Podcast appearances and mentions of christ some

Catholic Church CatechismArticle 8 The Eighth CommandmentTHE EIGHTH COMMANDMENTYou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.252It was said to the men of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn."2532464 The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant. The eighth commandment in Christianity is "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor". This commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth when interacting with others.   Here are some ways to interpret the eighth commandment:  Live as a child of God Pope Francis said that this commandment means living in accordance with God's will, trusting in him, and acting as a child of God.  Explain things kindly Luther described the commandment as requiring people to explain things to their neighbors in a kind way.  Be truthful in words and actions Pope Francis emphasized the importance of being truthful in words and actions towards others.   View life as a witness to Christ Some ways to combat breaking the commandment include watching your mouth, telling yourself no, and switching up your thinking.   Some examples of breaking the eighth commandment include gossip, criticism, and assumptions.  The Bible verse that states "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" is Exodus 20:16. This commandment is considered the Ninth Commandment in some traditions, and the Eighth Commandment in others, such as Lutheran and Roman Catholic traditions.   The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that this commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relationships with others. It also states that we are called to be truthful in our words and in our entire way of acting towards others.   Some other Bible verses related to lying include: Deuteronomy 5:1-23 Deuteronomy 10:1–5 Leviticus 19:18 Romans 13:9 Proverbs 19:5 Isaiah 29:20-22 SOURCE https://www.google.com/search?q=Catholic+Bible+scriptures+related+commandment+you+shall+not+bear+false+witness&sca_esv=5ac10ce223656a07&sca_upv=1&ei=aXD0ZuHDAd26kPIPj4SrqQ8&ved=0ahUKEwihnPrB9d6IAxVdHUQIHQ_CKvUQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=Catholic+Bible+scriptures+related+commandment+you+shall+not+bear+false+witness&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiTkNhdGhvbGljIEJpYmxlIHNjcmlwdHVyZXMgcmVsYXRlZCBjb21tYW5kbWVudCB5b3Ugc2hhbGwgbm90IGJlYXIgZmFsc2Ugd2l0bmVzc0j4XlDsJVjyV3AEeAGQAQCYAWagAeIWqgEENDMuMbgBA8gBAPgBAZgCHqAC2A_CAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIFECEYoAHCAgUQIRirAsICBxAhGKABGAqYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwQyOS4xoAf2nwE&sc

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   God said to me:  "Look at what these women were doing."   I went back to I Corinthians 14 to see:    34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.   35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.   It appeared to me that these women were interrupting the gathering of the church by asking questions.     This would not be proper.  

What's Your Next Step? “A Vision for Spiritual Growth” John 15:1-8 Jesus casts a vision for a life of spiritual growth. He is the Vine. The Vine is the source of spiritual growth. The Father is the Gardener. He's actively working to help us bear fruit. We are the branches. We are made to bear fruit. Fruit is Christlikeness. (Fruit of the Spirit) Fruit is making disciples. Jesus casts a vision for the essential step of spiritual growth. You will only grow and bear fruit as you remain in Christ. ‘Remain' means ‘stay connected' to the Vine. We stay connected through the Word and Prayer. What's your next step in ‘staying connected'? Next Step Survey Action Plan for your stage Jesus casts a vision for four stages of fruitfulness. No fruit (could be compared to: Beginning in Christ) Some fruit (could be compared to: Young in Christ) More fruit (could be compared to: Maturing in Christ) Much fruit (could be compared to: Reproducing in Christ) Jesus casts a vision for the goal of bearing much fruit. God is working in your life to help you flourish. (He's the Gardener!) God is committed to do whatever it takes to produce the fruit of spiritual growth in your life. (lifting, pruning, etc.) What's your next step in “staying connected”? Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer

Fall Of Babylon  (audio) David Eells - 8/30/23  Babylon Dragon Falling  Alenna Timoshchuk 8/25/23 (David's notes in red)  I was in my backyard standing on my pool deck and looked into my pool. There was a massive log from a tree in the water that stretched across the whole length of my pool. (Babylon's fall is over the pool of God's word that judges them. God judged Babylon and it fell because of how they treated the saints. Just like our factious satanists, who are a part of it, will fall and be destroyed.)   In shock I looked up, and behind my pool deck was a massive tree stump. The width of the stump was also the length of my pool, and I knew that it used to be a very tall tree. (In Daniel the stump didn't fall but was preserved as a symbol for 7 years as a beast eating grass, representing the flesh of the saints.) I thought, it's just not possible for this tree to fall like that and not crush our home in its fall, but I knew God protected us. Then my heart was filled with the fear of the Lord, and I opened my eyes. (True, Father will protect his saints and set them free from Babylonish, satanic bondage.) End of vision/dream. (In Daniel the tree was the leadership of Babylon, which fell when it was cut down for its pride. It is satan, the dragon of Rev 12 with his satanist demons even in the local coven, which is falling from heavenly dominion, cast down by the saints in Rev 12.)   This vision reminded me of a dream I had when I was nine or ten years old.  I dreamt I was in my mom's kitchen. I was looking out the window, and the sky was a very dark grey with large dark grey clouds. (Dark grey represents death.) I saw sheep, covered in blood, raining from the sky. (The falling away are losing their place in heaven because they are guilty of blood of the saints.) They were upside down (They are backwards to everything Christian.) and falling to the ground. Then I saw the tallest tree I'd ever seen, and it was leaning over almost touching the ground, and I exclaimed, “Mom! The tree is falling!” (Babylon the dragon who would devour the Man-child and Bride will fall instead.)  End of dream.      Judgement on the Anarchist Left  Winnie Osegueda 11/17/21 (David's notes in red)  (The Anarchist Left plan on destroying much in defense of the Left who are losing power. They don't care that it will be according to law and truth for they never care about such things. The Alliance forces are planning to bring them down.) After 11pm on the evening of the 16th, I was reading Ezekiel 32 for the morning prayer meeting, and I specifically received: Eze 32:12-16 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall; the terrible of the nations are they all: and they shall bring to nought the pride of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. 13 I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside many waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. 14 Then will I make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord Jehovah.   15 When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate and waste, a land destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am Jehovah. 16 This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament; the daughters of the nations shall lament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they lament therewith, saith the Lord Jehovah.  (Many agree that Egypt is a type of the world.) I asked the Lord for a dream regarding this and I went to sleep and had the following dream.   I dreamt that I was at my aunt's apartment in New York, which is right across the hall of my mom's apartment, and there were two tabby cats there. One was a fluffy white and light gray striped tabby cat, and the other was an orange and white striped tabby cat. My mom (Representing the apostate Church) had so many cats and she needed help to get rid of some of them. (Cats represent independent and self-willed natures.) I pleaded with Chuc for him to allow me to take one of these cats back home and he said that he would need a shovel and so my mom gave him a large shovel. My aunt wanted to remain with the orange and white tabby cat so I decided that I would take the white and gray one back home with us and we did.  (Take no cats from apostate Christianity) My aunt was preparing for her death and told me to come get from her place anything I wanted to have or needed. (In real life the doctors have given her the bad report and said they would not be able to operate on her, as her veins in her hands were breaking, and that she should spend time with her family as they do not believe she has much longer to live, however I am believing differently for her. She does not know the Lord yet, but she will.)   The scene changed and I was watching a YouTube video on my phone of this young Christian woman named Jenice, whose videos I watch sometimes, sharing a testimony. The visuals on her video were so beautiful and realistic, that it almost felt like I was in the video watching in real time. (The name Jenice means God is gracious.) I saw scenes of a beautiful mountain and lake, as well as a dock to jump into the lake in some of the scenes. Over some of the visuals, there was pink coloring and sketching, as well as a white outline that digital artists and designers call a "stroke." The video was very unique and creative and something I had not seen before.   Jenice began to share the testimony of another girl who treated her unkindly, and instead of returning evil for evil, she had a lot of grace towards the girl who mistreated her. (Cats are famous for anarchy and anarchists especially don't like Christians.) When she was sharing this part of her testimony, I could see a desk and a notebook in a classroom setting, and it was so close, it was almost like I was sitting there. The notebook had writing that I do not recall, but perhaps it was regarding this testimony Jenice was sharing, and I vaguely remember the word "grace" being on the notebook. I remember thinking her testimony was amazing, worded beautifully, and full of wisdom, so I took heed.  (True Christians give grace to rebels but the Media-Persians who conquer these Babylonians will bring justice.) Jenice knew that God is the one who takes care of everything, so there is no need to return evil for evil and she then said, "Look what happened to Minnesota," regarding the judgment that had come there because of people like the young woman who mistreated her. When she said this, I saw a visual of a cup falling over and spilling from right to left. The cup had kind of the shape of a bottle you might use to mix different liquids or chemicals in chemistry class. Then in the video Jenice mentioned helping others and cats by rehoming the cats, and it made me think of the cat that I brought home from my mom's house, and I felt that is what I needed to do as well. I really wanted to help my mom, but I realized I cannot keep the cat myself. (We need none of the rebellion in the apostate Church.)  And then I woke up. Regarding my mom and the cats, I thought of the verse Gal 6:1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  When I woke up, I wondered why would judgement come upon Minnesota, as it is such a random state and not one of the "sin cities," however when I looked up Minnesota news, I saw, and then remembered, that Minneapolis, MN is the epicenter and catalyst of the major BLM movement that happened in 2020 after the George Floyd incident. I believe they represent the far left who have caused so much damage with their rioting and faction and just plain wickedness, which the Communist left used for their political gain. (Satanists and communists are always anarchists and will do their best to stop this revival in government and Church but they will fall.)  I believe it is just a representation of the judgement coming to them and not necessarily about Minnesota itself, although it could be that as well. There was an instance where a wall that had a George Floyd mural was destroyed by lightning, so it was very clear that God is not pleased with this. I asked the Lord for a chapter regarding this dream and received: Psa 1:1-6 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.   4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish. If we do not want to be judged with Egypt and the wicked, we cannot partake in any of their ways.       America Shaking Coming  Prophet Ken Dewey 8/22/23 (David's notes in red)  (Missy: This reminds me of the Word given to Ken about DC shaking and that no one will come out from under the rubble that the Lord doesn't want in the new government. I believe, if I'm correct, this also parallels with the faction against our ministry being judged.)  (This was an interpretation of tongues)  “I AM moving them around and they will not be able to tell what they are doing, nor will they fully understand until they open their eyes only to see they fell down and have lost their positions. Don't you know that they do not know even now which road to take, for they are truly confused as to what step to take next? I AM walking through them and they cannot stand.”  “Their stupidity has gone to seed and they walk as dead men walking, nor do they know in which way to turn, for their intended confusion is now theirs. Watch them fall down hard. Hitherto I have led them, even in the darkness where they think they are masters in walking. I AM not blind at night, for I see the same in daytime and night. They cannot hide their sins from me, for I see them all.”  “I will pass over My People, and they will be safe, but those who are not mine they will be shown the harsh life they have so prescribed upon others. It will come back as a boomerang and hit them in the head. Watch them stumble and watch them fall.” (They will now reap what they have sown. All the curses they have sent will fall on them.) “The ground beneath many feet will be unstable and as you shake you will all strive for safety, but for many it will be too late for they have wasted their days and have not prepared for the immediate days following Me, I AM that I AM — and beside Me is no other.”  He said for me to add these Scriptures:  “And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. (Just as the factious satanist perverts have tried to do in our day.)  And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.” Genesis 19:9-11 (And as You Know Lot escaped and the perverts in Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. As the dragon falls so go the satanists.) I have written what I heard said, and I did obey. I was thinking about those in the Government of this land of America and heard the above words.      Death Angels- Stop Angels   Prophet Ken Dewey August 26, 2023 (David's notes in red)  I began to hear the following words a year ago, and this morning I heard The LORD speaking more about how He would bring a new day in this Nation of America.  He has said that much will change, and there will be a very hard time coming, but The LORD will bring America [in part] to a new beginning. (The fall of the Babylonish Lawless Dragon and Rise of the new order.) A new day in this Nation of America. He was not talking about the Second Coming of Christ, nor was he talking about the Tribulation days coming or the coming of the Antichrist, nor was he talking about a Worldwide Judgment, but a coming judgment upon America. He was not talking about a catching away. What He was talking about was judging and changing this Nation, that a new day would come, a day of great light and blessing upon His People who Know Him. But the evil men will be stopped and many will even die. He talked about the present condition of the Government and evil men in America.  Here is what He said: “I AM in these coming days doing a Work that I must work before things happen in America. This one Work will cause many to fall down, out of the way, for the coming of a New Day in this Nation. The present will suddenly perish. One thing they cannot control is Death, for it walks this land and even as the firstborn in Egypt died, so will it happen again, (but not my first born) but all who have My Mark upon them, will suddenly fall down. I have been marking them who will fall — they have a evil mark and I put it there upon them. (The mark in the forehead and hand represent the mind and works of the flesh.) But My People have a good mark that I only can see, and the Angels. I will send My Ministers [Angels] with a destroying weapon in their hands and they will smite all who have the evil mark! I will pass over all who have My Good Mark upon them. (Representing the mind and works of Christ)  Some may say: ‘Death Angels', but what I say is: ‘Stop Angels', for it is mostly that I will suddenly stop them in their tracks and they will turn and run in fear of what they cannot see. Panic will break out, and great fear will grip their souls and cry they will, for they do see but do not see, understand but do not understand. They will only fear for fear does fear the unknown.  My People will only watch them fall all around them, watch them run away! (We had a dream just like this about the satanists who planned to sacrifice our sister in their perverted way.)  Shame them? Yes, I will cast great shame for what they do and plan to do, and They will dread the final end. They will shake in the knees and fear for what they will see.  Me? I will walk among them! I have hidden Myself in the clouds — but I will cause a great wind to blow away the clouds. Suddenly with their eyes they will see Me, the very one they thought did not exist. (Their lord satan will not save them.) Like a great wall of refreshing water will come across America and when it passes over all will be green and growing, and the desert will bloom and the vacant land will no longer be undesirable. (The water of the Word will be sent through the Man-child and Bride ministries bearing much fruit.) Many will rush to do great exploits for many that were not marked for Evil will see in New Light. Suddenly awakening, and they will see with new eyes. Hang on, the ride will be rough, but the way will be clear.  A time of Mourning. They will reap what they planned, for I AM tired of them planning to destroy My People and My Land.” (God will judge those who have persecuted His saints)  Scripture: He said, “Compare this event and liken it in part to Ezekiel 9. Go read that chapter to understand.”  I have posted this Word in Obedience to my LORD. It is His Word, and I only the Prophet to speak it and to write it down.      The Wicked Are Slain Ezekiel 9:1-11 Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.” And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer's inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”  (The righteous are grieved at the evil) To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark (Passover of God's righteous); and begin at My sanctuary.” So, they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.  So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?” (Apostate leadership of the people) Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!' 10 And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”  Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”      Keep Your Eyes On The Prize  Dana Coverstone 7/21/23 (David's notes in red)    https://www.youtube.com/live/6h78Q6hNbqA?feature=share  This dream began with me standing on a very quiet corner in a large city with a Jumbotron-type monitor. So, think Times Square in New York, on the monitor streaming the news, and the latest stock numbers on the side of a downtown building.  It was very early in the morning, and the sun was up. The sun was out with no clouds, and there were a few people out walking, but they were all holding umbrellas even though it was a full sunny day. It was nice weather, and everybody had an umbrella out. (The umbrellas could represent man's means to hide themselves from the sun/Son.)  Now just behind me was a city newspaper stand. When I say a city newspaper stand, think New York City or Chicago with the wooden doors that open where they sell newspapers and magazines on racks and all the sundries. They were selling candy and cigarettes, gum and mints and things like that. And then, the owner walked out toward the edge of the road, and he stood beside the side of the road. And that's also where I was standing, by the road, just watching, and he came and stood beside me.  He was also carrying an umbrella, and it was open as if it was raining. So, he has the umbrella beside him and it's early in the morning. (Early morning could represent the timing where we are now, “early on the morning of the third Day”.)   He was standing beside me on the edge of the road, and he said to me, "Can you believe how bad the world is getting and how little the government is doing to fix it?" (The general population of the world relies on the government for everything and expects them to solve the problems, not knowing they are behind the causes, and the people are receiving a government they deserve.) And I simply said as I looked at him, "My faith is in the Lord." I spoke normally, just very casually and with no emphasis, just, "My faith is in the Lord."  And then he got in front of me and held the umbrella cradled into his neck and he grabbed my shoulders with both hands, and he said, "Keep your eyes on what we tell you. No matter how bad it gets." (The dumbed down DS MSM manipulation and “Project Mockingbird” deception.)  And then he said, "And ask your Lord for better weather then because we're tired of the rain." And he peeked out from under the umbrella and looked up into the sky, and then took it back. (This could represent the judgments of God falling on the wicked for their works now reaping what they have sown.)  (Eze 38:22-23 And with pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain upon him, and upon his hordes, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 And I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Jehovah. )  (Psa 11:6 Upon the wicked he will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.)  Okay, my first thought was, "It's not raining, why do you have the umbrella?" And he says, "You know, because they're tired of the rain." (Fitting in with the rest by complaining of the judgments so richly deserved.) At that moment, a box truck came around the corner and the guy ran over about ten feet from me and just a couple feet from the edge of the road to get it. And he stood right beside this big puddle. It was big, and it looked like a very wet puddle. And as the truck was moving around the corner, a side door opened, and a guy was standing there with a huge bundle that to me looked like a square hay bale at first. And if you ever grew up in the Midwest, you know what a square hay bale looks like. (Hay bales are a rectangle shape. Hay is dried grasses and other foliage representing flesh according to Peter's “All flesh is as grass” statement. This hay is for feeding the beasts. It looked like hay to him because they are feeding the masses what their flesh wants to hear.) Yeah, I moved plenty of those for my grandfather when I was a kid.  And he threw it in the air with great strength as the truck was moving. It seemed like he was struggling to get it there, but he threw it to the curb and it landed right in the middle of that big puddle.  And I realized then that this was a bundled stack of newspapers like they used to throw on the corner, and the newspaper guys would get them in their stands. And it landed in that big puddle, and it splashed the guy that was standing there with this red substance. It looked like blood. So the square hay bale of newspapers lands in this big puddle, and it just throws this red-colored substance everywhere.  (The MSM is guilty of blood for their coverups of the crimes against Americans and they will soon pay.) Now my shirt and pants became covered in this red substance, and I took out a handkerchief. Now, look folks, I have never used a handkerchief in my life, okay, so that stood out to me in the dream. But I took this handkerchief out, and I cleaned myself off. I even went over to this cement-based water fountain, and I got this handkerchief wet with water, and I'm wiping off my shirt. I'm leaving wet spots on me, as I'm wiping off this red substance that looks like blood because I felt I had to get it off me quickly. I guess what I thought was, I've got to get this stuff off me quickly before it stains.  (When we speak the truth we won't be guilty of blood.) And the newsstand guy walked right into the puddle; he just walked into it. So I saw it was deep, and it was big. He walked into the puddle, grabbed the bale and he headed for the newsstand. He walked back to the newsstand, about 20 feet, and he was dripping this red substance like a trail, okay? And when he gets back, he drops this big bundle of papers real heavy on the ground. He just throws it down violently, and all the wet stuff on it splashes onto his newspapers and his newsstand. It's just all over the place.  So, I walked over and asked if he knew what the red stuff was on the papers, and which was now also all over his other paper goods. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "What red stuff?"  (They do not take credit for passing on lies to their unwitting victims.) And I pointed to the papers and the magazines. And he said, "Sir, Are you okay?" "Or do you need some medical attention?" (Those who speak the truth are deemed conspiracy theorists who need medical attention.) And I said, "The puddle the newspapers landed in splashed a red substance all over me and all over you." And he stepped back, and he looked around. He said, "I don't see anything that looks red."  (The “news media” should be reporting of all the deaths and bloodshed their DS is guilty of, but instead they are guilty of blood. The MSM are “false prophets” and puppets used to deceive and say everything is a conspiracy to cover up their involvement. Do not feed your soul on their garbage or you will be polluted.)  He looked at me, and I could see he was thinking, and I explained that I had cleaned it off me, and I showed him the handkerchief that was now all splotchy red, covered with what had been on me. (We need to warn people as the Lord leads.)  (Eze 3:18-21 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20 Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.)  And he pointed his finger at me, just like he was looking down the barrel of his finger at me, and he said, "Head on down the road or else you're going to start scaring my customers away." (They don't want to hear the truth and they don't want you to share it.)  Well, by this time, I see that more people are walking by with umbrellas, and a few are picking up the paper goods and leaving money in a jar, and that jar is marked "The Declared Truth." (The MSM make known what they want people to perceive as truth according to their agenda and DS plans to depopulate the masses.) These people were also covered in the red substance and they were also all oblivious to that. (The vast majority of people are in darkness and have been “dumbed down” by the DS media.  They are in idolatry with the government and the false church leadership. The declass of the ten days is directed at these people which as we see many are not willing to accept truth.)  The newspaper guy approached me again to ask how I was, and I noticed a button that he was wearing on his shirt, and it said, "If we don't say it, it ain't true." I asked him what that meant, and he shrugged and said, "If you can't figure it out, you're worse off than I thought." (I.e., just go with the narrative we give you “as the truth”. Don't rebel against the media. And even the majority of Christianity is led by non-spirit filled leadership who do not exhort people to search out the Truth in the Bible for themselves.)  I then saw on the back of his shirt a message that was spelled out in the splash marks of that red substance, and it said, "Shallow state is my place." (This represents the shallow news that strains out a gnat and swallows a camel.) And then suddenly, there was gunfire in a car going down the road behind me, and there was shooting into the crowd. I noticed nobody moved any faster, and nobody even looked at it. If you can imagine just driving down the road and there's a shooting on the sidewalk and nobody notices, nobody cares, and nobody's worried or concerned, that's what this was like. (Dumbed down America doesn't want to hear anything disturbing against their illegal government. They are in denial of the spiritual death killing them.) Now there was a young guy on the ground close to me who was bleeding profusely, and I ran over to him and told him to lay still because he had been shot. And I went to grab my phone, but he said he was fine and would be late for a meeting, so he tried getting up, even though his leg was not working. Now the guy is covered in blood. He's got several bullet wounds, and it seems like he doesn't even know he's been shot. (He has been murdered by lies.) I tried to hold him down when another shot rang out and he took another round in his chest, and I said, "Lay down, lay down and I'll help you." But he just kept trying to get up, and finally, his body started to get really slow and weak, and he eventually dies right there while he was trying to get up. I laid him down, looked around, and I noticed that nobody was taking cover.  Now we live in a country today, where if there are gunshots, everybody turns their head, ducks down, and looks for a way to go and get out of the way. Nobody was moving in this dream. Even the newspaper guy, I saw he'd been shot too, and he was limping around the newsstand. He was applying pressure to a gunshot wound in his gut area, but he wasn't panicking, and he wasn't saying, "Hey, help me." He was just going about his life with no concern for the fact he'd been shot in the gut, which is not a good place to be shot. (They are dying a spiritual death just like the DS they unwittingly worship.) There were others on the ground dead too, but most of the people were just walking by and paying no attention to the hurt ones, and all the people walking by still had umbrellas out, but nobody was running or hiding.  And I began to pray out loud in tongues in the dream. I was watching people die. I was watching people bleeding, and nobody was concerned about what was happening, and it was hurtful. I was sobbing. I was weeping. I could feel the loss. It was a very empathetic dream, but nobody seemed to be taking anything seriously at all. They were just walking by the dead people. They took no cover from the gunman. (Who were the news media assassins.) Next, the Jumbotron started to count down, and at the bottom of that screen, it showed the stock market was tanking quickly, and on the screen there was a picture of the Bulls on Wall Street and a video of people nonchalantly breaking windows.  I mean with no concern, just tapping on the windows, breaking them, throwing chairs, showing no emotion, no looks on their faces as they were doing this. There were tall buildings, and then people were jumping out of those tall buildings. There were no screams or cries, no yelling. It was like there was no energy from these people at all. Others around them paid no attention as if it was not real or a joke.   And then I saw a news anchor, who was also covered in the red substance; she was in a newsroom, not out in the street. She was sharing some video footage of things happening around the area of people being shot, people jumping from windows, and all this, but as she spoke, she spoke in a very slow monotone. So, I will imitate what she did.  She said, "Yes, people are dying, but don't worry and don't hurry because we know it's going to be all right. Trust us because we know." She literally said this.  And with that, she gave this big "thumbs up," and then she winked so hard it was almost like she would be injured doing so. I mean, she really exaggerated her wink very graphically. (Meaning this is really a joke and far from the truth.)  And then I began looking around at people covered in the red substance, and they were everywhere. All of a sudden, the crowd around me on the streets of this big city, or town, they're everywhere. But nobody seemed to actually see the chaos. There were people lying down. There were people jumping out of windows, but you did not hear yelling or screaming, or crying. People are just going through the motions. They seem to purposely ignore it. (The Great Harlot of Babylon is guilty of the blood of the saints and mankind.)  (Eze 22:1-13 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2 And thou, son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? then cause her to know all her abominations. 3 And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A city that sheddeth blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that maketh idols against herself to defile her! 4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed, and art defiled in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the nations, and a mocking to all the countries.  5 Those that are near, and those that are far from thee, shall mock thee, thou infamous one and full of tumult. 6 Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his power, have been in thee to shed blood. … 9 Slanderous men (The factious satanists are famous for this.) have been in thee to shed blood; ...   11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter. (Clearly the factious satanists perverted lusts) 12 In thee have they taken bribes to shed blood; …  Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.)  And then a man walked up to me and asked if I was all right, and I turned to see it was the Man that I always see.  I didn't say anything; I just turned to him to look. And he said, "I see it all, and I know it all. But many in the church see as much as these that you see in the streets. Too many in the Body see nothing and they see that on purpose. I say to you to keep your eyes on the prize and be consistent in your discipline."  He continued, "They need to purchase salve for their eyes so they can see and once seeing, get busy serving me in public."  (Rev 3: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked:   18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.)  He continued, "The blind are leading the blind into the ditch and I cannot help them there, though I want to. See with my eyes all that needs to be seen and refuse to see what they want you to." He then walked away. (The apostate leaders are the hirelings, false teachers and prophets without the spiritual gifts, and discernment and are leading the many astray. Many are like the Church of Laodicea; they are lukewarm towards the Lord. God's people need to seek Him, seek righteousness and the Truth.)  (Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.) 

The Bible is a big library of books. Naturally, people take certain memorable passages or verses for easy access. “For I know the plans I have for you…” or “I can do all things through Christ…” Some of these verses may even have a place in your cupboard, etched onto your favourite mug. Have you taken the time to look at these verses more closely for a deeper understanding? Steve, Troy and Wes sat down together to attempt just that on this week's edition of the AC Podcast.

The book of Ephesians talks about a setup of 5 ministries that exist for the edification of the church (body of Christ) Some have argued that certain offices like (prophets, apostles, etc...) are no longer in effect. Others also say that a church isn't complete without these five ministries in effect. The purpose of this discussion is to explore biblical knowledge on these questions as well as observations about CCC on the effectiveness of these ministries. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thekindlingpodcast/support

Dr. Joan Boney, Jesus Ministries ... After Jesus arose, HE gave to the church ministers for the edification of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4 ...  11 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Some:  apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers Most people know about evangelists, pastors, and teachers, but what about apostles and prophets? A large number of churches today teach there are no more apostles or prophets today. But I know of no place in the Bible showing the removal of either apostles or prophets from the New Testament church. Was Paul the 12th apostle?  Did Paul replace Judas as an apostle?  Was Paul the last apostle? No, Matthias was the 12th apostle, the apostle who replaced Judas.  (See Romans 1:21-26) Paul was persecuting the followers of Jesus even after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Paul was not the last apostle, but one of the first of the New Testament apostles given by Jesus to the church for the work of the ministry, as stated in Ephesians 4. Concerning prophets:  Are there any examples of prophets in the New Testament Bible working in the New Testament church? Yes, there are examples.  Paul traveled with a prophet, Silas.  Also two examples are given in the book of Acts showing Agabus, a prophet, working in the New Testament church. What about such things as:  minister of music, pope, archbishop, vicar?  Are these in Bible? In this Podcast, I will share with you what God showed me to be the work of apostles and prophets. It is critical to have the church set up according to the New Testament Bible, as Jesus set up the church.   To add anything to the church or to take anything away from the church, as written in the Bible, is to allow antichrist to come into the church and rule over the Bible. ( Click here for podcast and to see scriptures )

Philippians 4:6-7 “Some Things Are Better Left Misunderstood” Summer Series: “Virtues that Keep Us Stable” PEACE I learned a long time ago that in order to get along with others and “keep the peace,” there are certain topics that should always remain off limits. That’s because those topics tend to be so controversial that any discussion of them is more than likely to push people apart instead of bringing them close together. The two topics that come to mind, of course, are politics and religion because of how people are all over the map on their discussions of them. I have to say that early on in my ministry I didn’t fully understood why this was the case, and to this day I can’t say that I still do. That’s because both politics and religion are things about which people are most passionate, and the latter – religion – speaks to my own sense of calling in life. But having made it this far in ministry without having offended too many people over either topic, I’ve decided that I don’t really need to understand why politics and religion should be off limits in general conversation. I just don’t need to go there so that it’s not just the case that there are some things that are better left unsaid, there also are things that are better left misunderstood. That philosophy seemed to have been one that guided the Apostle Paul as he wrote a letter of encouragement to the church at Philippi, a church that was located in a prosperous Roman colony in the northern part of Greece. Paul had established the church in Philippi during his second missionary journey, in response to what the book of Acts describes as his “Macedonian vision” (Acts 16:6-10). Now, Paul is in prison because of how his preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has violated the rules on the need to avoid both politics and religion. And when he hears how the church in Philippi has been thrown into discord over disagreements that have broken out between two women in the church, Euodia and Syntyche, he feels it necessary to demand that they resolve their differences, lest their conflict keep the rest of the church from knowing the peace of God, which, as Paul says, “passes all understanding.” So, how does Paul propose that these two women come together and set an example that the rest of the church might follow? He invites them to pray, along with the rest of the church. “Do not be anxious about anything,” Paul writes, “but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God.” There is no question but that prayer is the means by which we retain our sense of balance in a hectic, uncertain world, such as the world in which we’re living at the present time. And yet, far too often prayer is the means of last resort for so many of us. Why is that the case? Well, let’s think about that for a moment. Might it be that for a number of us the concept of prayer is little more than holding up a laundry list before God and asking Him to do something about it? Granted, the Bible encourages us “to cast all our cares upon God” (1 Peter 5:7), but what that means is that in the process of casting those cares upon God, we are casting ourselves with them. As we cast our cares to God, we are in effect asking God not only to do something about those cares, we are also asking Him to do something in us that might change us in ways that we can’t fully comprehend. I love the way one person put it: “Prayer may not always change things for you, but it sure will always change you for things” (Samuel Shoemaker). In other words, through prayer we recognize all that is at our disposal in the face of some stressful circumstance or situation, and as we focus on that grace (instead of the circumstance or situation) we become grateful, which is why Paul talks about presenting our prayers and petitions and requests to God “with thanksgiving.” When I hear Paul’s counsel on prayer, I’m reminded of how writer Anne Lamott has described her own experiences of prayer, when every morning she prays, “Help me! Help me! Help me!” and every evening she prays, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” In other words, she begins the day by seeking God’s help and ends by expressing her gratitude for how God has come through by changing the things that caused her concern and by changing her in the process. And though, as she explains it, she doesn’t for one moment pretend to say that she understands how God does all of that changing, He does, and for her that’s enough. That’s enough to keep her praying (Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers, p. 16). This morning as you consider the sources of anxiety in your life, it very well could be that most of them stem from that fact that we can’t fully comprehend them and we certainly can’t control them. And it so often becomes the case that the less understanding we have of the challenges in life and the less control we can exert over them, the more anxiety they cause to take hold of our hearts. But if instead of trying to understand all the sources of our anxiety and then to try to control them, what if we were to yield both them and ourselves to God? If we were to do that, how much better would life go and how much more might we be in a position to do for the cause of Christ? Some years ago, I got the opportunity to hear Harold Koenig, who is a psychiatrist on the faculty of the Duke University School of Medicine, speak on “the Healing Power of Faith.” Koenig had spearheaded a number of studies on that topic and had come to the conference to share some of the findings. As Koenig ticked off the number of things that need to be in place for us humans to experience the healing of mind, body, and soul, he talked much about what you would have expected the Duke researchers to find: the absence of suspicion and resentment; the ability not to live in the past; the willingness not to waste time or energy fighting conditions you cannot change; refusing to indulge in pity when life hands you a raw deal. All of those are important in order to experience that elusive butterfly called “peace of mind,” but the one consideration that is greater than them all, Koenig said, was the ability to find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Having a source of faith outside of yourself, something much wiser and more capable than you are, is the key to facing our challenges and not being anxious about them in the least. In fact, that’s why as you read farther in this fourth chapter, you come to what is perhaps the most familiar passage of all in the book of Philippians, Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him (through Christ) who gives me strength.” How does Christ do that? I don’t fully know. And neither do you. Neither does anyone. And it doesn’t matter that we don’t. He just does it when we trust ourselves to Him. Because some things, you see, are better left misunderstood. Otherwise, we’d just be looking for ways to manage things in our own power. It is the peace of God that transcends all understanding, and when Jesus is with you to stand guard over your heart and over your mind, then you can be certain that all will be well. You can be certain that you can face every challenge and threat with nothing less than God’s full and perfect peace. Philippians 4:6-7

When people outside the church look inside, what do they see? Are we properly representing Christ? Some say the church is in decline, but we believe the church is in refine. The Lord is rebuilding the temple but now it’s an inside job. Are we willing to put our hearts on the alter and let God lead the church? We are all welcome to come and build upon the teachings of the cornerstone - Jesus Christ.Melbourne Inclusive Church's statement of inclusivity boldly and proudly proclaims Christ’s equal love for all people regardless of their ability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, age, gender or culture.”To support the ministry of Melbourne Inclusive Church you can process a direct transfer:Account Name: Melbourne Inclusive ChurchBSB: 013-231Account: 455084415OR give via PayPal at: https://www.michurch.org.au/your-gift

Acts 11 - Peter's Report-out: the apostle explains why he did something controversial in the name of Christ. Are we willing to do the same, without crossing the line, in the name of and for the mission of Christ? Some great things to consider...

What's up with ASI and Russ Shaw? is Russ Shaw a progressive? What do atheists and christians have in common especially when it comes to sexual ethics? I answer a listeners concerns about weather or not I'm a "progressive". As a body of work has it raised my self-esteem but has it lowered my faith in Christ? Some extra thoughts on the queen and metaphor. How about your future status update? Ever catch yourself, asking yourself the question "I'm I the person I thought I would be five years ago?".

What's up with ASI and Russ Shaw? is Russ Shaw a progressive? What do atheists and christians have in common especially when it comes to sexual ethics? I answer a listeners concerns about weather or not I'm a "progressive". As a body of work has it raised my self-esteem but has it lowered my faith in Christ? Some extra thoughts on the queen and metaphor. How about your future status update? Ever catch yourself, asking yourself the question "I'm I the person I thought I would be five years ago?".

Episode 30 tackles the every more relevant concern of how we should be interacting within the digital world. In a social media driven society, how to we best honor Christ? Some of the topics talked about in the episode are:-The benefits and drawbacks of social media on the Church-What is BuzzFeed culture? How does it continue to impact us.-How should we approach and interact with click bait?-How the internet is a tool.-Unhealthy impact that this has had on our lives, and how it has made it better.

What does it mean to follow Christ? Some consider Jesus to be a means to an eternal insurance policy that delivers wealth, health, safety and security. Discover how Christ-following is different and more than “churchianity”.

Father, I’m praying for myself and others (name one or more) in my circle of family and friends to become increasingly mature in Christ… Some have been content not to grow. They’ve continued to live as infants in Christ, settling for the milk of the Word, not ready to move on to solid food—someti

I. The Cause of Paul’s Anguish: “My Kinsmen are Accursed!” The great preacher, Robert Murray M'Cheyne, was anointe­d by God with the power of the Holy Spirit with what they used to call an unction. There was a sense of the presence of God when he would preach. You could feel it in the sanctuary, and young preachers would come and try to understand the secret of his power. And there was one that came once to the church and met an elderly deacon there, and he said, "I want to know the secret, Robert Murray M'Cheyne's secret. I want to know how he does it. How is it that there's so much evangelistic fruit? How is it that lives are transformed like they are?" So he said, "I'll show you." He brought him in to M'Cheyne's study. He wasn't there at that time, and he brought him to his place of secret prayer. He said, "Kneel down here and weep and pray." And then he brought him out to the pulpit and he said, "Take this book and open it up and preach." That's it. As I read Romans 9:1-5, I realized that I don't weep and pray the way Paul did. Maybe that's true of you too. Maybe you don't care for the lost the way that Paul did. My desire is, that after hearing this message by the power of the Spirit, you will. I want the same for myself. For what does he say? "I speak the truth in Christ. I'm not lying. My conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow, an unceasing anguish in my heart for I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people." That's what he says. And therefore, as we look into this text, we're looking right into the heart of the apostle. We're looking into a pool of tears that he wept for his own people. We're looking into his heart of compassion for the lost and for the needy. And as I look in there and I find it to be somewhat of a mirror, I find myself coming up short. I find that I don't care like I should about the perishing around me. And so I at least would like to be transformed by the scripture today. I'd like to be moved in my heart. I like to care more about people that are around me that are lost and dying. I'd like to care more about those on the other side of the world that are lost and dying. I want it to move me emotionally the way it moved Jesus. I want it to matter to me that the waitress serving me iced tea doesn't know Jesus. I want that to matter to me. And I think that the Word of God has transforming power. Under the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it can change a hard, cold uncaring heart to one that is genuinely conformed to His image. He who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness, that's our God. And if we're not like him, then we need to be transformed and thanks be to God, that that's the very work he's doing in us. That when we are done, we will be conformed to the image of Christ totally and perfectly in every way. Paul’s Intensely Fervent Nationalism Now, as we look in this text, we find ourselves moved by Paul as he opens himself up and bears his soul for all to see. He speaks very personally and very emotionally. And he's crying from the depths of his heart for the law, specifically those of his own people, his kinsmen the Jews who are rejecting Christ. And that's very poignant. You see, Paul had naturally an intensely fervent nationalism. He was a Jew, and it meant everything to him, before he knew Christ. It meant everything to him to be a Jew. Now, they were living in a time when Jew-Gentile relations were at an all time low in terms of the strain and strife between them. The Jews were tired of Roman domination of the promised land. They would love to have seen the Romans evicted, but there seemed to be no end to that domination. Indeed there wouldn't be for centuries. They were weary of seeing the Romans plunder the best they had and threatened their people with imprisonment for no reason it seemed, or even with death. And events like this forge, or can forge a deep seated resentment in the heart of nationalistic people like the Jews. Now, we know from scripture, Paul was very proud of his heritage as a Jewish man. If you look in Galatians, chapter 1, he says, "For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism, beyond many Jews of my own age, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers." What does that mean, "extremely zealous" except that he was proud of his Jewish ancestry? He brags about it to some degree, in one way. In Philippians 3, you remember, when he talks about that, he says, "if anyone thinks he has reason to put confidence in the flesh, I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day, the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, in regard to the law of Pharisee as for zeal, persecuting the church as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." That's his pride there, that Jewish nationalistic pride coming out. Even here in our section, if you look at Romans 11:1, he identifies himself directly with the Jews. He asked the question, "I asked then did God reject His people by no means," and then he says, "I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin." You see how he identifies himself. "Even now, I am a Jew. I am a physical descendant of Abraham." Now, we know that Paul was originally adamantly against the Gospel and probably therefore, almost certainly a hater of all things Gentile. Probably like the most zealous of the zealots, that was the Apostle Paul. I think he just specifically despised the message of Stephen who saw the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection as an end to the Old Testament sacrificial system and an end to the temple worship and possibly even an end to the Jew-Gentile distinction period, which all of it was true. And it could be that God gave Stephen an incredible anointing to preach that message and it was a message that I believe Saul of Tarsus despised. And so he was willing to say, "I was there holding the garments of and giving of those that killed Stephen and giving approval to those who put Him to death." That was where he started, but then everything changed. On the road to Damascus, everything changed. Acts 9 tells a story as he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from Heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "'Saul, Saul. Why do you persecute Me?' 'Who are you, Lord,' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up, and go into the city and you'll be told what you must do.'" Converted Man and Apostle to the Gentiles Paul was given eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, all of his sins forgiven, but he was also given more than that. He was given a life work. He was called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Ananias, the one who went and baptized Saul, was the first who understood this. He didn't want to go be near this persecutor. He was afraid that he was going to get arrested, and killed. But the Lord told him. He said, "This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Those were his marching orders. He was going to carry the name of Christ before the Gentiles and their kings, including Caesar, and he was going to suffer greatly to do that. He was also going to be called to carry the name of Christ before His own people, the Jews as well. These marching orders were greatly clarified as time went on in Galatians 2:9. There he's talking about the whole circumcision controversy and did the Gentile converts have to be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses. And so Paul was dealing well with that, and he talks about James and Peter and John. He says, "Those reputed to be pillars gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews." So Paul's calling was as the apostle to the Gentiles. He's going to go and minister to the Gentiles. This is an incredible thing. This is an amazing thing. Paul seems specially trained and designed to be an apostle to the Jews. Thoroughly trained in the law under Gamaliel, just as zealous for the law, as any of those had ever been, able to argue with the best of them from Old Testament text. He seems especially designed to go to the Jews, but instead God called on him to go to the Gentiles. How strange are God's ways? How much are His ways different from ours than the heavens are higher than the Earth? God's plans are not our plans. His thoughts are not our thoughts. And so he chose this Jew of all Jews, this Hebrew of Hebrews to go and be the apostle to the Gentiles. And so he went. In Romans 11:13, he calls himself, "the apostle to the Gentiles." Now Paul's call to preach to the Gentiles so that they would be saved was intensely opposed by his countrymen. They hated it, they despised that call. Probably the clearest evidence of this... There's lots of different evidences but the clearest is in Acts 22 when Paul is arrested because they thought that he was bringing an uncircumcised Gentile right into the temple. Absolutely forbidden and so they arrest him. There's going to be a huge riot and the Romans have got to send in the police and grab him and get him out of there before they tear him to pieces. And Paul, to him, a crowd is only for one thing, preaching the Gospel. That's what he's there to do. So, he sees a crowd. They all want to kill him. He's like, preaching opportunity. This is a mission chance. And so he says, "Can I speak to the people?" And so he said, "Certainly." And so he begins to speak to them in Aramaic and Luke records in Acts 22. When they heard that he was speaking Aramaic, they all got quiet and listened. You know the mother tongue. He's speaking that nationalistic mother tongue. He's speaking to us in our heart language. And so he begins to go through his whole Damascus road experience, the blinding light, and resurrected Christ. They don't say a word. They're just listening. They were really into what he's saying until he said one thing. He's reporting that the Lord said to him, "Go. I will send you far away to the Gentiles." Oh my. Circle that word. At that moment, it just says, "The crowd listened to him until he said this, then they raised their voices, and shouted rid the earth of him, he's not fit to live." They hated the Gentiles and the very idea that God would call on him to go to the Gentiles and proclaim salvation, forgiveness of sins through simple faith in Christ was abhorrent to them. They were very angry about it. Now what was Paul's evangelistic experience? As he went from place to place, everywhere that he went, he preached the Gospel. His methodology was always the same. He would go to a community. The Jews had been spread in the diaspora, the spreading of the Jews all over the Mediterranean area, and wherever they went, they set up synagogues. And so, therefore, Paul came along centuries later, and just would come and the first thing he would do is he would go and preach in the synagogue. You know what he said? He said, "To the Jew first and also to the Gentile." So that was even his missionary strategy. He would go to a synagogue and he would go in there and on the Sabbath day, he would reason with the Jews from the Scriptures proving that Jesus was the Christ. He would use prophecies. He would use reasonings. He would talk to them. They would listen. They would reject. They would get a little aggressive. He would go to the Gentiles, they would accept. Hundreds of them would be saved and then the Jews would violently oppose and plot to murder him and chase him and hunt him down. It went that way, every place. How would you like that to be your ministry? But that's exactly what it was like for Paul. Acts 13 talks about it. It says, "When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. ‘We had to speak the Word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us. 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.' When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the Word of the Lord, and all who are appointed for eternal life, believed." We'll get to that later in Romans Nine, but that's exactly what happened. The strategy, they turned to the Gentiles and the Gentiles believed in large numbers. Again, you see the same thing in Acts 18. Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. Again, to the Jew first. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "'Your blood beyond your own heads. I am clear of my responsibility. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.' Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and was baptized." So the pattern's clear. You go to the synagogue. You preach. You unfold the Scriptures. You talk about the law and the prophets. You prove Christ. They oppose. They basically throw you out. You go to the Gentiles. They come in in huge numbers, then the Jews try to kill you. That's how it goes in every town. That was his ministry. The Book of Acts ends on this exact same note. Acts 28:23-28, "the leaders of the Jews in Rome arranged to meet Paul on a certain day and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening, he explained and declared to them the Kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the law of Moses and the prophets." That's a challenge by the way, brothers and sisters. Could you do that from morning till evening, from the Law of Moses and the prophets? Oh, there's enough there, there's enough there. But there he was unfolding the Scriptures to the Jews. Paul’s Spiritual Understanding: Jewish Rejection of Christ Some were convinced by what he said. God always has his remnant. So some of the Jews believed but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement. "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers, when he said through Isaiah, the prophet, go to this people and say you'll be ever-hearing but never understanding. You'll be ever-seeing, but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become callous. They hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and I would heal them. Therefore, I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles and they will listen." That's how The Book of Acts ends. The theme is clear, Jewish rejection of the Gospel, Gentile acceptance and Jewish hatred and opposition as a result. This didn't start with Paul. It started with Jesus. We don't have to go into great detail on this, but Jesus described this exact thing in the parable of the tenants and the vineyard. In Matthew 21, He said, "Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine-press in it and built a watch tower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants, so then more than the first time and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But when they saw the son they said, 'Look, here is the heir. Come let's kill him and take his inheritance.' So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of that vineyard comes, what will he to do those tenants?" The Pharisees, who are listening to him, answered, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end…and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read the Scriptures? 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes.' Therefore I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls in the stone will be broken to pieces, but the one on whom it falls will be crushed." Now, he said that the Kingdom of God is going to be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. We see that in Paul's ministry, don't we? He said, "I'm going to turn to the Gentiles and they will listen and they will be fruitful." This is the exact same thing that's written about in John 1, speaking of Jesus, "He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet as many as received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. Children born not of the will of flesh, or the will of blood or the will of man, but of God." Children born of God. The exact same thing. This was not a localized experience for Paul, wasn't just Paul. "Paul, if you would just change your methodology, if you'll come on a little sweeter, if you could just understand the Jews better", it was nothing like that. This was a spiritual phenomenon, this was happening to the Jewish nation as a whole. The Jewish nation was rejecting Christ. They weren't just rejecting Christ, they were hating him. They were despising and rejecting Him as Isaiah said they would. And Paul, remembering his days as a blasphemer and a persecutor, and a violent man, had compassion on those who were persecuting him. He said that, "I was like you, I was just like you." And so, he had compassion on those who were persecuting him. The Cause of the Anguish: The Eternal Consequences of Jewish Unbelief And so therefore, what is the cause of Paul's anguish? Well, it's the eternal consequence of Jewish unbelief. This was not an idle issue, this is not one of trifling theological insignificance. This was not a matter of haggling over dietary rules, or bickering over a genealogy. This was right at the core and center of their being, of their future. Would they spend eternity in heaven or in hell? That's how vital this was. It was the consequences of Jewish unbelief that was hanging in the balance here. Just like John the Baptist had said of Jesus, in Matthew 3:12. He said, "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering up the weeds into the barn but burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." And it's just as Jesus had said to the Scribes and Pharisees, "You snakes, you brood of vipers, how long will you escape being condemned to hell?" Paul's own countrymen, therefore, were cursed and cut off from Christ. That's the language he used. He puts it on himself, but that's the issue, that is the problem. Notice that Paul doesn't say this directly, he turns it around on himself. But that's the problem. It was true, they were rejecting the Gospel. And if they persisted in unbelief, they would be condemned to eternity in hell. That's the cause of Paul's anguish. II. The Depth of Paul’s Anguish What is the depth of his anguish? Look at verses 2-4. He says there, "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel." These are overpowering emotions. The language is very strong here. "I have great sorrow. I have unceasing anguish in my heart." Powerful emotions. And then he has an astonishing desire. He says, "I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ." This is incredible. This is an apostle speaking like this. Perhaps, by now, he's already been caught up to the third heaven, and he's caught a glimpse of the future glory of Christ. He says, "I know a man in Christ, whether in the body or out of the body, I don't know, God knows. He was caught up to third Heaven and He saw inexpressible things. Things that man is not permitted to talk about." And Jesus says in John 17, 24, "Father, I want those whom you have given me, to be with me, where I am, and to see my glory, the glory I had with you before the creation of the world." Paul says "I'd give it up. I would give it up. I would be willing to be cut off from Christ, to not see him again. I saw his glory in the road to Damascus, I saw his glory in the third heaven. But I'm willing to never see it again, that which is the desire, the heartbeat of my soul, I'm willing to never see it again, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain, but I'm willing to not have that gain". "I could wish that I'd be cut off from Christ. I could wish that I would be accursed." Do you know what that means? Sent to hell. To languish in hell and the lake of fire, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth in eternal darkness. I could wish that on myself, if it would mean the salvation of my countrymen, those of my own race, the people of Israel. He's willing to trade it all. This is astonishing. He's willing to hear said into his ears concerning himself, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I'm willing to have that happen to me". He's speaking about his eternal soul, of which Jesus said, "What good would it be for a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul, or what could a man give in exchange for his soul?" He's willing to exchange his soul for that of his Jewish brothers and sisters, his kinsmen, that they would be saved. This is astonishing. It's an amazing desire on Paul's part. It's also an impossible desire. It cannot be. Notice what he says. "I could wish that". Every translation has it the same way. It's a good translation, because it's not possible, it's not possible. He just got done saying in Romans 8, look at verses 38. "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." So I can't, I can't do it. I could wish it, but it's impossible, because nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ. I can't be cursed and cut off from Christ. Jesus said in John 6, this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none, of all that He has given me, but raise him up at the last day, for my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Paul was going to be raised up by Jesus, is going to be raised up by Jesus, at the Last Day. It's impossible, I could wish. This can never be. Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus? The rich man is down there, languishing in hell, Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham. and the rich man wants Lazarus to come and cool his tongue and Abraham says, it can't be, and he says, "besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can any one cross over from there to us." Well, I think there's just as great a chasm in this matter too, Paul cannot trade his soul for that of the Jews, the Jewish nation. John Piper put it this way, "God has not designed a world where a person can be damned because of Christ exalting love. If there were such a world, then the Biblical standards of the world that exists would not apply. And Paul stands ready to take Israel's place in hell, but he can't. God does not send people to hell because they love others enough to sacrifice for them. So Paul cannot take the place of Israel, he can only grieve." It's very much like what Moses said after the incident with the golden calf, he basically says "Lord, now blot me out of your book on their behalf." And God said, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book." Neither Moses nor Paul can offer themselves up as a substitute for the sins of the people. But do you see how Christ-like this desire is? How Christ-like Paul is here? For frankly, this is exactly what Jesus did, it's not just that he could wish to be cursed and cut off from the Father on the cross, he was. Isn't that incredible? Jesus drank the cup of our wrath on the cross, he was the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice, he was cursed and cut off from the Father, for those of his own people, for his sheep, he died for them. He drank the cup of our wrath. But Paul is not the substitute, is he? He's not the Savior, he cannot do this, he's just expressing an incredibly Christ-like desire. Let me just stop for a moment and say, "Is this your desire too? Are you like this?" You know, one of the things that Jesus does when we're saved, is he makes us like Him. He transforms us so that we're like him. And it's just a good time to assess yourself. Say, would I be willing? Could I? Could I even make the statement? I could wish. Do you wish it? Even though you know it's impossible. Or less than that, would you be willing to just put up with some abuse to lead someone to Christ? Not that you'd have to go to hell, but that you would just kind of get abused for a while, while they sort it out and think whether they want to follow Jesus. Are you willing to put up with that? Paul gives a sense of the authenticity of his anguish in verse one. Cause of his anguish is the eternal consequence of Jewish unbelief. The depth of his anguish, he's expressed in incredible terms. III. The Authenticity of Paul’s Anguish What about the authenticity? Is it authentic? Is he just using rhetoric here? Are these just words? Just preacher talk. I hate using preacher talk. "Oh, that's just a preacher story." Well, how then can you know if a preacher ever says anything true? I try never to use preacher stories in that sense. This is not just preacher talk for Paul. How do you know? Look what he says in verse one: "I speak the truth in Christ. I'm not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit." It's a piling on of words so that you will know how seriously he means what he's about to say. Repeated statements, like he's taking a solemn vow. He says, "I speak the truth in Christ…" His status as a Christian is on the line here. "I am in Christ and while in Christ, I'm telling you this, and my words are true, I'm not lying, this is how I genuinely feel". "My conscience... " You know, that part of us that screams at us when we do something wrong, "my conscience is testifying, but not just by itself. Now I'm redeemed and my conscience is testifying in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart." Why does he lay on these phrases? Well, first of all, because all men are liars. Psalm one, 16-11 says that we're liars, we say things that aren't true, we exaggerate. It's just our nature, we talk and we lie. Secondly, because what Paul is saying is so unbelievable. In what sense is it unbelievable? Well how would you feel about a group of people that had basically taken an oath not to eat until you were dead? There were some Jews who did, they took an oath that they would not eat until Paul was dead. In that God ordained that Paul would live for a number of years later, that's an incredible diet right there. They were not going to be able to kill him, God rescued Paul because he must stand trial before Caesar. But that's how much they hated him, and he knew it. How would you feel toward people that picked up stones and threw them at your head, and would do it again if they had another chance? Disappointed to find that you got up out of the pile of rocks and continued preaching. How would you feel about people like that? Would you not want at least to never have anything to do with them again? Paul wants to spend eternity in Heaven with them, he wants to live with them forever in Heaven. That's a supernatural attitude. How do we get to love our enemies that much? And what could prove this kind of heart attitude? If Paul had some tears running down his cheeks, would you believe it? No, those could be faked. How about if he had a certain facial expression, a kind of a quivery voice? There's some great actors out there. He says, it's got nothing to do with the tears and has nothing to do with the quivery voice, and it's not an act. I'm telling you the truth. If I could, I'd switch places. That's an incredible statement. Can I tell you that I think that this kind of genuine compassion for the lost is a rare thing? It's a supernatural work of God in your heart, and in... Something that God had worked in Paul. IV. The Fruit of Paul’s Anguish What is the fruit of his anguish? Well, he doesn't just leave it at feeling anguish. Look at verse one of chapter 10. Romans 10:1, he says, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." You know, emotion alone doesn't accomplish anything. To just feel feelings doesn't mean anything. Paul's tears in his anguish cannot save a single soul. It's not enough for Paul merely to be in intense anguish over the spiritual state of the Jews. It had to flow out into some fruit, some action, and it did. First, I think, manifesting a heart desire for their salvation, his deepest heart desire is for the salvation of the Jews, he yearns for it, it's what he wants with every breath and how beautiful and how perfect is this. Instead of harboring bitter, revengeful thoughts, in which he'd like their destruction. Rather, he wants to spend eternity with them. He wants to see them transformed and saved. That's the fruit, it's a heart desire first, and then flowing from that comes prevailing, fervent prayer for the Jews, brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. Never let anyone tell you for a moment that we are not commanded to pray for the lost. Romans 10:1 refutes that forever, we are to pray for lost people, we are to pray for lost relatives, pray for lost coworkers, to pray for lost people around us, even if we don't know their name. Pray right at that moment for this lost person here who's serving you or cutting your hair, or you might have a chance to talk to. We can pray to God for the lost, and Paul prays for the Israelites that they may be saved. And never let anyone tell you for a moment that God's eternal decrees in salvation, his predestination, His election, (which doctrines Paul will go through in great detail in Romans 9, and which he holds to be absolutely true) cut off energetic effort on our parts. He who believed more about predestination, election, than any of us in this room, prayed more and evangelized more than anyone. They are not mutually exclusive. And so here he is, pouring out his prayer, his heart. He’s not saying, "God, I know you've already got it sorted out. So what's the point in praying?" He didn't say that at all. He is praying fervently for the salvation of the Jews, almost certainly by name, some that perhaps had been in his face in the last city, praying for them, that they might be saved. And so prevailing, fervent prayer for the Jews. And tireless evangelistic labor for the Jews. In every city, he is willing to put up with imprisonment and suffering and yes, even death, for the salvation of the elect. This is exactly what he says in Second Timothy, 2:10. "Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." I'm willing to put up with incredible abuse, city after city, that they may be saved. And among those elect are some Jews. Like for example, Crispus, the synagogue ruler in Acts 18. He was a Jew, and he got saved. Paul was a Jew. There are a lot of Jewish people who become Christians, and Paul is going to maintain to the Jew first and then to the Gentile, and so he's going to pay fervently for them, and he is going to evangelize tirelessly. That is the fruit of his anguish. V. The Significance of Paul’s Anguish What is the significance of Paul's anguish? Well, first the status of unbelieving Jews. And I'm not going to develop this, this week. We're going to talk much more about it next week when we talk about the Jews inadequate spiritual blessings that he lists here. But simply put, unbelieving Jews are lost and need the gospel. They're not okay. They're not fine as they are, they need the gospel, they need Jesus Christ. If they don't believe in Christ crucified, they will be lost. If that is not true then what is all this anguish for? Secondly, then let's extend it out. Look at the status of all unbelieving people. Paul's particular grief for the Jews here should be extended to all people everywhere. If the Jews, with their spiritual advantages are lost without Christ, how much more the countless millions of people, in let's say, unreached areas of the world, who don't even have these advantages, they're in now a much more spiritual situation. Should not or would not Paul grieve just as much over them? Yes he would. And shouldn't we? Thirdly, there is the terrors of hell. I've already described it to you, biblically. The driving force of Paul's agony and anguish is the irrefutable biblical fact that the majority of humanity will spend eternity separated from God in torture. That is a biblical fact. We can try to mess with it, we can try to change the words of God, we can do all those things, but let me tell you something. If you mess with it too much, you don't need a savior anymore, after a while. You don't need Jesus, or you become universalist and say that his death saved everyone, and we don't believe that either, so we're left with this: The doctrine of hell that Jesus taught, it is true, and that's why he felt unceasing sorrow and anguish in his heart. Because hell is real, it's not a metaphor, it's a genuine threat. Revelation 14, it says "…he too, will drink the wine of God's fury [the lost person] which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the lamb, and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, there is no rest day or night." That is biblically accurate, that is the threat we're facing. Jesus himself said, "If your right eye caused you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes, be thrown into the fire of hell." That's what Jesus said. That is the significance of Paul's grief, here. We see also the display of an evangelist heart. Paul's deep, heartfelt agony is a role model for the evangelistic compassion of all Christians. Paul shows us what we should feel about the lost, just as Jesus did when He stood over the city of Jerusalem, and wept over it. Wept over it. He said this, as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day, what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes." And he wept. That's Jesus. And that's Paul. More next week on the fifth, understanding the limits of Old Covenant blessing. I'll talk more about that next week, but simply put, the old covenant blessings that are listed here in Romans Nine, four and five, insufficient for salvation, it's not enough. There must be more. Understand sixly, the power of the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ alone has the power to turn Paul's wailing into dancing, it's the only power there is. The power of Jesus Christ in the gospel. It can save lost people. You know, I'm not speaking just theoretically. In a crowd this size, a group this size, undoubtedly, there are people listening to me who are not born again. And all of the danger that I spoke, the spiritual danger concerning the unbelieving Jews, it's true of you, in your unbelieving state. It's a dangerous state to be in, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ has power to save you. If you'll only believe in Christ, if you'll trust that His death on the cross is sufficient to pay for your sin, if you'll trust that His resurrection is your resurrection, God will give you eternal life. A mystery, you know, it's possible to rejoice in God greatly, while sorrowing over the lost greatly. Don't you find it remarkable that he goes from Romans 8, the soaring heights, "Nothing else in all creation will be able to separate us, and the love of God that's in Christ Jesus…" Amen and Hallelujah. "I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience confirms I have great sorrow... " How can you go from the heights to the depths in about seven words? But that's what he does. And here's how it works. When we look up to Heaven spiritually, and see a sovereign God sitting on his throne, filled with goodness, and light and power, we are filled with unspeakable joy, full of glory. But when we look at the Earth and look around and see the ravages and the devastation that sin has brought, we should be filled with unspeakable horror and sadness and sorrow. Can you do both? Can we live both? Paul does here, he says in 2 Corinthians 6:10, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. How do you do that? Sorrowful yet always rejoicing? Can we be a church like that? First Baptist Church? Can we be the church that sorrows over lostness, and always rejoices over the God who has the power to save out of it? Can we not do both? Sorrowful yet always rejoicing? And then finally, it is possible to believe in God's sovereignty, I mean His absolute sovereignty over all things, while sorrowing greatly over the lost. They're not mutually exclusive. Can... Just check your rationality at the door, and come into the scripture here, and say "Apparently it is possible." I know you don't know how it can fit together, how we can believe in a God who sovereignly chooses and hardens and has mercy if he wants to, and all that, and still grieve greatly over the lost. Yeah, it can be done. Now you may ask a question. Okay, if we're supposed to be sorrowing greatly over people who may be lost, I mean may be lost. Someday, in the future they may come to Christ, but we're supposed to sorrow greatly over people who may be lost. Will we not then actually sorrow more and eternally over people who actually are lost and now we know them? In other words, how can we enjoy heaven? Have you ever wondered that? Are we not supposed to be sorrowing and grieving over people we knew in life, who now we know that didn't make it? Do you wonder that? Well, first of all, I know it's not possible, because it says in Revelation 21, "There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." How is that possible? I don't know, except that a vision of the glory of God will so swallow up any earthly concern and any earthly connections, that it will be sufficient. Jonathan Edwards put it this way, "With respect to any affection that the Godly have had to finally reprobate, the love of God will wholly swallow it up and cause it wholly to cease". So it's not going to be a kind of hell in heaven that forever we're weeping over lost ones, but our love for God will cause it wholly to cease. John Piper put it this way, "Those who die in their sinful rebellion, we say it with tears now, will not have the power to hold heaven hostage with their own misery. Here we groan and weep, there we are consumed with the glory of Christ". VI. Application Now, what application do we take from this? Well, Charles Spurgeon powerfully put it this way, "From all our congregations, a bitter cry should go up to God, unless conversions are continually seen. Can we be barren, and yet, content? If sinners will perish, then let them perish with our arms above their knees." It's been a while since we baptized anyone, folks. It's been a while. I take that personally, and I take it seriously. So should you. It's been a while. Has it been a while since you've witnessed anybody? Has it been a while since you've been willing to pay the price of someone's rejection of the Gospel? Are your arms metaphorically around someone's knees as it seems they're determined to go to hell? Are you doing what you can so that they would not? Are you willing to be kind of embarrassingly persuasive? Are you willing even to cry in their presence? Do you have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in your heart? Is that a description of you? I mean, when you read about gay rights activists or terrorist cells, or even... I mean, the people, some of the people are hardest to love. Do you have sorrow over their spiritual state and want them to be converted? Do you pray for them? And my question is, if not, if not, how do you get it, how do you get it? Can I urge you to pray that God would change your hard heart? Acknowledge that it's a hardness of heart and mine too, pray for me too, that our hardness together would change and we would be soft in our hearts and care and be readily hurt by lostness? Can I urge you to load up your mind and imagination with biblical truths? Think of what it will be like on judgment day. Think of what it will be like when He says to people who are shocked, thinking they were okay. Depart from me, you who are cursed. Think of what that will be like. Load up your mind and your imagination with truth, biblical truth, think about it, and see if your heart doesn't start to melt. But even better, even better. It's really hard to be compassionate in the abstract. Get involved in evangelistic ministry, as Paul was. And then you'll start to see actual faces and names of people who are rejecting, and then you can start to weep over them. In a few minutes or a few moments, we're going to have an opportunity to commission an urban ministry team with CEF. They're going into an urban elementary school and they are going to have the opportunity to reach out with the Gospel to some kids who are not hearing the Gospel. That's wonderful, isn't it? You may want to get involved in that ministry. There's lots of work to be done. Or if that aspect of ministry is not yours, look at the short term mission trips, or look at some other aspect of evangelistic ministry, but get involved. Be like Paul. Unceasing prayer, tireless evangelism. That's how we grow in our compassion for the lost.