, VI - The Third Use of the Law Large Catechism: Eighth Commandment Further Reading Question of Fact Question of Law Parental Warnings None.
“And Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid…” (Mt. 17). Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA 2D12 Last Epiphany (Year A) 11:00 a.m. Sunday 19 February 2023 Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 99:1-8 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 Last week in an email my friend Hugh Morgan observed that when it comes to social justice the Old Testament prophets sound strikingly modern to him. He wonders if the Old Testament has a stronger social justice message than the New Testament. [1] Today we consider this question. But first let's define social justice as equality in wealth, political influence, cultural impact, respect… in opportunities to make a difference, to love and serve others. It involves creating a society in which every person is treated with dignity as a child of God, as bearing God's image. Jesus calls this the realm of God. Martin Luther King calls it “the beloved community.” Today we celebrate the Last Sunday of Epiphany. Epiphany means a shining forth. You might call it a realization that utterly transforms us. The culminating story of this season occurs on a mountain top when Jesus' friends experience a mystical encounter with God. In a recent conversation the law professor Patricia Williams spoke about two epiphanies that she had had. [2] For her whole life she had taken at face value family stories she had heard about her great-great-grandmother. These described her as a lazy person who was constantly fishing, as someone that no one liked. Then when Williams was in her twenties her sister discovered the bill of sale for their great-great-grandmother. In an instant she realized the truth. At the age of eleven her great-great-grandmother had been sold away from all that she had ever known. Two years later she was pregnant with the child of the dissatisfied thirty-five year old man who had bought her. She was traumatized so alienated from his children, who were taught to look down on her, that the only thing they chose to tell her descendants was that she was unpopular. To get to the truth Patricia Williams had to interpret those two stories together and to have empathy for someone's suffering. We have to do the same thing in order to understand the Bible. Getting back to our question, Hugh makes a wise observation about the importance of social justice in the Old Testament. The deceased Berkeley sociologist Robert Bellah (1927-2013) wrote a book called Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age. He asks about how religious belief makes large human societies possible. He notes that Israel first appears in Egyptian records in the year 1208 BCE, long before anything written in the Bible. He points out two notable features about the social world that produced the Old Testament. First, that this it attempts to establish a society not on the role of one man as a divine king (like most Egyptian pharaohs) but rather on a covenant between God and the people. Moses is a prophet not a divine king. The second thing he notices is that the prophets, for instance, Amos does not just condemn failures of religious ritual but the mistreatment of the weak and poor. Amos criticizes both foreigners and his own people. He writes, “Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes” (Amos 2). [3] At this point I feel compelled to tell you more about the Old Testament. It will be a long time before Chat GPT can write an accurate sermon. I am totally astonished by how incorrect search engine results are when it comes to some of the most basic issues in religion. This includes how we determine when these books were written. There was no journalist taking notes in the Garden of Eden or the court of David. The books of the Bible were not written in the order in which the events they record happened, or in the order in which they are presented. One way to look at it is to see them growing up around the two ideas I just mentioned from the prophet Amos – that there is one God for all people and that God cares how the poor are treated. Scholars believe that the words of the prophet Amos were among the first in the entire Bible. So it is not as if the world was created, Noah built an ark, Abraham met God, God chose the Tribes of Israel, David's kingdom was established, many other kings reigned and then social justice became important. Social justice, this idea of God's universality and the dignity of every person, comes first. The other stories are ancient but put together by writers with this conviction in mind. So the twentieth century rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel calls the prophets, “the most disturbing people who ever lived” and “the [ones] who brought the Bible into being.” They “ceaseless[ly] shatter our indifference.” They interpret our existence from the perspective of God. Heschel writes that the prophets have assimilated their emotional life to that of the Divine so that the prophet, “lives not only his personal life but also the life of God. The prophet hears God's voice and feels His heart.” [4] The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew with three main types of literature the Torah (instruction or) the law, the Nevi'im or prophets, and the Ketuvim or the writings. The New Testament was written in Greek under Roman occupation and includes totally different genres: gospels, epistles or letters, and John's apocalyptic conclusion the Book of Revelation. As Jesus alludes to in the Book of Matthew, the New Testament is built on the foundation of the old – that there is one God for all the nations who cares about human dignity. It has a different feeling because it is composed at a different time, under different social circumstances for a different audience. But for me it is not less focused on social justice. Christians do not worship the Bible, but the person of Jesus. Jesus is how we understand our lives and our connection to God. We see this in today's gospel. The story of the Transfiguration is not so much about a private mystical experience, but a meditation on Christ's passion. It exists to shape our response to Jesus' death on the cross. Imagine the Book of Matthew. We climb up one side through Jesus' teaching and healing until we finally hear Jesus describe how his death will be. The disciples cannot take it in. We go down the other side to Jerusalem where Jesus will be killed. And for a reassuring moment we linger at the mountaintop. Let me briefly tell you three things about the Greek text. Matthew uses the emphatic word idou or “Behold! Look!” three times. First, before the appearance of Moses who represents the law, and Elijah who stands for the prophets. Then again when a shining cloud appears and yet again when God says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased” (Mt. 17). Jesus' friends feel so afraid they fall down like dead people. Jesus tells his friends to rise up and uses the same word he does when he says that the Son of Man will be raised from the dead. Jesus touches them in a reassuring way. The Greek word hapsamenos means to touch, hold or grasp. But it also can be translated as to light or ignite a flame. What does it mean for social justice, to have at the heart of our religion a man who gives up his life and is executed? It is not just what Jesus says that matters. He gives his life to help make real this idea that God loves every human being, that each life has innate dignity. This includes the truth that death is not the end. Although Christians often get lost in the belief that faith is about an isolated individual's personal salvation, there is a deep tradition of meditating on the way Jesus' death reverses the overwhelming evil all around us. I do not have time for more examples but I would like to mention Basil of Caesarea (330-379). In the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells the story about a rich man who has so much property that he decides to build a bigger barn to hold it all so that he can “eat, drink and be merry” (Lk. 12). That night the foolish man dies. So the fourth century Basil wrote a sermon about this. He says that what we think we need constantly changes. We are metaphorically building smaller and bigger barns all the time. When we think we need too much we cannot be generous to others. Basil says, “How can I bring the sufferings of the poverty-stricken to your attention? When they look around inside their hovels… [and] find clothes and furnishings so miserable… worth only a few cents. What then? They turn their gaze to their own children, thinking that perhaps by bringing them to the slave-market they might find some respite from death. Consider now the violent struggle that takes place between the desperation arising from famine and a parent's fundamental instincts. Starvation on the one side threatens horrible death, while nature resists, convincing the parents rather to die with their children. Time and again they vacillate, but in the end they succumb, driven by want and cruel necessity.” [5] The Christian tradition in every generation is filled with appeals like this. They beg us to recognize the full humanity of every person. Let me tell you the second of Patricia Williams' two epiphanies. When she was a child there were very few women or Black people who were judges, law professors, law partners, attorney generals, etc. Virtually all law had been written by white men. Because of this there were blind spots, basic failures to understand society that had crucial legal ramifications. [6] Professor Williams and other intellectuals invented Critical Race Theory to address this, to help the law work for all people, not just those in power. These debates were largely for people in universities until about ten years ago. In our conversation Professor Williams expressed her surprise when she heard a powerful political consultant talk about how he had made millions of Americans fear and hate this social justice project. He had successfully convinced them to regard Critical Race Theory as divisive and dangerous to white people. He explicitly stated that increasing their anger was a means of getting their votes. [7] The great twentieth century Jewish expert in building healthy religious congregations Edwin Friedman frequently repeats this warning. “Expect sabotage.” [8] When we are working for good, to change how things are, we will be opposed. Those who care about social justice need to understand that there will be people who actively seek to thwart it. Patricia Williams is a prophet for me, shattering my indifference. Many here this morning are prophets to me also. Behold. Be ignited. Shine forth. Let the realization of Jesus' love utterly transform us. [1] Hugh Morgan, 9 February 2023. “In reading Isaiah and the minor prophets, I am struck by how modern they sound, when calling out issues of social justice. Of course, our thinking has been influenced by the enlightenment and all that came after it, so my brain may be predisposed to see these threads in the text. But they are there. You do not see the same strength of views on social justice in the New Testament, certainly little about upsetting the then current order. And I do not think you see similar messages supporting the oppressed in Greek or Roman writings (I have a super limited sense of what these are.) And, you do not see "social justice thought" - a very modern thing - called out, developed, emphasized from the OT texts in the early church, nor through the reformation, not even in the revivals in America and England in the late 1800s. Two questions to ponder 1. Where did the social justice message in the OT come from? 2. Are there strains of this message in church history that I / we are not aware of?” [2] Patricia J. Williams on the Grace Cathedral Forum, 1 February 2023. https://youtu.be/8h-xHY7OIuY . Also see Patricia J. Williams, The Alchemy of Race and Rights: Diary of a Law Professor (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1991) 17-19. [3] Robert Bellay, Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011). Quoting Michael Walzer and David Malo on a covenant between the people and God (310f). Amos' ethical statements (302). [4] Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets: An Introduction, Volume One (NY: Harper, 1962) ix-26. [5] “How can I bring the sufferings of the poverty-stricken to your attention? When they look around inside their hovels… [and] find clothes and furnishings so miserable… worth only a few cents. What then? They turn their gaze to their own children, thinking that perhaps by bringing them to the slave-market they might find some respite from death. Consider now the violent struggle that takes place between the desperation arising from famine and a parent's fundamental instincts. Starvation on the one side threatens horrible death, while nature resists, convincing the parents rather to die with their children. Time and again they vacillate, but in the end they succumb, driven by want and cruel necessity.” Basil of Caesarea, “I Will Tear Down My Barns.” Tr. Paul Shroeder. Cited in Logismoi. http://logismoitouaaron.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-social-justice-by-st-basil-great.html [6] Professor Patricia J. Williams and I talked about “stand your ground” laws that result in much higher rates of death among Black men, because white people are more likely to be afraid of them. [7] In an online interaction I heard from someone who is monomaniacally focused on the idea that Critical Race Theory must necessarily involve government forced discrimination against white people. He did not have the time to see the Patricia Williams interview. He had already made up his mind. [8] “Sabotage is part and parcel of the systemic process of leadership.” Edwin Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (NY: Church Publishing, 2017 revised).
Holidays are celebrated in the Bible but not in the traditional ways of Easter and Christmas we are now familiar with. Leviticus outlines seven feasts (holy convocations) that God instructed His people to remember. Although Christians are not required to observe these feasts, there is much to glean from these insightful times. Advent not only counts down to the arrival of Jesus Christ as a baby in the manger but also the anticipation of His return - the Second Coming. In this episode, Lori discusses the holidays that God ordained and Jesus observed including: Understanding the meaning of Advent The Biblical Holidays foreshadowing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The feasts that anticipate the Second Coming of Christ. Resources: Leviticus 23 Counting Down to the Coming of Christ Part One Home for the Holidays Podcast Series: Home for the Holidays Part One After Death: How to Make Christmas Sparkle Again Home for the Holidays Part 2 with Lisa Appelo Flourishing During Difficult Holiday Seasons Home for the Holidays Pt. 3 with Clarissa Moll Creating Moments of Beauty During the Holidays Home for Holidays Part 4 with Tara Dickson Works Cited: https://www.wycliffe.org/feast/7-feasts-that-point-to-christ A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays Mom, you are not alone! Join our private Facebook group for more encouragement and community: https://bit.ly/widowmom For more information and helpful resources, check our website: PerspectiveMinistries.org & follow us on Instagram @PerspectiveMinistries.
Although Christians still experience sorrow in this life, we have reason for great rejoicing. As we are transformed more and more into the image of Christ, our capacity for joy in God begins to grow.
Description vs. Prescription. Too often Christians today fail to distinguish between the two when reading about the church in the New Testament. Brett provides a shocking example that will challenge your thinking: Although Christians are described as meeting together on Sunday (the first day of the week), they are never commanded to by the Lord.
The Civil and Un-Civil War (Audio) David Eells - 7/3/22 2019 Kentucky Derby Predicts Lockdowns and Persecutions Michelle Rogers - 5/2019 (David's notes in red) In 2019 I felt quickened in my spirit that the Lord had something to say through the Kentucky Derby that year, and that I needed to look into the race. With some excitement I began searching the internet only to discover that this Derby was like no other. For the first time in the history of the Kentucky Derby the winning horse was disqualified because, he ran out of bounds almost causing the worst disaster in derby history. The horse was named, Maximum Security. Here is a short excerpt from the news: “May 5, 2019: War of Will's trainer, Mark Casse, likened the race to following a drunken driver and said Maximum Security's swerve had put the lives of other horses and their riders in peril." For the sake of clarity, here is the final line up of Derby Winners. (The significance of the winners is in the meaning of their names, and the disaster that was narrowly averted.) Maximum Security (later disqualified.) So the correct order of 1st through 3rd places are as follows: 1st. Country House 2nd. Code of Honor 3rd. Tacitus I puzzled over the name of the first horse for almost a year because I just could not see what the horse, Maximum Security, had to do with the United States. When I heard the name, I immediately associated it with the term, “maximum security lockdown” like in a prison and couldn't understand how that could apply to America. (As we have seen there have been lockdowns and the leftist DS is pushing for more.) It wasn't until March of 2020, when the lockdowns started, that it made any sense to me. I was watching a minister on the internet sharing about his father's vision many years ago in which he saw that something was going to happen that would so frighten people that they would flee the cities and migrate to rural areas. That's when I understood exactly what it meant. (Well, this is happening especially with liberal cities where they don't punish crime but instead the police. They are crumbling because they have no economic sense. They punish the good and reward the bad.) (The lockdowns are being contested in the United States and may be deemed unconstitutional if they haven't already. We may see the global Beast implement them, but for now it seems that they could be deemed unconstitutional, or “disqualified” like Maximum Security.) The second horse, which became the first place winner, was Country House. (Country House represents the migration to rural areas of the United States as people flee the big cities, although there may be more to this than I understand.) The third horse, which became the second place winner, is Code of Honor. (Code of Honor is a military term and may signify an increase in military action in the coming days. Rev 6:3-4 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.) (This could already be starting although the police and military actions are very covert at this time. Most people don't know that there is a Civil War going on in many nations; the Alliance against the D.S.) The fourth horse, which became the third place winner, is what I think is the most important aspect of this revelation currently, and why I felt led to share this sign with the UBM community. In the summer of 2020, I was walking my dog and mulling over all of the deadly George Floyd riots, feeling overwhelmed with everything happening in our country. In exasperation I said, “Lord, what will happen next?” Although I had not thought of the Kentucky Derby race in a while, I immediately heard in my spirit, “Check the 3rd horse.” I was very surprised to hear Him say that. So I rushed home to research the horse that took third place. (I had overlooked him because he was originally the 4th place horse.) I discovered that his name was Tacitus, which means “silence.” With more research, I discovered that Tacitus was the name of a famous Roman politician and historian who wrote about the persecution of the early Christians under Nero. Tacitus recorded how Christians were scapegoated and blamed for a destructive fire that broke out in Rome, leading to mass persecution of the Christians. (I felt that the Lord was saying that the next major thing that would happen in our nation was Christian persecution, and that it would come about in the same way. We would be blamed for contrived events as the early Christians were under Nero. I also felt led to stock up on Bibles because soon we will not be able to purchase them as they will be considered racist and homophobic etc. etc.) The very next day as I was pondering the meaning of Tacitus, a friend sent me Dana Coverstone's dream about the coming persecution. As I watched the video about his dream, I experienced a trembling deep inside my spirit. I knew that it was a direct confirmation of what the Lord had shown me the day before. Joh 16: 2-4 They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the hour cometh, that whosover killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye may remember them, how that I told you. And these things I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you. (The day after Jan 6, I turned on the radio to hear the propaganda, and they were talking about finding and “separating” anyone associated with the event because they pose a threat to society. I thought that could be the event, but now that we are seeing the fallout from Roe V Wade, I think this could be the event that leads to persecution.) Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. (This was Stephen who was persecuted and stoned to death.) (The Lord has said that if we watch and pray, God will give us strength to endure persecution as He gave Jesus strength before the cross. Our love for Christ and for our enemies brings great glory to God just as Stephen's face shone with God's glory. Paul witnessed Stephen's sacrificial love, and his stand for truth played a part in Paul's glorious conversion and ministry. Just yesterday the Lord spoke to me from John 10, and how the good shepherd sees the wolf coming, and he lays his life down for the sheep. Jesus said that he had the power to lay his life down, and to take it up again. In the same way, He will give us the power to lay our lives down as He leads, because His Holy Spirit indwells us. ) Poll: 44% of Americans Believe a CIVIL WAR is Coming Mary Villareal - 6/3/22 (David's notes in red) (Natural News) The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) poll showed that 44 percent of Americans believe that the United States is headed toward another civil war, which includes 53 percent of Republicans and 39 percent of Democrats. (The D.S. has invaded this country and many countries and is being rooted out by those who want to bring NESARA/GESARA law and prosperity. There is a Civil War which is breaking out more and more on the surface and will get worse. More false flags are predicted.) While this is a cause for concern. Another poll showed that one in five individuals somewhat approve of assassinating politicians whom they believe were “harming the country” or U.S. democracy. Nearly seven in ten also agreed that left-wing politicians were deliberately driving economic changes to gain power by replacing conservative white voters with non-whites entering the country in what is called the “replacement theory.” This “replacement theory” began in white supremacy circles long ago, but has since moved to mainstream media such as political right-wing citizens. It also came to the attention of the media in May when the Buffalo shooting suspect penned a 180-page racist document online that promulgated racist conspiracy theories he referred to as the “great replacement.” He then live-streamed himself gunning down Black shoppers at a supermarket. He then allegedly used the inspirational idea that minorities were and would be replacing whites as justification for his actions. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray said that the bureau is investigating it as a hate crime. “I want to be clear, for my part, from everything we know, this was a targeted attack, a hate crime, and an act of racially motivated violent extremism,” he said. (Related: Toxic, treasonous media pushing “white supremacist” hoax and hit lists of Trump supporters in desperate scheme to drive America into civil war.) “What we found was a great deal of hostility for people on the other side of the political aisle. A majority of both Republicans and Democrats believe their political opponents pose a threat to the country and want to harm their political opponents,” the SPLC said in its report. “That kind of animosity could fuel partisan violence.” 2015 US military exercise triggered a cascade of conspiracy theories The U.S. already put in place some parameters in case things could take a turn for the worse. In 2015, the U.S. military conducted a routine exercise in the south that triggered a cascade of conspiracy theories. Some people believed the maneuver was a precursor to a Chinese invasion, while others thought it was in preparation for a massive asteroid strike. Dark fantasy websites said that the exercise, which was called Jade Helm 15, stood for “Homeland Eradication of Local Militants.” And then there's the talk of an impending civil war. (Related: The seeds have been planted for the next American Civil War. I don't think anything stops it now.) Today, almost half of Republicans and Democrats believe in using violence to achieve political ends – a massive increase compared to the less than a tenth for each in 2017, or the year Trump took office. The U.S. has since become a “factionalized anocracy,” which is just halfway between autocracy and democracy that is “quickly approaching the open insurgency stage.” (Anocracy or semi-democracy is a form of government that is loosely defined as part democracy and part dictatorship, or as a "regime that mixes democratic with autocratic features.”) With violence now part of the U.S. political language, novelists like Canadian national Stephen Marche imagine disunion among the states, with the country being “one spectacular act of violence away from a national crisis.” Visit Chaos.news for more news related to civil unrest. Watch this video link to know more about the possibility of the government orchestrating a civil war to escalate its own draconian policies. (I understand that a lot of people would disagree with my direction here especially those who have been deceived by the 1,000 years of peace deception. Cyrus' empire was followed by a more corrupt empire. The Greek empire, many times equated to the Antichrist empire, in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel proves this. Daniel was a type of the Man-child reformers at the time Cyrus conquered Babylon. Also, in Rev.6 we see the Man-child ministry begin just before the second seal when peace is taken from the earth. So we see the victory over the D.S. will be short.) Leftists Make Good on “Night of Rage” Riot Threats After Roe v. Wade Gets Overturned Ethan Huff - 6/25/22 (David's notes in red) Link to Article (Natural News) Before the US Supreme Court declared that murdering unborn human life was not a federal right, Leftists planned a so-called “night of rage” to riot against the decision. (Leftist/Satanists have always been baby killers.) This is the “George Floyd” event of 2022. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is shaping up to become another mass destruction event where extremists on the Left howl and break things, and possibly even commit violence against humans outside the womb. (This is what communists and anarchists do.) “DC CALL TO ACTION NIGHT OF RAGE … THE NIGHT SCOTUS OVERTURNS ROE V. WADE HIT THE STREETS. YOU SAID YOU'D RIOT” reads a flyer that was spotted on a light pole in Washington, D.C., the other night. “TO OUR OPPRESSORS: IF ABORTIONS AREN'T SAFE, YOU'RE NOT EITHER. JANE'S REVENGE.” the flyer further states. (To have a fit because you can't kill babies proves who you are but we will pray for them.) See this WendyRogers.org page for videos from Arizona, showing the abortion “insurrection” that's already taking place this weekend. In other words, there are people, out there, in this country who believe that not being legally allowed at the federal level to murder unborn children is a form of “oppression,” even though they have the right not to get pregnant in the first place. Jane's Revenge, by the way, recently took credit for the firebombing of a crisis pregnancy center in Buffalo, N.Y., which was blasted to bits for helping women save their unborn children. Jane's Revenge declares “open season” on pro-life groups, crisis pregnancy centers The thought of even just some unborn human lives being saved from abortion is so upsetting to Jane's Revenge that the domestic terrorist group recently declared “open season” on everyone affiliated with anything pro-life. The group has an extensive history of damaging the property of pro-life groups and crisis pregnancy centers, including a pregnancy resource center in Des Moines, Iowa, that just like the Buffalo clinic, was recently firebombed. A pro-abortion extremist was also reportedly arrested in advance of a plot to target Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home. “The Jane's Revenge threats have received little attention in the rest of the press, but we hope the Washington, D.C., and Capitol police are much better prepared than they were for the riots of 2020 and 2021. The Justices and the Court as a democratic institution have to be protected,” wrote the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal. Another letter allegedly written by the fine folks at Jane's Revenge states that the impending Supreme Court decision “is an event that should inspire rage in millions of people who can get pregnant,” referring, of course, to women as they are the only people who can get pregnant. “We need the state to feel our full wrath … We need them to be afraid of us,” the letter goes on to state. “Whatever form your fury takes, the first step is feeling it. The next step is carrying that anger out into the world and expressing it physically. Consider this your call to action. On the night the final ruling is issued – a specific date we cannot yet predict, but we know is arriving imminently – we are asking for courageous hearts to come out after dark.” “Screaming for the ‘right' to murder the unborn … Has there ever been a more demon-driven age?” said, someone at Zero Hedge about this insanity. “Like the KKK, BLM and ANTIFA, Jane's Revenge are state-sponsored domestic terrorists,” responded another. “Maybe they can just do a peaceful tour of the Capitol building?” joked another. (Sarcastically referring to the hypocrisy of the Jan. 6th fiasco.) The latest news about the Left's obsession with abortion can be found at Abortions.news. Roe Decision Brings Us Incredible Clarity on the Luciferians Running the Abortion Child Sacrifice Cult Mike Adams - 6/27/22 (David's notes in red) Link to Article (Natural News) It's all the same pool now: the left-wing vaccine pushers, abortion instigators, LGBT indoctrinators, child groomers, transgender genital mutilators, pedophiles and Luciferians… they have become a homogenized group of death cult practitioners who feed on children while working to destroy every Christian person or pro-lifer on planet Earth. (Only Christians understand that the people who have these demons pass them on to those who listen in a geometric progression. The closer we get to the end, the more demon possessed people we will see, until what Jesus said happens, and that is, “You will be hated of all nations for my names sake.”) And now in the aftermath of the US Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade, their inner demons have come out for all the world to see. Over the weekend, demon-inspired abortion advocates carried out demonstrations of filth and pedophilia in public, with obese naked men riding bicycles in front of children in Seattle, followed by “golden showers” urination displays as well as some people eating their feces. Scantily-clad LGBT and transgender advocates twerked in front of children, while a pregnant woman wrote in black marker, “Not yet human” on her pronounced baby bump, and then displayed it for all the public to see. The demonism was on full display, even while police in blue cities watched and did nothing. The only thing remaining is for LGBT Luciferians to start sodomizing small children in public while onlookers cheer and wave rainbow flags. (That won't be far behind…) The gift in all this? Clarity. Decent people can now see that the radical pro-abortion Left is crazed, demonic and purely evil Now there is no doubt among decent Americans which side of this fight is steeped in evil. Because abortion advocates just couldn't stop at “rare” or “solemn” abortions that were considered a last-ditch option for unwanted pregnancies. No, they had to celebrate abortions and expand the definition to not just full term babies but even to kill babies up to 28 days after they're born. To the political Left, abortion is no longer a reluctant, shameful procedure but rather is now something to be celebrated and even repeated as often as possible. Over 25 prominent corporations in America — including Disney, Levi's, Apple, Netflix and more — have even promised to pay for employees' “abortion vacations” so they can travel to places like New York or Los Angeles to have abortions, with all expenses paid. So now demonic Leftists can get pregnant and then get paid to take a vacation and murder their unborn child. This can be repeated ad nauseum because there are no limits on the corporate “benefits” for abortion tourism. The Fourteenth Amendment protected former slaves and now protects unborn babies The evil nature of the Left's true intentions — mass murder, violence, suffering, death and destruction — is now out in the open for all the world to see. And no reasonable person believes the left-wing's lies anymore… claiming that murdering unborn babies is necessary for “reproductive health” or “human rights.” Authentic human rights must include the rights of the humans not yet born, for they are protected by the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1, which says that no state may deprive a human being of life, liberty or property without due process. Abortion ends the life of a unique, conscious, aware and alive human being, yet that human being has never been indicted, prosecuted or found guilty of anything. To deprive that human being of the right to life is to violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which was added to the US Constitution following the heinous human rights violations surrounding slavery in America. By rejecting the human rights protections of the Fourteenth Amendment, abortion advocates are taking this country back to the days of slavery where one group of people could claim “ownership” (and control) over another group of people. When slaves were not considered to be full human beings, they were mutilated, raped, abused, bought and sold and sometimes even killed. These actions were horrific evils that were eventually overturned, just as Roe vs. Wade has been overturned, in the name of human dignity and human rights. Yet today, the abortion zealots want to bring back the very same violations of human rights, claiming that doctors and mothers-to-be somehow have the right to mutilate and murder an entire group of human beings (unborn human babies) simply because they find the existence of those babies to be “inconvenient.” By this definition from Leftists, any group of people in America who find another group to be “inconvenient” must therefore — in their twisted logic — have the right to murder those they despise. This is the pro-abortion argument in a nutshell: That one group of Americans can murder another group of Americans, and that the federal government must protect this “right to murder” even though it grossly violates the rights of the individual. (This precedent will set the stage for the persecution and murder of Christians too.) Thus, overturning Roe vs. Wade was actually one of the most progressive decisions the US Supreme Court could have possibly rendered. It establishes universal human rights in America, protecting all human beings from the violence and homicide of others. More importantly, it protects the most vulnerable in society — infants that are wholly unable to defend themselves against such violence. As such, overturning Roe vs. Wade protects the ultimate minority — the minority of one. Left-wing Luciferians oppose human rights being expanded to include those they wish to kill Never forget that the Luciferian Left claims to operate from a philosophical framework of “inclusiveness” and “tolerance,” yet their proclamations of compassion and human rights never extend to their own unborn children. Thus, they are discriminatory, not inclusive. Their “tolerance” isn't even strong enough to tolerate the life of another conscious human being that they don't wish to have around, so they demand the right to kill that individual at will. “On demand,” as they say. These are not the philosophical pillars of compassionate, empathetic, inclusive people; they are the desires of a murderous death cult that allies itself with Lucifer while rejecting Christ and God. LGBT pushers and abortion advocates are not on the side of good; they are wholly aligned with pure evil. And now, thanks to SCOTUS, we have achieved remarkable clarity on what the abortion / LGBT / grooming / pedophile Left actually stands for. They are murderers, rapists, pedophiles, groomers and demons. Their goal is the complete destruction of Christianity and anything smacking of God, which is why they also enjoy shredding Bibles. Watch the following video (profanity warning), depicting left-wing abortion advocates / Luciferians shredding a pastor's Bible while verbally mocking him: https://twitter.com/i/status/1540678347432202240 Finally, there's also video of an abortion advocate screaming about how he "loves killing babies.” Brighteon.com/aae88741-152e-4ee8-aebb-d3884dbcbde0 (Don't forget, our job is the great commission and the good news, not just opposing evil, but offering the solution. Opposing evil while not offering a solution is ineffective.) Civil War in the US David Eells Something we have received in our morning prayer meeting is that the D. S. will be used by God to bring down apostate Babylonish Christianity in the U.S., especially the leadership. They will target them with fire, sword, pestilence, and famine. God uses men to chasten whom He will. At the same time we have received that Cyrus/Trump will continue to conquer the Babylonish D.S. and bring them to justice. Many have been executed in military tribunals in 5 different locations. Since these are both true there can be but one scenario where these things can both happen; Civil War, which we are in right now. The battle is between the elite radicalized left wing globalists, mostly Democratic party, muslims, MS-13, Antifa, perverse sexual groups, Anarchists of all kinds, AND the patriotic, Christian, and right wing of the Alliance. Ken Dewey received this word called, WALLS IN AMERICA. (It is about Civil War.) Walls in America: Civil War Coming Ken Dewey - 11/2018 (David's notes in red) Link Here I woke up early in the morning, turning in bed I looked at the clock and it said 2:22 am. (2 is the number of division. There is a revelation in Pro 2:21-22 For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. 22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.) I said to myself what does that mean? I have always been aware that God speaks in numbers with special meaning in the Scripture. I got out of bed and went to prayer and this is what I heard: Look at the FIRST TWO DAYS of Creation. and see I did SEPARATE LIGHT FROM DARKNESS AND WATERS FROM THE WATERS. I SEPARATED THE LAND FROM THE FIRMAMENT AND MADE HEAVEN. I will move the two... Earth and the Heavens and I will bring awakening. I will be known by men to be THE CREATOR. Men have not believed [or wanted to believe that I exist], now I will show them MY CREATIVE POWER. I WILL SHAKE EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE SHAKEN AND THEY WILL BE FORCED TO SEE ...ME! (Earthquakes that split the country will be a part of this judgment.) See that 20 divided by two is 10, and then add the numbers 10 and 2 and you have 12. Twelve is the number for my governmental perfection. Ten is the number of completion of testing. I MOVE NOW TO BRING MEN TO SEE MY GOVERNMENT. I am the Lord and besides me there is none other. I am your only God, and I rule and none can speak or correct me, FOR I AM YOUR GOD ALONE. I WILL SOON TAKE BACK MY EARTH FROM MEN WHO HAVE TRIED TO STRIP IT FROM ME. Men have moved against me. Two, Both male and Female, and I will move to complete my work for all to see. I will reveal my reasons for making 2, male and female, and all will know the difference in my 2. SEE THAT THERE ARE NOW TWO [2] WALLS IN AMERICA. There is the Border Wall which many do not want, and then there is ANOTHER WALL BUILT RIGHT ACROSS AMERICA DIVIDING THE LAND. THE BOUNDARIES WERE PLAIN TO SEE IN RED AND BLUE. (Right and left wing) STARK; STANDING OUT IN THE VISION. THE WALL WAS PLAINLY BUILT AND MEN WOULD FIGHT OVER IT. (How ironic: The division of Right and Left is partly over the Border Wall.) ***While I heard the above words I saw a Vision and heard sounds... THIS IS WHAT I SAW AND HEARD: The sound of rumbling of War Machines, guns and bombs. I saw the Bullets flying over the DIVIDING WALL IN AMERICA as the two sides fought. I heard then the words: CIVIL WAR FOUGHT. MEN DYING, BLOOD IN THE STREETS. [This caused me to remember again the several times now I have heard the Lord speak before about Civil War coming again to America]. In the end of these words and visions I sat there knowing that we are entering right now into very dangerous days in America. The time is very short for this Nation. Americas land will never again be the same as it has been, but is changed by another Civil War. I knew that the second war was to be much worse than the first and would leave the Nation divided into parts.I have seen America ceasing to be America, as it is, and becoming a battle ground which would divide into pieces or sections. Unlike the first Civil War, this new Civil War will divide permanently men from men, land from land, and there would be separate governments arise from the aftermath.Many will arise to fight again for Freedom. They will have their place, but those fighting against Freedom will also have their place.America will never be as it has been, united again, but it will divide and be less than it has been in the past. Like the Soviet Union divided and fell, so will this Nation.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI have spoken this Word as I have heard it. Lord help your people, who believe, to come up under you and live in the Secret Place, for there will be no safe place besides you. … Desert ProphetAs we have said this Civil War is happening and will get worse. Looks like in Matt's dream below the Deep State demonrats are going to try for a false flag attack on the Russians again to try and start World War 3 to distract from their evil works and their election cheating and a war would make more money for the Elites. False Flag War With Russia and Distraction Matt Stewart - 11/12/18 (David's notes in red) The dream started like this: Several of us (Greg, Gabe, Anna, myself, and a few others I did not recognize) were in a foreign country, and none of us knew where we were, but I knew, in the Spirit, that it was Russia. We were all walking down a road towards the center of a city, and we all came to a stop. But I noticed that the road continued on towards the center of the city, and came to a round-about. In the center of the round-about was a water fountain feature. And there were cars and people walking around this round-about. Then Gabe said, “We should go to this restaurant over here.” The restaurant was off the road a little bit and to the right. (Many dreams have likened UBM to a restaurant. In Russia also there are spiritual restaurants to partake of God's Food.). Then a couple of others in the group agreed, and they all went. I turned my body towards the restaurant to go, but then I looked down the road to the round-about and saw a column of smoke, or cloud, coming down towards the center of the city and it hit with a big explosion. The wave of shock and debris went out and I knew that the people engulfed in it were obliterated. I thought to myself, “I hope it doesn't reach out here where I'm at.” My first thought was that it was a nuclear bomb going off, but the shock wave and destruction was very small compared to a nuclear bomb, which made me think of an asteroid hitting. (Battle field nukes are much smaller and can be mounted on missiles.) Then I knew in my Spirit that the remaining people in the city were very angry and thought that the Americans did this to them. I turned and looked down the opposite way from the city. There was a fox-hole with two American military men in it. (False flag by the D.S.). One was of higher rank than the other. Then the Russians started shooting at the two Americans in the fox-hole. All of a sudden, bullets and bombs started flying by in both directions. The Russians weren't only aiming for the Americans in the fox-hole, but even further beyond that. As I looked up from the scene of the two Americans in the fox-hole and looked beyond them, I could see land of distant countries being shot at by the Russians and they were shooting back. (This appears to be what has happened before; A false flag by the D.S. to start a war between Russia and the west. This is the elite attempting to make money on the war because Trump has been drying up their income. Also to distract from their dirty deads and the theft of the elections.) Then I continued on into the restaurant, but took one look towards the city to see the destruction, but there was no destruction. Then I realized I must have just seen a vision of something to come. I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random for the over all dream and received: Nah 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him. 7 Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that take refuge in him. 8 But with an over-running flood he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness We received by faith at random this parable of Civil War in the U.S. on 11/11/18. The full story is in chapters 19-21 in Judges. The portion received was about the conquering of the perverse left wing. This is at least the second time recently that we have received this. It is the story of the tribe of Benjamin who defended perversion in the form of gang raping a defenseless woman in their midst much like the satanic D.S. are known for doing to men, women, and children. The Democratic party has defended and taken part is this like Benjamin did and factioned against Israel who stood against this perversion to both of their destructions. The right wing had a set back but ultimately wiped out Benjamin. - Jud 20:43-46 They inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trod them down at their resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them unto Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men. 46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valor. So all Israel set an ambush much as the Trumpites have done to the perverse left wing in watching them cheat, steal, and rape, while gathering proof for the tribunals. Benjamin was taken down to 600 men and was almost extinguished as a tribe, which will happen to the D.S. American Civil War Marilyn Klinke - 07/28/09 (David's notes in red) In the dream, a Godly sister in Christ and I were at some train tracks, watching young men board the trains. The young men were dressed in American Civil War uniforms and going off to war. The sister and I implored them not to go, telling them that this war would not be good and that brother would end up fighting brother. No one would heed our tearful pleas; they just kept boarding the trains. I noticed that, in addition to each soldier carrying a rifle, they also had a small pack or tray of seedling vegetables, like you plant in your garden in the spring. I understood the part of the dream about civil war coming, but was puzzled over the seedling vegetable plants. I felt that somehow the plants represented in some way the disruption of food or crops because of the civil war, but after praying I also thought that they might indicate that the war would start in the spring. Perhaps this dream has some relevance to the events we see coming to pass now. (The second seal in Rev. 6:3-4 is war and the third seal in Rev. 6:5-6 is famine.) Civil War in the US Kenneth R. Atnip, Sr. - 12/18/2010 (David's notes in Red) My 16-year-old daughter, Maryann, had a dream a few days ago. She dreamed of civil war against the…government. The scene was very chaotic and those in rebellion to the government were going house to house forcing any and all men to join with them. Many of us Christians were in hiding, not willing to join in a rebellion against the government. (The right-wing will be a threat against Christians, too, who will not kill. Although Christians will not agree with the government they will obey Jesus and not take up arms to kill them. He has others without Biblical convictions to do that.) She awoke in the middle of the night with a strong taste of blood in her mouth. Her 13-year-old sister, Aimee, woke up as well and immediately asked her what was wrong. The 16-year-old said that she had the taste of blood in her mouth to which the 13-year-old asked, "Were you dreaming of war?" Somehow she knew that she was dreaming of war. Last November my three-year-old son, Jeremiah, slept with Mom and Dad. He awoke at 5:30 AM yelling, "War is coming ... people are dying ... people are crying to God". He has no idea what these things are. It woke me out of a dead sleep and I sat up and looked at him. He was wide awake and started telling of hearing a noise: "pop, pop, pop", he kept repeating. All day he kept talking about big balloons coming and looking out the window. He said, "Maybe they won't come; maybe they will pop". (This will become a shooting war.) Should we Die by the Sword or the Cross? David Eells I want to preface what I am about to say with this: I am in agreement with Cyrus/Trump conquering Babylon and bringing an end to its extreme criminality. But when this turns into a Civil War I do not agree Christians should disobey Jesus and fight with flesh and blood which we are commanded not to do. We should leave this up to those who are doing this. Our Kingdom is not of this world. We are called to bring as many people as possible from both sides into the Kingdom of God and eternal life. Those who disobey our Kingdom will not be a part of it. Please be very patient with me and I will share something that just may save your physical and eternal life. If you are not willing to believe only what the scriptures say concerning your relationship to this evil world and its God-ordained plan in your life, don't waste your time reading this. When Peter used the sword to keep Jesus from going to the cross, He said, "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword". Even though the true saints will not agree with much that is about to happen in this world, they will not take "the sword" of man and break their covenant with God as the apostates and their leadership will. God's plan for His people is demonstrated by Jesus. (Jn.12:23) And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. As Jesus was a seed sown in the dirt of this earth, so must we be. The wicked of this world are the dirt that puts to death the fleshly husk of the seed so that the inner life may come forth and bear fruit. As a lamb does not struggle with a wolf, the seed does not struggle with the dirt but permits it to fulfill its purpose. (Lk.10:3)...I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. In God's plan wolves devour the flesh of the lambs. He uses the wicked to chasten His children. (2Sam.7:14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. (2Cor.4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. The glory of God will be manifested in those who will "resist not him that is evil" but will "turn the other cheek" and permit the dirt to do its job. No one else can drive the nails, friend. You are unable to do it and other Christians shouldn't do it. It is God's plan to use the harlot and the beast to crucify our old man. (Acts 2:23) [H]im (Jesus), being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. (4:27) [F]or of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, (28) to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass. Through death to self at their hands, the world will see Jesus in us and we will be enabled to fulfill the great commission. (1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. In the days when God's people were ruled over by the Roman beast it was written: (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God. (2) Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. Though Christians are forbidden to take the mark and image of the beast, they are also forbidden to take up arms against secular nations over them. This puts the people of God in a position of weakness like Jesus when He submitted to His cross instead of fighting. Using Babylon and her king as a type of the U.S. and her President, God warned his people to submit to her as far as secular matters go. “Obey every ordinance of man for the Lords sake” (Jer.27:5) I have made the earth, the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it unto whom it seemeth right unto me. (6) And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant.... (7) And all the nations shall serve him.... (8) And it shall come to pass, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. (Notice that DS Babylon has sent these three things against God's people and is killing many.) (9) But as for you (Christians), hearken ye not to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: (10) for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.... (12) And I spake to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. (13) Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? (14) And hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you. (15) For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that ye may perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you. Fear this warning and do not listen to false prophets who come as patriots to stir up Christians to rebel against this country. Those who do, God will destroy by the hand of this government. In this way God will cleanse His body of those that refuse to obey and go to their cross. Jesus said, "Love your enemies", not shoot them, and "turn the other cheek", not make war on them. That's what those concentration camps are for, friends. They are expecting and waiting for Christians to "take the sword". Our Lord said, "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword". I am certainly not excusing the government's actions in any of this. God will bring the U.S. against His people and their apostate leaders because they have ignored His covenant. (Hos.8:1) [Set] the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle [he cometh] against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. (2) They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee. (3) Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him. (4) They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. In the days of Jesus we see this same type in these days. The apostate people of God were in bondage to the Roman beast for their rebellion against the Word. These stiff-necked people of God were in constant revolution against the Romans and paying a great penalty for it. (Mk.15:6) Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. (7) And there was one called Barabbas, [lying] bound with them that had made insurrection (revolution), men who in the insurrection had committed murder. (8) And the multitude went up and began to ask him [to do] as he was wont to do unto them. (9) And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (10) For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. (11) But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. (Jn.18:40) They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Notice that Barabbas and many with him were in prison for making a revolution against the Romans. Jesus suffered in the place of this Jewish patriot. In like manner the true body of Christ will suffer innocently because of "Christian" patriots who will revolt against the U.S./U.N. beast. In another type, Barabbas was chosen out of all the Jews that were in prison with him to be released. Barabbas means "son of the father". Because Jesus went to the cross, a remnant of these people who truly are "sons of the Father" will be forgiven and saved. Militant patriots do not understand what the Holy Spirit showed in this text, that killing Romans or Americans is "murder" and that those who steal from them are "robbers". Remember, God did not defend almost 1000 very religious patriots whom the Romans destroyed. In 66 A.D. when the Jews rebelled against the Romans, they captured this mountain 1000 meters above the Judean wilderness. In a well-supplied, seemingly impregnable fortress, the Jews attempted for seven years to hold out against the Roman beast. In a clear type, all but a remnant of seven committed suicide and brought an end to the worldly state of Israel. "Christian" rebels in our day will, in effect, commit suicide by fighting against the beast and bring an end to the worldly state of the Church. Jesus gave us permission to "flee" like sheep before the wolves, but not to fight in the flesh as wolves. (Mt.10:16) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (23) But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. Notice that this persecution will spread the Word through the cities of God's people and He will come. Praise His Name! Every beast kingdom was raised up by God to chasten and bring into bondage and crucifixion His rebellious people and so it will be with the Babylon of our day. Our warfare is not with flesh and blood men but with the demon principalities and powers that rule them (Eph.6:12). (Mt.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Jas.4:7)...resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Many will fight to keep from going into captivity but only God determines if one needs this for their maturing. (Rev.13:9) If any man hath an ear, let him hear. (10) If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Only God gives authority to the beast to bring His people into bondage or death. Not only can God protect those who are mature but He can also give rest to those who need to submit to their cross. (Jn.19:11) Jesus answered him, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above. Like our Lord, we are to receive everything as from God and leave retaliation up to Him. (Rom.12:17) Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Our old man wants to live by defending self and retaliating, but our obedience to these commands crucifies that carnal nature in us. Satan seeks through well-meaning people to keep us from this cross. (Mt.16:21) From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. (22) And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. Notice that Peter, by the spirit of Satan was a stumbling block by trying to dissuade Jesus from going to His cross. Peter later took the sword, to try to enforce his way and again met with rebuke. (24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. Even when we are at our best, the hidden carnal nature must be crucified. (1Pet.2:20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it], ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (21) For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously. What could be clearer? We are to follow in Jesus' steps by cooperating with God's process of using the harlot religious system and the beast kingdom to bring us to the cross. We are not to resist them by force. The laws of our kingdom do not permit us to fight in the flesh to escape captivity. (Jn.18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. In the days leading up to a civil war in the midst of the One World Order, many will stand up against the U.S. as the king of the South. Included among these are some of God's people who will try to impose their vision of the kingdom of God in the U.S. by violent methods, but they will be killed. (Dan.11:14) And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the children of the violent among thy people shall lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they shall fall. God will not permit fleshly methods to have any success so that His people learn to walk in the Spirit. (12:7)...[I]t shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of (self in) the holy people, all these things shall be finished. Notice that our temptation to use our own power must be crucified. (Zec.4:6)...Not by (our) might, nor by (our) power, but by my Spirit, saith Lord of hosts. War is of the world and is motivated by lust, not God. (Jas.4:1) Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Those who join with the world to make war on their enemies are enemies of the cross and of God. (4) Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Much more on this subject Here: https://www.ubm1.org/?page=swordorcross We do have a spiritual warfare to accomplish. Jesus gave us authority over the principalities and powers and rulers of this darkness and this is the only way this battle is won. Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Rev 12 tells us the saints won this battle with the dragon, who is the devil and the god of Babylon, in the heavenlies. Rev 12:7-12 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they (The saints) overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. (Then comes the war against the saints in Rev.13.) 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Talk 2 God speaks to us in Jesus (Part 1) In the last talk we gave an outline of what the Bible teaches on how God speaks to us. We saw that: God speaks to all humanity through creation He spoke to Israel by the prophets He has finally spoken by his Son He speaks today through the Bible He speaks by his Spirit He speaks through other people Now because this series is primarily about how God speaks to us as Christians today, I won't be developing points 1 and 2 any further. This is because: Although Christians may see more clearly than other people that God speaks through his creation, as we saw in the last talk, God speaks to all people in this way, not just to Christians. The fact that God spoke to Israel in Old Testament times by the prophets has no direct bearing on how he speaks to Christians today. He now speaks by his Son. It's points 3-6, however, that do have a direct bearing on how God speaks to us as Christians today, and those are the things we'll be dealing with in more detail in the remaining talks. We'll begin in this talk by considering how God continues to speak to us in Jesus. As we have already seen, although in the past God spoke to Israel through the Old Testament prophets, he has now spoken by his Son: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). But he has not just spoken. He continues to speak to us through Jesus. Jesus is God's Word to us (John 1:1-2, 14). In Jesus God continues to speak to us in the following ways: God speaks to us in the person of Jesus God speaks to us in the words of Jesus God speaks to us in the actions of Jesus (next time) In these three ways God speaks to us through Jesus revealing what he (God) is like, teaching us what to believe, and showing us how we should live. God speaks to us in the person of Jesus We have already seen from Hebrews 1 that in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son. But the passage goes on to make a staggering claim about who Jesus actually is: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-3). These verses make it clear that Jesus is none other than God himself. He is the exact representation of his being. Colossians 1 says the same thing: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him (vv.13-16). Jesus is here described as the image of the invisible God. Putting it simply, both writers are saying, If you want to know what God is like, take a look at Jesus! Jesus himself said the same thing in John 14:6-9: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… All these verses confirm the truth that in the person of Jesus we see exactly what God is like. As we have seen, God has revealed his existence through creation and from it we have some understanding of what God is like. But that is nothing compared with the way God has revealed himself in Jesus. In Jesus we have a clear picture of who God is. John 1:18 tells us that No one has ever seen God, but the One and Only who is at the Father's side has made him known. Jesus is the full and final revelation of who God is. To see Jesus is to see God. God speaks to us in Jesus and reveals his goodness, his kindness, his compassion, his humility, his patience, and his love. In Jesus we see him healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, feeding the hungry, raising the dead and forgiving sinners. As we look at Jesus in the pages of the New Testament we hear God saying, I LOVE YOU! God speaks to us in the words of Jesus So God speaks to us in the person of Jesus revealing what God is like. But he also speaks to us in the words of Jesus teaching us what to believe. What we believe is important for three main reasons: It what affects we say It influences how we behave It determines our ultimate destiny. Jesus made it clear that what we believe in our heart will affect what we say: The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45. Cf. Matthew 12:34). The apostle Paul expresses the same truth when he says: It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13, quoting Psalm 116:10). And again In Romans 10:9-10 he says: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. These verses are not merely an illustration of how what we believe will affect what we say. They show that, when it comes to the matter of salvation, there's a clear connection between believing in Jesus with our heart and acknowledging him with our mouth. If our faith is real, we'll be talking about him. In the following verses Paul goes on to say that salvation is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus (v.11) and that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (v.13). He then goes on to ask: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (v.14). So what we believe is important because it affects what we say, and what we say is important because it affects other people. If we believe what Jesus says about himself and tell others about him, we will be sharing with them the truth that can lead to their salvation. As we read the New Testament, then, we should pay attention to what Jesus says. His words are the expression of his heart and he himself is the Word of God and is the expression of his Father's heart. God speaks to us in the words of Jesus teaching us what to believe and tell others. On the other hand, if we believe and say things that are not true we may lead others into error. Secondly, what we believe is important because it influences how we behave. We only have to look around us to see plenty of evidence of this. From a negative perspective, believing something that isn't true can have disastrous consequences. It's evident in the thousands of girls whose lives have been ruined through female genital mutilation (FGM) in countries where there is a tradition of female circumcision. Why do they do this? Because they believe that it's the right thing to do! Belief influences behaviour. That's why what we believe is so important. And as Christians it's the teaching of Jesus that determines what we believe and how we behave. Or at least it should be! We need to believe what he says and put it into practice. In James 2 we're told that believing is not enough. If our faith is genuine it will be expressed in action: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (vv.14-17). So when our faith, our belief in Jesus, is real it will be accompanied by action. If we love him we will do what he says – even when it seems crazy! Let me give you one small example. As a teenager I was personally challenged by what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5: You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also… You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. 'But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (vv.38-39, 43-45). Did Jesus mean that literally, or was there another explanation? Now explain it away as much as you like, I couldn't escape the clear meaning of what Jesus said. If someone hit me I was not to hit back. Shortly after coming to this decision, I had an unexpected opportunity to put into practice what I believed. It was a Sunday evening and I was walking home after church. Two boys about my age were coming in the opposite direction towards me. Suddenly, as they got level with me, one of them, without warning, took a swing at me and hit me on the side of my face! I think I was surprised rather than hurt. I didn't know him. As far as I know, he didn't know me. I hadn't done anything that could have offended him. So why did he hit me? I didn't ask, but, remembering Jesus' teaching, I said, ‘I don't know why you did that, but, if it gave you any pleasure, perhaps you'd like to hit the other side now'. How did he react? A look of sheer amazement, an embarrassed laugh, followed by a speedy retreat! Now let me make it clear. I'm not suggesting that Jesus gave us these instructions as a piece of advice on self-defence! I think that in such circumstances we should expect to be hit a second time, but I believe that on this occasion God was honouring my obedience to the words of the Lord Jesus. And I'm not trying to tell anyone else how they should behave. I'm just asking the question, How seriously do we take what Jesus says? John tells us that we love him because he first loved us (1 John 4:19) and Jesus said that if we love him we will do what he says (John 14:15). Finally, what we believe is important because it determines our ultimate destiny. The most important thing Jesus teaches us to believe is to believe in him. Trusting in Jesus is the only way of salvation. The things we have done wrong separate us from a holy God. Our only means of access to God, either in this life or the next, is through Jesus. That's because only Jesus was good enough to take the punishment our sins deserve. In the words of an old hymn: There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in. Nowhere is this clearer than in John's Gospel where Jesus clearly states: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). Peter proclaims the same truth when, talking about Jesus, he says: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And Paul tells us that there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5-6). We can't put things right with God by trying to do better or ‘turning over a new leaf'. Our only hope is for God to have mercy on us – and he will, if we put our trust in Jesus. These verses in John 3 could not be clearer: 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. What we believe is vitally important because it affects our ultimate destiny. Next time: God speaks to us in the actions of Jesus
Today there are many people who say they are Christians, they trust in Jesus and they are going to heaven, yet they still live in sin and do not intend to change. This verse says that a person that says he knows Jesus, but still habitually lives in sin is a liar and does not live according to the truth of the Bible. The bottom line is that if you live that way, you have not been saved, and you will not go to heaven. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.” Psalm 51:4, looking to God he says, “Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight.” So, the people who say you can be saved and live anyway you want have never been saved and will never make it to heaven. The practice of concealing is a very refined art form among unbelievers. The practice of concealing sin, of covering sin, of redefining sin is characteristic of people who don't know God, who, to borrow the language of John, are not in the fellowship. But that's what they do, they cover and they conceal. Christians, on the other hand, are people who confess. Here, to “walk in the darkness” means to sin habitually, the contrast being, not a sinless life (for John teaches that everyone sins, v. 8), but a progressive growth in godliness. Boice But we must not miss the fact that his rebuke applies to anyone who claims to know God while at the same time treats either sin or the need for establishing and maintaining a moral life lightly. [1] The first man said, “Sin, what's that?” The second man said, “Sin? Oh, I don't do that anymore.” Third man said, “Yes, there's sin, I've never sinned.” He claims he's never sinned. If we say we have not sinned, never, we have a problem here. It's evident that you don't know the truth. You don't know the truth about the gospel and you don't know the truth about sin. And they go together. Col. 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Eph. 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” If you say that you have fellowship with Him but you walk in the darkness, it's a lie. In verse 6, “They say they have fellowship with God, but they walk in darkness.” And so the first word that describes them is “darkness.” There is the absence of eternal life, characterized by the love of truth and the love of holiness. 1John 1:7 says But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. This is better translated since we walk in the light. This means we have truly been saved, we are habitually living according to the truth of the bible, we have a special bond with other believers because of the Holy Spirit that lives in us, and we are continually being cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. He does not understand “walking in the light” to mean perfection. Rather, he means a genuine and continuous pursuit of holiness out of which increased fellowship with other Christians and confession of sin will come. It is this that must characterize all who know God. Boice John is merely saying that one who walks in fellowship with God will find forgiveness for any sin that might enter his life. Since this forgiveness is already provided for by the sacrifice of Christ. Boice 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Rom. 8:31-34. The word “confess” means “to say the same thing.” To confess sin means to say the same thing about it that God says. To understand the word “faithful” he must understand that God has promised to forgive sin when it is confessed to him. Thus, Isaiah wrote of God's promise: “ Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord”. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool' ” (Isa. 1:18). Through Jeremiah God declared, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34). Clearly, if God had spoken such promises and then had refused to forgive sin, he would have been unfaithful. But he is not. He is faithful to forgive in that he has promised to do so and He does. The answer to the question of the justice of God in forgiving sins is found in Romans 3:20–28, where Paul explains how it is that God is both “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (v. 26 kjv). It is possible, he says, through Christ, who, being God and therefore having no sin of his own, was able to and did die for us. God punished our sin in Christ. Jesus became the “propitiation” for our sins, meaning that by him God's just wrath against our sin was satisfied. It is interesting in this context that the word “propitiation,” used by Paul in Romans, is used by John just three verses further on as he enters more fully into a discussion of Christ's work. Boice You ask why do we have to confess our sins if God has already forgiven us. We can never lose our salvation, but we can mess up the relationship. If I slap you and ask you later to do something for me, I am sure you would say no. You would at least want an apology, it is the same with God, we grieve Him when we sin, and we need to ask forgiveness to restore our right relationship and place in His will. To confess means to say the same thing about our sin as God does. We like to rationalize our sin. Others are conceited, but I respect myself. When others lose their temper, they are angry; me, I have righteous anger. Others are prejudiced; but I have convictions.” If someone else takes initiative, he is presumptuous; if I take initiative, I am creative. when I show indignation over something, it is righteous anger. The problem is not circumstance but sin. Nice labels do not change the poison inside the bottle. Don't say God, I don't know if I sinned or not, or if I sinned forgive me, but call it sin like God does. We need to admit and confess sin to be right with God. John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'” Heb. 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those [believers] who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” 2 Cor. 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 1 Peter 2:24 “…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.” How does God provide for the sins of the saints? Through the heavenly ministry of Christ. We are saved from the penalty of sin by His death (Rom. 5:6-9), and we are saved daily from the power of sin by His life (Rom. 5:10). The word “advocate” means “one who pleads a case” and is the same Gk. word as “Comforter” in John 14:16. Ro 14:23 “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” First, If God's light is really shining on us, we will rather say, as did Isaiah, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!” (Isa. 6:5); or with Peter, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8); or with Paul, “I am the worst [of sinners]” (1 Tim. 1:15). Boice Second, if God is our light and if we walk in the light, we will be growing spiritually. The Bible will be becoming more precious, for God is revealed in it. We will love godliness. And we will be finding fellowship with God's people more and more delightful and valuable. Finally, we will also be finding it increasingly desirable to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, we will yearn to serve him, for we will know him more and more as the one who brought us out of the bondage of our darkness into his marvelous light. Wesley wrote of this desire: Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night: Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light: My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. To follow Christ is the natural desire of the one whose life has been illuminated by him. Boice 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Nothing that John has written thus far can be taken as an endorsement of sin. But it is possible that some might misunderstand his statements and thereby reach that conclusion. Has he not argued that all men sin? “Well,” they might argue, “if sin is inevitable, why struggle against it? You will sin no matter what you do. So resign yourself to the facts.” Or again, has John not said that there is forgiveness for sin through what Jesus has done and, indeed, continues to do? “All right,” they might add, “why worry about committing sin? If God forgives it, the outcome is assured. As a matter of fact, why not sin more, for God can forgive more and get greater glory in such circumstances.”[1] Ro 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? These things I write to you, The first part of 1John 2:1 says My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. This says that if we know Christ as our Lord and Savior then we do not have to sin because God has given us the Holy Spirit to overcome sin, suffering, and temptation, but we sin because we are weak and want to. If you have not been saved, you are like Mic Jagger who says he is free, free to do what ever he wants. But I say to you and Mic, you are not free to not do what you want to do and no matter how hard you try you will never be able to change or break those bad habits without Christ. One purpose of writing 1 John is that believers would have a means for addressing sin issues. This is an argument against the idea that Christians must engage in inevitable habitual sinful behavior. John does not write so that his readers have justification for their sin (1:6,8,10) but that they might conquer sin. Although Christians sin (1:10), they can conquer sin – “so that you may not sin.” John writes with the purpose that his readers will have a safeguard against sinning. If we practice sin, we will become more skilled in it. There is no sin in being tempted but it is a sin to yield to temptation The last part of 1John 2:1 says And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. If we are Christians we don't look at salvation as a license to sin, but if we are truly saved, as we continue to follow Christ we will sin less and less as the pattern of our life. But He also tells us that when we do sin that it is Jesus our Advocate, our ally, our intercessor who defends us before an accusing devil and a Holy God that He paid for that sin on the cross and it can never be held against us. Jesus is more than a Savior and more than Lord, He is our Advocate or Lawyer. He is with the Father and intercedes on our behalf to the Father. An advocate is someone called along side to help. An advocate comes to someone's aid. Secular Greek used “advocate” as a court term to mean a legal assistant, counsel for defense. Jesus as our Advocate pleads our cause; He is our Intercessor. The word “advocate” occurs 5 times in the Greek New Testament. Other occurrences translate it by “comforter.” All 4 of the other occurrences refer to the Holy Spirit. We have a Defense Attorney in Jesus Christ and another Defense Attorney in the Holy Spirit. Jesus defends us against the accusations of the Devil because of our sin (Re 12:10). The Holy Spirit gives us the power to live the Christian life 1Jo 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. This means Jesus Christ died on the cross so that anyone who believes He died in their place, took their hell, and paid the penalty for their sins could go to heaven. The word propitiation means satisfaction and Jesus satisfied the legal demands that someone had to be punished and die for our sins. That is why when Jesus died, He said it is finished, it means He paid our sin debt in full and anyone who would call on Him for forgiveness would go to heaven. Propitiator - the One who satisfies the holy demands of an absolute God Propitiation refers to the full satisfaction of the absolute, holy and righteous character of God. The “Mercy seat” was the place of propitiation. In the New Testament it is the shed blood of the body of Christ. Jesus as our Defense Attorney is His office but His role in propitiation is the satisfaction Propitiation is a term of appeasement. Jesus' death on the cross appeased the wrath of God against our sin. God must be just or consistent with Himself. He is absolute in His being and He can never compromise His character in any way. Heb 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [1] Boice, J. M. (2004). The Epistles of John: an expositional commentary (p. 31). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Drawing Near to God Bible Study with Jairus- Numbers 18 Numbers 18:1-5 “So the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die. They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you. And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel. “ Responsibilities of Leadership Aaron and his sons were given the job of carrying the iniquity of the sanctuary and the priesthood. Let's look more closely at this phrase. What does it mean to bear the sins of the sanctuary and the priesthood? Why should Aaron and his sons and the people of his tribe (the Levites) bear the iniquity of the sanctuary? And why should they also carry the sins of their own priesthood? Ordinary Israelites were not allowed to come near the sanctuary or the Holy Place. Simply approaching these holy places would incur sin and guilt. Ordinary Israelites were allowed to move around in the outer courtyard, but they could not enter the sanctuary. Ordinary Levites, who were not priests, could serve in the sanctuary. For example, the Kohathites could carry the items of the sanctuary; the Gershonites could carry the things in the tabernacle; but neither were allowed to touch the items of the sanctuary. Nor could they serve as priests in the sanctuary (Numbers 4). Aaron, his sons and the Levites needed to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary because they were in charge of ensuring that ordinary Israelites did not touch holy things. Following the incident with Korah and his followers, God set out strict rules for Aaron and his sons to follow. Though God didn't directly punish Aaron for what happened with Korah, he had a serious warning for the priests and Levites. Perhaps Aaron and his sons had not been vigilant in guarding the gate to the house of God. Korah received severe discipline because he was envious of the privileges of the priesthood. If these things happened again, Aaron and his sons would need to bear the iniquity of their priesthood. Perhaps Aaron and his son had been apathetic in enforcing sanctuary rules. Aaron's lax control may have led his sons Nadab and Abihu to offer unauthorized fire, causing them to be burned to death by the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). Had they entered the Holy of Holies? Probably not. The golden altar of incense, from which they took fire to add to their own censer, was in the sanctuary just outside the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. They were very close to the Holy of Holies and may have had the intention of entering the Holy of Holies. They took their own censer, added incense, and offered strange fire. God's severe discipline to these two men was a warning to Aaron. In this passage, the Lord warned Aaron again that if ordinary Israelites entered the sanctuary without permission, Aaron, his sons, and all the Levites would be held responsible. They needed to bear the iniquity. If a Levite became a priest without authorization, not only did this Levite sin, but Aaron and his sons also sinned. Using a modern example, if you are the leader of a business or organization and others are disobedient to you, of course they need to be held accountable. But on the other hand, you may also have some problems that you need to deal with regarding your leadership skills. After the Lord disciplined the people who rebelled against Aaron, he also dealt specifically with Aaron and his sons in this passage. Drawing Near to God When the Lord Jesus was crucified, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh." (ESV) These verses tell us that since Jesus Christ took away our sins on the cross, we can now enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). In the Old Testament, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. But in the New Testament, through the blood of Jesus, we can enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence. In the Old Testament, only specially chosen people could become priests. But in the New Testament, we all are the Lord's royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). In the New Testament, God wants us first to break free from our flesh and sin, going from the outer courtyard to the Holy Place. To enter the Holy Place is to experience the transformation and renewal of the soul. In the Holy Place, we serve and draw near to God to find grace and mercy. The strict regulations of the Old Testament law code seem to be inconsistent with the experience of the New Testament. However, when we think in the spirit, we can find some important principles that apply to our spiritual experience today. We can compare the outer courtyard to a fleshly Christian. Although he is saved and a Christian, he still has a lot of sins and filth in the world. His life and spiritual situation are far from God. Hebrews 10:19-22 mentions Christians who are still in the outer court, not taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the Holy of Holies: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (BSB) Although the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins, we still need to repent and confess those sins so we can enter into a closer relationship with God. In this way, we will have a powerful, close relationship with God and experience answered prayer. It's not that God never hears the prayer of immature believers; in fact, he does. But sometimes, years after becoming a believer, we discover that our prayers are being hindered because of sin in our lives. It's not that God doesn't hear your prayers, or that he doesn't want to answer. Instead, he wants you to confess your sins and repent, to take away these sins of the flesh so that you can get closer to Him. In other words, although you can come before God through the blood of Jesus Christ, your sin and uncleanness cannot be brought near to Him. Because of your sin and uncleanness, you can only stay in the outer courtyard. Worshiping God in the sanctuary can be compared to a Christian who has dealt with sin and filth and is actively serving God. Although you are enthusiastic, God will not always let things go your way. For example, you want to be the leader of a certain group in the church, but another brother or sister also wants the same position. In the end, the pastor or elder chooses another person instead of you and you feel really upset. This is the modern equivalent of being a priest. Yes, the New Testament says that we are all priests. But when you really want to serve in a position of ministry, there are many requirements you must meet. Many times, you want to serve in a certain way, but God does not bless your ministry. Maybe this means that although you want to be a priest, God allows other people to get in your way, like Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament. It is not that God wants to hinder you from serving Him. Instead, He wants you to become holier before serving Him. Serving God in the Holy of Holies can be compared to a Christian who removes the sins of the flesh and the rebellion in the soul, experiences how the cross deals with the flesh, and has an intimate fellowship with God. Although the veil was removed by Jesus on the cross, we often still need to go through a spiritual breakthrough, especially the breaking of the flesh, before we can enter the veil and have an extremely intimate fellowship with God through the Spirit. Aaron represents the spirit and the Holy of Holies; the Levites represent the soul and the sanctuary; the Israelites represent the world and the outer courtyard. Aaron's two sons were killed because they entered the Holy of Holies without being redeemed and made holy. God called Aaron and the Levites to be responsible for keeping guard. They must not allow ordinary Israelites go near the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons acted as the guards of the Levites, who were not allowed to come into the Holy of Holies. After we are saved, we still have sins of the flesh in our souls. All of these need to be dealt with and redeemed before we can come nearer to God. Verses 4-6 state that the Levites are God's gift to Aaron and his son, to perform the service of the tent of meeting. Metaphorically, our spirit or inner man are like priests to Jesus, the High Priest, who lives in our heart. Our spirit or spiritual inner man should follow Jesus and help Jesus to serve God. Meanwhile our soul should help our spirit to serve God. The soul was given to our spiritual new man as a gift by God. But very often, our soul does not serve the spirit. It does not focus on spiritual things of life and peace. Instead, it focuses on the flesh, which is death (Romans 8:6). In other words, our soul sometimes helps the flesh to sin. Our soul needs to make the right choice, and our spirit needs to guide and direct our soul in its choices. Pure Gifts to God Numbers 18:8 tells us that all the contributions offered by the Israelites were given to Aaron. Even though the Israelites offered their gifts in the outer courtyard, their offerings were still acceptable to God. After we receive salvation, sin still lives in our lives. But we also have a part of us that is consecrated. We may commit sins during the week, but we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. On Sunday, we serve in the children's ministry. Our offering pleases God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, even though we still sin from time to time. These offerings are still consecrated, and God will remember them. The holy offerings of the Israelites were given to Aaron for his daily food. In the same way, when you actively give your offering and serve on Sunday, you are helping the pastor to minister. Your service will become the pastor's (or fellow member's) spiritual and practical food. The Lord Jesus also said that His food is to do the will of Him who sent Him (John 4:34). Although your spiritual life is still in the outer courtyard, your service will become the spiritual food the pastor needs, and it will also become an aroma that will please God. Redemption and Surrender Numbers 18: 15-17 says, “Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.” ESV Why must the firstborn of man be redeemed? Why should the firstborn of an unclean animal be redeemed as well? It is easy to understand that the firstborn of man should be redeemed. After all, human beings cannot be offered up as burnt offerings like animals can. But why do unclean animals need to be redeemed? Any animal that God does not desire as a sacrifice will need to be redeemed. In the story of Noah's Ark, he brought clean and unclean animals onto the Ark. But when he offered sacrifices to God after coming out of the ark, he only offered clean animals and birds on the altar as burnt offerings. God does not desire unclean animals as sacrifice. When God smelled the pleasing aroma from Noah's offering, he accepted his sacrifice. Why does God allow unclean animals to enter the ark? This is God's grace. Why doesn't God accept unclean animals and birds as sacrifices? This is God's righteousness. In the same way, Numbers 18:17 says that the firstborn of a cow, sheep, or goat do not need to be redeemed. They are holy and must be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord. The fat of this sacrifice is to be burned as a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The meat belongs to Aaron. But unclean animals must be redeemed with silver. Silver is a representation of redemption. In the New Testament, Christ provides our salvation and redemption. Although Christians are saved, our souls are not entirely sanctified. A part of our heart may be filled with Christ and the Holy Spirit, but many parts of our heart are still not filled with Christ. Therefore, what we do outside of Christ in our soul or in our flesh will not be accepted by God. Only those parts that have been redeemed by Jesus Christ can be accepted by God. My personal spiritual experience can serve as an illustration. When God was dealing with an area of my flesh (disobedience) through the environment and other people, I was prevented from having intimate fellowship with him. In a part of my soul, I refused to obey God and submit to the circumstances he had allowed in my life. This part of me needed to be redeemed through the work of the cross, so that I could have a more intimate fellowship with God and have a breakthrough in my spiritual life. Watchman Nee said, “The soul or the outer man must be broken for the spirit man to be released.” There are some unclean things in my soul that don't please God. God wants to break me by redeeming this part. In other words, we must experience the work of the cross in every part of our soul. I must clean or redeem this part of me with the life of Christ before I can offer it to God. When God convicts us of sin, we often blame others and our circumstances instead of looking at what God is trying to reveal to us. When we humble ourselves before God and see clearly what God is dealing with, he will provide cleansing for us. The part that has been redeemed by God can now be offered to Him. After struggling hard, I finally surrendered this part of the soul to God. I accepted the circumstances he had allowed in my life. Later, I became obedient to God's will in this area. God's Discipline Unclean animals cannot be offered to God, nor can they be given to priests. In other words, the sinful things that are of the flesh can neither please God nor supply our spirit with good things. After I surrendered to God in this area, I saw God's hand of blessing. I had a spiritual breakthrough through His redemption. Because of this, I can enter into a more intimate fellowship with Him. I found that not only is God pleased with my prayers and offerings, but I also have become more spiritually mature than I was in the past. My spiritual man was encouraged through my offering of obedience. In our world today, God is disciplining us on a global scale. Our circumstances may be permitted by God to deal with our corporate sins and the uncleanness in our souls so that we can grow spiritually. As I mentioned earlier, we often blame others when we experience God's discipline. The same goes for countries. If you read the Old Testament, you will find that God often uses one nation to deal with another. He used several nations to deal with Israel. When these nations went too far in dealing with Israel, God disciplined them. God is currently using some countries to deal with other countries. It is easy for us to blame other countries instead of reflecting on God's will to discipline us through these countries. The purpose of discipline is not punishment, but sanctification. God wants us to be sanctified unto Him. Our society's circumstances remind me of the book of Judges. Whenever they were oppressed by the enemy, they would pray to God. God then raised up a judge who would lead the Israelites to conquer the enemy. When the leader would sin, the Israelites would fall into sin and again be oppressed by the enemy. Every time they repented, God would raise up a judge to save them. The world today is full of sin, and the church is full of unholiness. Perhaps the only thing God can do is hand us over to the enemy's oppression so that we will repent. If we want to break the cycle, every Christian needs to repent. The unholy parts inside us need to be dealt with and consecrated to God. Change in the church will provide a powerful testimony to the world around us, drawing them to salvation. Christians are the light of the world. The book of Proverbs tells us that the human spirit is the lamp of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27). Churches shine God's truth brightly to the world, just like Aaron lit the lamp in the sanctuary. If the world sins, doesn't the church bear a responsibility for this, like Aaron had a responsibility for the sin of the sanctuary and the priesthood? The darkness of the world is not caused by government or politics. It is mainly caused by the failure of the church to shine the authority and light of God to the world. If the church in a city is strong, naturally the politics and society of that city will improve. But if the church in a city is dark, the city will live in darkness. Numbers 17 records the way God disciplined Korah for his rebellion and the plague that cleansed Israel. This reminds us of dealing with rebellion in the soul and sin in the flesh. Numbers 18 explains how Israelites can become holy. For this reason, Aaron and his sons must remain holy (Numbers 18:32). The Israelites should give the tithe to Aaron and the Levites, and the Levites should offer them to the Lord (Numbers 17:26-28). The tithe is a holy offering to God. As believers, we are in a process of constant sanctification. Numbers 19 continues to explain the process of purification and cleansing. We will explore this more fully next time.
In the end days when the Anti-Christ rules the world, he will have a worldwide system in place. It will encompass the physical, spiritual, and religious aspects of life. There will be no doubt, no unanswered questions, he will be all-encompassing. Pastor Bill shares these warnings so that we can be on guard for evil powers. Although Christians will go to Heaven when Christ first returns, it's still important to know what is to come. Join the right side now, so that you don't find yourself with all the losers.
In the end days when the Anti-Christ rules the world, he will have a worldwide system in place. It will encompass the physical, spiritual, and religious aspects of life. There will be no doubt, no unanswered questions, he will be all-encompassing. Pastor Bill shares these warnings so that we can be on guard for evil powers. Although Christians will go to Heaven when Christ first returns, it's still important to know what is to come. Join the right side now, so that you don't find yourself with all the losers.
Welcome to episode 28 of Grasp the Bible. In this episode, we wrap up our study of the Book of 2 Thessalonians, covering chapter 3. The series is called “Waiting and Watching.” Today, we discuss the establishment of Christian living and cover: Paul's request (vv. 1-2) Paul's reassurance (vv. 3-5) Isolating troublemakers (v. 6) A model work ethic (vv. 7-10) Working in a quiet manner (vv. 11-12) Paul's closing commands (vv. 13-15) Paul's Final Remarks (vv. 16-18) Key takeaways: Although Paul is working tirelessly to share the gospel in Corinth, he knows that results will come only if people pray for it. Although Christians face difficulties and even persecution, God continues to protect those who remain faithful to His calling. The church is a family made up of brothers and sisters in the Lord. Members of properly functioning families contribute by working in some way. When they don't, they are reprimanded with the goal of having them contribute. The same in the church. All able-bodied members need to contribute to meet the needs of the church. When they don't, they need to be corrected, but in love and with grace, so that they may be productive in the church. Peace, a right relationship with God and the tranquility of soul it produces, comes through the work of Christ and should characterize our lives and our churches. Peace does not come from within us, nor is it dependent on our circumstances. Quotable: The peace of Christ is anchored in the presence of Christ. If you are a Christian, Jesus is with you through your most challenging times...he will never leave you alone. Application: Your pastor needs prayer to do the often times difficult work that God has called him to do. Please pray for him regularly. When living out your faith in the workplace, in school, or in your family just seems like too much, don't give up. Remain faithful...persevere...and God will give you the strength to continue. Our practice must always be to work and pay our own way, using the extra we accumulate to help the needy rather than to wait for others to help us. Church discipline, when needed, must be carried out in a restorative manner. The offender must be confronted, but with love and grace, with the goal of bringing the person back into full fellowship. In the midst of church turmoil, persecution, and challenges from the outside world, the peace of Jesus is available to his followers. Connect with us: Web site: https://springbaptist.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SBCKleinCampus (Klein Campus) https://www.facebook.com/SpringBaptist (Spring Campus) Need us to pray for you? Submit your prayer request to https://springbaptist.org/prayer/ If you haven't already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. Now you can listen through any Amazon Alexa-enabled device! Click the link below to find out how. https://mashable.com/article/how-to-play-podcasts-on-alexa
Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 15 As we read Romans 15, we especially prayed that God would speak timely words to us and lead us in our current lives. Today is December 6, 2020 and the US election results have not yet been released. The coronavirus pandemic is still raging in the United States, and there are various negative news reports and comments spreading beyond the USA. Scores of people have been working at home for a long time, and there are still many uncertainties. We don't know when the pandemic will end; when we can go back to work; whether it is safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine; who will be the president of the United States; what the future of the United States will be; and how China-US relations will develop. These questions and many others invoke and weaken the hearts of many people, including the hearts of Christians. Many feel confused and are even living in fear. Christians are no exception. Under such circumstances, what timely words can Romans 15 provide us to comfort our hearts? Let me first point out that the context of the book of Romans is somewhat similar to our society today. The gospel of the Roman church was very prosperous and believers had strong faith. However, serious racial conflicts occurred in Rome. The conflict between Jews and Gentiles escalated to the point that that all Jews were forced to leave Rome during the reign of Claudius (Acts 18:2). These serious racial conflicts within their society inevitably penetrated the church leading to conflicts between Jewish and Gentile believers within the Roman church. During the time the Jews were ordered to leave Rome, Priscilla and Aquila had arrived in Corinth from Rome where they met Paul. All three of them were tentmakers. I assume Paul gradually learned about the situation regarding the Roman church through his contact with these two which led him to become burdened with visiting the Roman church. Since the church in Rome had not been founded by Paul and he had never visited it before, we may wonder why Paul was so burdened for them. In my recording of the reading of the book of Romans, I mentioned many times that Paul may have learned about the situation of the Roman church–the conflicts between Gentile and Jewish believers–through Priscilla, Aquila, and others. Therefore, he was particularly burdened to visit them in Rome. He hoped that on his way to preaching the gospel in Spain, he would visit Rome (Romans 15:23-24). Although Paul had such hopes, he was not sure whether he would make it to Rome since he was mostly determined to go to Jerusalem to bring the financial offering of the Gentile church to the Jewish believers. Paul's purpose in doing this was to increase fellowship between the Jewish and Gentile believers. Since the Gentile believers had received spiritual blessings from the Jews and Christ and the gospel came from them, Paul also believed that Gentile believers should bring material blessings to the Jews, especially the poor among the saints at Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27). However, it was revealed through the prophecy of Agabus and others that if Paul arrived in Jerusalem he would be bound, and his life would be in danger. Therefore, Paul is unsure whether he will really have the opportunity to go to Rome, visit the church there, and go on to Spain through Rome. These were uncertainties for him. Under such circumstances, Paul wrote the book of Romans which is composed of sixteen chapters. Paul wrote to expose the truth of the gospel to the people of the Roman church. In the book of Romans, he specifically mentions that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jews and Gentiles are both sinners, but all are justified by faith (Romans 3:24). Romans is like an exhortation letter written to the Jews and Gentiles. It talks about the sins of the Jews and the Gentiles but that God first revealed himself to the Jews (Romans 3:2) and that the ancestry of Christ can be traced back to the Jewish patriarchs (Romans 9:5). In other words, God blesses the Gentiles through the Jews, and Paul uses this illustration to exhort the Gentiles to accept the Jews. On the other hand, Paul also exhorts the Jews to accept the Gentiles because God accepts them. Romans 15 is the penultimate chapter of the book of Romans. One more chapter and the book is finished. Therefore, at the beginning of this chapter, Paul once again talks about "how Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs" (ESV, Romans 15:8); and how God accepted the Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). We can envision the conflict between the Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman Church. Perhaps it is no less than the racial conflict in American society today. The serious racial conflicts between African Americans and Whites in American society are also reflected in the church. Although I personally don't think that the former president Donald Trump is racist, he is portrayed as such by some media outlets and, therefore, opposed by most African American churches and believers. I personally believe that Trump was a vessel chosen by God to bring America back to the foundations of a Christian nation. But because racial conflicts penetrate the church, many Christians clash over whether to support Trump or Biden. Some Christians who support Trump say, “Isn't it obvious that God has chosen Trump to bring the United States back to its foundation of a Christian nation? Biden and left-wing supporters condone abortion and homosexuality. Shouldn't every Christian oppose this? If you support Biden, wouldn't it be like murdering babies and accepting homosexuality? Do you still need to think about this? Shouldn't you support Trump who favors protecting lives and opposes abortion?” Since many people who oppose Trump believe that Trump is a racist, they claim he does not accept immigrants and even encourages white supremacists trends. They point out his sarcasm when talking about immigrants as leverage for their argument. I know a lot of African American pastors and believers that oppose Trump, some of whom are my seminary classmates and friends on Facebook. According to statistics, in the 2016 presidential election, only 8% of African American voters voted for Trump. Chinese immigrants have split into two factions. One group supports Trump are are called "Trumpists;" the other party is termed "Anti-Trumpists". The two factions often criticize each other on the internet. Coupled with the raging pandemic, we Christians live in such an environment. Many people worry about their lives and do not know what the future holds. A lady in our meeting recently commented, “In this situation, how can we hear God's voice clearly and know what to do?” She admitted that she can't hear God's voice clearly and is often confused. It can be comforting to see that Romans 15 is showing us that even an apostle like Paul, a person living in the center of God's will, did not fully understand God's leading. The Bible tells us that we know in part, and we prophesy in part (ESV, 1 Corinthians 13:9). In other words, even if we are prophets and God has spoken to us, what we hear and the pictures we see are not comprehensive. There's a lot that may still be unclear. Many prophecies were given that Trump would serve a second term of presidency and even that he will eventually win again. However, many things in the natural do not line up with this. Regardless, I firmly believe this will come to pass, but I know many Christians are still in doubt. We have the prophetic words, but we are not sure of their details. Paul's situation was similar. He insisted on going to Jerusalem, but Agabus and others told him through the Holy Spirit that he might be bound when he gets there. Still, Paul insisted on going, even if it meant sacrificing his life. Since Paul was not clear about whether he would eventually go to the church in Rome, so he wrote the book of Romans. But when he was in Jerusalem, the Lord stood beside him during the night and encouraged him: "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome." (ESV, Acts 23:11) This was something Paul didn't know before he went to Jerusalem. When he was imprisoned in Jerusalem, then the Lord appeared to encourage him. It's through the confirmation of Lord's prophetic words that Paul became sure he would reach Rome. He still hoped to travel from Rome to Spain, but the Bible and historical records unfortunately do not record in detail whether he had eventually arrived in Spain. Perhaps, he was already martyred in Rome before he arrived there. Even after receiving confirmation from the Lord, Paul still did not know about every step of his life. Therefore, people expecting us (Christians) to know everything today is impossible. We don't know when the coronavirus will end. We don't even know who the president of the United States will be. But this is not important. The important thing is that Paul lived completely by faith and hope in God during his process, and he also encourages believers today to live by faith and hope during theirs. This is the inspiration I received when I read Romans 15. I encourage you brothers and sisters joining our Bible Study, not to focus on the difficulties and perplexities of the environment around you, but to focus on God's laws and His loving nature. We should focus on His promises as well. Just as God opened a path for the Israelites through the Red Sea and saved the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines, He will also save us from today's Pharaohs and enemies. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is eternal. He saved us in the past, He will also save us now. Since He loves us, He will save us to the end (Hebrews 7:25). Paul had experienced a great deal of suffering in his life, but he was full of endurance and hope in his suffering. He said, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.” (ESV, Romans 5:3-5) In his suffering, Paul developed faith, joy, endurance, character and hope. Hope did not put him to shame, but rather elevated him to stand victoriously before God. Today, we Christians experience suffering. We may not fully understand God's will and His presence in our society. Therefore, during these times, God wants us to learn how to endure and have faith amidst crises. We need to know God's laws and His loving nature. We need to also know and trust that He will save us even to the end. If we are rooted in Him and if we rest in Him, we will be saved because God's word tells us, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (ESV, Isaiah 30:15) Paul also said in Romans 16:20 (ESV), “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." At this time, we Christians should live out our faith with endurance and be full of hope for God's promises and salvation. We should also be full of peace and should not be restless with the changes happening around us including uncertain rumors. Remember, our victory lies in resting in the Lord! The result of certain things according to God will be manifest, but the process is also important. It is a process of maturing our faith and endurance. We cannot overlook the process. The verses I prayed and sang this week were Romans 15:5-6 and 15:13. These are Paul's exhortations in this chapter. Verses 5-6 (ESV) say, "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, Paul identified God as the God of endurance and encouragement! When the Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman church were in conflict, Paul encouraged everyone to endure and accept each other in love. He prayed that the God of endurance and encouragement would allow Jewish and Gentile believers to accept each other in Christ Jesus that they may live in harmony with one another. This is also good encouragement for the American Church today. Verse 13 of Romans 15 (ESV) says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." I spent time this week praying this verse. This verse again mentions that God is the God of hope. Because of our faith, we are filled with joy and peace. We will also abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Several of us who read this verse felt that this is what the Holy Spirit is really saying to us today. In the current, difficult atmosphere of the United States, we must learn to be rooted in the Lord, exercise our faith and endurance, and be full of joy and peace. Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit and be full of hope for God and the future. I recall hearing a preacher state that when the great revival is approaching, God will allow turmoil to happen in society. The turmoil includes plagues, wars, and disasters. The purpose of these is to shake people's hearts and shake everything that can be shaken, so as to produce an unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). At this time, churches and Christians are like medical teams prepared by God. They are called and trained by God to find the injured, bind up their wounds and preach the gospel to them. The best time to preach the gospel is during times of turmoil. Turbulent environments are environments set up by God to shocks unbelievers by allowing them to see that believers are living in peace, joy, endurance and hope amidst the turbulence. Although Christians are touched by it, they demonstrate a trust in God thus showing unbelievers that God does exist. These unbelievers will therefore trust and accept the Lord. Unfortunately, many Christians are as panicky and fearful as the people of the world, thus they cannot fulfill God's call and become a witness for Jesus Christ. Instead of rushing out to the battlefield to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, some people are hiding in the trenches because of fear. I recall jokingly hearing that the people who hide in the trenches because of fear of death often cannot escape the cannonball attack. The turbulent atmosphere raised up by God is not for the purpose of judging the church, but the world. The church brings salvation and is a lighthouse and a doctor when the world experiences turmoil. If we, Christians, are afraid and anxious, how can we be a lighthouse in the storm? In one of my prophetic dreams, I saw an angel stretching out a huge stick from heaven to the ocean on earth. He began to stir it and after which, I saw the waves surging. Many people's houses were destroyed and people were running for their lives. I found myself, however, miraculously swimming to a safe place. My interpretation is that the time of turmoil is just beginning. The purpose of turmoil is to shake people's hearts and bring in the great harvest of the gospel. Those who are living God's will, who testify to the Lord and preach the gospel, will receive His miraculous protection. We must seize the opportunity to preach the gospel. We must especially live in peace, joy, endurance and hope so that the God of peace can crush Satan under our feet. Peace is our greatest weapon during chaotic times. John Wesley once preached the gospel to American Indians. His results were not good and instead very frustrating. On his way back to England, the ship encountered a huge wave during its voyage. The passengers on the ship screamed in terror, and Wesley was also very frightened. He then saw a group of Moravian brothers gathered very quietly in the front singing hymns. Their faith in God moved Wesley deeply and it caused Wesley to recognize his lack of faith. This became a spiritual turning point in Wesley's life. Later, Wesley became a devoted servant of God and brought great revival to England. This shows that Christians living in faith and peace in God are a very strong testimony. I still have countless prophetic dreams. In some of these dreams, God has told me that this world will go through a lot of fierce turmoil and immense spiritual warfare. But God has a beautiful purpose. Countless people will enter the unshakable Kingdom of God because of this. We should not simply hope that the turmoil will pass. We should learn to endure, have faith, and be full of joy, peace, and hope during the turmoil. Peter said, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (ESV, 1 Peter 1:6-9) Paul also had the same experience as Peter. His life was full of trials and hardships, but he lived in joy, peace, endurance and hope. Paul continually urges believers to pray and live out this same experience. This is the inspiration and the timely words of the Holy Spirit that we received when reading Romans 15 in our group time. I hope these words will encourage any Christians who are currently dealing with anxiety. Don't worry, God sits on the throne and reigns. He controls everything. We just need to turn our hearts to Him. If we sin, we should repent and. We may also pray that the world repent and be saved. God will surely guard us amidst our difficulties! Since He loves us, He will save us to the end. Because Jesus Christ, our high priest, lives forever! We should become ministers of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (ESV, Romans 15:16). This is God's will for us! May we receive endurance and encouragement from the God of endurance and encouragement! May we get hope from the God of hope!
Circumstances are a powerful force in uniting people. There is an immediate connection when we realize that someone is experiencing the same thing we are. There is a sense of community. When someone in that community needs help, the rest of the group will rally around them. It was more than a decade ago when Brian Wood was killed in a car accident. He was hit in an almost head-on collision with another car. There were four people in the other car. The two in the backseat also died in the accident. The driver of this other car, Jordyn Weichert (21), was driving under the influence of drugs and allowed her passenger to hold the wheel while she took off her sweater. Brian was driving along the road with his pregnant wife. He saw the other car swerving in and out of his lane and then eventually begin tumbling towards him. His immediate reaction was to slam on the breaks and swerve the car to the right so that the oncoming car would slam into his side protecting his wife on the other side. Because of his actions, his wife survived and the baby was okay. The reason I tell you this story is not because of Brian's sacrifice, but to tell you about what happened afterward. Brian worked for a video game company. He was a programmer who helped make some of the most popular games out at the time. I'm not a gamer. And if I'm honest, I would have to say that I have always thought of gamers as the kind of people who don't have much of a community. They sit in front of their screen and play online against opponents whom they have never met in person. I was surprised to learn that this gaming community started a memorial fund in his honor. Complete strangers donated money, wrote letters of prayers and encouragement, and rallied around this widow to care for her. The first chapter of Philippians, Paul speaks about how the work that God began will be completed. He prays that their love would abound in discernment and that they might be filled with the fruit of righteousness. But all of this is leading us to his exhortation for unity. Paul longs to see them with one mind and one spirit striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. Trials will come. Suffering is sure to increase. Will they be united in order to endure? Unfortunately, we are all too often content to take the path of least resistance. Stress remains low, energy remains full, and nothing significant ever happens. Quietly going about their lives, believers often cower before a hostile culture, because standing firm for the gospel is inconvenient. Although Christians might suffer alongside one another, that isn't what unites them. Their circumstances are always secondary. What truly unites them is their gospel faith. The community we enjoy because of our union with Christ is essential to our perseverance in suffering. Read https://ref.ly/logosref/Bible.Php1.27-30 (Philippians 1:27-30). United for the Gospel (27) Paul's focus on unity begins here and continues until https://ref.ly/logosref/Bible.Php2.18 (Phil 2:18). “Let your manner of life” literally means “to live as a citizen”. Philippi was a Roman colony. Thus, it's inhabitants were Roman citizens. This came with certain privileges. Paul wants them to think the same about their heavenly citizenship (https://ref.ly/logosref/Bible.Php3.20 (Phil 3:20)) and to live according to the privileges and responsibilities of belonging to it. To live in a manner worthy of the gospel is to possess a lifestyle that compliments the faith you proclaim and the community to which you belong. Paul desires to know that the Philippians are standing firm in one Spirit and one mind whether or not he is able to see them again. I think “Spirit” should be capitalized. Some commentaries note it would be difficult to distinguish “the human spirit” from “the human psyche [inner desires/thoughts—soul].” Others suggest that it is a reference to the human spirit...
As God’s children, Christians can know that their troubles are all for their eternal good. Although Christians are adopted children, Jesus Christ is the unique, eternal Son of God, the only Savior.
Although Christians may be successful in presenting the gospel message, they may fail to also present an opportunity for the lost to respond to the gospel message. In this edition of Maverick University, Dr. Mike Hall continues his series, “Soulwinning for Beginners”, as he shows us how to successfully transition from the gospel message to leading someone to Christ. Dr. Hall's technique is similar to his transition technique to start a gospel conversation.
Our pride and our feelings often get hurt when what we do doesn’t get recognized, rewarded, noticed, or thanked. But what’s driving us? What are our motives? We can do the right thing but make it wrong because our motives are impure. Maybe we’re seeking after man’s approval more than God’s. Although Christians are to be seen doing good works, they must not do good works to be seen. Matthew 6:1-8 (NIV) - 1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. www.CrossroadsGo.org
For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.Main ideas:Sabbatarians are right about the day: Sabbath is the 7th day, sundown Friday-sundown Saturday. The 4th-C church created a "Sunday Sabbath". (Although Christians had long been meeting on Sundays, it was not legally day of rest/worship.) This happened under Constantine (early 300s).Yet in the 1st C, there was a change to the 1st day of week: John 20:19, 26; Acts 2:1, 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10. Jesus, after all, rose from the dead, appeared, ascended, and gave the Spirit on Sundays.John was in the Spirit on "the Lord's day" (Gk. kyriakē, the Greek word for Sunday).True, Paul enters synagogue on Sabbath, but this was for purposes of evangelizing the Jews (Acts 17:2).Some claim that the Sabbath preceded Moses—that it was for Adam. Yet there is no evidence of Sabbath before time of Moses (New 9:14).The patristic writers agree that Sabbaths are no longer kept. Rather, Christ's followers assemble on Sunday (Ignatius, Magnesians 9:1; Epistle of Barnabas, 15:8-9; Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67. It seems highly unlikely the generation after the apostles forgot the truth about the Sabbath. Ignatius, after all—writing around 107 AD—was a disciple of the apostle John!Sabbath receives near zero emphasis in the N.T. documents. If it is so important, isn’t it odd Paul that explicitly mentions it only once (saying it should not be an issue, Col 2:17-17; also Gal 4:8-11). It is certainly not a matter of salvation / superiority.What about the feeling that all 10 commandments must still apply, for aesthetic purposes or symmetry? Asymmetries are a feature of biblical revelation as well as of the natural world. Arguments from symmetry have aesthetic appeal, but not logical power.Christianity is a continuation and fulfillment of Judaism, but there’s also a radical disjunction from Judaism. Getting our heads around this was not easy for early (predominantly Jewish-background) Christians, and we too need to give this special consideration.Although Sabbath law no longer applies, but there are still vital spiritual principles: We are not machines. "The Sabbaths were given to Israel in order that they might study Torah" (Jer. Talmud, Shabbat 15:3). Shabbat is rest, yet not laziness. It is devotion to God, but not work. It is for study and prayer, but not a burden. And for those with families, a time to share.We have seen abundant evidence that the early church did not observe Sabbath as a Christian ordinance. Not everyone will agree with the assessment, so let’s show grace to those who value one day over another (Rom 14:5-6)—even though we must not allow them to judge us over the issue (Col 2:16).
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: THE RAPTURE AND THE REVELATION by Rufus Rawls Life in this life is a journey and not a destination, though the journey itself leads to an eternal destination, Heaven or Hell. In the interim between the journey and the destination, everyone is busy trying to navigate the journey while not necessarily giving enough serious thought to the journey’s final destination. Yes! People are getting married or not, divorcing, pursuing educational and career goals, saving and spending, living life in the blind while paying little or no attention to the fact that time, as we know it, is running out of time. Most believers or Christians believe Christ will return one day and rescue His people out of this life. Although Christians do typically believe and may even pray for the return of Christ, some lack a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches about the Second Coming of Christ. On the other hand, there is a disproportionate number or group of people that, because they have been hearing all of their lives that Jesus is coming back, are ignoring the clear and concise prophetic writing on the prophetic wall that time is running out of time! Nonetheless, the Bible is inundated with prophecies that are unmistakably clear regarding the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, this book, The Second Coming of Christ: The Rapture and the Revelation, is a book that unveils and reveals the fact that prophecy is history written in advance. The last word in its title, Revelation, points to the appearing of Christ at the culmination of the Great Tribulation for the battle of Armageddon, the battle of all battles. This book is the sounding of the alarm that each of us should be, through diligent preparation and godly steadfastness with uncompromising stick-to-itiveness, living to live again. Each of us during this dispensation of grace will be, upon Christ’s return, left behind to undergo the unspeakable suffering of the Great Tribulation, or either resurrected or translated in glorified bodies to meet Christ in the air to go with Him to Heaven. This book will help each of us embrace the fact that the rapture of the Church is imminent or very close at hand. Each of us will either be “caught up” in glory at the Rapture or left behind to endure unparalleled pain and suffering during the Great Tribulation. https://www.stratton-press.com/books/the-second-coming-of-christ-the-rapture-and-the-revelation/ http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/rufrawls.mp3
Although Christians know that they are saved from the penalty of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, many still struggle with anxiety and other issues in their lives. How do we deal with this? How do we apply the truths of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives? Hear what one of our Elders, Mike Cason, has to share regarding this important aspect of our spiritual walk.
Chapter 18 summarizes the ways that living an integrated life places Christ at its center. Such a life does not happen by default in the world, which exists in a state of brokenness. Jesus perfectly displayed what an integrated life looks like as God originally intended when he created humanity in his image. Although Christians will never be able to reflect Christ's image with flawless consistency, they can nevertheless grow in reflecting his image. an integrated Christian life practically demonstrates a focus on Jesus in the spiritual, social, academic, and vocational dimensions of life. It also reveals an intentional desire to align the words and works of a person's life. In other words, Christians desire to see their beliefs increasingly impact their behaviors so that their conduct reflects their core beliefs.
Although Christians are to follow God, they're still human and have to deal with cleaning our hearts out. The testimony Stephen gives will portray the true essence of God.
Although Christians know that death is defeated in Christ and that we no longer need to fear death itself, there are still normal fears that Christians face about death and when enduring a crisis. Today we look again into the diary of the ancient godly King Hezekiah to see what it is that he feared when facing his death, and where we take our fears.
Although Christians have the liberty to disagree over many non-essential issues not clear in Scripture, they may need to restrict their freedom for the sake of their weaker brothers. Love must triumph over liberty.
Christ’s world altering death doesn’t just free us from the penalty of sin, but the power of sin too. Although Christians are no longer condemned by sin, they will still wrestle, fight, succumb for seasons, and be shocked with and by their personal...
Christ’s world altering death doesn’t just free us from the penalty of sin, but the power of sin too. Although Christians are no longer condemned by sin, they will still wrestle, fight, succumb for seasons, and be shocked with and by their personal...
“The School of Persecution” is a message preached by Senior Pastor Don Pucik during the morning service on November 4, 2018 (which is the 2018 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church). Although Christians in our country do not expe
Although Christians are delivered from God's judgement on sin, and therefore its penalty, as a good Father He nevertheless disciplines us because we are now His children. Examples of the various stages which this child-training goes through are shown using the lives of believers in the Bible, along with the way in which we can, by obedience and submission, make our discipleship a little easier in this respect. Of particular interest here is the explanation of the sin unto death, as the King James Version calls it, using the examples both of King Saul and Ananias and Sapphira. Once you learn to differentiate between the various judgements in the Bible you will become less prone to the attacks Satan launches against you with his fiery darts of condemnation and fear.
Although Christians often use the word "blessing" quite casually, Genesis 37 tells us that when Isaac blessed Jacob, something real happened. If we learn what it is to be blessed and to bless, we'll understand God's heart for us better, and be all the more keen to do good to others.
Depression and anxiety are par for the course in our society, and on some level it makes sense. The world is broken. We encounter struggles and frustration every day. Although Christians are promised suffering, we know that God is good. So what's our deal? Why is it so easy for us to not trust our great and good God? The post Trusting the God Who is Sovereign Over Everything appeared first on Sheologians.
Depression and anxiety are par for the course in our society, and on some level it makes sense. The world is broken. We encounter struggles and frustration every day. Although Christians are promised suffering, we know that God is good. So what's our deal? Why is it so easy for us to not trust our great and good God? The post Trusting the God Who is Sovereign Over Everything appeared first on Sheologians.
Although Christians do not participate in the covenant that God made with Israel, there is much we can learn from that covenant. God rescued Israel from cruel bondage in Egypt, cared for them in the wilderness, and gave them the ten commandments and many other personal and societal laws. His purpose was to develop and instill faith and obedience in their hearts. We also can turn our hearts toward God and His blessing by loving His Word, sticking with the Church, remembering His works, and cultivating an honest, open heart.
Although Christians can be tempted to abort the mission given by God, we have a commander who has supplied the power to carry it out without shame.
Although Christians can be tempted to abort the mission given by God, we have a commander who has supplied the power to carry it out without shame.
Not long ago, the debate between creation and evolution was almost entirely one-sided—at least in the scientific sense. Although Christians long opposed the evolutionary explanation of life on Scriptural grounds, they had no answers to any of the scientific arguments. That is, until Dr. Henry Morris published The Genesis Flood in 1961. This book became, as Dr. Steven Jay Gould commented, the “founding document of creationism,” and Dr. Morris the founder of the modern scientific creationist movement. In this episode Kevin talks with Dr. Morris’ son, Dr. Henry Morris III, about his father’s legacy, the ongoing success of the Institute for Creation Research, and other issues relating to creationism. They discuss current creation research projects, the future and challenges of creationism in the church, and more. In addition to the many free resources they offer on ICR.org, the Institute for Creation Research provides creationism training at special conference events. One such event will take place at Calvary Chapel in Oceanside this October, and feature leading creation scientists Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. Jason Lisle and Dr. Jake Hebert. Don’t miss out on such a great opportunity! Visit ICR’s event page for more information. This episode first aired on April 30th, 2016. We make video lessons to raise up confident Christians: https://educateforlife.org/
Although Christians still experience sorrow in this life, we have reason for great rejoicing. As we are transformed more and more into the image of Christ, our capacity for joy in God begins to grow.
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