Podcasts about Dathan

Samson, whose name means “brilliant sunshine”, goes to view Timnah (the inheritance ie of his tribe). There ‘he saw a woman' of the uncircumcised – uncovenanted – Philistines, who was ‘right in his own eyes' – his problem was characteristic of the entire nation (14 verse 7; 17verse 6; 21verse 25). In the vineyards of his inheritance, a place to be avoided by a sworn Nazarite. We read that a lion – representing the ravaging Philistines – roared against Samson. And he rips the beast asunder with no apparent effort. Several days later Samson returns to see the ‘ruin' (AV ‘carcass') of the lion only to find that miraculously and uncharacteristically a swarm of bees had made their hive in the putrid carcass. It was God's sign to Samson that by trusting in the Almighty the Philistines could be overthrown and sweet deliverance come for the Covenant people. Samson is deceived time and time again by the enemy and he engages tit for tat with them throughout these two chapters. Samson declares on each occasion that after avenging himself just once more against the Philistines he will leave the matter there. However this is not the intention of the Almighty – the Philistines need to be weakened. Notice how the LORD escalates the conflict: in 14verse 19 he slays 30 men at Ashkelon; then in 15verse 15 at Lehi a 1,000 are slain. Also observe the recurring of multiples of 3, as troubles escalate. Samson's mighty acts should have inspired his people to follow him as he could have been God's instrument for victory. But his own people reject him just as they had rejected Moses centuries earlier. Instead as the pressure of the Philistines grew stronger upon God's people 3,000 men of Judah come to plead with Samson for his surrender and then they bind him and hand him over to the Philistines. Surely we are reminded by this of the Lord Jesus being bound in the Garden of Gethsemane; being eventually sent to the Roman authorities to be tried and crucified. Samson, like our Lord, was thirsty after his great victory. In Isaiah 38 faithful God cures Hezekiah of the leprous boil, which threatened to end his life and which was preventing him from worshipping in the Temple. At this time of Hezekiah's and his nation's greatest need, when everything seemed hopeless, their Sovereign delivered them. However in spite of his recovery Hezekiah later becomes lifted up in pride as we will learn tomorrow in chapter 39. Nonetheless at this time the faithful prayer of a faithful man availed greatly (James 5verse 16). Hezekiah's prayer is a model prayer for us. It shows an elevation of king Hezekiah's God. The prayer gives glory to God. It also praises Yahweh's loving kindness in saving Hezekiah and delivering the people of Judah. His prayer states our lack of power to help ourselves and pleads for our Omnipotent Creator to show mercy for His children. It acknowledges our need to respond to God's love in praise and thanksgiving every day of our life. We too, like king Hezekiah, have been blessed and delivered from the gates of sheol (the grave): Matthew 16 verse 18-19; Revelation 1verses17-18. Marvel at the wonderful metaphors and imagery that Hezekiah uses to describe the frailty of humanity. Meditate on the significance of his exhortation to us in verses 19-20. King Hezekiah is given a sign that he will recover in Isaiah 38:21. 2 Peter is also written to the dispersed Jews in Asia Minor ie Turkey. It commences in the same way as the first letter. The time of writing is in 66-67 AD and the persecution by Nero is now at its fiercest. According to tradition, the two foremost leaders of the believers, Paul and Peter, were both executed in 67 AD. Clues in Peter's 2nd epistle indicate that the most likely date of the epistle is 67 AD. Believers in Christ Jesus had attained to the same precious faith as the great Apostle to the Jews. From verses 3-15 these disciples are urged to make their calling and election ie selection by God sure. Peter tells them in verses 2-4 that our Father has given them all things that are necessary for a godly life; and that these great promises, which they now share, are graciously granted them offering believers a sharing of the Father's character and life. From verses 5-7 Peter enumerates the virtues being developed by God in their lives. These virtues are not sequential, but rather they are a group of traits befitting saints, and to be cultivated simultaneously. They summarise the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, outlined in Matthew 5:1-12. Great blessings accompany such saints who, in measure, develop the character of their Lord Jesus Christ. These divine virtues are called by brother Marshall – “The Portrait of a Saint”. Belief is the foundation upon which the faithful build (and that foundation is Christ Jesus see 1 Corinthians 3 verses 10-15 and Ephesians 2:19-22. Peter elaborates further on this theme at the start of chapter 2). The last 2 are at the apex of the developing saint's life – brotherly kindness (Philadelphos) and love (agape, self-sacrificing love); embody both of these fully exemplified in our Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Where these qualities abound fruit is produced in the disciple. But a short-sighted approach stultifies the life of a disciple; and is the product of forgetting and neglect. In the practising of these qualities the disciples will attain the glory and the kingdom, which they seek. Peter would strive with his last breath to remind them of this. The Apostle speaks of “departure” (Greek “exodus” verse 15). The Tabernacle; of “the ecclesia in the wilderness” (Acts 7:44). This was emblematic of the LORD going with them. Peter talks of the entrance (“eisodus”) into the kingdom. How frequently is the theme stated, “Yahweh BROUGHT you out of Egypt, that He might BRING you into the land promised to the fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Verses 16-21 speak of Christ's incomparable glory and the transcending greatness of the prophetic Word of our God (compare 1 Peter 1 verses 22-25). There can be no mistaking what we (Peter, James and John) saw on the Mount of Transfiguration – compare with Luke 9 verses 28-38. The glory of Moses and Elijah paled into insignificance alongside the glory of the Son of God – John 1 verses14-15. And that glory was reminiscent of the Father's own glory (Hebrews 1-1-4). As great as the prophetic Word was when spoken through Moses and Elijah the Father's Word from heaven boomed, “This is my Beloved Son, HEAR HIM”. If this witness was not enough, we have the added testimony of the prophetic Word centred on, and embodied in our Lord Jesus Christ. The prophetic Word shines more brightly as we see its fulfilment day by day. (Proverbs 4 verses 18-19). Prophecy never originated from the prophet's own mind. Instead the inspired Word of God found its source in holy men of God being “impelled”, or “driven along” by God's power. And so although the style of the prophet is individual, the message is infallibly that of the Almighty (see 2 Timothy 3 verses 14-17). In chapter 2 Peter deals with the tragedy of false teaching. Peter uses Biblical history to show that those who would attempt to deflect God's elect are always active among the believers. The Apostle Peter uses 3 historical examples. These examples are similar to those in Jude's letter – one from before the flood; one from the era of Abraham; and another from the time of the Wilderness wanderings in Moses' epoch. Peter explains the inevitability of false teachers arising from their midst (compare Acts 20 verses 29-32). Peter says that the errorists are not genuine – the words that these false teachers use are called “feigned” (Greek “plastos”) – taught for effect, with no concern for truth. The doctrine is moulded to fit the teacher's designs (2 Timothy 4 verses 1-5). But God has long ago decided to destroy people like this (See Revelation 22verses 15). The first example is in verse 5 and speaks of the gainsayers opposing Noah (cp Jude verses 14-16). The second is from the era of faithful Abraham (2 Peter 2verses 6-10). These verses tell of total detesting by God of homosexuality. And lastly, verses 10 (the second half) to verse 11. Here Peter deals with the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses (also in Jude verses 5-7; the original account being in Numbers 14). All of those historical events highlight two Divine principles – 1) Yahweh demonstrated His capacity to deliver the righteous out of their trial; and, 2) that the ungodly have been earmarked by the Almighty for judgment and destruction (Acts 17verses 30-31). Verse 17 uses metaphors to describe these vain talkers. Verses 18-19 reveal the true motives of those apostates. And verses 20-22 a further two metaphors describe their sickening behaviours. Those who once knew God's truth, but chose to turn away are described in two tragic pictures which illustrate God's perspective. These reprobates are like dogs eating their own vomit; or like washed pigs returning to their miry muddy past. Audio Player      

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus.Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Jeremiah 16-18

TODAY'S TREASURENow Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”Numbers 16:1-3Send us a comment!Support the show

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus.Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

UK correspondent Matt Dathan looks at a speech given by Prime Minister Keir Starmer which has drawn comparisons with Enoch Powell's infamous anti-immigration "rivers of blood" speech.

Passage: 1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” (Numbers 16:1-3) Song: Open Space by Kirby Kaple and Rob Kaple Lyrics: Pull me in closer close to Your heart May I be a pure reflection of all You are Love that is patient love that is kind A love that keeps no offenses or wrongs in mind Make me like Jesus Make me like Jesus My heart is an open space For You to come and have Your way I'm open I'm open You're faithful to find me right where I am Even in my wandering You call me friend Mercy receives me and lifts me to my feet And I'm caught up in the wonder and mystery Of knowing Jesus Of knowing Jesus Do whatever You want to do Say whatever You want to say Move however You want to move Change whatever You want to change What are You saying Where are You going My heart is open wide My eyes are open wide Prayer: O Lord, grant that I may not be puffed up with worldly wisdom, which passes away, but may be built up in love. May I submit to your will and not seek to please myself or others, but only you. Amen. —John Calvin

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus.Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Not all acts of faithfulness are in your face. Most times, the reliable folks you can count on are seldom noticed or appreciated. Join us as our guest discusses the importance of work outside the limelight.   #KingdomSpeak #Podcast  #Faithful

Welcome to Day 2598 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2598 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:15-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2598 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2598 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today's Wisdom Nugget, I'll guide you through the trails of life's challenges, opportunities, and moments of insight that come directly from the Word of God. It's an honor to journey together, digging deeper into the Psalms and finding strength, comfort, and wisdom for everyday living. Today, our trek continues in Psalm 55. Specifically, we're exploring verses 15 through 19. In this powerful section, we hear King David wrestling deeply with feelings of betrayal, pain, and anger—yet ultimately turning to God, reaffirming his faith in divine justice. These verses speak candidly about human emotions, vividly expressing David's honesty before God and reminding us of the tension between our desire for justice and our trust in God's perfect timing. First, let's read Psalm 55:15-19 from the New Living Translation: 15 Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them. 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. 19 God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God. David's Raw Desire for Justice (Verse 15) David begins this section with a strikingly harsh request: “Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.” At first glance, these words can be shocking. David's anger and pain leap off the page. We might feel uncomfortable reading such blunt honesty. Yet, there's powerful authenticity here. David is openly expressing a deep longing for immediate justice because his pain from betrayal is incredibly real and personal. The phrase “let the grave swallow them alive” echoes the dramatic story in Numbers 16, where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, and God caused the earth to open up and swallow them alive as judgment. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, such judgment represented God's swift and direct action against rebellion and wickedness. David isn't asking merely out of spite; he's calling upon God's known character of righteousness, believing that justice demands intervention. Evil had taken root deeply in his betrayers—friends turned enemies—who had rejected God's ways and embraced wickedness wholeheartedly. David sees their sin clearly, and he pleads passionately for God's righteous judgment. Illustration: Imagine watching someone intentionally harm a child. Most of us would feel an immediate sense of righteous anger, desiring swift justice to protect the innocent. David's intense words capture this same passion for justice. He's deeply hurt by betrayal from those who once walked closely beside him. His reaction is raw and honest. Application: Have...

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus.Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer upon arrival to attend a bilateral meeting in central London

Numbers 16 recounts the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. These men, along with 250 prominent leaders from Israel, challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron, claiming that the entire congregation was holy and that Moses and Aaron had taken too much power for themselves. The rebellion began when Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben, gathered 250 men to challenge Moses' leadership. They argued that all Israelites were equally holy and accused Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves over the community. Moses, in response, fell on his face before God and proposed a test. He instructed the rebels to present incense before the Lord, and God would reveal whom He had chosen. He also reminded the Levites that they already had a special role in serving in the tabernacle and were overstepping their boundaries by seeking the priesthood as well. Dathan and Abiram refused to meet with Moses, accusing him of leading the people out of Egypt only to let them die in the wilderness. Their defiance angered Moses, and he prayed to God not to accept their offering. The following day, Korah and his followers stood at the entrance of the tabernacle with their censers. The glory of the Lord appeared, and God warned Moses and Aaron to separate from the rebels because He was about to destroy them. Moses pleaded with God not to punish the entire congregation, and God commanded the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Immediately, the earth opened up and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, along with their families and possessions. Fire from the Lord then consumed the 250 men who had offered incense. After this dramatic event, God commanded that the censers of the 250 rebels be hammered into a covering for the altar as a warning to the Israelites. However, the people continued to murmur against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the deaths. As a result, a plague broke out among them. Aaron, following Moses' instruction, made atonement with incense, running into the midst of the congregation to stop the plague. Even so, 14,700 people died before the plague was halted. Numbers 16 powerfully illustrates the consequences of pride, rebellion, and defiance against God's chosen leadership. It reinforces the importance of recognizing God's authority, the power of intercession, and the necessity of obedience. The chapter serves as a warning against challenging divine order while also highlighting God's justice and mercy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

A True Son in the Faith, by Dathan V. Rader. 2/23/2025 Sunday PM Sermon.

Numbers 16 and 17 records a rebellion against Moses, led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Ultimately this rebellion was against God, and we see in this story that those who rebelled were driven by a spirit of criticism. In today's message, Pastor Phil studies this account from the book of Numbers, and reminds us that when see the sins committed by the nation of Israel back then, we can often see the same sins in our own life today. We all need a Savior.

Yared Nuguse joins us at 42:21 to talk about breaking the world indoor record in the mile and having the record for less than a week as Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke it and the 1500m record yesterday in France. Plus what about Niels Laros' run and Ollie Hoare's comments about Dathan Ritzenhein? (thread here) Show notes: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:17 Robert's Absence and Jakob's Statement 03:01 Jakob's World Records 13:08 Every male American record from 800 to 5k could go in a week 15:52 Josh Kerr's trash talk vs Jakob's 20:51 What about the outdoor records? 25:24 Niels Laros and the Future of 1500m 29:32 Bryce Hoppel's Performance 31:11 Ollie Hoare's Comments on Dathan 42:21 Yared Nuguse Joins the Show 43:40 Breaking the World Record 44:40 Comparing World Records and Olympic Medals 45:17 Jakob's World Record Attempt 47:23 Relationship with Jakob 50:44 Race Strategies and Nerves 57:27 Any Olympic regret? 01:03:03 More aggression? 01:07:44 Training and Diet Insights 01:14:43 How are Americans so good? 01:20:40 Rest of 2025 01:22:07 Grand Slam and Future Plans 01:26:44 Concluding Thoughts Contact us: Email podcast@letsrun.com or call/text 1-844-LETSRUN podcast voicemail/text line. Check out the LetsRun.com store. https://shop.letsrun.com/ We've got the softest running shirts in the business. Thanks for listening. Please rate us on your podcast app and spread the word to friend. Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/letsrun/74463932-e88e-48af-83fe-d5a7754b3756

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus.Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

To Read Bill's book, click here: Amazon.com: Long Live the King Wild Bill: The Hero is a Villain eBook : Holbert, William "Wild Bill" : Kindle Store To donate to the show via, "Buy Me A Coffee" or to buy one of my books, click here: https://linktr.ee/AuthorLeslieFear

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Band Sessions With Da Boom XL: Dathan Thigpen Talks “Human Nature”, “Sunday Best” & More!

The story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram is *very* applicable to these current times. There is political and social unrest everywhere and we often look for someone(s) who can lead us back to what we think is right. Sometimes in the desire to see what *we* believe is correct become the law we overlook that we should first follow God and his laws.Andrew and Robert examine Number 26:7-11 & Numbers 16 and discover what happens when we follow charismatic, convincing and very wrong people.Support the showQuestions or Comments? Please reach out to us through email at questions@truewisdom.info or on twitter @truewisdom_podGive instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:9-10We encourage you to download our primary Bible Study resource called “The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study” from http://bit.ly/17vs3LU, and listen to the associated explanatory podcasts that Andrew has provided at https://BibleStudy.asbzone.com/357512/8572886.We pray that this resource will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies overall.

Escaping Apostate Church Judgments (5) (audio) David Eells – 12/1/24 Let's continue with our study on escaping apostate church judgment through the apostate ministries. The days we're in right now are days where God is spiritually and, then physically judging these ministries because the greater Man-child ministry is coming on the scene. First let's look at Ezekiel, who was a type of the Man-child ministry; he was a type of the David ministry that was to come upon the scene to speak to God's people and speak to their leaders. In chapter one, from verse 26 down to the end of the chapter, Ezekiel was caught up to the throne of God, where he saw God on His throne. This was like Jesus and the end time Man-child ministers. Then, in chapter two, God began to call him “son of man” and He did this all the way through the book of Ezekiel. As you know, Jesus was called the “Son of man” and Jesus was also a type of the David Man-child ministry. And we see that in chapter two, in verses one and two, that the Spirit of God entered into Ezekiel. This is what happened to Jesus when He was ordained and to David when he was anointed to sit upon his throne. Also, this is a type of the end-time Man-child. So we see in verse three that the Lord sent Ezekiel to the children of Israel, to the nations that are rebellious. Just like Jesus did, Who was coming to His Own people, and David, who was to rule over Israel, Ezekiel was going forth to a rebellious people with a rebellious leadership. (Eze.2:8) But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee. So the Lord is telling Ezekiel, “You can't be rebellious like they are.” What is it that they were not doing that Ezekiel was doing? Well, He says, eat that which I give thee. (Eze.2:9) And when I looked, behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein (This book represents the Bible.); (10) and he spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. (3:1) And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go and speak unto the house of Israel. Now, we see this same little parallel going all the way down through about verse 11 or 12. And that is, eat the roll and then go and speak to the house of Israel. Don't be like the rebellious house who don't eat the roll; they just go and speak. They like the position of authority and they've usurped the position of authority, just as Korah, Dathan and Abiram did in the wilderness (Numbers 16). They usurped the position of authority; they hadn't overcome yet. But God says, to he that overcometh, … to him will I give authority (Rev.2:26). And how do you overcome? Well, first of all, you have to eat the roll of the book and then you have to walk in that through your faith. Let's read on here in (Eze.3:2) So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the roll. (3) And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. Praise the Lord! Remember, also, John, in the book of Revelation, ate the roll of the book, but he was also a type of the Man-child in Revelation 10:9,10. He was called up to the throne and received a revelation to give to the churches in the time of tribulation. It's very neat how God does this over and over. We have to eat the roll of the book. (Psa.119:89) Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. And we're told that if any man speaks, let him speak as an oracle of God in 1 Peter 4:11. In other words, we are to say what God says. We are to eat this roll, first, for our own life, and we overcome in our own life. We learn to walk and be an overcomer in our own life before we're qualified to go forth and exercise authority over God's people. In this way, He's preparing here a Man-child ministry to go forth and speak to God's people with His Words. (Eze.3:4) And he said unto me, Son of man, go get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. This is very important. We can't speak with our own words because they have no power to regenerate Christ in the life of other people. It's only His Seed that brings forth His life in His people. So God commands that the son of man here, Ezekiel, go and speak as an oracle of God with His words. (Eze.3:5) For thou art not sent unto a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel. The Man-child is once again about to go forth to the lost sheep of the house of spiritual Israel. But the Lord said, “I haven't sent you to the lost, I haven't sent you to those whose language you don't know. I've sent you to Israel.” (Eze.3:6) Not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, if I sent thee to them, they would harken unto thee. It was true in Jesus' day that when the overwhelming majority of the Jews blasphemed the Word of the Lord, that God turned to the Gentiles and they did harken and received. The same thing is about to happen. Now the Church has been grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel,” so the Church is part of “all Israel.” Everybody who believes in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and walks by faith in that is grafted into the olive tree. Romans 11 is very plain. But natural Israel is not involved in that. They were broken off because of unbelief in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Savior, so they're basically the other nations that God's going to turn to today. When much of the church blasphemes God this time, God's going to turn back to the Jews, which it also says in Romans 11. So we see a parallel here in what is being told to Ezekiel. God said, “If I sent thee to them, they would harken unto thee.” We're coming to a time, when there's going to be a lot of people in the so-called church who are just religious people who are going to fight against the move of God and when they blaspheme, God's going to turn back to the Jews. Back to (Eze.3:7) But the house of Israel will not harken unto thee; for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stiff heart. We know that was true about natural Israel when Jesus the Man-child came to them and now it's true about spiritual Israel when the Man-child of our day comes to them. There's a perfect parallel going throughout history. The church is very rebellious. The so-called church is full of people who believe they are members of the church through a born-again experience with the Lord, but they're rebelling because they're building their own kingdom. And they're of a hard forehead and a stiff heart. (Eze.3:8) Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads. (9) As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (10) Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words which I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. (11) And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. God's people were in captivity then, just as they are today. They're in captivity to Babylonish religion and Babylonish society, and God is sending His Man-child unto them, but first He tells Ezekiel, all my words which I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity (Eze.3:10). Any other way is like that rebellious house back in Ezekiel 2:8 and that's basically what a lot of the leadership is made up of. Ezekiel was going to the Saul ministry of his day, as Jesus went to the Saul ministry of His day. And now we see God is going to choose a Man-child reformer ministry who have received His words into their heart and who hear with their ears. Then they are going to be sent to God's people. We've already seen from Ezekiel's example what it is to be sent of the Lord. First, to get the Word in your heart. God doesn't care about religion or man's Sunday school books. If anybody speaks, let him speak as an oracle of God. Let him say what God says because God has already said it and He said it very well and it's supernatural and  powerful. The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword in Hebrews 4:12, and it will accomplish that for which He sends it. But God rebuked the apostate ministers in (Jer.23:21) I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. (22) But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. See, the whole point is that if we first put the Word of God into our hearts, we're able to pass on that Word to others. It will deliver God's people. It's supernatural. It will drive the wicked out from your midst and it will deliver those who are honest with God. This is God's plan and it always has been God's plan. Let's go back to the beginning of the chapter. (Jer.23:1) Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Shepherds like that are destroying God's people. They're not coming into the image of Jesus Christ. They're not prepared for life. They die before their time because they don't believe in a Savior Who provides, heals, delivers, Who does all these things. They don't come into maturity. They don't bear fruit without the true Word of God. So these shepherds are destroyers. God is talking about the Saul ministries here and I'll prove it to you. Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. (Jer.23:2) Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock…. Now, that's the second time He's said that. What does it mean “scattered”? It's talking about denominating God's people, dividing them up. Instead of being one, they are now divided up into these sectarian groups for the sake of the sectarian groups, not for the sake of the Lord. Jesus said when He prayed, that they may be one, even as we [are] one (Joh.17:22). And when we read in Revelation, the church of Philadelphia was all of the church in that particular city. It wasn't a Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Pentecostal church, the whatever-denomination church. What has happened? Well, wolves came in to divide the flock. That's what we were told. (Jer.23:2) … Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. I will visit upon you. I will cause you to pay for what you have done, is what the Lord says. Back when we were writing on these things, I received two short dreams from Shirley Hinkle. The first one of them she had back in July of 2005 and the second one was just a few days after that. (My notes in red) The first one is speaking about these Saul shepherds having to pay for what they're doing to God's people. She says, “I dreamed that our former pastor walked into the room where a group of us were standing and I wondered to myself, ‘What is he doing here?' I thought maybe we were to pray for him. So I walked over to him and laid my hand on his head. I said to him, ‘You are full of lust and pornography.'” (Now Shirley is a prophetess and, so, in her dream she was prophesying to him.) “You are full of lust and pornography.” (You can't imagine how common this is today among Protestant churches. I heard the percentages one time and I was just amazed. I'm wondering how they found all this out, but it was an extremely high percentage of ministers who are into pornography.) “‘You are full of lust and pornography.' As I said these words, his head turned to mush under my hand.” (In other words, he had a mind that was corrupted by the curse.) “I pulled my hand back, revolted, and had turned to walk away and, as I did, he leered and then sneered at me. I started to wake up and that is when I saw that he was just a shell of a man full of demonic spirits.” (I believe that this was not an individual prophecy here; this was not an individual dream about an individual man. I believe this pastor represents a great group of people out there.) She continues, “God spoke in my heart and He said, ‘As he stole from My people, I am taking his mind from him. He is given over to these spirits.'” (Well, what did he steal? If he lost his mind, what was it that he stole? He stole the mind of the Spirit from God's people. The mind of the Spirit is the Word of God. These men stand in the doorway and they won't enter in to all the precious truths and understandings of God's Word and they won't let the rest enter in either as in Luke 11:52. What they are stealing from God's people is going to be stolen from them; their understanding is going to be taken away. Remember the prophecy of Isaiah that Jesus pronounced upon the Jewish leaders in that time, that their eyes and their ears were going to close, and He was basically reprobating them in Matthew 13:14.) (So what they had stolen from God's people, God was taking from them. And then a few days later she had this second dream.) “All of these people were in booths at a restaurant.” (A restaurant represents a congregation of people gathered together to eat and that sounds like the church because we gather together to eat the Word of God. We just read in Ezekiel that God said, “Here, take the book and eat the roll.” So we're commanded to eat the Word. When you eat the Word it goes into you; it nourishes you in the ways of the Kingdom and it becomes who you are because what you eat is actually what your cells are made of. We need to be the Word made flesh. Jesus was the Word made flesh and we are His spiritual offspring, the Word made flesh. A restaurant is a place where you eat, but if you're eating a bunch of leaven, and things that inoculate you from the truth, then there's destruction coming from these ministers unto you.) And so, she said, “All of these people were in booths at a restaurant and I walked in and it was the congregation of a former church. I began to go from table to table under the anointing and exposing all the lies of the teachings and the sins in the lives of the people. Some looked at me like, ‘What are you doing?' They had no comprehension at all. Others said, ‘Yes, we see it.' And then others were getting very angry at me for exposing all the lies. And I raised my right arm to heaven and I began to pray in the spirit with a loud voice and with authority. Then, as I was walking out, I turned to the people and said, ‘The associate pastor was never supposed to leave his wife for the other woman. He played the harlot. He sold his body to prostitution. He left her.'” (And you'd be surprised how often this is happening in Christianity, too. But this is not ‘Christianity', is it? No, of course not. This is all too common.) “Then the next scene in my dream, my husband and I were walking down a hallway away from the restaurant.” (In other words, they were walking away from those teachings.) “We could hear the former pastor from the other side yelling. We knew he was mad at me for exposing him. He was yelling really loud as he came around the corner, but the weird thing was he was walking on his knees. His legs were twisted up behind him and he was being led by his head usher.” (In other words, he was spiritually crippled. He was not able to walk with the Lord.) “For a split-second, I felt pity for this man who was all disfigured and then I saw his face as he was yelling. And my husband and I just stood there quietly watching at first. This pastor was so mad and yelling so loud that his hair was all matted and he snarled with his face all contorted. Then, all of a sudden, I looked at him and said, ‘Everything you have stolen from My people (she said this in the spirit of prophecy), everything you've stolen from my people (Which is what? Their walk with the Lord.), I have taken from you. Judgment has come to your house.' I then brought my right hand down like a gavel was in it.” This sounds very familiar, doesn't it? It's what we read here in Jeremiah. (Jer.23:2) … I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. (3) And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply. Yes, God's people, in a spiritual way, have been taken captive to all nations, exactly as the Jews were physically captive. We are now captive to the nation, full of patriotism and things that make us pledge allegiance to our nation, rather than the nation that we truly belong to, which is the nation of spiritual Israel Peter spoke of. (Jer.23:4) And I will set up shepherds over them … Here is where He's delivering His people from these Saul shepherds. He's bringing them out of captivity back to their own land, to the Promised Land, to live on the promises of God, so to speak. (Jer.23:4) And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith the Lord. So they will be fed the nourishing Word and will not be hungry and leave. That sounds good, doesn't it? And especially concerning the days that we're coming to, right? They shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith the Lord. That's kind of what was said about those under Jesus. None were lacking except the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled (Joh.17:12). The Scripture continues (Jer.23:5) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch … This refers to those new shepherds whom we just read about whom God is raising up in these days to take the place of those foolish Saul shepherds. They are a righteous branch. (Jer.23:5) … And he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: the Lord our righteousness. Our righteousness represents a corporate name. It's a group of people. “The Lord our righteousness” is David in our day. The Lord said He would multiply the seed of David to rule over the house of Israel. In our day there's a corporate body of David whom He says are these shepherds He's going to raise up. And He tells us that we're going to understand this in the last days (23:20). These righteous shepherds will replace those in (Jer.23:16) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. We are to teach what comes out of the mouth of the Lord. (Mat.4:4) … Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Jer.23:17) They say continually unto them that despise me, the Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. These apostate religions of “Christianity,” using the term loosely, these stubborn, rebellious people, have been trained to be that way. Their leaders are telling them that they're going to have peace and security and safety. They're telling them that they will all fly away, and all the other deceiving doctrines out there, such as ultimate reconciliation, unconditional eternal security, everything is okay – it's all peace and safety, peace and safety. But God says differently. (Jer.23:18) For who hath stood in the council of the Lord, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it? We know Ezekiel did. (19) Behold, the tempest of the Lord, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked. (20) The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly. (21) I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. (22) But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Yes. Amen. We need a ministry that God is raising up and sending, starting with the John the Baptist ministry, leading on to the Man-child ministry, leading on to the Two Witness ministry, leading on to the raising-up of the five-fold ministry. And this is all going to be wave after wave of a coming revival in the earth happening all during the time judgment is going forth, while both spiritual and physical judgment is going forth. Spiritual judgment is much more detrimental than physical judgment. Physical judgment can take people out who might even go to heaven, but spiritual judgment takes away their seeing and hearing, bringing reprobation upon a people which are not able to walk with the Lord anymore. That's an eternal judgment there, so it's far worse to be in that kind of a situation. (2Co.11:13) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. (15) It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. Satan's ministers look like ministers of righteousness. They're in pulpits teaching God's people. They “fashion themselves”, it says, as “ministers of righteousness.” In other words, they usurp this position. Like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, they usurp this position. They didn't come to authority by overcoming, by hearing the Word, by eating the roll, by having eyes to see, by being ordained by God, etc. They fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works (2Co.11:15). But notice that the judgment upon them starts down here and now, folks. It's not just going to be passing off into eternity. Now this judgment is catching up. God is going to judge these ministries and judge all their organizations. There's going to be a reprobation. What we need to do, is make sure that we're eating the roll of the book individually, every one of us. It doesn't matter whether you're a minister or not, we all need to eat the roll of the book to be Christlike and not be like Korah, Dathan and Abiram and followers, upon whom the judgment fell. As you know, Korah, Dathan and Abiram were usurping not only the High Priest's position but the priesthood. Korah was a Levite, but he was usurping the authority of Aaron and Moses. (Num.16:20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. This was one of the trials in the wilderness. The Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebellion happened in the wilderness, which is the Tribulation. The first 3½ years of the Tribulation are called “wilderness” in Revelation 12 and the second 3½ years are called “wilderness” in Revelation 17. So here they are in the wilderness with this trial of usurpers. They've been there all along but now God's dealing with them. Now God's sending His Man-child. Now God is going to speak the Word before them, make them responsible and tear down their organizations. (Num.16:21) Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. (22) And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? Well, but all the congregation was following them, you see. (Num.16:23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle (tent) of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (25) And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. (26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. Oh, yes. And God was planning just such a consumption, wasn't He? (Num.16:27) So they gat them up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side…. So, what is this saying in our day? This is talking about a revival of God's people coming out from among these usurpers who have taken a position that's not theirs. It's similar to what Jesus spoke about in John 10 when He called His sheep by name and called them out of the sheepfolds. This is what's coming. (Num.16:27) … And Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. (28) And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. (30) But if the Lord make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised the Lord. What is it to be swallowed up by the earth? The earth is our flesh. Adam's flesh was made out of the earth, so to be swallowed up by the earth alive is to be consumed by the fleshly old man. That's to be totally reprobated. You know, the Bible says, She that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth (1Ti.5:6). In other words, you can be dead while you're alive. They were swallowed alive by the earth, by their flesh. (Num.16:31) And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them; (32) and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. (33) So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol (the place of the dead): and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly. This is repeated again when we see Saul, and everybody that appertained unto Saul, died on Mt. Gilboa, and then David was made king. This is where we are one more time; we're right here. There is a rebellion and it's not going to be over until the Tribulation period, until God has reprobated all of the wicked and brought in all the righteous. Reprobation represents this dying while you're alive, being dead while you live. (Jud.11) Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. (12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. It also speaks about the shepherds, those who followed after Cain and Balaam through their lusts to lead the people. They were twice-dead and plucked up by the roots. Twice-dead means you have to be born again and die again. Yes, there are multitudes of people who have had a new birth in their spirit, but they refuse to be reborn in their soul; they refuse to follow their spirit and eat the Word of God, and be an overcomer. So God is going to reprobate their leadership. That will enable the people to see that there's something wrong with this, especially when they're able to compare it with a new ministry that God is bringing onto the scene. These twice-dead shepherds are going to be falling into more and more sinful lusts of their flesh; that way the people will be able to see it. Even today ministers fall into the most corrupt, sinful ways and yet the people who don't love truth and don't love righteousness, those people don't depart from about their tent. Those people will go down with their ministers, still justifying them, because they're in idolatry with their organizations. They won't see that these men have become corrupt. Well, God is going to corrupt them so that all of the people of God will be without excuse when they continue to follow them. God is delivering His people in these days and it's great! What's really happening is similar to what Jesus speaks about in (Mat.24:15) When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the... Literally, in the Numerics, it says, “a holy place,” not “the holy place,” but the translators thought, “It couldn't be; there's only one holy place.” So they put “the holy place” but the original says “a holy place.” The Numeric pattern proves it's a holy place, so what is Jesus talking about? (Mat.24:15) When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let him that readeth understand) [That's in parentheses because He's telling you, “Hey, look a little deeper here; there's something here.”], then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: (Mat.24:18) and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. (19) But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! (20) And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath: (21) for then shall be great tribulation…. Daniel speaks of an abomination that maketh desolate (Dan.11:31). And who is it who is “standing in a holy place”? Well, it calls to mind 2 Thessalonians 2. So who's standing in a holy place? And what is a holy place now, in our day? Is there any holy place? Well, there is no such thing as THE holy place anymore, but there are holy places all around the world. They are assemblies of God's people who are truly God's people. So it's an abomination for anybody to stand in these holy places who is an antichrist. Jesus said in (Mat.12:30) He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.. See, we don't have any choice: we're either going to speak the Word and agree with the Word or we're antichrist. It's either Christ, Who is the Word, or antichrist, who is against the Word. God's been very merciful, but with the knowledge, the understanding, the anointing that's coming upon the scene right now, He's no longer going to be merciful because we're coming to the end. (2Th.2:3) Let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] (that is, our gathering together unto the Lord) except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Folks, before we gather unto Him there's going to be a falling away and the son of perdition is going to be revealed. Why do apostate ministers read this as the very opposite of what it's saying? It's because they want to make sure they get out of here. (2Th.2:4) He that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. There he is in the holy place, right? And the word “temple” here is the word naos. Everywhere else the apostle Paul used that term, he used it to talk about the temple comprised of the people of God, not a temple building. You know, hieron is the word they used when they spoke of the building, but here he's talking about the people of God, just like he used it everywhere else. So that he sitteth in the temple of God (that is, amongst God's people), setting himself forth as God (2Th.2:4). They act like gods but they are rebels. Now, if you're not paying any attention to God and you're ruling in the temple of God, then you're the god there. The whole problem is that these men think that they can do what they want to do, say whatever they want, and lead you any way they want to lead you. They don't have to do it according to the Word; they make up their own rules and their own organization. But, you see, God already has an organization. It's called the Church and it's supposed to be one; it's supposed to be one with Him and it's supposed to be one with the Word. It's supposed to be led by people who have eaten the roll of the book and who hearken unto the roll and then go and lead God's people. So they set themselves forth as God. (2Th.2:5) Remember ye not, that, when I yet was with you, I told you these things? (6) And now you know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. The falling away is what restrains the revealing of the son of perdition. The falling away is this reprobation of these people. God's taking away their seeing and hearing. (2Th.2:7) For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be come out of the midst (Numerics). What is restraining the revealing of the son of God? The son of perdition in the midst of God's people. We ought to be a spotless, blemishless people. Talking about them in their corporate body, Jude called them spots in your love-feasts, these apostate leaders. They are spots in the body of Christ. They have to be removed before He can come for His people. Only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be come out of the midst. (2Th.2:8) And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord shall slay with the breath of his mouth…. The Lord is going to destroy these wicked leaders of God's people and every other son of perdition who leads God's people astray. We are on the verge of a great corporate move like this. God's given me a little training several times in watching how He does this and I know He is about to do it now on a worldwide scale. I know that He is training up other people around the world to understand these things too. There is a corporate body of the son of perdition leading multitudes of people astray, but God is sending some help. He's sending a new anointed ministry like we saw in Ezekiel, anointed with the Holy Spirit. This ministry will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to go forth and deliver His people. Praise be to God! Thank You, Father! Now I have some revelations to share, beginning with a revelation sent to us some time ago which points out that the true people of God will have a great victory. This will be as when they came out of Egypt at the Passover and their enemies were conquered there and at the Red Sea. Esther the Bride fought for the true people of God and won.     You Have Lost; We Have Won Mike Thompson - 10/5/18 (David's notes in red)   Well, hello, you mighty prayer warriors and beloved of God. I had to share a vision with you. It may be a little difficult for me to get through because it's still on me. I'm sitting in the sanctuary and this is where it happened last night. I had a class that started at 7:00, and while I was coming in to do the class, I could just feel myself being overcome by the Spirit. I could hear sounds in the Spirit, and catch images; and I want to talk to you about the Lion's Army: The Lion of the tribe of Judah. I want to share with you a victory that's happening in the spirit right now.     An Open Vision of the Lord's Army The first thing that I began …, In the Spirit, the way it swirls around me when these things begin to occur is that I could see darkness and I could see lightning. Here I am talking to people, in fact, standing behind the podium teaching a class, and I could hear, just muffled sounds that resembled strife and conflict. I would catch just glimpses, the glint of light that seemed to be reflecting off of swords. I slowed down in my presentation, my teaching, and the Spirit of God overwhelmed me, invaded me and just began to pull me away. The scene became clearer and I could see a battleground. And that's when I stopped the class and I just shared with them what I just shared with you: I said, Let's go into prayer, and we did. And as we did, the vision developed and went further. I could see this large battleground in front of me in the spiritual realm. It was a full vision; it was an open vision occurring. On the far side of the battleground were these hoards of grotesque disfigured demonic spirits. They were advancing and coming toward us screaming. When I say us, my position and those that were around me. The sound of their screams at the top of their lungs, and the screaming was violent, it was in anger and rage, blood-curdling screams of demonic spirits as they were advancing. Their screams were not only of anger and rage and meant to psychologically throw the opposing army off, but behind the screams, hidden in those screams I could sense fear; the fear that they have of losing the fight, of losing their purpose. It was a fear that was so strong you could tell that it caused them pain, but they screamed even louder. On the near side of the battleground were warrior believers and warrior angels, a mighty army. They were covered in light and glory. There was such a strength and a determination on the inside of them that it's like, ‘This battle is so important, we will not lose; We recognize our authority and who we are and we will not lose; We will not give up; We will not back down.' And they stood in confidence against that fear and the screams of the advancing hoard. I was part of the army. It was – it's hard to explain, but simultaneously I was both watching it from an elevated position, as well as being part of that righteous army. I could see that the army wore armor, they carried shields, they had drawn swords, light was reflecting off of the swords as they held them up; swords against the screams. Then I heard a thundering voice from behind the righteous army, and the words that just echoed with authority and power across the battleground saying to the demonic legion, YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON. (This is the Gospel, We have won through Jesus.) And as that voice thundered, I turned to look and it was a large lion that was immediately right behind the righteous army: The Lion's Army. As I write this, I'm getting overcome right now; I'm back in it. I wish I could articulate what I see and feel adequately to you. Just catch the anointing. Catch what the Spirit of God is dropping on the inside of you right now. As the words from the Lion came, they entered the army, the warriors, and simultaneously with the voice of the Lion the warriors released the same words. It was as if one voice through thousands, millions perhaps, all came forth with the Lion's voice: YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON. It was a faith declaration. The strength, the confidence, the authority from heaven, from the throne, through the Lion, through the backs of the warriors and out of their mouths. And it was like the sound of many waters as it flowed across the battlefield toward the advancing hoard. And then it shifted a little bit and at that point, the Lion's army at the same time was lifted up into the air and was carried over the heads of the advancing hoard and they began to speak down upon the advancing hoard words of authority, the Word of God, faith declarations, speaking against them in great authority and power. And when they did, there was a flaming sword that came out of their mouths and the swords launched straight down on the heads of those advancing legions. There were angels in the fire in the swords and when the fire would hit one of the demonic spirits, then his power was diminished, he slowed, his screams weakened. And it was having an effect. And then I noticed behind the legions arose a great beast. And I knew it was the same beast that I had seen in preceding visions. I knew it was the same beast that was connected with Leviathan and with Jezebel. The same beast that I saw before came up to the edge of Europe, the west coast, jumped into the ocean swam over, and crawled up on the east coast of the United States. And that beast began to yell as loud as he could. It was saying, ‘Scream harder! Scream harder!' But it was too late. The screams were no match for the flaming swords of the Lion in the mouths of His warriors and the battle, the tide of which began to change. I knew instinctively, I could feel it, that the beast had the ability to influence and call in more warriors and more screams, but the power was in the screams. But the authority in the advancing army of God, the Lion's Army, was also coming out of their mouths in prayer, in faith proclamations, in prophetic declarations, in speaking the Word, in pulling down the strongholds and the strategies and the structures, all the things that were happening. People, I feel that this vision is timely in several respects: (This was given in 2018 regarding the political scene at that time. But it fits today.) Number 1, for what's going on in the spiritual atmosphere over America right now; for what's going on in the confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh; for the upcoming midterm election; for … I even see behind that, the 2020 Presidential election. (The Supreme Court is deciding who won the 2020 election now. So, this is still true and relevant for today with the current DS political situations, fake administration, the 2024 presidential vote, and imminent EBS, GCR, human trafficking, illegal immigration, weather warfare, etc. We need to be declaring the defeat of the DS/apostate church and the victory of the Lion's Army.) I see all those things just coming at me in the Spirit. And I hear the screams and the violence and the threats. And the Lord says, “Do not be afraid, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The Lion's Army is well able to do its job. The Lion's Army with flaming words of authority will rise up and defeat the enemy.” I also feel that it's a progressive revelation that we will see a progressive vision that we will see come to pass in various forms through the upcoming years. The Lion's Army. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are part of the Lion's Army. If you will dare to stand up in prayer, you're part of the Lion's Army. If you will stand up against the unrighteousness, if you will stand against the work of the beast; you don't have to fight the beast, the LION will destroy the beast, but you are part of the army that is launching those fiery projectiles down on the heads of the legions of the damned. And it is disempowering them, it is stopping them, it is paralyzing them. It is diminishing their power and their authority in the earth, and in America, and against the body of Christ, and against God's purposes and plans for the political structure of our nation, the destiny that He has already proclaimed. YOU are a warrior … clothed in Beauty and Garments of Praise, the Armor of God, the Shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit. And the angels are flowing like fire from your mouth as you speak into the second heaven, the spiritual atmosphere the words of the Lion: “YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON”; and every other word that He places in your mouth. Stand up and give it with the third-heaven authority!     Discerning Shepherds and Apostles Ellen Cary - 09/10/2008 (David's notes in red) Prophetic Word - The seven-year cycle is over. I have called and you have not answered. I have warned over and over, but you have refused to hear. You shepherds who sit in your high towers have told my sheep that I didn't cause the towers to fall, that I didn't bring Katrina for destruction (of Mardi Gras in two states), that the floods and fires are not at the hand of My judgment, teaching them that all power is not Mine, so they learn to not heed My warnings, they learn to not hearken to My voice because they believe your lies; and for this, you false shepherds will pay a high price. I call you false, for you have turned from My divine plan for your life. You've allowed the enemy to entice you with the pleasures of this world, the riches and loftiness of sitting in high places. You have exalted your throne above Mine in making the choices you have to please men, to tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear, rather than telling them the truth. Few there are who are listening to My voice and calling My church to repent of their wicked ways, for they have gone the way of the world; their lives are compromised and not set apart for Me, to live in the holiness I've commanded. See now you false prophets who speak lies of peace and safety, you shall all be brought down by My Elijahs I'm about to release upon the land. They will smite you with the sword of the spirit that will come forth from their mouths and it shall be wielded with precision and accuracy. You who have given yourselves a title of apostle, know ye not it is only the Lord God Almighty who decides who I call as an apostle, or any of My ministry gifts to My body for their edification and growth to build My church. You gather together in your convocations to discuss your lofty plans of dominating My earth, but you know not of what you speak, for this world will never be dominated by your flesh. It is only by My Spirit that My Kingdom is established on the earth because it is established in the hearts of those I choose. My true apostles are in the fields of the world, in the dark places establishing My kingdom, for I have sent them. I alone, and no man, for I called and I instructed and I gave the order to go and they have obeyed My voice to not only listen to obey My call, but to be chosen to follow My orders. They are nameless and they are faceless only to you, for l know their names and I know their faces. I know their hearts and I know their minds, for they seek only My will, not to build their mighty kingdoms, as you have done, and for this they shall be rewarded greatly. For they are true warriors and true soldiers of the cross who have died to their own plans and purpose and allowed Me to send them out for My glory only, nothing to exalt themselves, but only Me. For they recognize they are but dust willing to be blown by the wind of My Spirit to wherever I will them to go. These shall have great reward in My house, for they have laid down their lives for the sheep, some even to death, never even thinking they are great or doing anything for recognition in My body, but only having a heart to follow after Me and being obedient to My word. Yes, the time has come for all false ones to be exposed, for you want to be leaders but you lead My sheep into the darkness and for this, the blood of many will be on your hands. The hour has come for your judgment, America, the great America whom I have blessed to such measure that all the world envies you. But shortly in an hour you think not, you shall fall and the whole earth will groan and the nations will lament and rejoice at the same time, for your greatness shall be over. (DS Babylon in America and DS Babylon in the church are falling.)     Shaking Out the Sinners Vision Given to Ueli Surbeck I saw the Father standing above me with the world in His hand and He began shaking it -- violently shaking the world up and down, left to the right and backward and forward and this is what the Father says: “My church has to be shaken out of the world. I want it out, and I am shaking my church until it comes out of the world! They have become so entwined in the world it is the only way to get them out”. He continued to shake the world violently (it very much reminds me of the process of harvesting potatoes); as I saw the church being shaken out of the world, I saw 3 things happening in the Church: Preachers were falling out of the pulpits, head first, pulpits started falling out of the Church, I saw the prophets falling, as they fell they lost their mantles, their mantles fell out of the churches and then I saw the reprobates start falling out of the Church. And then the Father said in the Voice of the General, “THEY HAVE MISSED THE HOUR OF THEIR VISITATION”. He said it 3 times consecutively. They missed the hour of My visitation; they think they are somebody, but in fact they are blind and naked. As the prophets fell out and lost their mantles, I saw the Father pick up the mantles and give them to the faithful prophets of the hour who had not missed THE HOUR OF THEIR VISITATION. (Isa.66:15-16) For behold the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.     Tell My People I Love Them Janet M. - 11/23/2012 Around 8:00 PM, as I was lying in bed, the Lord spoke to me, saying, “Tell My people that I love them”. He had a great urgency in His voice and He did this three times. Over the course of almost an hour, He spoke to me and showed me things. But of all the things that He said, He put the greatest emphasis on the message: “Tell my people that I love them”. He started by answering a prayer of mine: I asked the Lord, “Please confirm that You do not want us to participate in Christmas”. The Lord explained that He never asked us to commemorate His birth and yet people make the manger scene of Jesus into an idol. He is not a baby in a manger anymore. There will be no Christmas in Heaven and God does not honor that day. (When we share this with family and friends we should be graceful and weak to the weak so it can be received.) The Christmas holiday is a creation of man. He continued that it grieves Him how selfish people have become, all the exchanging of gifts is merely vanity for pleasing the flesh. (Jesus taught us to give to the poor and we will be rewarded.)  Jesus already gave the greatest gift of all. How can man ever top that? He showed tremendous emotion as He spoke. I saw Him cry with trembling concerning those perishing in sin. We must repent (turn from what we know is wrong). We must forgive those who have wronged us, so that God will forgive us. Jesus died so that we can be redeemed to the Father. The blood of Jesus was that perfect sacrifice to restore fallen man unto God. We must come out from among those who covet evil and be separate from the pleasure and distractions of the worldly “Egyptian” system. Then, the Lord showed me how sin separates us from Him. I saw a narrow path and Jesus waiting at the end of it. As the people traveled the path toward Jesus, the devil would place many temptations along the way to widen the path and divert the believer from Jesus. If the believer endured, the path would again narrow, as Jesus drew them ever closer to Himself. Eventually, the believer would be near enough to abide in the Lord (they knew Him and were sure of Him). That is the place where you can reach out and touch the hem of His garment. When I saw the sincerity of the Lord as He spoke, I feared for my relatives and I pleaded to God to have mercy on them. He replied, “Believe on Me and you and your family will be saved”. I asked, “Should I do anything?” He said, “Intercede for them by lifting them up in prayer. As it is written, pray without ceasing. Since an idle mind tends to be the devil's playground, think on the things of God, for where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.” And when it comes to the devil and demons, the Lord said, “I have given you power and authority over the enemy; use it”. As the Lord saw us praying and travailing for others in obedience to God, He smiled. His smile was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I cannot describe it. I did not see His face but I saw His smile somehow. His smile had real feeling to it and was so reassuring. His smile was light, love and perfect. God then showed me how He freed my husband and me from the oppression and deception that blinded us for so long. Then I saw the chains and something like a heavy weight that bound the people who desired to stay in the world system and refused to repent. He also said that we should be willing to open our homes and our hearts to the poor on more than just Thanksgiving Day and He asked us if we would do that. As He spoke, He took me up in the spirit and showed me some things that are important to Him. I saw Jesus pointing to the Earth. The Earth looked to be about the size of a tangerine compared to Him. Somehow, I was standing next to Him. He pointed to the Earth and said, “I have commissioned you to tell them, 'Tell My people that I love them'. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Start the conversation by telling them that I love them. It is your job to tell them. The Holy Spirit will convict them”.     The Harlot's Final Moments Jenni Davis - 06/30/2009 (David's notes in red) I had a vision the other night. I cannot believe it took me a couple of days to understand its meaning, as it is so incredible and obvious to me just now after God opened my eyes. In my vision, a group of people, including myself, were kneeling around an old, dying woman who was on the ground, taking her last breaths of air. Other people were standing around watching the scene, but a small number of us were knelt beside her. She was a very old woman, heavily wrinkled and ancient-looking, to the point it was clear she had shrunk in her old age. She was decked out in the most humorous way to hide her age. She had an enormous, thick, long, blond, curly wig on to hide her balding, thin hair. She had decked herself out in thigh stockings and lots of fake jewelry. She was so “in costume” that she just looked hilarious, as she was trying to cover her age and recover her youth. She was fooling no one, of course; she looked like she was dressed up for a costume party -- like an old hooker. As she lay there dying, taking her last breaths, suddenly, a horrifying-sounding demon started speaking out of her mouth. It was just like a Poltergeist movie. Here was this tiny old woman dying on the ground and this awful, male, evil voice started speaking in a language I could not understand out of HER mouth; it was clearly pure evil. I have no idea what she was saying but I could feel the evil in the air -- thick and awful --and her body slashed and flexed as she spoke these evil words forth. Suddenly, all the other people who were knelt beside her started breaking into spiritual warfare to combat the demon that was speaking. They were flailing their arms, pointing their fingers, binding demons and speaking in tongues in their own chaos all around her. My mouth dropped a bit and my eyes widened a bit, watching this mad display going on around me as this old woman lay hardly breathing, but still managing to speak forth evil. I remember thinking, ‘what in the world is going on here?' Then, like a mother who is tired of watching someone rock her whaling baby in the wrong way and finally gets frustrated and screams, “Give me that baby!” and snatches the infant into her own arms; well, I did the same. I took the old woman's upper torso into my arms and pulled her to my chest (my heart), out of their flailing hands and away from their words, and I held her to my heart and said, “Jesus”. One time only. Instantly, the demon(s) were gone! She was instantly healed and alive and she jumped to her feet and ran around happy and jumping like a little kid. Everyone was shocked, including me a little. It felt like such a natural response to pull her to me, that I was also shocked at the result. I only saw her for a second before the vision ended, but I saw that her wig and the rest of her costume was falling off. I am embarrassed to say it took me two days to realize it was the false harlot church that is the old woman, who even now lies dying. (I believe this old woman more specifically represents a body of people in the midst of the larger Harlot church who will turn to God because of the love of more mature brethren who will reach out to them as Jenni did here.) God knows what evil she will speak as she takes her last breaths (what more or new madness she will speak) and who will listen to it, but I do know how some will try and fight it. They will try and fight it with their own wisdom, their own power, their own warfare. It will not work. Jesus is the hero, He is the answer and He is the dragon slayer. He knows how to fight; it is our job to call on Him. He lives in our heart; we are His bride if we understand and know His love. It is His love in us and through us that will conquer the demons that hold the (harlot) church captive. She IS loved and out of love and genuine empathy for anyone who is lost, confused, bewitched and evil, we should do as God says: “Bring them to me and I will give them life”. All we do is hold them in our hearts and love them in Jesus' name and He will give them life. He will accomplish this --not us. I am reminded in this vision of the day that God asked me if I wanted to know what the “Best spiritual warfare is” and I eagerly said, “Yes! Tell me!” He said this slowly to me: “Close your eyes, lay your head on My chest and rest”. It is finished. It is all His work; we just call on Him.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsJoel 3:1-2English Standard Version“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,Joel 3:9-17English Standard VersionProclaim this among the nations:Consecrate for war;    stir up the mighty men.Let all the men of war draw near;    let them come up.Beat your plowshares into swords,    and your pruning hooks into spears;    let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”Hasten and come,    all you surrounding nations,    and gather yourselves there.Bring down your warriors, O Lord.Let the nations stir themselves up    and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;for there I will sit to judge    all the surrounding nations.Put in the sickle,    for the harvest is ripe.Go in, tread,    for the winepress is full.The vats overflow,    for their evil is great.Multitudes, multitudes,    in the valley of decision!For the day of the Lord is near    in the valley of decision.The sun and the moon are darkened,    and the stars withdraw their shining.The Lord roars from Zion,    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,    and the heavens and the earth quake.But the Lord is a refuge to his people,    a stronghold to the people of Israel.“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,    who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.And Jerusalem shall be holy,    and strangers shall never again pass through it.1 Peter 1:1-12English Standard VersionPeter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:May grace and peace be multiplied to you.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 29Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

The passage that we just read comes at the end of a section of narrative in Numbers. It comes right in the middle of the whole section we will cover this morning, which is Numbers 16-19. Not only does it come in the middle of the chapters for this morning, it comes right at the middle of the book of Numbers as a whole. We see at the heart of the book of Numbers, which has been a theme in the Pentateuch as a whole, the question of how can an unholy people come near a Holy God? Or vise versa, how can a Holy God come and dwell in the midst of a sinful people, without them being consumed by his Holy justice? We have seen this focus in the books of Moses (the first 5 book of the Bible). The book placed right in the middle is Leviticus, which gives instruction about sacrifices, laws, and the duties of the priests. And right at the heart of that book, right in the middle, is instructions for the Day of Atonement, where the priest once a year will enter behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy place, to make atonement for the sins of the nation.So it is not a coincidence that the tabernacle and the priesthood seem to take center stage, once again, in the book of Numbers. We will return to that theme at the end this morning. But first, we are going to look at what comes prior to this story, and what comes after it.In Chapter 16, we see three distinct acts of judgement connected with rebellion, grumbling and unbelief. After the three acts of judgement, we will look at three provisions from God for the people of Israel in Chapters 17, 18, and 19. That is the high level outline this morning; 3 acts of judgment, and 3 acts of provision.Would you pray with me as we get started?1. Three acts of Judgment from God (Ch. 16:1-40, 41-50)Hear again verses 12 and 13,“And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”This is the desperate question we see in response to all that has happened in chapters 16 and 17. Death, because of God's judgment related to sin, is all over the camp. So let's look back at the acts of judgment that led up to the people crying out to Moses. The first story incapsulates two of these acts of wrath.Korah's Rebellion (Numbers 16:1–19)Numbers 16:1-19,Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.” And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.Korah, who was a leader among the Levites, has banded together with Dathan and Abiram, who are leaders from the tribe of Rueben. They have gathered 250 well-known leaders, from the whole camp to come and rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. This is not a small group of complainers, this an organized revolt that has a sizable group with it. Besides the leaders mentioned, there are 250 well-known leaders that have joined in along with them. We need to see a few things here to appreciate the magnitude of what is going on. First lets do a historical fly by. Here we'll see revelation and rivalry…Starting back in Genesis, in Genesis 49, Jacob calls his 12 sons together so that he may tell them “what shall happen to [them] in days to come.” And in his speaking to each of them, it says that he “blessed them, blessing each with a blessing suitable to him.”Genesis 49 gives us prophetic blessings, that fit his sons and will play out in the coming generations. It gives us revelation into the coming days. There are three things to see in the first few blessings:To Rueben, the firstborn, he says: “[you are] preeminent in power, but you will not have preeminence”To Levi, he says: Their “weapons of violence are their swords.” Their anger is fierce and their wrath, cruel. God says: “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”To Judah, he says: “your brothers shall praise you.” “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Exodus 32 gives us a glimpse of this playing out for the Levites. This is the infamous story of the golden calf. Moses has been up on the mountain for a while and the people become restless. Along with Aaron, they make themselves an image to worship. Moses comes down and sees the wickednesses of the camp and how Aaron has let them stray. Moses says, “‘Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me' And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.” They are then commanded to slaughter the wickedness around them and about 3,000 fell that day. And Moses said,“…today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and his brother, so that He [God] might bestow a blessing upon you this day.” (Exodus 32:29).The Levites are blessed for their faithfulness to God and execute his judgement. We see their warrior-like fierceness, and an ordaining that will fulfill what is said back in Genesis.Numbers 2 gives us a glimpse of these “prophetic blessings” playing out for the tribes of Judah and Rueben. As the camp is ordered, Judah is placed in the first position over all his brothers, first in the first camp which will be on the east. While Rueben is listed as first in the camp on the south side, the second camp.This is the same order used when it comes to Numbers 7 with the contributions for the tabernacle. Judah goes first. The firstborn tribe of Reuben is not the leader, the tribe of Judah is.In Numbers 3, we see the redeeming of the firstborn from all the tribes. So rather than all the firstborns, being taken to serve before the Lord, they are redeemed and replaced by all the sons of Levi. The firstborns of the tribes are swapped out for the whole tribe of Levi. Service of the Lord before the tabernacle is concentrated under the Levites. So what may have been brewing for quite some time, is rivalry among family as God's revelation starts to take place. God has chosen leaders different than the natural order.And it just so happens, that Korah, Dathan and Abiram all camp together in the south camp, so they have had some time to talk. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram suspect that Moses and Aaron have carved out their own position of power, which they think they have equal or greater right to. (But we have seen this many times already in scripture, that God's choosing is not restricted by natural order. And there issue is ultimately with God, although they focus the blame on Moses and Aaron).We see their astounding wickedness.Last week Pastor Mike Schumann highlighted how unbelief adds and removes things from what is true. And in this passage we see much of the same: They disregard God's choosing and say that Moses and Aaron have gone too far by exalting themselves over the people of Israel. Their plea is that “everyone is Holy,” yet they really just want to lead. They are suspicious and suspect that Moses and Aaron seek to punish or kill the men who have confronted them by exposing their ploy for power over the people of Israel. They say: “Will you put out the eyes of these men?” They describe Moses as making himself prince over them, so they won't take any of his commands anymore… “Don't tell us to come up to the tabernacle.”They give a jaw dropping account of what has transpired:“Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself prince over us?” (Num. 16:13).A land flowing with milk and honey in the Bible is exclusively used to describe the promised land, that they refused to go into only a few chapters earlier. And here, this wicked rebellion describes Egypt as a land flowing with milk and honey that Moses has taken the people from.This is absolutely stunning, I don't even know what to say…We see the power of sin and unbelief.We either have men who have been jealous of Moses and Aaron this whole time, despite God's provision through them again and again, and now see an opportunity to overthrow them because they have not received the Promise Land… They are unchanged by example after example of God's grace….Or, we have sin and unbelief that is so potent that these men change their opinion of all that has happened. They so quickly see it all differently now, because they don't like their circumstances. Their unbelief darkens them to all God has done, and in borderline blasphemy, they call Egypt “a land flowing with milk and honey!”A word for us here: Be careful to not get caught up in the sins of others. Gossip, slander, grumbling. Do not get entangled in the sin of others. A few men of the camp, maybe talking to much around the campfire, ended up gathering 250 known leaders, which will lead to the demise of them all.So the rebellion, with leaders from the tribe of Levi, and Reuben, and 250 other notable leaders, who likely have natural first born privileges, contend with Moses and Aaron, and this is taking place in two different places, with two different challenges. And the Lord will respond with 2 different and fitting judgements. You have the 250, with Korah standing before the tabernacle, and you have Dathan and Abiram staying in their own camp.These two locations highlight two different challenges to Moses and Aaron. One to Aaron and his Priesthood, and one to Moses and authority.Korah, a leading Levite, desires to lead the Priesthood and kick Aaron aside. Dathan and Abiram, are done taking instructions from Moses and seek to lead.And as the stage is set “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” The Lord tells Moses and Aaron to separate so that God can consume them all. Moses pleads for the people to not be killed based on one mans rebellion. God tells them to command the people to separate from the camp of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. So Moses goes to them and commands the people to separate, and says, verses 28-30,“Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD”. And immediately as Moses finishes speaking, the Lord acts in judgement. To those who contend against the leadership of Moses, and seek to exalt themselves over the Lord's chosen, they are brought down alive into the earth. And to those who contended against Aaron as the high priest, their incense is not accepted and, verse 35, “a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men.”This was a terrible and fearful day in the camp of Israel, a significant rebellion which was against God, experiences of just wrath directly from Him. God defends Moses and Aaron. We would think that the people now see, but it is about to get worst. Verse 41,“But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron and said ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.'”The very next day, those who survived put their lot in with those who were judged in Korah's rebellion, and sided with them! One of the literary themes in this passage is the assembly of God versus the assembly of Korah. Those who belong to Yahweh, and those who “belong to Korah.”The very next day the people cry out and complain that Moses and Aaron have killed the true people of the LORD. Then the glory of the Lord appeared again. God tells Moses and Aaron to separate from the people again, and they hear that a plague has already started to wipe out the people.Moses commands Aaron to light his censor from off the altar and to run into the midst of the people, to make atonement for them, and he ran and stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was stopped. And when the plague had subsided, he returned to Moses. 14,700 died that day, in addition to all who were killed the day before.Here is the scary thing: Our hearts have the same seeds of sin and unbelief as Israel in the wilderness. They have that same capacity for wickedness, slander and unbelief. If not for the grace of God, we would fall into the same suspicion, the same grumbling, they same self-deception, the same unbelief. Our ability to deceive ourselves should be terrifying. Apart from God's grace and work, that is the capacity of your heart!You need to see that. You need to understand that. And when you do, the grace and rescue of Jesus looks like amazing news. We understand the “power of the gospel for salvation.” It was no small thing to save you, it took supernatural power, for God to overcome your sin and your heart, so that you may be alive, to see and believe in him. And not have eyes that are so blind to his grace and provision over and over again.Death is all over the camp of Israel. But God is committed to his people. And in chapters 17, 18, and 19, we see three provisions for Israel which bring hope and stability.2. Three acts of provisions for life from God (Ch. 17, 18, 19).Provision of the priest, provision for the levites, and provision for the rest of the camp.1. God Reaffirms leadership and the priesthood in the camp (Ch. 17).God reestablished the order that was for Israel's good. The wheels have been coming off, it was all falling apart, and God reestablished order out of increasing chaos. He does not abandon his plan or try something different, but he establishes again the order of the community that was given prior and brings it back into shape and form.12 staffs are brought, one from each tribe of Israel. Aaron's staff is placed among them and they are all brought into the tent of meeting, so that God will show his people who is Holy and who he has chosen by making their staff bud.Aaron's staff alone is chosen, it not only buds, but bears fruit and undeniably shows that the Lord has still chosen Aaron and the Levites to be near his house.And God says, verse 10, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumbling against me, lest they die.”God graciously gives the people a sign of his chosen leadership, and it is a perpetual sign to hold back the grumblings of rebels so they don't die.Much like the censors of the 250 that were taken and hammered out as a cover for the altar, to remind and warn the people that only the sons of Aaron can come near and offer incense on the altar.These signs don't remove the wickedness in Israel, but are described as holding it back, stopping it from breaking through to cause death.2. God reaffirms the duties of the priests and Levites (Ch. 18).Numbers 18:1–3,So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.”The Levites will serve with the priest, they will guard and help, and bear the burden together. There is mutual responsibility, a failure in duty could cause both to die. And they will serve as a buffer between God and the people.God also gives provisions to the Levites, because they will not have an inheritance in the land. They will be provided for by what is brought to the Lord. And as we zoom forward to Numbers 35 we see this fulfilled as they are given cities throughout the land, but not given their own portion. Sound familiar?Genesis 49, “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”We see the fulfilling of what was spoken of them back in Genesis. They are a warring people that will be scattered among the people of Israel, but they also stood by Moses and the Lord at the golden calf, and have been ordained to the burden and privilege of serving before the Lord. 3. God provides purification from death to enter back into the camp (Ch. 19).Numbers 19:2–5,“This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. And you shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him. And Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned.”There are some similarities in this offering and the offering on the Day of Atonement. Both involve action outside of the camp and both are entrance rites. The Day of Atonement sacrifices were to cleanse the priest so he may enter the Most Holy place. The red heifer ashes were to cleanse those who had been near death so that they may be cleansed and return back into the camp. The Lord provided entrance back into the camp for those who were ceremonially unclean.Only through the Priesthood of AaronBefore we close, we need to return to the miracle of Aaron's staff flowering, and what it means.For Israel, God is saying: Only Aaron and his sons may come near … Aaron's staff buds, shoots, blossoms and bears fruit. The other staffs remain dead sticks. There aren't many ways to the presence of Yahweh. Only through a sacrifice for sin mediated through whom God has chosen. And when Israel saw this, they responded with great fear.But, God is also saying: I will bless all the people through Aaron and his sons. Them coming near to God was not for them alone, but for all the people. It was not a sign of death on the other leaders, but a sign of life for all through the mediation of the Levites. Aaron will stand in the gap between death and life for them.There is another place in which we have heard a description like this before. Of branches, and blossoms and fruit. It's the golden lampstand, with its seven branches and cups like almonds blossoms.The lampstand gave light to the Holy place, and shined on the 12 loaves of bread that represent the tribes. The priests were also to put Yahweh's name on the people of Israel by saying “may the Lord bless you, and keep you, may the LORD makes his face to shine upon you...”Aaron's staff shows once again that the Lord through His priests will abundantly bless his people and will shine on them. There is abundant life and blessing that is still offered to the people of Israel. God has not left his people, He will still dwell in their midst, and he will hold back their sin until he one day conquers and removes it for good. And we have the greater reality. Jesus stands in the gap for us, between life and death, but more than holding back sin and death, he defeats it. God will bless us, and keep us, and make His face to shine upon us, but only through the mediation of Jesus. Jesus is the only way back to God.Israel problem wasn't their circumstances, it was their unbelieving hearts. Better food won't make them believe, better land won't make them believe, rescue from wrath over and over won't make them believe. And apart from Christ, our hearts are the same. But God, through Christ, has given us new hearts. And because of this, we will make it though our own wilderness. We won't make it because God gives us favorable circumstances, but because we have faith in the Son of God who loved us and died for us. The TableThe only way to be reconciled to God is through Jesus. And that is what this table represents. Jesus's sacrifice cleanses our consciences, and gives us new hearts. Hebrew 9 says exactly this as it looks back at Numbers 19. It says:“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”His life, death, and resurrection is for you. If you believe in Jesus, you are welcome to this table.

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Although not every event in Israel's wilderness wandering is recorded, the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram typifies the rebelliousness of the older generation. Although the descendants of Kohath already hold the honored position of carrying the holy things of the tabernacle, still they desire for themselves the priestly service given to Aaron. Likewise, the descendants of Reuben desire the authority given to Moses.  The LORD deals swiftly with this rebellion by opening the earth to swallow up Korah and his company. The LORD provided a physical reminder of this event in a covering that was made for the altar.   Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Numbers 16:1-40.  "Wilderness Wanderings” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Numbers. After the LORD delivers His people from slavery in Egypt, He leads them toward the Promised Land. Although the first generation of Israelites proves faithless, the LORD remains faithful to His people and brings a new generation of Israelites to the plains of Moab. This strengthens us to listen to God's promises today and stay faithful to Him as He guides us toward resurrection life. 

0319 大坍 Dathan by 靈修廣播站

UK correspondent: Matt Dathan

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Kings 21:1-18English Standard Version21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.10 And the Lord said by his servants the prophets, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 12 therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.”16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place.1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1English Standard Version14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 22Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

The Word is Our Standard   (audio)   David Eells (9/15/24)  We see in Hebrews 2:2For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard.   How shall we escape if we neglect this wonderful salvation? What is salvation? Well, it's Jesus. You want to see what salvation looks like? Look at Jesus. When you get saved and filled and sanctified, look at Jesus because He said, ….behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. You're coming into the image of Jesus. That was God's plan from the beginning.   Let me just point out a few verses to give you the flavor of this teaching and then the Good News at the end. It says in verse Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; (That certainly sounds a little like our time.) 11 and there shall be great earthquakes, (that certainly sounds like our day, doesn't it?) and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. (Again, this sounds like warnings for our day and the days that are coming, right?)   Verse 25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; (We're certainly seeing that) and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (and they have been shaking.)   And verse 34 But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting(Overindulging in things of the world), and drunkenness(Not seeing things in reality.), and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: And it will; it is coming as a snare, the Lord has shown us.)   35 for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. We know that there are those who dwell in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, by abiding in His Word and Spirit. But this is going to come upon those that dwell on the Earth; they're earthly bound.   36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. What do we need to do to be counted worthy to escape? Well, one verse that comes to me is Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; And we know that this means that we need to have the renewed mind of the Word. We need to agree with the Word when it speaks about what is sin and what is our sin. And we need to agree with the Word when it speaks about justification through faith and the blood of Jesus when we repent of our sins. If we don't repent of our sins, we don't really get that.   So …let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, Justified means accounted righteous. To escape all these things, you have to be accounted righteous, and you have to agree with God. Some people because of their pride, they pervert and twist the word, or they just don't apply the Word, so they neglect their salvation. That thou mightest be justified in thy words. (Your words have to justify you so that you can have God's benefits.) And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment,   Is judgment coming upon the world? Everybody that really, truly knows God knows that it is, and that it's here now. So, we need to escape. We need to be justified by our words by agreeing with God, by being humble enough to say, “Yes, Lord, this is right and I am wrong, and I have sinned; and I need you. And I thank You, Father for Jesus bearing this curse upon Himself.” Now, in willful disobedience, you don't have any benefit of the Passover Lamb because if we sin willfully after we receive a knowledge of the truth, there remains no sacrifice for sin; Heb 10:26. So don't sin willfully; if you do sin, do it in failure. But don't do it willfully.   Also, you probably know this by heart: Rom 10:10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (See something has to start in the heart. You have to believe; you can't be self-deluded and grow in your salvation, which is, as we said, Christ in you.)   … and with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. That is in the thoughts of your heart you believe unto righteousness; believing what God says about you and what He says about your future. Now the devil has to change this in some kind of a way in your mind about your circumstances. He has to get you to believe something else because salvation is sure if you do this. He has to pervert the Truth. Many people act as though they believe they're under the authority of the devil and are not justified in that. And if you know that you're not under the authority of the devil, why are you not walking out from under there? Because faith without works is dead, right? You have to get up and walk in the light by faith in God. Amen   We see in Rom 12:2 And be not fashioned according to this world: In other words, don't be molded by the world around you, the circumstances, the curse that was passed down to you. Don't be molded by anything but the Word of God. The Word of God gives you authority over all the power of the enemy. People who are not taking that authority are just going around in a circle in the wilderness, not getting to their promised land. So, He says, … And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,… Now let's see, God says if you're transformed, it's because your mind is renewed. So if you renew your mind, you'll be transformed. Just to pound the point home.   If you're not being transformed, your mind mind isn't being renewed. Are you believing with your heart? Are you confessing with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior? If you're not continuing to renew your mind, you're not continuing to be transformed. If in some area of your life you're not transformed, you haven't repented and believed. You have not renewed your mind. You have not said, “God, You are right here, this is truth.” Are you seeking out your own salvation with fear and trembling? The Holy Book is what God renews your mind with and with that, you are transformed.   He says …that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. In other words, we can't say that we abide in Him unless we walk as He walked. If we want to walk as He walked, we have to have a renewed mind. We have to repent and believe. Concentrate when you read the Word and do not quickly pass up any point where your conscience convicts you. That's how you renew your mind. Repent means change your mind, believe what God says to believe. Well, it really is always simple so us children can receive it. People have to make it complicated to not understand it, and the simplest of minds can understand it. It's a gift from God, He draws us unto Himself. The theologians couldn't understand it but the fisherman and tax collectors could.  So what is our warfare? Our warfare is to renew our mind and not accept the things that have been programmed in there through our history, through our sins, through what was passed down through our parents and through demonic bondages. The devil seeks to and must convince us of something other than the Word of God in order to take authority over us. When you see somebody that stays under the authority of the devil, they are not repenting, they are not believing the Word. We see that, …with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. They are not acting on the Word. They are not being transformed because they're not believing and confessing the Word. There is a stronghold.   We are told in 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (Yes, and many Christians get caught up in warring according to the flesh. And God doesn't give any victory there. We have to go by the rules, right? And the rules restrain us from fleshly warfare. The spiritual man has dominion, not the flesh. So we have to fight a spiritual warfare.) 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds).  Strongholds are places where the enemy has dominion. Where he has not been routed out; he has not been attacked with the Word and cast out. A stronghold is a place where Satan rules because of ‘reasonings or imaginations' that are against God because the next verse says,)   5 casting down imaginations.. There is all kinds of reasonings that are against the Word of God, that the devil has put there in order to protect his ground. He does not want you to renew your mind. If you do, he loses his house! So he has to convince you that those reasonings are reasonable and to be accepted. Those imaginations that are against God have to be accepted by you to give the devil this stronghold. He wants to have this control in your house.   All who receive the Holy Spirit as they did in the book of Acts with gifts will have power and discernment over the devil and his demons to destroy those strongholds. It was expected of those who got saved to be filled with the Holy Spirits power.  Back to our text …Casting down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. There it is, carnal worldly thinking and dead religion will keep us from knowing our rights and the devil will be sure to take advantage of that. So be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The devil wants, at all costs, to keep you from knowing about your authority over him. Luk 10:19-20 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. 20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. But he has to deceive you out of this authority because he has no legal right to keep that ground if you know this. That ground was given to you by Jesus Christ. You ‘behold Christ in the mirror' by faith, right? The Israelites took that ground as they put their trust in God and they lost ground when they put their trust in themselves. The old man took over the promised land or kept it, and he had no legal right to it.   Verse 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. Jesus said, ‘get the board out of your eye so you can see clearly to get the moat out of your brother's eye'. Be careful, don't let the devil distract you into judging other people because there's unforgiveness, criticism and every foul work there. People that get caught up in that do not grow, they fall away. That's the way God generally treats people who judge and criticize and slander and so on. They always fall away. Always, without exception.   And 2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, (There's as many Jesus's out there as there are Christian religions.) or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him. God demands repentance. He demands that we hold strictly to the Word so that we cannot be deceived. We should say, “the sum of thy word, is truth” Psa 119:160, so that we cannot be deceived.   We can be continually transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, if we'll continually repent. If we'll continually change our mind, we'll be transformed by the renewing of the mind! So we have to hold to the Standard, and that is the sum of thy Word; not just a little bit here and a little bit there. We see all kinds of doctrines made-up that way.   Now I'm going to Pro 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness. (Seek wisdom, seek knowledge, and be seeking to have a transformed mind. The renewed mind is most important.) 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened; (In other words, your steps will not be conformed or limited. You have a lot of freedom when you are full of the Word of God. But there's a lot of bondage when you're not full of the Word of God and you cannot be trusted by God, so He limits your walk. We walk into a large place the Bible speaks about when we walk into the freedom of Jesus Christ.)   12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. (Yes, people who stumble are in darkness, so get out of the darkness, get into the Light, get into the instruction of the Lord.) 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.Notice, instruction from the Lord, instruction from a wise Father like Solomon. The words of Solomon which he taught to his sons. Don't be talked out of the Word of God by deluding spirits because they cater to your flesh.   And 14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on. 16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. Yes they are continually on their beds calculating how they can come against their enemies or how they can answer, or retaliate, or how they can criticize or destroy someone else, because that's what the devil does. He has to program you.   But you have to be programmed by the Word of God. The restraint of the Word of God puts you on your cross. But these people can't sleep because they're continually thinking about what they can do to someone else because of their competition, jealousy, or anger.   17 For they eat the bread of wickedness. When a person is partaking of that, they are not partaking of the clean Bread of the Word of God. It's the bread of wickedness. When you're giving your mind over to Satan to speak to you against other people, that is the bread of wickedness.   …And drink the wine of violence. Wine is intoxicating. The violent and the people who retaliate, they feel a high when they've been vindicated by their own violence. But they're killing themselves and they don't know it.   18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, They are seeing more and more light until the perfect day comes, which is when the sun is straight up and there's no shadows. And it says, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. There's no shadows, it's all Light. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble. Yeah, you can look at the people who are overcome by wickedness and you think, ‘how foolish.' But they can't see it. They think they are wise. They don't even know at what they stumble.   20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Hear them; not just know them. People like to know them, and they think they're something because they know them. But it's only if you hearken are they going to do you any good. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; David said, “I will put no evil thing before my eyes.”  Keep them in the midst of thy heart. When they are in the midst of thy heart, they are life! Your ‘thoughts' is what He's talking about. Again, being transformed by the renewing of your mind. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. Notice, a renewed mind is a healthy flesh. The flesh is where you get chastening from the Lord. The things that hurt, things that come against your flesh are chastening. And many of God's people are under chastening of the Lord for their sins and for their rebellion against the Word. But a person who has a renewed mind, can have healthy flesh.   23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Life comes out of your own heart when it is renewed with the Word of God. They are life unto those that find them. That's His Word, the Word of God! You want life? The renewed mind is the way be transformed; that's Life. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.   A condition is in 24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. As we read earlier, …with the heart believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If we confirm the Word in our hearts, if we confess Him before men, Who is the Word, we will have Life. But a wayward mouth speaks out of an evil heart; a heart that's not transformed. Just as the words of Life come out of you as Life and brings Life to everything around you, like the river in the Book of Revelation that brought Life. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So a wayward mouth brings destruction and death and perverse lips put far from thee, 25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. In other words, don't get them out of the path of life; fill them with scripture.   And it says in Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear: What does regard mean? It means to give heed to, to have respect of, to listen to. What is iniquity in your heart? Well, again, we're talking about those thoughts that defile a man. Giving heed to these thoughts in your heart that are not of God. The devil keeps many people in bondage and they've been that way from their youth because they had the sins passed on from the parents through their blood. Demons get passed on from their inheritance, or sins they received later. These demons rule and they reign from these high places and from these strongholds. The only way they can be taken down is repentance and faith through confession. They don't have a right there. Jesus took away their rights to be there.   If you regard iniquity in your heart, these evil thoughts and reasonings that are against the word of God, then the Lord will not hear you. That's what He says in that verse. In other words, He doesn't forgive you. You don't have forgiveness because you're following, listening to, heeding, hearkening to the devil. Jesus said that If you're not for Him, you're against Him.   Now we're still talking about, how are we going to escape? We cannot neglect our salvation. We're talking about the manifestation of this salvation. And then we read in Ecc 1:15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. Wow, there must be a lot of it, right? Wanting means falling short of. And Ecc 7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? Who can straighten it out? No one but Him! So therefore what we have to do is have the renewed mind which is His mind. Then He can straighten it out. Psychiatrists can't straighten it out.   This reminds me of a time when Michael and I were building a table and everything looked real good until the last board for the tabletop. And when we put the last board up against the nice straight boards, we could tell there was a gap in the middle, it touched on both ends, but there was a gap in the middle. And so it is when you're around people that are straight and somebody ‘crooked' gets around them; he sticks out like a sore thumb, doesn't he?    And how can you take that board if you've only got just so much to cut on there because you don't want to lose the width of the whole tabletop right? You only have so much to cut so you can take that board and stick it in a table saw. And if the board is longer than the guide of the saw is wide, and you run it through there, it'll just put the same curve right back in it. You'll just put the same bow right back in and you stick it through there until you don't have enough wood left to use your tabletop.   So the only way to correct it is to go back to the standard. Unless you have a guide on your saw that's twice as long as the board you can't cut a curvature, or the warpage out of that board. And that's because the guide slips up into it, it gives way to the warpage. It goes into the warpage, so it just follows around it. Then you cut the warp in it again. So what you can do is you can get a straight board as a standard.   Now we know Who the straight Board is. It's Jesus! He is our Standard. If you don't go by the standard, no matter what you do, that's going to be a crooked table. And Jesus is our Standard; He is straight. If you want know what straight is, what right is, you look at Jesus. Now you can take a straight board like Jesus and you can lay it on top of that other board and use it as a straight edge and mark it and then cut it with a saw and it will be straight. If not, it's going to be crooked, there's nothing you can do about it. You've got to go back to the Standard, just exactly like we're reading here in Proverbs, and reading in Romans. You must go back to the Standard.   If you build a house and you don't start by squaring the house, everything in the house will be crooked. Because you're laying things up against things that are crooked, they will all become crooked. If you have a nice square wall and you throw a piece of plywood up there, or you throw a piece of sheetrock up there, it's going to fit, and the next one will fit and the next one will fit. Otherwise, you're going to spend an awful lot of time and money cutting things to fit a house that's not square and it'll drive you crazy. It will be a waste because you did not square it from the beginning and keep it square as you went, right?   A square is a standard. You can build many things on the sand, but if you haven't laid it on the Standard, which is the Rock, it's never going to be right and it will not hold up to the problems of life, the troubles, the tribulations; it just will not hold up. You can use a Plumb Bob to find out what is upright. We know what upright means to us, right? It means righteous; it means right, and pure.   You could use a Plumb Bob and it always is going to tell you the truth as long as there's gravity, it's going to tell you the truth. But you've got to use a standard. If you don't go back to the standard, everything you build on it will be crooked. Your house will be crooked, your table will be crooked, and everybody will look at that and know you don't know what you're doing.   So, we have to get back to the Standard. If you've got a problem, if you've got something crooked in your life, you've got to go back to the Standard. You've got to change your mind; you've got to be renewed in your mind so you can be transformed. And each one of us is a house that's being built. And some of us are master craftsmen and some of us are not because they don't know the principles of going back to the Standard, Who is Jesus.   And one thing we have to do in order to renew our minds so that we can go on is make sure that we're thinking on the right things. Paul tells us how to think inPhp 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,… Now, is it true? How do you know it's true? Have you ever had a thought in your mind about a brother? Is it true? How do you know it's true? Did you go by the rules? Did you receive it not unless you had two or three witnesses, as the Bible commands? Is it the Word of God? Is it in agreement with the Word of God? If it's “no”, it's not true. The word of God lays down the rules. If you don't go back to the rules, you're building a crooked house and everything you put on it after that is going to be crooked. Nothing is going to be right.   …whatsoever things are honorable, Is it honorable? Is your thought honorable? Is it a good thing? Is it something you could say openly without being embarrassed? Well, maybe it's not honorable then. Are you saying something behind somebody's back that you wouldn't say to their face? Well, then you're not honorable. You're crooked. …whatsoever things are just, So are your thoughts justice; is it God's justice? Is it the world's justice? Is it right? Is it correct?   whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely (God says a lot of lovely things about us in His Word.), whatsoever things are of good report(You remember the guys that brought back the bad report about the Promised Land? They made the heart of the people fail. They spoke the word of the devil. They didn't bring back the faithful report of what God said about it and they're still not doing that. They don't believe you can even take the Promised Land and those guys are all going to die in the wilderness.)   … if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (He wants us to meditate on the good things. As we've said before, you can always tell the bad things by knowing the good things, but you can't study enough of the bad things to know all bad things. It would take you too many lifetimes. But the good is the Standard, that's what we need to keep in our minds. That's what we need to know and know it well, because anything that doesn't measure up to the Standard is wrong.)   9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. You'll live in peace. Praise be to God! The things that you see in the apostle Paul, mimic; he is showing us the Standard. Now, the devil doesn't want you to think on all these things. Because you're renewing your mind when you do. You're casting out thoughts that are those strongholds he put there, when you think on these things.   So now I'm going to Jas 4:6-12 But he giveth more grace. (We need more grace, don't we?) Wherefore the scripture saith,God resisteth the proud, (Proud people will not speak in agreement with God's word, because it's humbling.) but giveth grace to the humble. (We need to humble ourselves to the Standard. Like laying that crooked board up to a straight one, it's the crooked one that needs to be fixed. Now you can take that same crooked board and use it for a standard but the whole tabletop will be crooked. They'll all fit together but you've got a crooked top. It doesn't measure up to the Standard and so “a little leaven leavens the whole lump”. If you copy the crooked, then you've lost the Standard and it's corrupt. It's not worth having.)   7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Why does he flee? Because he has no authority if you submit to God. If you let Him straighten you out, if you receive His straight thoughts, His good thoughts, the devil will flee because he has no authority and he knows it. Sadly many Christians don't know the Gospel and that the devil has no authority when you submit to the Standard.)   8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (This actually means two-souled. There's the soul of the flesh (worldly thinking), and then there's the soul of the spirit. A person cannot quite walk straight when they're double minded. They need to spend more time in the Word, to give them a Standard so they can be renewed in their minds, be transformed by the Word.)   9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: (That sounds like repentance to me.) let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. 11 Speak not one against another,brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, (He's not receiving those good thoughts.) speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.   12 One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Don't let critical thoughts into your mind. Don't let jealousy, wrath, slanderous thoughts come into your mind against someone else that has no foundation because you haven't submitted to the Standard. You have no right to think things that have no biblical foundation. The devil puts them there on purpose because he wants to defile you. And speaking of defilement, you know that according to the scriptures, if a person is defiled, they cannot partake of the Passover, which means they cannot escape. Passover is when the death angel passes over you because you're living under the blood of Jesus Christ.   Now I'm going to Mar 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, (It's what's in your heart that really counts here.) and goeth out into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean. (No matter what you've heard about having to abstain from certain meats, that's the doctrine of demons according to the scriptures. The parable there means to not partake of unclean animals, beasts, all their false natures and so on. Jesus made it plain. He's talking about what goes into the heart, that defiles a man or what comes out of the heart, that defiles him.)   20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed (Thoughts that are contrary to God's Word.), fornications, thefts, murders,adulteries (If you hate your brother, you're a murderer, Jesus said. And adulteries, if you lust after someone in your heart, you've committed adultery, right?),   22 covetings, (Desiring something that's not yours.) wickednesses, (that covers a lot, doesn't it) deceit, (People who love to dwell on deceit do so because it permits them to do whatever they want and live after the lust of their flesh.) lasciviousness, (which is a license to do excess, what you want, to overindulge in things.) an evil eye, (an eye not single on the things of God.) railing, (People who rail against people do so from anger, unforgiveness and criticism.) pride, (It doesn't let someone repent, they're good enough like they are. They're maybe proud of their heritage from their natural parents, which is foolishness. That's the next word.) foolishness: 23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.   So how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Amen. I tell you God's word is awesome! I mean, if you don't love it, ask Him to make you love it! Because it's for your own good that you spend time with the Word of God.   I'm going next to Luk 6:39 And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit? (That's like taking a crooked board to use for a straight edge.) 40 The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher. (You got to make sure your Teacher is the Lord, Who is the Word, and it's Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and Paul and Peter. Make sure these are your teachers, and if you're listening to anyone who's not teaching what's there, you're getting away from the Standard; you'll never be perfected. You'll never be transformed, and you will not escape as we've seen.)   41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, (These are people who are critical of other people, judgmental of others, correcting others when they're doing the same themselves.) cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (You must have the Standard in you before you can pass it on. If anybody uses you as a straight edge, are you going to corrupt the whole building, the whole table? Many of these went to Bible school and they're corrupting everybody. Just like the rest of the Pharisees that they were born from.)   Luk 6:43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; (Again your life proceeds from the thoughts that are in your heart.) and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (So we got to get back to the Standard and lay the right foundation and the foundation has got to be right. Not the sinking sand of man's ways.)   Here's a good word about standards in Amo 7:1 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, he formed locusts (That sounds like the army that destroyed God's people in Joel 2. It represents demon forces that have come against God's people to take away their fruit and blessings.)in the beginning of the shootingup of the latter growth; (You know how a nice rain causes the grass to suddenly shoot up? Well, that's because it just loves that nitrogen. You can water it with your hose for a week and you won't get that result. This latter growth is at the time of the latter rain, which we're about to receive.) and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. (We have certainly seen the King's mowings. He's been cutting down the grass and Peter said, ‘All flesh is as grass.' So this fruit is going to come after the King's mowings and He's been cutting down the flesh!)   2 And it came to pass that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? For he is small. (In other words, ‘There's a lot of flesh, Lord, and if he eats up that flesh, there won't be anything left.' Well, some people are small in God. And if their flesh gets eaten up, there's nothing left. We have to be gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds.)   3 Jehovah repented concerning this: It shall not be, saith Jehovah. (Well, that was the first threatened judgement.) 4 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land. 5 Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease,I beseechthee: how shall Jacob stand? For he is small. 6 Jehovah repented concerning this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord Jehovah. (That's the second threat, answered by mercy.)   7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall (A wall is separation from the world outside, it represents sanctification or holiness. It means a renewed mind.) made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. 8 And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. A Plumb line is this, you put a Plumb Bob on the end of that line and you hold it up and it shows you what's straight up and down because the Plumb Bob hangs down by gravity; it is a law. It tells you according to the law what is upright. That's what a plum line and the Bible does.)   Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; (In other words, He's going to check them out to see if they are upright, perfectly upright according to the law, which is the Word. It's a Standard. You know when God relents a few times, He delays judgment a few times so fruit can be born. He can hold up the Standard and say, “Nope they're still crooked. It's time to tear this thing back down to the foundation. It's on sand anyway, so we'll tear it back down and start all over.” Well, that can be major, major judgment. Continuing He said, I will not again pass by them any more; (meaning I'm not going to pass by them with judgment anymore. It's coming now. I'm going to judge according to the Word. That's what He says in His Word; every man is going to be judged according to the Word.)   9 and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. Well, Jeroboam is the guy that factioned Israel away from the House of David. He is the critical, angry, judgmental leadership of Israel when they fell into their apostasy and started worshipping the golden calf instead of God in His Temple in Jerusalem. That represents a lot of people out there, a lot of Judases and a lot of people that are judging other people. They themselves are crooked and Jeroboam made everybody else crooked. He made the whole House crooked and they were full of faction, full of railing and full of rebellion and warfare against the House of David.   Now I'm going to share some revelations that confirm the importance of how we should build a sure Foundation.      A Sure Foundation   Lorrie Deeter 01/09/2009 (David's notes in red)   While being still before the Lord, I drifted off to sleep: A group of people appeared to be in a classroom seated at desks. As I watched I saw different people as teachers standing over each one. I looked down and saw a group of people sitting, holding in their hands each a different book. I looked closer and saw the faces of the teachers who were standing over them, on the cover of the textbooks. (The poor apostate Christians are coming into the image of their false teachers rather than Christ, as 2Co 3:18 demands: But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.)   I looked around the room and in a far corner were cubicles. I walked over to them. As I looked, in each one sat a single person, alone, reading a bible; in another praying and in another being still, each having a bible. (Representing those teachers getting a personal revelation from God's Word to lay a good foundation.) I was saying, “What is this, my Lord?” A person then stepped out of the cubicle and walked to the group of people seated at the desks. The textbook was gone from the people seated at the desks and now placed in their hand was a ruler to each person. The cubicle person began to open the Bible and was sharing what the Lord had given. (Those who study the Word and fellowship the Lord individually, without the teachers of men, are blessed by their Lord to bring direction to those trained by false leaders.)   All of a sudden the people seated became angry and began pointing (Accusation/Judgment) with one hand while hitting the person on the hand with their rulers (With what measure you judge it shall be measured unto you). As I continued to watch each person come from the cubicles to the seated people, each time they were rejected from the people seated at the desks. (Those of denominational mindsets.) The people from the cubicles returned after being rejected with Bibles, returned each time to and remained in their cubicles; some were ushered out of the room. (The righteous are judged and rejected of the apostates. Judge not lest ye be judged.)   All of a sudden, I heard raging wind and I looked and saw a gathering tempest in the middle of the classroom. Very quickly it was picking up everyone and everything becoming more powerful by the second. (Judgment on those who reject the true messengers of the Word.)   Then it began to spit things out. It was pulling shelves off walls, as nails were pried loose. Everything was pulled from its place, desk and chairs thrown to and fro. Then I saw some people fly out of the storm and thrown out to the outside and they were no longer in sight. The storm continued to spit everything out -- the teachers and the textbooks until only those with the Bibles remained in the eye where it was calm. (Those founded on the Rock of the Word are safe.)   I then heard this spoken forth: "REST! Rest in the eye of My storm! Be anxious for nothing! Do not be shaken! I AM doing a SWIFT SIFTING! Plant your feet in righteousness, For lo I Am with thee always".   The wind picked up but there was silence inside the storm. Then I looked and the middle of the room and the floor started to buckle as though there was something underneath it. It started to crack. (As Jesus said the storm comes to those on the foundation of shifting sand.) The surface of the floor looked like matte linoleum. The cracks started to spread to the corners as though it was being torn from the underside of the surface. (These are like the wind and waves that destroyed the house built on sand that Jesus spoke of.)  Then I saw the sharp tip of something silver beginning to pierce through. It twirled slowly like a corkscrew and as it came to the surface it was a large screw. When this giant screw was all the way through I noticed all of the fresh soil around its base it burrowed through. (It came from beneath like hell.) Suddenly, many smaller machines sprung out of the ground around the screw and in the distance. They circled the screw. The machines opened up and multitudes of bats flew out and covered the sky. (These are creatures which live in darkness and do not have eyes to see.) Then this was spoken: "Demons of Doctrines". (This represents the destruction of those whose foundation is based on the shifting sands of Demon Doctrines instead of the Word.)   Then I saw a LARGE rod, and then a LARGE staff come above the storm. (The shepherd's guidance and protection of the sheep in the midst of the storm.) The whirlwind picked up and everything in its path was destroyed. I looked at all of the debris that littered the ground. The surface of the floor was destroyed. The linoleum was scattered in large and small pieces. The parts of the machines that had been destroyed by the storm also lay scattered. Then I looked and saw a large rake that came through and cleared all of the debris to the side and then it was gone.   The Holy Spirit spoke forth again: "Once more I will turn the soil, for these are they whose foundation is not built upon Me, says the Lord".   1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (The Word) Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.   Upon waking up this was spoken forth: "Those who speak falsely in My Name and are carried about by doctrines of men shall be spewed out of My tempest!"   Job 27:21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.   Isa 29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.   Isa 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.   Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.     Escaping Judgment By Abiding in Christ   Gordon Borneman 03/23/2012 (David's notes in red)   Last night I had a dream. I was walking/hiking in a mountainous area on the West Coast. The ocean was just on the other side of some rocky peaks to my left. There were some peaks of lesser height above me and also one ultimate high peak in this set of mountains. Just then I saw a tsunami wave crest the lower peaks and water rush over those into the high meadow below them. In that high meadow, I had a white stucco house (house of the Lord) to run to, even though it was in the path of that water.   I was not in the path of the water, but after it flooded the meadow, it would have drained off, coming right back at me. I started running to the house. I got to the house in no time (indicating it's not a physical place, but a spiritual house always with the saints). I reached the door, got inside the house, then looked out the window to see a giant sea rush of dark grey water blanketing the meadow and the house was right in the path. The grey sky reflected in the surface of the massive, dark grey water surge. The doors were closed and I took notice of the many foundation bolts in the treated wood floorboards that anchored the house to the foundation (a properly-built house of God is firmly anchored to Jesus Christ).   The water hit the house hard and began to rise to near the top of the windows. No water got into the house at all. The walls were open on the inside, showing the studs (not always plush inside the house of God, but always safe) and I ran around to check all of the seals at the floorboards and they were holding. I felt a particular emphasis on the anchors to the foundation as the key to safety. None of the water got into the house at all. I did not see much of any of the floor plan of the house and it was small and simple.   I knew in my spirit this dream was from God and shows our safety amidst the flood of the end times inside of God's house, a clean house made of white that is firmly anchored to our Lord Jesus. (The safety of the white house represents abiding in Jesus Christ, the secret place of the Most High of Psalm 91. Psa 90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust.)   I have pondered this with the Lord more since the dream. I think this is much more general judgment than an actual tsunami. It is the woes and judgments on the world -- "the end will be as a flood", for example. The emphasis on this dream is more about the house of God and protection therein. The water came over the lower peaks, but not the highest peak. There was a mountain there in the range that the water could not reach (likely spiritual Mount Zion). Within the house of the Lord, we were completely safe.  It may not always be extremely plush or massively comfy, since all was laid open (nothing hidden), rather than finished drywall inside. This agrees with other UBM dreams in which people were at a camp and one says to another, "I don't think I can stay here". I.e., It's not comfortable to the flesh to be there. That's the nature of the cleanness, the whiteness of the house. The meaning is interlinked with the open walls within and all is seen, nothing hidden in darkness or closed behind walls. Emphasis was placed on the soundness of the floorboard anchors to the foundation.   The house was in a very high meadow, relative to the highest peak, with some peaks higher than the house, but not the highest peak. The water came with speed and it was like a wave cresting against a rocky shoreline. It was the speed of the water, along with the total volume that splashed it over these lower peaks. Even when rushing to the relatively humble house of God and building speed on the downhill, there was not enough power behind that wave to overtake that little white house in the high meadow. There are two senses of these lower peaks:   1. Those lower peaks are kingdoms of the world overtaken with judgment, even who were part of the range of mountains right by Mount Zion.   2. Those lower peaks may be those organizations which are their own kingdoms trying to usurp the power of the saints on Mount Zion by attaching themselves to them. But these have not the power of Mount Zion and are still overtaken.   This little white house in the high meadow reminds me of protection of the Israelites in Goshen during the 10 judgments of Egypt where, after the first four judgments, the judgments could not overtake the Israelites safe in Goshen. These judgments destroyed the great empire of Egypt, but Goshen was spared and preserved.   When I started to run for the house, I was not in the direct path of the water. But after the water hit the house, it would come back toward me soon. It was better to run into the refuge and fortress, even when it was in the direct path, rather than be outside trying to stay out of the way of the water. (Many may be in the direct path of terrible judgments but eating all of the Passover Lamb; the Word of God is our deliverance, as it was in Egypt. They had to abide in their house for this disaster to pass over. Jesus is our house. 1Jn 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. Notice that modern religions will not be a covering, only the original Word received will deliver.)     The House That Stood   Michael Boldea - June 2012   On April 11, 2016, I had this short dream.   …I have always found fasting to be a great bringer of clarity, and given the times and the seasons that are upon us, who among us couldn't use a little more clarity? The first day of the fast, I had picked my brother Sergiu up from the airport in Chicago, brought him home, and gone to bed, when I had a dream.   I dreamt I was walking down a street, but to the left and the right of me everything was utterly destroyed. If not for the foundations sticking out of the earth, one would not have known anything had once stood there. I have seen the aftermath of earthquakes while living in California in the '80s; I have likewise seen the aftermath of tornadoes live and in person, and this looked like neither of the two. The best way I can describe it is that the entire street seemed to have been razed. From trees, to homes, to fences, everything had been flattened and annihilated.   The street curved to the left, and as I followed it turning the corner, I was surprised to see a house standing a couple hundred yards ahead of me on the right. There was nothing special about the house. A single story home, with a porch and a porch swing, once painted white by what I could gather, but having taken on a charred look. I quickened my pace, as even in my dream this seemed odd and surreal, and as I approached the house I heard what could only have been prayer coming from inside. This was no typical prayer. It was passionate, and fervent, and the only time I remember having heard prayer like this, is when we would have prayer nights in our home in Romania during the Communist occupation.  (My note: This reminds me of seeing a report in CA where a fire had swept through an area and the top of a mountain where there was a circle of homes. All were burnt to the ground but one. When the reporter put his mic in front of the owner asking why their house was untouched, he probably wished he hadn't. The woman spoke boldly saying. This is God's house and we have prayer meetings here or something close to this.)  This was anything but a restrained prayer gathering, and the voices coming from inside the house were praising God, and giving glory to Him. I stood just short of the front step, and listened to the prayers coming from within the house, until in my dream, I woke up. As I awoke from my dream within a dream, the man I have grown accustomed to seeing was standing at the foot of my mattress.   "Do you understand what you've just seen?", he asked without prelude.   "I believe I do", I answered somewhat confidently. The man gave me a look one might give to a slowwitted individual and said, "Perhaps in part", then reached out and touched my shoulder.   Suddenly I was back on the same street, and I realized this only because of the house with the porch swing, now a pristine white. It was the only thing that was the same as in my previous dream, because now there were trees, and homes, up and down the block. It looked and sounded like a typical neighborhood, but above the din of chirping birds and barking dogs; I could hear prayer coming from inside the home with the porch swing. It was the same kind of fervent, passionate prayer I had heard on the previous occasion. I strained to hear what they were praying for, but I could only hear snippets from time to time. As I made to climb the first of three steps, I was back in my bed, with the man standing patiently by my mattress.   "Now you understand", he said, "Tell them not to fear, but to draw close to the Father in whom is shelter from the storm, and protection from destruction". I then woke up, disoriented, wondering for a while if this was yet another dream within a dream. Realizing that it was not, I knelt beside my mattress and started to pray.   I have not released a dream or a vision in two years, and if not for the specific instruction "tell them" I would have been hesitant in releasing this dream as well. As I explained in a recent radio interview, the reason why I have not released any visions or dreams is because many within the household of faith have become, for lack of a better term, prophecy junkies. At every gathering, at every meetings, there is always the inevitable "What's the Lord been showing you lately?" as though He hasn't shown us enough, or as though His word is not clear enough.   I specifically asked permission of God to withhold what He was showing me for a season, and have single-mindedly focused on preaching Christ, and Him crucified wherever I was asked to preach, because our safety, our shelter, and our protection is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Savior and King.   Our refuge, our shelter, our place of safety is not a geographical location; it is in the arms of Jesus, in the will of God, in fellowship and intimacy with Him. If we are walking in the will of the Father, then we have nothing to fear. If we are being obedient to His word, His guidance, and His leading, then wherever He will guide us will be a safe place, and wherever He will lead us will be a place of shelter. Our safety is found in obedience. If God has told you to go to a certain place, then do as He has commanded. If however God has not spoken, then be at peace where you are, for God is able to protect you in the midst of the storm.   It is time to draw closer to God than ever before, to come before Him in prayer, and fasting, in righteousness, and purity of heart. The day draws near when we will behold the miracle working power of our God firsthand, when we will see what our God can do, and glory in His omnipotence.   (Psa.18:25-30) With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.   (Psa.25:4-5) Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.     Judgment on Apostate Ministries   (David's Notes in red and Joyce in Green)   First let me share a little background to this dream I received in 1992. I was in New Orleans sharing my faith and making disciples when I noticed that a lot of people could not grasp or see the real, living Jesus. After a long day of sharing my faith and running into this wall of apathy, I prayed under my breath, "They just don't get it".   That night I was given this dream:   I was in a black cast-iron helicopter, seated with Jesus. I was surrounded by total PEACE. I was there to observe what was happening below. In the air were other black cast-iron helicopters, also. (The helicopters were cast-iron, strong and shielded. This represents the protection afforded those who are seated with Christ in heavenly places. They will witness the judgment but not be affected by it. The helicopters are "in the air" for our battle is not against flesh & blood but principalities and powers, rulers of the air.)   To my right was a skyscraper that resembled the Bank One Tower in downtown Fort Worth. I looked down and noticed several tornadoes sprouting on the ground, growing in numbers and growing in intensity. I looked again at the skyscraper. The skyscraper began to shatter. (The skyscraper represents man-made prosperous mega churches; towers of Babel. Those who try to reach to the heavens without Jesus, the foundation they build on is SELF.) Some of the shattered glass came into the helicopter and into my mouth and on my arm. I spit out the glass and wiped the glass from my arm. (Joyce: Jesus showed me in 1992 that 8 years later these ministries would briefly influence me. The shattered glass represents their easily shattered false teachings. The shattered glass went in my mouth because I spoke these false teachings, but later spit them out. The glass was on my arm because my works were influenced by these teachings. The megachurch ministers are being bribed as we speak to join into a corporate false prophet to trap the harlot body into the U.S./U.N. Bablon DS Tower of Babel.)  I looked down again and there was a theological seminary building. (I used to live down the street from the Southwestern Baptist Seminary so I recognized it as a theology building.) Jimmy Swaggart ran out of the building and down the stairs. He was running as if he was very frightened. (Some megachurch leaders will discover the trap they and their followers have been led into as their rights are taken away and the mark of the beast approaches.) (Fear of judgment coming to apostate teachers and their false doctrines that are taught in the prosperous religious institutions of man.) He was wearing a nice shiny suit and he got into a green Mercedes Benz. (The Mercedes represents materialism, and the color of the car is green, which represents money and envy.)   The wind took the Mercedes and it was being blown around in a circle very fast. (They will be very disoriented because of their lack of understanding and the judgments to come.) The earth split open and the Mercedes crashed into the uprooted earth. (Just as the "earth opened its mouth" and swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram because they were usurping the authority of the truly ordained servants of God.)   I then looked down and saw BLIND EYES on a man who was running without shirt and shoes. (The blind eyes represent the ministers to whom it is not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom. The lack of a shirt represents the ministers who have not put on the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching and works. Having no shoes says that they have not been shod with the preparation of the true gospel of peace. They and their lukewarm churches are BLIND and NAKED.) The man was yelling, "The occult! The occult!" (As in Jesus' day, the apostates will blame their problems on the true servants of God, who to them are always of the devil. However, their judgment is from God and only through the mouth of God's servants.)   End of dream   You see the judgments are on the false teachers, false doctrines, religious institutions, prosperity preachers and those who have profited at the expense of the blind, lukewarm sheep. Jesus answered my prayer with understanding in 1992. The apostates "just don't get it".   An interesting confirmation is that the skyscraper in the dream was across the street where I worked in 2000 in Ft. Worth. A tornado hit downtown Ft. Worth and that skyscraper was shattered and stood condemned for years. The glass came into our building and we had a lot of damage. I picked that glass off my desk and carpet for months. Things that make you go, “Hmmm”!   My prayer: Father in the name of Jesus give us a love for Your Word. A desire to be holy before You. A desire to please You and You alone. Lord, give us this gift, we desperately need it! Lord, judgment is at the door and we need a Passover. Yet many, many of your people are defiled by their thought life, and they deserve no Passover. They're defiled by what comes out of their mouth and what is in their feet as far as the way they walk. I ask You to give everyone a respect for the foundation, a respect for the Standard, which is Jesus Christ and what is upright. Everybody should fear the Plumb-line. Everybody needs to fear to be straight up and down with God. Lord, we ask You to give Your people a deep, deep respect for the Word of God, so that they can be transformed by their renewing of their mind, so that they can escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man. Lord give us that grace to escape all these things that we see coming upon the world. Lord we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. 

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

Matt Dathan from The Times joins Kathryn to talk about England's win at the Euros, and Keir Starmer's first week as British Prime Minister, appointing his first cabinet and junior ministers.

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

download the notes here:https://esm.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/07.06.24-.2024-Congregation-TM-Notes.pdf__________________________________________________Numbers 16:1-3 Now Korach, קרח the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, theson of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son ofPeleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, withcertain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of theassembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gatheredthemselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them,Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy every oneof them, and the LORD is among them: Wherefore then lift ye up yourselvesabove the congregation of the LORD?

Chazal learn the extent of our obligation to heal machlokes from the way Moshe pursued peace with Dathan and Aviram. Lessons from Moshe's perseverance, and from the positive outcomes it produced. Have a good Shabbos

An exclusive 3+ hour interview with a Seri*l Kill*r from North Carolina who became one of Central America's most lethal and infamous assassins. Wild Bill is now serving 47 years in Panama prison.

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This is the Silver Lake Mennonite Church Sunday morning sermon by Dathan Stoltzfus. Visit our website for more info about our church: https://silverlakemennonitechurch.com

This episode of Psalm 106 begins with verse 24.Nine portions of Israel's history and Israel's Scriptures  are used to stress Israel's unfaithfulness and God's mercy in spite of their sin.106:6-12 The events in Egypt and at the Red Sea- Exodus 14-15106:13-15 The lusting or craving for quail in the wilderness- Numbers 11106:16-18 The rebellion of Dathan and Abiram- Numbers 16106:19-23 The worship of the calf at Mt. Horeb- Exodus 32106:24-27 The spies discourage the  people from taking the land- Num. 13-14106:28-31 The idols of Baal-peor- Num. 25106:32-33 The rebellion at the waters of Meribah- Num. 20:2-13106:34-39 The failure of Israel to drive out the Canaanites- Josh. 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13; Judges 1:27-36106:40-46 The time of the Judges where the people sink down into sin yet God deliveres them time after time- Judges 3:7-16:31.

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Instagram is unparalleled in its capacity to stir up envy within us; and envy is unparalleled in its power to destroy relationships. In this episode, Cameron and Anna uncover the backbone of envy and talk about the truths from God's word that provide the corrective for our jealousy and covetousness. Resources:The Agony of Instagram by Alex WilliamsThe Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World by Melissa KrugerThe Problem of Demandingness by Larry CrabbScriptures:Cain and Abel (Gen 4)Jacon and Esau (Gen 27-29)Saul and David (1 Samuel 18-31)Joseph and His Brothers (Gen 37)Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num. 16)The Backbone of Envy:Not recognizing and being grateful for what you have.Believing God is holding out on you.Believing that getting what you want will make you happy.Demandingness- wanting what you want RIGHT NOW!Not desiring good things to happen to other people.Not trusting in God's providence. Follow us @rootedministry!

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.