Podcasts about father himself

They had pierced Jesus' hands and feet... but His Spirit pierced them to the heart. Besides the witness of the miracles that the Lord performed, corroborating the testimony of John the Baptist and the voice of the Father Himself, there was Another. He came a bit later. But when the third Person of the Trinity spoke, He spoke with power, and He spoke in every language. Let's listen to the conclusion of Jim's sermon, Beyond the Resurrection Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS04182025_0.mp3Scripture References: Luke, Acts, Revelation, John

Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."True peace cannot exist apart from God. Man, in his natural sinful state, is at enmity with his Maker--alienated, hostile, and rebellious against Him. Yet He, in sovereign mercy, sent His Son to reconcile God-hating sinners to Himself, through the sin-atoning blood of the cross. And now, those whom He has redeemed, are called to reflect His heart by becoming peacemakers--instruments of reconciliation, pleading with men to be reconciled to God.This beatitude does not speak of those who merely promote harmony between man and man--but those who labor to bring ungodly rebels into peace with God. These true peacemakers are those who understand that the greatest war in the universe is not between nations, but between the Creator and His sinful creatures--and they strive to intervene.But this is not a work of fleshly effort, or clever persuasion. It is the humble, God-glorifying task of proclaiming the gospel--the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save wicked sinners. The peacemaker knows the terror of judgment and the beauty of grace--and so with prayer and bold love, he points guilty souls to the only Savior. He speaks of . . . God's holiness, man's utter ruin in sin, Christ's sin-atoning work on the cross, and the free offer of peace through faith in Him.And what is the promise? "They will be called sons of God"--by the glorious Father Himself! For in imitating their Heavenly Father's reconciling love, they reflect His likeness. Just as Christ--the great Peacemaker--was called the Son of God, so too are those who carry His message of reconciliation to the world.

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (2) (audio) David Eells – 3/9/25 Lets begin with a look at the Parable of the leaders choosing positions of honor and the guests at the marriage feast in (Luk.14:7) And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, (8) When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, (9) and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. We know Jesus also spoke a parable about a king who made a marriage feast for his son, obviously pointing to the Father as the King and Himself being the Son (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24). And we know that the disciples were invited to the marriage feast in the early church, although many of the Jews refused, therefore God turned to the Gentiles and invited them (Matthew 22:3-6,9-10). Are we still invited today? Of course. We're invited to partake of the “bread and the wine,” representing the Body and Blood of Christ, which is the Nature and the Life of Jesus Christ. Paul said, (1Co.11:23) For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; (24) and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. (26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. (27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. (29) For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. (30) For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. (31) But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. So who is it that could desire the most honorable seats in this marriage feast, as we feast and partake of Jesus Christ? Well, it could be somebody who craves a position or a title that they have not earned, or who desires to partake of an ordination that has not necessarily been given them by God. The Lord is saying through this parable that you should take the more humble place and let God make a way for you. Growing up in God is to let Him “open the doors” to make a way for us. Many people love to partake of titles and position and places of authority, and far too many have been ordained of men and not of God. They've taken a position that hasn't been given them by the King of the marriage feast, and one day they may be told, “Step down; this is not your place. This is given to someone else more worthy.” (Luk.14:10) But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee. (11) For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. We really need to remember that for our own good. God will bring down anybody who is proud or arrogant, or who takes a position that's not theirs because it's been given to them by man instead of God. “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” While we are here, we have the opportunity to humble ourselves in order to be exalted of the Lord, and this is the way of prosperity and blessing in the Kingdom. We have every reason to be humble because we really can do nothing without Him. Of our own ability, we haven't much hope. We read in the previous study, (Joh.5:19) Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing… Did you know that in this text Jesus was speaking of the relationship between not only Himself and His Father, but of Himself as our Father? Isaiah calls Jesus “Everlasting Father,” howbeit the Hebrew actually says “Father of Eternity.” (Isa.9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of Peace, the Father of Eternity, the One that is placed over the government of everything by God. Jesus is the last Adam and our spiritual Father, as we can see also in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 14:13-20; Luke 8:4- 5). (Mat.13:18) Hear then ye the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. (20) And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; (21) yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. (22) And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (23) And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Jesus sowed the Seed in our heart that brings forth His fruit in us. He is our spiritual Adam, the Father of the born-again creation, of the born-again man, just as Adam was the Father of the natural creation. Now, since “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing,” that means anything we do that's contrary to what we see our spiritual Father Jesus doing, is coming from ourselves. And since the apostles are our spiritual forefathers in the faith, anything we do that's contrary to what we see them doing is coming from ourselves, too (Romans 4:11-12; Hebrews 12:9). As Paul said, (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. So notice it says, “what he seeth the Father doing.” Jesus obviously was in the Throne Room as well as on the earth. He saw the Father's Presence, and we know that's going to be true of the Man-child in our day. That's why we study the Scriptures to see what it is to be a Christian disciple, what it is to walk in the Steps of Jesus and be blessed. Jesus said, (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing… And certainly if Jesus can of Himself do nothing, if He needed the Power of the Father to do what He did, then we also can of ourselves do nothing. We, too, need the Power of God, and that lets us know that when something is done for His glory, when something is accomplished for His Kingdom, we can take no credit for it, just as Jesus here was taking no credit. (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Only if we, too, desire God's Will in what we're doing, only if we are not driven by our own lusts or ambitions, only then can we be trusted to work for God because we will not take any credit for it. (Joh.5:31) If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. Another part of humility is that we're not to bear witness of ourselves. Who are we? Who do we have to prove ourselves to? When those apostate Pharisees came to Jesus, they wanted Him to give them a sign that He was Who He said He was, but they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear, because He had been doing those wondrous works as signs all along. Well, Jesus answered them, (Mat.16:4) An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign… He wasn't saying signs are wrong; He was saying that they were an evil and adulterous generation for wanting a sign that He was Who He said He was, when they should have very easily judged by His works. In other words, “I'm not going to give it to you.” He wasn't interested in proving Himself to such people. (Joh.5:32) It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. (Notice that if you don't bear witness of yourself, someone else will bear witness of you.) (Joh.30:36) But the witness which I have is greater than [that of] John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish (And remember, He said that He couldn't do the works of Himself.), the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (37) And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me… Jesus didn't bear witness of Himself so the Father bore witness of Him. And how did the Father bear witness of Him? It was through the works that Jesus did. We find this very important principle all through the New Testament. If we want God to bear witness through us in His signs, His wonders, His works, then we can't bear witness of ourselves. (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. Was He meaning that the people who received glory from men, didn't receive glory from God because their witness was of men and not of God? That's exactly what He's saying. They were interested in pleasing men, not God. They were interested in enjoying the esteem of men, not God. And there are many who receive glory in this life but will receive none in the next life (Matthew 6:1-6,16-21). (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. (43) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Jesus wasn't interested in pleasing men. He saw always before His face the Father. He was here to please the Father and we also have to desire in our heart to be pleasing only unto Him, and to give glory only unto Him, so that God Himself will be a Witness of us. (Joh.30:44) How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that [cometh] from the only God ye seek not? People love to be seen of men as being prosperous, wise, and even gifted. These are manpleasers, so it's important to them to be seen of men in this way. Instead, if we love God, we will humble ourselves. We know Him and we will practice His Presence because we're interested in pleasing Him. The people that Jesus was running into here couldn't believe because their desire to receive glory from man was not permitting it. (Joh.12:42) Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: (43) for they loved the glory [that is] of men more than the glory that is of God. They believed, but they were afraid to act on it and it's the same today. When you give a witness that may be contrary to the traditions of men, manpleasers are afraid to listen, they're afraid to follow, because they're not interested in pleasing God. They're afraid of acting on that truth because they would be rejected by men. They would be looked down upon by their peers, and it's more important to them to please their peers, their religion and their pastor, than it is for them to accept Truth. You know, God makes an offer to you to accept Truth, and if you reject it, if you cast it down, He takes it back and you may not get that offer again. Many of these people did not receive that offer again. Truth was offered to them and if it wasn't important to be pleasing unto God, if it was more important to them to have the glory of man, well, then that's all they got. Jesus glorified not Himself even when a great multitude came to Him. (Joh.6:1) After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias. (2) And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. (3) And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. (4) Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. (5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? So He went from them and up into the mountain, but after a while, it appears that they came up there, too. Not many people can turn aside from the admiration or praise, or even curiosity, of the multitude. Following God is not more important to them than pleasing a multitude, but Jesus could do that and throughout His ministry, we see that He did do that. He wasn't seeking the glory of man and therefore, God glorified Him. Now let's read on because when Jesus didn't seek the glory of man, immediately afterward He fed the five thousand in one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? (6) And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. (7) Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. (8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, (9) There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many? (10) Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (11) Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. (12) And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. (13) So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. (14) When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. God was putting that in their heart because Jesus had rejected a desire to be a man pleaser, and in the very next verse, He rejected that again. (Joh.5:15) Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. So He left the multitudes again, not seeking to be a manpleaser, not wanting to be glorified of man, not wanting to take a position that God did not want Him to take, that is, as a worldly ruler with physical authority. He wanted the spiritual Kingdom that the Father offered unto Him. The devil had offered Him the authority over the physical kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13) and now the people wanted to come and make Jesus King, but He desired nothing of that. Unfortunately, I guarantee you there are many people today who would love that, not realizing that they would do it to their own destruction because, if you receive the glory of man, you don't receive the glory of God. Since Jesus turned down the glory of man here, He glorified not Himself, notice that once again He did one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:16) And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea; (17) and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. (18) And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. (19) When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. (20) But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. (21) They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going. Every time Jesus turned down the glory of man, the Father glorified Him by the works that He did. Many of God's people want to have power with God; they want to meet the needs of the brethren around them; they want to heal the sick; they want to cast out devils. They want to do the works of Jesus, and rightly so, but we're seeing here that the works of Jesus don't come through just faith, but also through humility. God sought to glorify Jesus because Jesus didn't seek to glorify Himself. He was not interested in being a manpleaser, as He said, (Joh.5:41) I receive not glory from men. And after Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the Jews asked him, (Joh.5:12) … Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up [thy bed,] and walk? (13) But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. Jesus didn't seek exposure to the crowd. He didn't seek to be known even to this man whom He had healed. Jesus was seeking to glorify the Father and not Himself, just as every minister of God, even those that are sent by God, which are the minority, will be tried in this manner to see if they will accept for themselves the glory that should go to God. If they will rob the glory of God by taking credit for what God is doing, well, then God will not glorify them. Jesus conveyed Himself away because He didn't seek the credit for what God did. He didn't seek the glory for what God did even though God did this miracle through Him. (Luk.5:12) And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (13) And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. (14) And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (And since He did not seek to be known for this work that God did, what happened?) (15) But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. (16) But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed. Jesus didn't seek the multitudes; they sought Him. And because He didn't seek to be known of them nor to gain credit of them nor to take a position over them, we see once again, God glorified Him. God moved in the heart of the people and they sought Him. This is an important point for us to understand. The Lord is our Example and we are His disciples, His “learners and followers.” It's important for us to know what it is to walk pleasing unto the Father because we need the power of the Father, His grace, His mercy. Humility brings the glory of the Father. Let's look at another example in (Mar.1:23) And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, (24) saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (25) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, (Here He is being glorified even of the demons and He wouldn't permit it. They were speaking out and glorifying Him, saying Who He was, yet He wouldn't permit it.) and come out of him.  (26) And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. (27) And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. (28) And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. Jesus sought not to glorify Himself. He sought not to take full advantage of the situation, and because He didn't, just the opposite happened. Because He was found trustworthy that He would not rob the glory of God, God turned it around and glorified Him. Also in the same book, we read, (Mar.5:18) And as he (This is Jesus.) was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him. (19) And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee. (Some people think that Jesus is talking about Himself, but He was talking about the Father.) (20) And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men marvelled. Jesus didn't seek His Own glory. Jesus sought earnestly to give all the glory to God, and because He did that, God gave it to Jesus instead. As disciples of Jesus, we have the same opportunity to always give God the glory. We don't want to rob God, even in things that we might consider to be insignificant. Jesus said to the Jews, (Joh.8:50) But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. He was humble, therefore the Father sought to glorify Him and as we saw, one way the Father did that was through the works that Jesus did. Many are seeking to do the works of Jesus because they see the need around them, and if they are walking in humility, then God gives them grace to have faith, because these people are the ones that God can trust with power and authority. They will not steal and rob the glory of God; they will not puff themselves up until they stumble and fall. (Joh.54) Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing (Now, you can glorify yourself and, in the earth, your glory wouldn't be nothing, but Jesus is saying that if He glorified Himself, His glory in the Kingdom would be nothing.): it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. Once again, we see that we have to be very, very careful not to take credit for something that we're not capable of doing. Of ourselves, we can do nothing. Instead, we give all the glory to God and seek to avoid the limelight, not taking a position that we shouldn't take. (2Co.10:17) But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Always! Paul also tells us, (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. (Therefore, we have nothing to glory about because we are weak and He is strong.) Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Notice that the power of Christ will rest upon the person who glories in their weaknesses, their inability, their lack of power. God will glorify those persons who will claim no credit, who will not glorify themselves, who will not lift themselves up to take a position that's not theirs. These are the people that God will glorify with “the power of Christ.” (2Co.10:18) For not he that commendeth himself is approved (Approved of Whom? Approved of God.), but whom the Lord commendeth. Those who commend themselves obviously don't receive the glory or the commendation of God. Instead, they get only the commendation and glory of men, and if we receive it here on this earth, that's all the reward we're going to get. (Pro.27:1) Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. We think that we have control over tomorrow. We often say, “we'll do this,” or, “we'll do that; “we'll go here,” or, “we'll go there,” but God said all of our plans are evil. (Jas.4:13) Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: (14) whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. (16) But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. We have no authority to make plans for our future. We need to say, “If the Lord wills.” We need to give glory to God because (Act.17:28) … in him we live, and move, and have our being… Our very breath comes from Him and if He doesn't give it to us tomorrow, we won't be here tomorrow (Job 12:10,33:4; Daniel 5:23). He is the One Who makes it possible for us to do anything. We can do nothing without Him, as Jesus said in (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. It is sin to brag about what we're going to do with this life. It doesn't belong to us; it's been bought with the Blood of the Lamb. (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth… We don't have any room for bragging. We glory in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon us. We glory in our inability. We glory in those situations where we can't save ourselves and only God can do it. If you want God to save you, then glory in your weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon you. If you want God to save you, if you want His power, then brag about your inability and His power because, if anyone glories, “let him glory in the Lord.” (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips. That's good advice since, once again, you're being humble before the Lord and you're not accepting any glory, so the Father Himself is the One that will glorify you. (Pro.25:27) It is not good to eat much honey: So for men to search out their own glory is grievous. A similar verse says, (Pro.25:16) Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. These are talking about something that's sweet to the flesh, and something that's sweet to the flesh is receiving glory, but to search out your own glory is bitter because in the end, it leads only to suffering and sorrow. (Pro.30:32) If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth. If we want the Lord's grace, if we want His faith, if we want His power, if we want Him to manifest His works through us, we need to be careful what we say before Him. (Mar.10:35) And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. (36) And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? (37) And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. (38) But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? (I would say that is the cup of suffering.) or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Baptism is for death, so in other words, “Are you able to go to death?” And what is “death”? Is it not to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus? Is it not to deny self the ability to glory or take any credit for what God does? (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. They were very self-confident, weren't they? Remember that Peter was the same way. He told Jesus, (Mat.26:35) … Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. However, Peter really didn't know what was in him, did he? And James and John didn't know what was in them, either. “We are able.” Now we know God did make them able because they did go to their cross, but they were young and impetuous here and didn't understand exactly what all this entailed. (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: (40) but to sit on my right hand or on [my] left hand is not mine to give; but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared. (41) And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. James and John were trying to get ahead of the flock, trying to get some special attention, a special privilege from Jesus here that they hadn't yet earned. Now it's obvious that there are some people who will sit on the Lord's left and right, and it is given to them of the Father because they have borne their baptism, they have borne their cross, they have drunk the cup that Jesus drank. (Mar.10:42) And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. (43) But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (The word there is diákonos, and it just means “servant.”); (44) and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. (So the more people you serve, the better.) (45) For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. A “ransom” is a price that's paid to set somebody free from bondage. Does this mean that the Lord expects us to give up our life in order to be used of Him to set many free from bondage? Yes. Just as Jesus came to be a Ransom for many, each of us, also, if we give up our life, is able to be used of Him to bring many out of bondage and into the Kingdom of God. The Bible tells us to (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. He came, He laid aside all of His omnipotence and made Himself poor, that we through His poverty might become rich in the ways of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 8:9), and He expects us to walk in His Steps. Let's look at one example that particularly points out the humility of Jesus and how He commanded His disciples to walk in that humility. (Joh.13:1) Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (2) And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son,] to betray him, (3) [Jesus,] knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God, (4) riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. (5) Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciple's feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. What do you think this foot washing represents? There's nothing wrong with a physical foot washing. It's a humble thing to do, and especially so in Biblical times because the way they traveled meant their feet got very dirty. Well, there's a spiritual type and shadow there, because as we “walk” in this world, it's very likely that our “feet” get dirty with this world. “Sanctification” is “the process of being separated from the world,” and we want to be a part of that separating process for all of our brethren, for everybody that comes in contact with us. That's what Jesus was pointing out here. Again, I'm not denying the physical ceremony of the foot washing, which is good, but we need to understand the spiritual type and shadow here. The Lord put off His clothes and He girded Himself with a towel. We all are putting off our “clothing”; we're putting off the old man and the old life, and we're putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, representing His righteousness and His righteous works (Romans 13:14). (Joh.13:6) So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter. (8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Now that's not just a physical foot washing here. This is something spiritual and much more important. If the Lord doesn't wash us, of course we have nothing to do with Him and He has nothing to do with us. We have to be washed by the water of the Word, as Paul called it (Ephesians 5:26-27). And we especially need the dirt washed off our feet because our walk with God has to be a clean walk. We need to be separated from the world, and we also have a part in helping our brethren to walk in this way. (Joh.13:9) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. In other words, if you wash your feet, you're clean all over. If you have a clean walk with the Lord, the reason for that is that your heart is right before Him so you're clean everywhere else, too. (11) For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. Evil people can't walk a clean walk before the Lord. Righteous people can walk a clean walk because of what's inside them. (Joh.13:12) So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? (13) Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (As the Lord, Who is the mighty King Who has come down out of heaven and has stooped to be our Servant, we also need to be servants to each other.) (15) For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. We have to humble ourselves. If the Lord of glory humbled Himself, and He gave us an example, then we have to humble ourselves. We have to be useful in the sanctification of our brothers and sisters, but we're only able to be used of the Lord as we become righteous. That towel represented His righteousness; He dried their feet with His Own righteousness and we're able to be used of the Lord the same way. (Joh.13:16) Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. (17) If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. (18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. (19) From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he]. The greatest is the servant of all, but all will not become servants of the brethren because they serve themselves. They seek their own glory, therefore God can't seek to glorify them. A person who seeks their own glory cannot be trusted with God's glory. They cannot be trusted. They would squander it on the world, on self, and glorify self. It would be very destructive to them for God to do this. Now, does God do this with some people? Yes, however, they won't ultimately have a position with God in the Kingdom. There are people who have received gifts of God, but then they continue to seek their own glory. Does God take the gift back? No, He doesn't necessarily even take the gift back. He uses them. For example, they may be used in healing but they themselves may never see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus warned us, (Mat.7:22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. God can use us down here as a vessel, yet it won't be for our good; it will be for the good of others around us. If we lift ourselves up, we won't be in God's Kingdom. We won't be acceptable unto Him. And so we see here that Jesus humbled Himself in order to wash the disciples' feet. Our Lord wants us to walk in His Steps. He is our Example, therefore we also need to be very humble servants of God for the health and sake of the brethren. We've learned too much from Babylonish Christianity that we need to be washed of, and we see far too many examples of men who have lifted themselves up. They've made themselves a kingdom here and live in very high circumstances, with luxurious homes and grossly overpaid positions. They have chosen to be kings over their Lord's heritage, and at the end, they're not going to have anything. God knows His servants. (1Sam.16:7) But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. God doesn't see as man sees. He knows who are humble towards Him. He knows who are sacrificing themselves. He knows who are trying to avoid taking any glory from Him. He knows them and He will glorify them. He will not only glorify them in this life, He will glorify them in the next life. Some of the most famous Christians down here will not be famous in the Kingdom of Heaven because they have stolen, robbed, the glory of God, and God cannot permit that. Some of the people who have never been known down here, are never known because they don't seek to be known. Some of these people are going to be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Isa.55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Some of the most humble people here, “humble” meaning not interested in glorifying themselves, not interested in lifting themselves up, are going to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, and they are great in the Kingdom of Heaven, as far as God is concerned. Jesus sought a simple life. He sought not to have and do the things that men thought were great. He didn't mind speaking Truth, even if it offended the high and the mighty. He didn't mind leaving the multitudes behind in order to go seek fellowship with the Father (Matthew 14:13; Luke 4:42; Mark 1:35; etc.) We need to emulate Him. Jesus had such a desire to meet the needs of the people, that in some cases, He was working night and day (Matthew 8:24- 25,13:2; Mark 3:9; etc.) Jesus said, (Mat.8:20) … The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. He didn't have any time for Himself and I believe that God has some servants down here who are doing the same thing. They see the need, they're moved with compassion, and they go to meet the need, but not for the glory of man. Jesus wasn't doing it for the glory of man because He didn't mind leaving the multitudes and going up into the mountains to pray. He's our Example, and as the Bible tells us, (1Jn.2:5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Now I have a couple of revelations to share with you.     The Glorious Bride's Fruit B.A.- 01/30/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] The second dream (below) occurred the night after this one; they show the glorious Bride and God's work to raise the Church. I had a neat dream last night. I dreamed that I was translated into UBM's Friday night Bible study. (After the Bride is manifested, she will be seen in many places where the unleavened Word is shared among the disciples of the David Man-child reformers, just as John the Baptist saw the Bride among the disciples of Jesus, the Son of David.) (2Ti.2:15 Give diligence (“study”) to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.) I dreamed that as I was translated into the back of the assembly, I walked up and sat down in the row directly behind everyone. (The last shall be first.) (The Bride who puts themselves last and others first will be first. The Bride who puts themselves last and the Lord and His Word first will be first.) Brother David was in front of the assembly (in a blue polo-like shirt with stripes and blue jeans). (The stripes represent that the Man-child/Davids will have taken the persecution [for the body's sake]. Blue represents walking in grace or heavenly places.) He saw me come in and take my seat. He looked at me with great interest, but he never stopped talking. People began to turn around and look at me, one at a time. They didn't stare at me; they just looked and turned back around. (Son.6:10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Terrible as an army with banners? This is the Bride. 13 Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?) (You will notice that the Bride is not any local assembly but wherever the Davids are teaching, they will be among the disciples, as it was with Jesus, according to John, who said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom”. This shows us that the Bride will know the voice of the groom in the Man-child/Davids. There are local bodies that the Lord is choosing to purge of unfruitful people as a good foundation for more saints to come.) When the service was over, I stood up and instantly I was gone. (The Bride will take the Davids' teachings throughout the earth; much translation will happen among them.) In the dream, after I was gone, I heard Brother David say to the assembly, “Did you all see that woman who came in and sat in the back? Did you notice that she was surrounded in light?” Some people spoke up and said, “Yes, we did”. (The glorious Bride will be an example to those who come after her, having departed from transgression by the Lord's redemption. Isa.59:20 And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah. 21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee (the Bride), and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth (the Bride will speak and obey the Word), nor out of the mouth of thy seed (the Bride's spiritual children), nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed (and their children), saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah had much to prophesy concerning Zion, the Bride, and the effect of the glorious light of God's Word manifested in her by the Spirit of God, bringing great revival. Isa.60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. The children of the Bride will come to the light in the Bride from all over the world.) 14 And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet (The apostates will be humbled under the Davids and the Bride); and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations... 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders (the Beast persecutors among God's people will have no authority there); but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation (to enter the Bride, Jerusalem, will be to manifest the salvation that many only have by faith), and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time. (Great fruit will come from the glorious Bride.) The Man-child's ministry to the Bride and Church is in the next chapter. Isa.61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. Isa.62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah (meaning “my delight is in her”), and thy land Beulah (meaning “married”); for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.     Bride Saves the Apostate Church from Enemies B.A.- 01/31/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] I dreamed that I was in Tennessee for a visit. I was hungry, so I stopped at a fast-food restaurant to get something to eat. (It's “fast food” because time is running out. The Israelites were told to eat their Passover quickly before leaving Egypt. Exo.12:11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.) As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an elderly woman walking slowly with a cane. (This is the old order, mother Church. They have been with the Lord for many years but too crippled by false teachings to walk in the Spirit.) (The Lord promises them restoration: Zec.8:4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.) I happened to look up ahead toward the door and I noticed that there was about a four- or five-inch curb. (Four is the Word and it brings tribulation to the carnal man, but five is grace given to us that brings us through the tribulation of our life.) The curb was in front of the door. (Joh.10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. “Pasture” is food.) I knew that this elderly woman might have some difficulty trying to step up from the curb of the parking lot and onto the sidewalk by the door. (6:54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. It's a “sidewalk” because it's beside the shepherds' tents. Sol.1:8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.) I walked up to her and asked her if I could help her and she was happy for my offer of help. (Much trouble is coming to the old order because they have not yet understood that the promises of God are there to deliver them.) She had noticed the tall curb as well and was wondering if she would be able to make that step up from the curb. (They don't have the real Gospel which empowers them to manifest salvation in all things. Rom.1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth... The Bride will be there to help them with understanding and the Word will be confirmed with signs and wonders following.) So I helped her inside the restaurant and to a table.  (Eze.34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and on the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Israel.) She introduced herself to me and told me her name was Mabel (Her name is of uncertain derivation, but from the Spanish or Italian, it means both “beautiful” and “soft, tender”, some say loving, lovable”.) and I told her my name. (Many in the old order Church are innocent and the true Gospel will bring life in them. They are walking in the light that they have, like God says in Rom.14:4 He shall be made to stand for the Lord hath power to make him stand.) (Humility and innocence are valuable to the Lord. 1Pe.3:4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.) I took her order and went up to the counter and got our food and brought it back to the table. She offered me $10 to pay for her food. (Ten is the number of the law and the old order is used to paying for everything and not receiving freely by grace.) I told her it was a blessing for me to bless her. (Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give”.) I told her it would be a pleasure for me to sit and have my meal with her. She was so happy to have my company. She told me she was waiting for her daughter, Jean, who was always very late. (In the natural, we are told to “let your yes be yes and your no be no”, and this is true for those who are truthful but not for liars. As far as the spiritual gifts of God, they will also be late for what the Lord has for them.) (Rom.13:11 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. ... Mat.25:10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. Rev.3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.) We had such a wonderful time. Mabel told me that she was a widow. (Our first husband is Satan, for we are submitted to him and we have ears for him. When he is dead to us, we are ready for the Lord.) She was meeting her daughter at the restaurant to discuss the possibility of her going into an assisted living home, as she was getting too old to live by herself. (Instead of being a minister of God's grace, the children turn to the ways of the world and rarely repay the kindness owed to their mentors.) I saw Mabel look toward the door, so I turned around and I saw a woman who appeared to be in her mid-60s (Mid-60s means lukewarm, midway between 60, the Gematria for “world”, and 70 identifies the number of disciples that were sent by Jesus and Moses.) She came through the door and walked toward us. She looked at me with disapproval on her face, then over to her mother. I stood up and introduced myself to her, but she wasn't very receptive to me. Just then, Mabel spoke up and told her daughter, Jean, how I had helped her. Jean then looked back at me and said, “I'm here now, so you can leave”. (The factious have always hated the Bride and consider themselves superior to them. They have lusted for a position over the church but don't have the fruit or gift from God to take care of her.) I reached down and picked up my purse and said goodbye to Mabel and left the restaurant. As I walked across the parking lot to my car, I prayed in the spirit for Mabel and her daughter, Jean. (The Bride is gracious and prays for the old order Christians and the factious.) As I got into my car, I had an open vision. I could see Mabel and Jean inside the restaurant. I saw Jean sit down where I had been sitting across from Mabel (seeking to usurp the position of the Bride). I watched as Jean began to scold her mother for “taking up” with strangers (in Proverbs, the stranger is the Harlot), and she began saying very unkind things about me. Jean said to her mother, “Can't you tell by the way people are dressed, Mother, that you should not associate with them?” (Slanderers of the Bride are now making themselves known to the Church.) Then it was Mabel's turn to speak. She said, “First of all, that kind woman helped me into the restaurant (helped her to find spiritual food). I'm sure she had other things to do, like you do, but she took the time to help me. Then, she went the extra mile”. (The Bride sacrifices for the Church. The factious sacrifice the Church to their own ego.) She asked me what I would like to eat and she went and got it and brought it back to me. (Job.23:12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Joh.6:56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.) She would not accept any money from me, unlike what you do. (They make merchandise of the people and do nothing freely.) (Act.8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.) And as for the way she was dressed, her clothing was of much more value than yours. (Rom.13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts [thereof]. Rev.19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.) Just then, Jean spoke up and said, “Oh, I really don't think so, Mother”, in a very prideful tone of voice. (Pro.16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.) Mabel said, “Oh, yes, she is wearing 'clothes of righteousness' and you are wearing clothes of wickedness!” (Isa.59:5 They hatch adders eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.) “She was nothing but kind to me and she treated me as if I were her own mother. I don't understand how you can judge her like that before you know any of the facts!” (They distort and lie about every fact.) Just then, Mabel got up from the table and started heading toward the door. (1Co.5:11 But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.) (Tit.3:10 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.) Her daughter said, “Mother, just where do you think you are going?” Mabel replied, “I'm going home and you can't stop me”. Her daughter said, “But we haven't had our discussion yet about your 'assisted' living arrangement”. Mabel replied, “I've decided that I no longer need any assistance”. (Association with the Bride will bring the old order church out from under the curse that faction and unforgiveness have put on them. Nursing homes are full of them.) As Mabel got to the door, her daughter called out, “Well, Mother, at least come back and get your cane”. Mabel turned around and looked at her daughter and said, “Nope. It appears, Jean, that I don't seem to need it anymore. (Out from under the crutches of religion and free to walk in the Spirit above the curse.) Why don't you just keep it?” (This is exactly the curse on the factious.) And Mabel got into her car and drove off. (Isa.10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.) Then I saw Brother David and a few others sitting in a booth several feet away and they had witnessed the entire thing. (Mat.18:16 But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. 2Co.13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word established.) (We are witnesses of this atrocity against the Bride and Church. God Himself, by these dreams, is witnessing against these atrocities against His people.)

John 16:16-33 (NKJV) 16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, ‘because I go to the Father'?”18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while'? We do not know what He is saying.”19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'?20 “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.21 “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.22 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.24 “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;27 “for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.28 “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!30 “Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?32 “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMatthew 17Jesus takes His closest three disciples on a high mountain and is transfigured right before their eyes. Peter, James, and John are amazed at Jesus' face shining like the sun. The Father then speaks and says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” Following this incredible event, Matthew records something unfortunate. A boy has a demon that the disciples cannot cast out. Jesus is frustrated at their unbelief, stating this as the reason they fail to help the boy. Jesus strongly advises prayer and fasting! Faith would be crucial very soon, as Jesus again describes that He must die and be raised on the third day. The chapter ends with Jesus casually fetching poll-tax money from a fish's mouth, indicating how little such things are of concern to Him.  We have every reason to believe in the power of Christ. He is God's Son and is testified as such by the Father Himself. We must live by faith in Him. This does not mean we always understand everything about Him. The disciples had questions about what to do on the mountain and the significance of Elijah's appearance. A lack of understanding is not a lack of faith. But later, the disciples did not trust in Christ's power to cast out demons through them, and Jesus was extremely upset by their doubt. They needed more prayer and fasting to fortify their trust, especially with great trials coming. We may not always understand, but we must always believe! Glorious Father of Light, thank You for announcing and proving the name of Jesus. By Your proclamation, and by Jesus' miracles and life, we believe! Help our unbelief, wherever it may be found. Father, will you hear our questions and continue to be patient with our lack of understanding? We pray this will not be counted as a lack of faith. But Lord, strengthen us to never doubt what Christ can do with us, around us, and through us. Help us to do great things in the name of the One who died and was raised again.   Thought Questions:  -       What would it have been like to see Jesus shine as the Father spoke of Him from heaven? What does it look like to live today as if you had seen it? -       How would prayer and fasting have made all the difference in the disciples being able to cast out demons? What can those practices do for you? -       If Jesus casually paid poll taxes even though He had every right not to, what does that teach us about where our focus and attention should be? 

Send us a comment!Today's TreasureFor I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.  John 12:49Support the show

Offering Up Our Flesh (audio) David Eells 1/19/25 Bearing Our Cross Will Save Souls Sean Lynch - 07/01/2009 (David's notes in red) In a dream the Lord showed me about a coming crucifixion for the brethren. In the dream, I was in either a hotel or some type of big castle. During this dream, there were many events going on, but the Lord is only bringing certain things to my remembrance. In one of the events, I remember I was outside of the hotel and I heard a loudspeaker tuned to a secular radio station and I heard David's voice. He was preaching the gospel to the world. I thought this was awesome because now David's message was going to the whole world and was reaching many people. (Representing the David Man-child reformers.) The next event I remember, I was inside this hotel and I saw a group of people approaching me. Then the fire of God fell upon me with holy boldness because I started preaching the Word with boldness and no fear like the early apostles did when the Holy Spirit fell upon them. (Normally I'm very shy and not bold. The Lord has been working on me with this and I believe He has shown me that He is going to make me speak with boldness. “God's power is made perfect in our weakness”. However, these people did not receive the message of the gospel, as they started laughing and scoffing and went their own way. The next scene I remember, I was in a long walkway with doors on both sides. I believe I was with another brother in Christ. Suddenly, a mountain of a man with long hair, appeared very strong and who looked like a professional wrestler, walked in to pummel whoever got in his path. The other brother took off and both doors shut and I was left alone with this man. (The Lord was forcing me into crucifixion.) I decided I was going to preach the gospel to him which, at the time, seemed crazy because this man looked like he wanted to rip me from limb to limb; however, I felt holy boldness rise up in me and went and stood by the man and preached the Word with boldness to him. After I was done preaching, he just stood there and looked at me and then proceeded to beat me up very badly. I did not strike back but let him pummel me. I do not know if he had killed me or not but I knew the Lord was showing me to turn the other cheek. I then was taken to another scene where I saw this same man was changed because I did not fight back. He was now a fire-breathing gospel evangelist and was preaching to other people. Next I remember him preaching to a group of people and then he was beaten, as well. I do not know if he was killed. (The Lord had shown me that because of my testimony of turning the other cheek and going to my cross how this man was saved and was allowed to go to his cross.) I remember being deeply touched by this brother who had gone to his cross. I remain touched even now as I'm writing this because the Lord is truly showing me how to lay my life down for the brethren and what is meant to go to our cross. The Lord has shown me that there are many brothers and sisters in the world who will come into the kingdom as a result of our willingness to turn the other cheek and overcome evil by laying our lives down. Please read our book, How Shall We Die     Why Die Walking After the Flesh? SG - 03/01/2011 (David's notes in red) I asked the Lord for a dream and He gave me a very good one. In my dream, there was a woman whose name was Delilah (meaning “weakened, uprooted or impoverished”) who had lost her son. (She was weakened and uprooted because she lost her spiritual man or fruit of the womb of her heart, as in the parable of the sower. How can we lose our spiritual man or fruit? We are shown in Jude 12 Twice dead plucked up by the roots. Jesus said in Joh.15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away.) Some Christians gathered to pray about finding the boy. (Praying for her to find her fruit again.) They were waiting for me to finish washing my teeth. Son.6:6 Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, Which are come up from the washing; Whereof every one hath twins, And none is bereaved among them. Each tooth has its opposite so that a person may be well fed spiritually. Gen.49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk. The teeth must be washed with the milk of the Word. In this way, clean teeth mean partaking of clean spiritual food of the Word.) My son began to pray a mellow prayer and I felt that prayer wouldn't do it. I started to pray with power and faith. We finished and went on the search. I think the boy's name was Elijah (Meaning “my God is YHWH”) and his father's was Onesimus, a carpenter, who was a very good father. (Onesimus was the runaway slave who met Paul and became “profitable or helpful”, as his name means, when he brought forth the fruit of the spiritual man, his son.) I found an old man who was attaching a boy to a pallet. (The “old man” had taken the spiritual man captive. It's called walking in the flesh. A pallet is for moving merchandise around. So the old man makes merchandise of the spiritual man, much like false ministers do.) I went over to him and took the boy off and grabbed him. I put the old man on my side like carrying a baby. (We must take the old man where he would not go, as Jesus said to Peter.) I asked him, “Where is the boy and who do you work for?” He wouldn't say. I said with a firm determination, “I will win”; then he said, “You already won”. (Through Jesus, we have already won against the old man, who works for the flesh and the devil. Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. And in 5:24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.) While still carrying the old man, I noticed the empty packaging of what he had been using to attach the boy and I picked it up. I read the label, hoping to trace it to the kidnappers. The price tag read, “Humble Oct. 6-11”. (The Lord paid the price to set us free from bondage above. And the old man will pay a terrible price for taking authority over the spiritual man. What is “Humble Oct.6-11”? This is the opposite of and solution for what happened above when the old man took authority over the spiritual man. This symbolizes the 10th month or book, 6th chapter, 11th verse, which is 2Sa.6:11 And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house. A Gittite is a Philistine of the city of Gath. This is the old man of the flesh that dwells in the land. When the flesh is “Humble”ed, as Obed was under David, and serves the spiritual man, who is the ark of God's presence, he is blessed. The very next verse says that the ark was taken to the city of David, which is Zion, the Bride. 12 And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy. It is the most joyful thing for the ark of God's presence to rest in the Holy of Holies of our spiritual man in the Holy City. In the time of Eli, the ark was taken captive under the authority of the Philistines or fleshly man in 1 Samuel 4-6 and it brought a curse to all their cities so much that they returned it under the authority of the spiritual man, Israel. So when we walk in the flesh, we bring these curses on us but when the spiritual man is in the lead, we are blessed. The moral of the story is so perfectly written in Rom.8:12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. This warfare against the gods that rule over the flesh man and seek to bring the spiritual man under subjection is spoken of in the New Testament text given in this dream, 10th book, 6th chapter, 11th verse: Eph.6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].     Burn the Wood, Hay and Stubble B. A. - 12/22/2012 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in a dark chamber of some sort. It was so dark I could only make out very faint shadows of something all around me. I decided to light a match so I could see better. As soon as I lit the match, I could see piles and piles of large stacks of wood, hay and stubble (worthless, no spiritual value) all around me. I thought to myself, “Wow! Look at all the useless junk in this place. I had better put this match out or this dry, worthless stuff is going to ignite like a torch!” Just as I was about to extinguish the match, I heard a voice from Heaven say, “ Throw the lit match on the wood, hay and stubble”. Zec.13:9 And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God. 1Pe.1:7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: Job23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Eph.5:26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. (In the midst of the fiery trial, when we reject our own thoughts and works to save ourselves, we cooperate with Father in burning up the wood, hay and stubble that represents fleshly things. Therefore, the command to set them on fire represents this. These works will not survive the test of time and trial, if we reject them.) Suddenly, I realized where I was. I was inside my own heart and this was my wood, hay and stubble. I said, “Yes, Lord, I will set this awful stuff on fire right now!” Pro.17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts. Psa.139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts. As soon as I threw the match onto the largest pile, it immediately shot fiery flames all the way to the top of the chamber. In what appeared like mere seconds, all these piles of useless garbage in the chamber were burning. I thought to myself, “This is the best fire ever!” I just stood, looking all around me, as these beautiful flames were burning off all this worthless junk that had attached itself to the ceiling, walls and floor of my chamber. 1Co.3:12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. (We are sanctified by the burning up of our fleshly man.) After the flames had subsided, a beautiful, brilliant bright light engulfed my entire chamber and I saw Jesus standing in my chamber with me. Oh, praise the Lord! Jesus had a white garment with Him. He came over to me and put the beautiful, white garment on me Himself. I was so happy because I knew this was a bridal garment and Jesus Himself was giving it to me. Thank you, Jesus!     Tribulations: Tests of Obedience Judy Gregerson - 04/02/2010 (David's notes in red) I was walking around with someone and this great wind storm whipped up. (Walking with the Lord as the tribulation arises. Winds of false doctrine and tribulation are coming to test the saints in whether or not they are obeying the Word. We see here that after knowledge comes testing to see who has built on the Rock of obedience.) Mat.7:24 Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: 25 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. 26 And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: 27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof. ... Eph.4:14 that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error.) I was around these huge, old trees and branches started breaking off in the wind. This old growth was not strong; in fact, it looked rotten in these old trees. (The old churches, denominations and ministries that refuse the new growth of the reformation message will die, being revealed as rotten and corrupt by the winds and storms of tribulation now whipping up in the world. Judgments in finances, politics, life, weather, earthquakes, wind, earth, fires and heaven changes, etc. Joh.15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If these old churches were of God, they would bring forth God's fruit as the nature, character and authority of Jesus. But even though they appear great in the eyes of man; inside they are rotten and dead.) And I kept walking and, finally, two or three small pieces of branches came flying at me. (Representing people from the churches who come against us, especially their leaders, just as they persecuted Jesus and His disciples.) One piece about two feet long hit me, but I felt no pain and wasn't hurt. But huge branches were falling all around on other things. (God's judgment on big church leaders and ministries as they FALL in tribulations.) I was amazed about the old growth. I was looking up in these trees and I knew that this old growth (Christians walking in old traditions and error) was all going to be blown off these trees and hurt a lot of things on the ground, but it couldn't hurt me, even when it came FLYING at me with great power. (The Christians living close to the world will suffer as their false, apostate leadership is broken off and exposed. The falling branches of Christianity will come against and persecute the elect. Act.8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church.) Weird, huh? (No, God gives strange dreams so we remember them. He told a brother that one time when he asked Him.)     The Foundation Is Death of the Old Man Jon Knowles - 10/20/2007 (David's notes in red) In a dream, David Eells and I were working on his house and as we did, I began to discover dead, decayed bodies embedded in the floorboards and such. They were old and dry -- skeletal. He didn't seem surprised or concerned. (The foundation of our new house is the death of the old house.) We were pulling something like old cardboard off of the bodies and he was pointing them out to me. For some reason, I actually pulled some of this cardboard off with my teeth and the dust of the dead bodies went into my mouth and I started to spit it out. We went outside into the yard and as I was working on a windowsill and removing some old weather stripping, David pointed out another dead body that was kind of stuffed into an old discarded couch -- strange. As he showed it to me, a police detective drove up in order to question him about the bodies and in the dream I was beginning to wonder if he was a serial killer! He calmly greeted him and started to answer his questions. End of the dream. The foundation of our house is that the old man has to die and be under our feet. Without this there can be no house of God. As the outer man is decaying the inner man is being renewed. We must lose our old life to gain our new life. The true Word should be bringing death to all who make up this house. So, yes, I am a serial killer. :o) All who rest in the Lord's promises (as on the couch) are putting their old life to death. We must spit the old man out and not allow him in the words that we say.     Martyrdom Dream T.M. - 10/04/2007 (David's notes in red) There was a group of us fellowshipping in a room when we were approached by a few people, telling us that we had to come with them and that we were going to be “martyred”. We happily complied and everyone was joyful. They led us out of the room to a table, where we each told our names and were given a card with a number on it. We then were led into another room where tables had been set up around the outside edges of the room. Above each table was a number, for example (2, 3, 16, 23...all the way up to 50). My wife, son, and I had the number 50, which was the largest number available. (I believe the numbers in the dream represent percentages, but I'm unsure what this means.) We all went to our tables within the room, and everyone was happily fellowshipping. End of dream. For many years I have taught what the Lord showed me about this. Jesus taught us that we have to lose our old life to gain our new life. If we lose our self-life before the end, we will not have to die for we are counted already dead. Unless Christians bear enough fruit of Christ before that time they will have to enter life by losing their physical life. This is the first time where I have heard of any percentage put upon this. It appears that unless one reaches above 50% fruit of the 30-, 60-, 100-fold Jesus spoke of, he will have to enter life through physical death. Martyrs who repent should be happy. It is an honor to enter into the presence of the Lord, something only a small percentage of planet Earth does.     Spirit Man in the Image of Christ Cornelius Bosch - 10/25/2007 (David's notes in red) I dreamt of a baby being carried by an invisible man. (The baby is the fruit of Christ in you, manifested in the spiritual man who is invisible.) With them also walked a normal man of flesh and bone who seemed to know the invisible man. They spoke to each other. (They are part of the same body and communicate constantly.) The baby was very comfortable being carried around by this invisible man. The baby had a small round mirror in his hand and when he looked into the mirror, he could see the face of the man who carried him, and they smiled at each other. The spiritual man is coming into the image of Christ as he sees by faith that we no longer live but Christ lives in us.  2Co.3:18 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. At one point there seemed to be a struggle between the man of flesh and bone and the invisible man. (The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.) The invisible man had a long axe in his hand and hit the man of flesh in the middle of his chest and he died. (The sword of the spirit, the Word of God, will put to death the carnal man so that only the spiritual man becomes known in our bodies.) He then seemed to just “step over” and become the same as the invisible man and they were joined by a lot of the same invisible people. (When the old man dies there is nothing to be seen in us by this world but the spiritual man who is then in the image of Christ but walks in the body of the carnal man taking his land.) I also had the distinct feeling that all the other invisible people that I saw in the end were Jews, pointing to the “All Israel” in Romans 11. (Yes, the spiritual New Testament Jews are those who are circumcised in heart and their flesh is cut off.) Those who walk by faith are in this process of Christ coming in the spiritual man through the death of the old self-life.     Cutting Off the Flesh Missy Pollock - 04/14/2012 (David's notes in red) The day that I had this dream was the birthday of my oldest son (representing the firstborn of the flesh who needs to die) who is now 25 years old. (The first-born of Egypt were killed in the Passover, just like our baptism.) He surely was born of the flesh because I got pregnant with him before I was married. When he was in his early teens, he really drove me crazy because of his tongue. I was complaining to the Lord about it and the Lord got my attention and showed me the meaning of his names. Matthew means “gift of God”. The book of Matthew is about the Kingdom and Jesus being our King and Savior. Matthew's middle name is Ryan, which means “little king”. What the Lord showed me is that He gave Matt to me as a gift to save me! I married his father and through a bad marriage, the Lord turned my heart to Him (we are no longer married). His birthday is on the 14th, which means “SALVATION”! (The 14th day of the first month is Passover, when the Lamb was slayed for us -- Exodus 12:2,6.) Also, I believe the main thing that the Lord is showing me in this dream is how my tongue is the cause of so many of my problems. Isn't that so sovereign of God to do that?! I was listening to Power of the Tongue and David said that if you don't let your tongue speak, it corrects your thoughts. This is so true. I've been learning this. Only Jesus in us can bridle the tongue. In the dream, I was in a school, running a race on a track against a boy (boy refers to immaturity because of the flesh). The track was a small circle in a room. (Israel in the wilderness was going around and around the mountain in their flesh and immaturity.) 2Co.4:8 [we are] pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair. And 2Co.7:5 ... our flesh had no relief, but [we were] afflicted on every side; without [were] fightings, within [were] fears. Toward the end of the race, the boy tried to cut me off but I cut him off (cutting off of the flesh. Gal.5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh... And Rom.8:13 ... but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 1Co.9:24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. I thought I'd better run some extra laps because I didn't want to be disqualified after cutting him off. Jas.1:3 knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4 And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. 1Co.9:27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (God said they went around and around to make sure all the men who sinned died in the wilderness, so their fruit, their children, could go into the Promised Land.) These laps weren't in a circle, though. I ran back and forth between two points of about 10 feet (divine order). (Obeying the Law of 10 Commandments and running a straight line in the race to bear fruit.) But I couldn't see after I cut him off. As I was running those extra laps, I wondered where the boy was because I couldn't hear him either (not being able to see or hear in the flesh is walking by faith and not by sight). When I finished the laps, I could see (having received spiritual eyes) to run out of the room and into a gym (a place where you can move about freely; freedom from the flesh). (A place to exercise and build our spiritual strength.) There were other people there (exercising to win the race; those who have loved His appearing in them). I asked a man who was keeping a tally of everyone's time a question (Jesus, the righteous judge). 2Ti.4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing. I asked him, “What was my time?” He said, “Five minutes”. (Five is the number of grace.) I said, “I didn't think I could run that long”. (By the grace of God we have the endurance. Mat.24:13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.) Then I saw the boy I ran the race against and asked him, “What happened to you after I cut you off?” He didn't answer because he was humiliated. Jas.4:6 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. I said to him, “I'm not trying to boast”. 1Co.15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. But he wouldn't answer. (The old man is dead; he can't speak. Praise the Lord! Our Father sees us already completely reconciled to Him, but we need to work this out by faith, seeing the end from the beginning. The old man needs to be replaced with the new man, Christ. The new man overcomes the old man until all that's left is Jesus! Amen!) I flipped open my Bible and put my finger down twice and these are the verses the Lord gave me to go with the dream. I've been doing this quite a bit and it never ceases to amaze me the verses that the Lord gives me, whether it be for a dream or to confirm something to me. How encouraging this is! If you believe, it surely does work! 2Ki.3:27 Then he took his eldest son (first-born, the flesh) that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall... (The first-born would reign in our stead, instead of the spiritual man, if not sacrificed on the altar of fiery trials. Esau was the first-born of the flesh who lost his position as head of the house to Jacob, the second-born of the spirit. Ishmael was the first-born of the flesh who lost his position as head of the house to Isaac, the second-born of the Spirit. Saul was the first-born of the flesh who lost his position as head of the house to David, the second-born of the Spirit. If we don't lose our old life, we will not have the new life, as Jesus taught.) And the second verse is: Mal.3:10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food (Jesus as the Word) in my house (through abiding in Christ, we are God's house), and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, (latter rain anointing) that there shall not be room enough [to receive it]. (The Israelites had to bring the first fruits of their increase and offer it to the Lord, just like the first verse given. This was like the boy, her son, being offered up. This is when Jesus taught, and we begin to receive the abundant life blessings.) This verse I found as a cross-reference to the above verse: Neh.13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? (Contending with the first-born rulers of the flesh.) And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. (Put them in their place under our feet.) 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain (then the spiritual man brought forth fruit to offer to God) and the new wine (life of Jesus) and the oil (the Spirit) unto the treasuries. Parables are the language of the spirit, God's code speak, that the proud fakes cannot hear or understand Jesus said in Luk.10:21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight.     Cut Off the Mind of the Flesh Eve Brast - 06/29/2012 (David's notes in red) I had a dream this morning that really concerns me. I don't ever have violent, bloody dreams like this! I prayed Philippians 4:7, just like I do every night over myself and for my brethren. I fell asleep to the Book of Hebrews on my iPod, too. When I woke up, I was thinking about what this dream could mean. I will try to share all the things I can remember from it. I dreamed that I was standing next to a fireplace on my right that had gone out. My dog, Curtis, was lying on the burned-out coals on his left side, next to my grandmother's Dachshund, Penny. (The dog in us must be sacrificed on the altar of the fiery trial. This is the death of self.) Suddenly, a white, plastic lettuce knife that is used to cut heads of lettuce appeared in my right hand. (In real life, a local UBM brother's wife, named Kelly, which means “war-like”, had shown me this lettuce knife the last time we had a fellowship at their house. I had never seen a knife like that before and she was showing me how nice they were to cut lettuce with.) Heads of lettuce actually grow on the ground and would represent the earthly mind of flesh. (which must be cut off to save our heavenly life) (I heard a dream recently about lettuce heads being people's heads and the key interpretation was pointed out in that dream which was “let us”, as a play on words. Self rules in many lives through the mind of flesh. It's a “we will do it, Lord” attitude that we must war against and cut off with the lettuce knife of the Spirit, the Word of God. In the Spirit, taking down the old life and raising up the new is violent warfare against the self-life, as Jesus said. It is bringing the true Kingdom of God in us and those around us. Luk.16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets [were] until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.) Then, in the dream, I fell into a trance (i.e., in the spirit) and went over to Curtis and cut his neck with the lettuce knife, and saw the blood soak his fur around his neck. (We are to help ourselves and others to lose their carnal life in order to save their eternal life.) Then I moved on to my next target which was a demon-possessed man with a very large head who was addicted to playing violent video games. I hated what he was doing and took the lettuce knife and cut his neck within an inch of severing it completely and stood there watching the blood pool on the ground. His head then slid and twisted off, just hanging by the inch of skin that was left. Then the ugly, green alien-looking demon left his body. It was very angry at me for killing its fleshly host! (We have to get rid of the mind of flesh with the sword of the Word, which is also the renewed mind of Christ. Rom.8:5 For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: 7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: 8 and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) I then moved on to my next target which was my mother. But she looked nothing like my mother. She was a small, thin woman with a mushroom-style hairdo that was dirty blonde in color. (The flesh alone looks nothing like our body but is like the dog.) I also cut her neck all the way through at an angle and her head fell completely off. I then moved on to another target but can't remember those details. Luk.14:26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [We must hate the soulish life of the mind of the flesh in ourselves and our families if we are to save them.] 27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have [wherewith] to complete it? [The cost to build the house is cutting off of the old head.] 29 Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, 30 saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Jesus said, everyone has a house but He has no place to lay HIS HEAD. His house must have His head.) After this, I snapped out of the trance (or came out of the spirit) and was very remorseful when I realized what I had done! I had been watching myself from the inside doing these things but everything about me was taken over and I didn't feel remorse or stop it until I came out of the trance. (When in the Spirit, we fight against the old man in us and others, although we do it guided by wisdom and grace. When in the flesh, we pity the old man and have mercy on him but we must lose our life to gain our life, as Jesus said. “The mind of the flesh is enmity against God”. Gal.5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.) My 'mother' came back to life as her head reattached itself to her body. I went crying to her and telling her what I had done. (If you don't cut the mind of flesh all the way off, it can grow back. Have no mercy on this enemy of God and your life. But when dealing with it in others, we must be weak to the weak. We must do it for love of their eternal soul.) She immediately started announcing to everyone around, including two army soldiers who were shady and dishonest, “I've just done something. I'm the one who did it!” (Those in the flesh will be the Judases of God's people. The flesh often takes credit for what the spiritual man does. The militant enforcers are those who agree with and encourage the flesh to take credit.) (One of them looked like a carnal person I knew but his teeth were all rotten.) She then went over to a tree and started to dig up an idol that looked like a wooden or mummified Frankenstein that was about a foot tall, and a skull, and placed them on a wooden railing. (Frankenstein's monster was the dead man who was brought back to life through man's evil ingenuity, symbolized by “let us”. This is the idol of self.) Then, as she was still announcing this and claiming responsibility for these actions that I had done, behind me she was skipping and waving a white handkerchief between her index and middle fingers in each hand. (This is “self”, glorifying self. Taking credit for her change. We must humble the flesh or it will destroy the works of God through us because He will not share His glory with the flesh.) When I turned around to look at her following behind me along with the two army soldiers, I saw that she had the lettuce knife in her hand and she was making a stabbing motion at my back, with an ugly face. (The flesh often misuses scripture to attack the spirit man or the righteous, in general.) I then came back over to the fireplace that had gone out where Curtis was still lying and I was so sad for what I had done to him while in that trance! (Sometimes the flesh in us makes us feel guilty and so we mistakenly have pity on the flesh to ease the suffering and let it live.) I got on my knees and petted him, crying and trying to see if he was still alive. One of the army men said, “Look, he is still alive”. The knife had barely cut his neck and he lifted his head to lick my tears. (Those who have pity on the flesh want desperately to see the “old you” come back.) I then got up and went over to an outdoor pavilion with picnic tables. As I was approaching it, the angry alien-looking demon that had possessed the video game addict was slouching on the railing around the pavilion and glaring at me, full of hatred! My 'mother' and the two shady army men then started to come up with a plan to cover up what I had done. The one who looked like my carnal friend was smiling a rotten-toothed smile as he was saying, “No one will ever find out!” (No one will find out that God, through the spiritual man, cut off the mind of flesh, if the carnal man brings one back under submission. Those who go back into the world are just like it.) I asked the Father for a verse for what this dream meant and when I put my finger down, I noticed that my Bible was upside down and my finger was on Luk.17:23 And they shall say to you, Lo, there! or Lo, here! go not away nor follow after them ... (In the context, we are being warned not to follow fleshly men claiming to be the anointed of God with their flesh saving doctrines.) I asked for a second verse and my finger was on 1Co.10:28 But if anyone say to you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake who showed it, and for conscience ... (We are not to partake of fleshly offerings sacrificed to idols of self.)     God's Bug Detector B. A. - 10/20/2011 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I saw an ad in a magazine I was reading called, God's Daily. The ad was for a “bug detector”. The ad read God's Bug Detector. Don't need a money-back guarantee, because the suit is free. One size fits all. No batteries or electrical outlets required. Works solely by your thoughts. Try it on and see what happens! I thought, hey, why not? What do I have to lose? So I sent off for this “Bug Detector Suit” The day came and I got the suit. This suit was totally complete. It came with an attachable helmet and face mask to cover the head; it had gloves and boots that attached to cover the feet. Once the suit was on, it conformed to the body and became invisible to the world. I couldn't wait to try the suit out to see if it really worked like the ad said it would. I was shopping in the grocery store when I looked and I saw this woman talking about me. She was pointing her finger at me and murmuring something to another woman standing beside her. I thought, Is she saying something bad about me? All of a sudden, my helmet lit up and the white lights all around the helmet started flashing and I heard, “BUG ALERT, BUG ALERT, BUG ALERT. Push the BIG BUTTON in the center of your chest”. So I pushed the button and it said, “In the name of Jesus, I bind this evil thought and cast it into the pit of hell where it belongs. Thank you, Lord. AMEN!” WOW, I thought, this really does work! On the way home, I was driving along when a truck came from nowhere and cut me off. I thought, Good grief! Is that guy trying to kill us both?! All of a sudden, my helmet lit up and the white lights all around the helmet started flashing and I heard, “BUG ALERT, BUG ALERT, BUG ALERT. Push the BIG BUTTON in the center of your chest”. So again I pushed the button and it said, “In the name of Jesus, I bind this evil thought and cast it into the pit of hell where it belongs. Thank you, Lord. AMEN!” I couldn't wait to witness to people and tell them what this suit had done for me and tell them how they too could get a suit like this. (Well, this “Bug Detector” is also for any thoughts that we would have that are contrary to the Truth and would allow the flesh to live, or listen to and receive any of those fiery darts from the devil against the knowledge of the truth.)     God's Army Is Dressed for Success B. A. - 01/03/2013 (David's notes in red) I dreamt I was in an army barracks (specialized buildings for permanent military accommodations. We, as God's spiritual warriors, represent these specialized barracks. We are specialized temples made without man's hands, as we have been molded and shaped by the Father's hand and hand-picked by the Father Himself for our position in this army.) I was resting on my bunk (resting and abiding in Jesus) with several of my comrades (fellow believers in Christ Jesus). Rom.15:6 that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, all of a sudden, the Commander's voice (Jesus, the Word) came across the intercom. (An intercom, talkback or door phone is a standalone voice communications system for use within a building. Jesus, the Word of God, is the door phone in our building. Joh.10:7 Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.) The Commander said, “We are under attack. This is an order: suit up and put on your full armor”. Eph.6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. The Commander continues, “Before leaving the barracks, check each other's armor”. (We need to help each other to spiritually prepare for this battle, as we are one in the body of Christ. As David Eells has told us, the Lord said to him when he needed help, “David had an army”. Joh.13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 1Jn.3:16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.) So, I submitted to the Commander's order and jumped off my bunk and suited up quickly. (Submit in the Greek is hupeiko, which means “to yield, be weak, to surrender; submit self”. 1Sa.15:22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.) As I was waiting for the rest of my comrades to suit up, I noticed a soldier heading for the door, and I noticed that he had a crack along the back of his armor (he could not see nor discern that his armor was flawed). I cried out for him to stop and that he had a crack in his armor, but he just grumbled under his breath and ignored me and kept heading for the door. (He was too full of pride and ego to take correction; there's no place in the armor of God for pride and ego.) He hadn't taken but just a few steps outside the door when he was taken out by sniper fire right to the head. Pro.16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 8:13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate. 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame; But with the lowly is wisdom. Ecc.4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. WOW! I thought he didn't stand a chance with that big crack in his armor. The Commander knew what He was talking about when He ordered us to check each other's armor. So we all very earnestly started checking each other's armor for any cracks (flaws in our spiritual walk) and thanking and praising the Commander for insisting we obey this order. Obey in the Greek is hupakouo, which means “to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority, hearken, be obedient, to obey”. Deu.15:5 if only thou diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command thee this day. 6 For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee. 28:2 and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God. After we had inspected each other's armor and all was well, we headed out the door to face the enemy. We could see the enemy all around the outer perimeter of our barracks. They immediately started firing upon us, but their bullets (or their fiery darts) just bounced off our armor and fell to the ground; their weapons had no effect on us. When they saw that their weapons had no effect, they retreated. Jas.4:7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Eph.4:27 neither give place to the devil. 1Pe.5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, (9) whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. As we were turning around to go back to the barracks, I caught a glimpse of a movement over my shoulder. I swung back around just in time to see that evil sniper aim his weapon and lock his red laser beam (evil thoughts) onto my heart. Well, that was a BIG mistake! You see, my armor had already been inspected by order or decree from the Commander, so I knew the sniper couldn't take me out! I fired my weapon right into his laser beam and it drove the red beam (his evil thoughts) from his weapon back at him and took him out! (Gal.6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.) We all began to cheer and praise the Lord for the victory, “HALLELUJAH!” As we were walking back to the barracks, we heard the Commander over the intercom say, “Well done, good and faithful servants”. Mat.25:25 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. WOW! I can't wait to hear those words! Thank You, Father, and thank You, Jesus! A few weeks ago, I had a vision that I believe goes with this dream: I saw the Father sitting at His potter's wheel. He reached down to the ground and gathered a handful of clay and placed it on His wheel and then added some water and started to form a new vessel. As I was standing there observing the Father, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me that this new vessel was my vessel. I was so excited to receive this wonderful news. Suddenly, directly in front of the Father, I started to see the faces of all the believers I knew from UBM; they were all suspended there in front of the Father. Then I saw the Father reach out with His right hand gather all the faces and place them into my vessel. The Holy Spirit told me the reason why the Father did this. He said, “All of these saints had a part in shaping and molding you into a vessel of honor for the Father's kingdom”. WOW! I was so humbled and blessed by this vision; how very true.     Defending Yourself with the Word Bethany Mize - 07/30/2015 (David's notes in red) Last night in service, the Lord gave me a vision. In this vision, I saw myself standing in a deep valley, alone. The ground and sides of the valley were clay-like substances, murky and cracked. As a shofar blew, the Lion of the tribe of Judah walked to the edge of the cliff and kept His gaze upon me. His eyes were so full of love. I was humbled and still in His presence. As I looked into His eyes, the tears began to roll down my face. I bowed my knees to Him. In doing so, the Word of God lay before me and I began to devour it. Beneath the Word was rich, thick green grass but nowhere else but where the Word of God lay. (Peter said, “All flesh is as grass”. Obeying the Word is health and life to our body. Pro.4:20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. When judgments are coming, we need a clear conscience and faith in His provision of protection.) (The name Bethany has a couple of meanings: “house of God” or “house of figs”, which have a very similar spiritual meaning: the true people of God.) As I digested the seed of the Word, small pieces of metal armor began to attach themselves to my shoulders, down my back, and around my arms, until I was completely covered in armor. I knew I was in a time of preparation; it was not to be taken lightly. (Major judgments are coming and many are not prepared to escape for lack of the armor. We must pray for them now.) I stood to my feet, keeping my eyes on the Lion, with no words spoken, but just a knowing, He told me to wave my right arm across the ground. As I did, green grass began to grow wherever the shadow of my hand stretched above it. (With the armor of God's Word on, we have the authority to protect this body.) In the natural, we began to sing in service, “Our sons and daughters shall prophecy”. As I sang this, my three-year-old daughter appeared to my left in the vision, fully armed. I was filled with joy that she rose from her knees, armed, as did I. (Children need to be taught this, too.) Then, in the last verse, we sang, “Let the rivers flow down”. In singing this, I knew it was time to stand firm. Then a large wave of moving water rushed toward us from the right. I grabbed my daughter's hand with my left hand and lifted up my right arm toward the water, like a shield. Then, as I bent my elbow back, the water went over us and crashed all around us but never touched us. My armor (the Word of God) is what kept us in that secret place of the Most High. We were not fearful but full of boldness toward the oncoming water. It was a wonderful sight! (The Lord has had me move my hand in a sweeping motion like a knife to cut off the rain as it stopped immediately.) Later in the service, Jonathan spoke, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will raise up a standard.” Just wanted to encourage the brethren with what the Lord used to encourage me. The seed of God that goes into us is what will preserve us. The Lord is coming manifested by Word and the latter rain, as He said in Hosea 6:1-3. He will be manifested in His Man-child ministry at the beginning of the tribulation. The story is in Ezekiel 34 where He will cut off the evil shepherds and will come to feed His flock with His David / Man-children. The Bible says of the Lord's coming in judgment that His recompense will be before Him at least twice. I received this one yesterday: Isa.40:10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young. This is seen again in 62:11 Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. It appears the recompense is mentioned just below this concerning the Lord's judgment of Edom, the son of Abraham who persecuted his brother Israel as a type of the Church. 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment.     Confess Your Sins One to Another Anonymous - 04/28/2011 (David's notes in red) I got a word from the Lord for the body. Please discern. The Spirit of the Lord speaks: Confess your sins to one another. You have confessed them before me but now I'm telling you to confess them to one another. If you refuse, I will come to you and rip your skirts from off of you and the shame of your nakedness will be exposed to the world. You have sought to preserve face by keeping your sins private. Job 31:33-34 If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, 34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door-- Jas.5:16 Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. Pro.28:13 He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy. He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy. You have confessed them before me but now, even now, I tell you confess them one to another. (This is humbling to the ego and makes us think twice about sinning again.) Psa 32:1-6 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silence, my bones wasted away Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this let every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: Surely when the great waters overflow they shall not reach unto him. (Confessing our sins will preserve us through judgment.) The Spirit of the Lord has spoken.

It seems appropriate that we begin a new book on the first Sunday of the new year. Having studied through a few epistles, we turn our minds back to a gospel narrative as we present our hearts to God's word. The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four gospels, but it is no less impactful in showing us Jesus and what it means to follow Him. Each of the four gospels emphasizes a different aspect of Jesus and His ministry, and Mark's emphasis is Jesus as the suffering Servant-Messiah (foretold in Isaiah). Many see Mark 10:45 as the thematic point of the gospel as Jesus says, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” As this servant emphasis is reflected, Mark also vividly shows us the cost of discipleship and what it means to truly follow Jesus. Throughout the book, the disciples, the crowds, the religious leaders...everyone struggles to understand who Jesus is. However, Mark does not expect the reader to wrestle with this question. From the first verse, Mark tells us that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. In fact, Mark 1:1-13 functions as a prologue of sorts, giving several lines of testimony regarding Jesus' true identity. Mark himself, John the Baptist, the Old Testament prophecies, and the Father Himself testify to who Jesus is right at the beginning. This Sunday, we will examine 1:1-8 and hear the testimony of these witnesses as we prepare our hearts to serve this servant Messiah. Subscribe to the Sermon podcast on itunes or search for "jason velotta" in your podcasting app Visit http://www.jasonvelotta.com/for more audio, video, books, and teaching materials https://www.fbcmulvane.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvelotta

Christmas Is Not A Pagan Holiday Today, let's look at the common arguments for a Pagan Origin of Christmas. Let's put them into 3 categories: 1. The 25th Date coincides with other pagan holidays like Saturnalia and Sol Invictus 2. The gods who were born on the 25th make Christ look like a copycat in a long line of copycats. 3. The Christmas Tree appears to be the Asherah Pole from Jeremiah 10:1-5. So let's start with the date of the 25th. Where did the date come from? Some sources attribute Theophilus of Antioch circa 171-183 AD as the first to use the 25th of December date as the date of Christ's birth, due to the notion that prophets are conceived on the day they die (Christ's death being attributed here as the 25th of March). Some even attribute Pope St. Telesphorus in circa 125-136 AD as having ascribed the December 25th date decades earlier. The dates of Saturnalia were the 17th-23rd , never on the 25th. A Pre-Christ Sol Invictus is only referenced in 1 manuscript, the Chronography of 354. This manuscript was written over 100 years after Hippolytus of Rome's Commentary on Daniel (circa 202~211 AD), which references the December 25th Birth of Christ. It is entirely possible that the observance of Sol Invictus's birthdate may have even been a mimicry of the December 25th date! There go those two points, showing a crippling lack of scholarship on the part of the proponents of a Pagan Origin of Christmas. As for other gods who have held or picked up the 25th, some of these have resurrection stories and other vague similarities to Christ's story. I'll have to quote Lewis here on this general contention as Lewis said it better than I could: “And what did God do? …He sent the human race what I call good dreams: I mean those queer stories scattered all through the heathen religions about a god who dies and comes to life again and, by his death, has somehow given new life to men.” If one takes the proposition that man came from Noah, and Noah expected the redeemer of the Genesis 3 covenant, would not man expect such a redeemer? Also, would not the Devil himself love to abuse this desire for a Savior and propagate such false religions for the Devil's own gain? This view, even if you believe it to be wrong, is at least consistent. On a side note, I do not believe, like many, that Christ's birth was on the 25th of December. It was likely on the feast of First Fruits in April. This would better fit the prophetic timeline and The Christ Comet is a theory of the Star of Bethlehem that plots the activities of a specific comet to that time frame. This comet would have behaved in such a way as to lead the Magi to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem, but this is neither here nor there for this discussion. On the note of the Christmas Tree, the Asherah Pole of Pre-Christ Iran is often connoted with the Tradition of the Christmas Tree, which was started around the 1500s by the French and Germanic Christians, the better part of two millennia separated from Jeremiah's words in Jeremiah 10:1-5: "1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good." On that note, how would uncarved trees have anything to do with carved wooden idols? Just because heathens used trees in false worship, does not mean that trees are somehow pagan. If pagans doing something or celebrating in a certain way makes any association with the item or practice anathema, stop singing, stop praying, and while you're at it, stop breathing! This extreme is almost a strawman, but the point of this should be why are we doing what we do? Some traditions are valueless, granted. Some are even dangerous, agreed. But let's base our critiques, if we have them, on facts and not unsupported nonsense. (For example, find an actual ancient source on the use of Christmas Trees for Saturnalia. Few if any exist, and none that we are aware of.) Santa Clause, on the other hand, is a different story. St. Nicholas (Born circa 280 AD) is the oldest reference of the Jolly Man who gave aid to the poor and powerless. Tales of St. Nicholas include him giving dowries to girls being sold into prostitution, thereby saving them from such a life, and giving gifts to the poor. Others are more fantastic. However, all of these stories should be celebrated, in the context of what the Love of God can do through one man. St. Nicholas wasn't magical, he was transformed through his relationship to Christ. Santa Claus, as we have him today, came from numerous accretions and other legends, some even pagan in origin (think Krampus). All of that aside, however we got Santa Claus is not necessarily important. What is concerning is that some have taken the caricature of St. Nicholas and turned him into a god who rewards good works and the sacrament of milk and cookies. We tell children Santa and Jesus are both real and then wonder why they no longer believe in Christ only a few short years of their belief in Santa being shattered. Where is our consistency? Have we been guilty of worshiping a false god that satisfies our own paganistic desires for self fulfillment in America? Has Consumerism consumed the message of Christmas? So, is Christmas a pagan holiday root and branch? Not in the root, but maybe for some, the branch. We should ask ourselves: Is Christ still on the throne of Christmas, or have we erected our own god of self-actualization with a fat bearded man who gives gifts with little effort from us, a caricature of God the Father Himself? Do we spend nearly as much time worshiping the King of Heaven as we do ourselves, and even our children and families? https://www.learnreligions.com/why-is-christmas-on-december-25-700439 https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/12/december-25th-birth-jesus-interesting-considerations.html https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2019/12/08/just-how-pagan-is-christmas-really/ https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2018/12/05/the-origins-of-the-christmas-tree/ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/great-christ-comet-revealing-star-bethlehem/

John 16:1-33    “These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin. 2 They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God. 3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: 9 regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; 11 and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose itto you. 16 “A little while, and you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” 17 So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, ‘because I am going to the Father'?” 18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20 Truly, truly I say to you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy! 21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you. 23 And on that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. 25 “These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples *said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not using any figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came forth from God.” 31 Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net    

Our study with Dr. Mitchell begins in 1st Peter chapter 2 verses 3 and 4. In these verses Dr. Mitchell speaks about why we grow as we are nourished up on the word of God. Here Jesus is spoken of as a living stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious by God. Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16 where God the Father Himself says, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame." The one who Believes in and trusts Christ Jesus is being built up as a spiritual house and will never be put to shame or disappointed by God our Father. What an encouragement, is it not?! Let's turn with Dr. Mitchell to 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 4 here on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.

Have you messed up in your life? Do you know how much God wants you to experience His amazing grace? One of the most famous stories that Jesus told is the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son is a story of two sons who took very different paths in life. One was outwardly respectable; the other was a rebel. One looked good; the other acted badly. One seemed like the perfect churchgoer; the other a sinner you would never expect to see in church.   Last week we learned about the older brother who had been faithful and responsible but had also become very harsh, self-righteous and judgemental. He had a bad attitude towards his younger brother who had been so unfaithful and irresponsible. So, when he saw him being blessed by their father, he was angry. The older brother saw himself as a servant of his Dad, rather than a son. He needed to discover the love of the Father (representing God) just as much as his misbehaving brother did.    The younger, prodigal son was somebody who had really messed up, like so many people have in life. He made wrong decisions and got in with the wrong crowd, blew his money and ended up losing virtually everything. He was down but this story shows, he was not out. He was about to receive unexpected and undeserved mercy and a future of more blessings than he could have ever dreamed of. What happened to him can happen to you, especially if you are at a very low point in your life right now. Your paradise is not lost. God still has a paradise for you. This story shows how you can experience great turnaround in your life.   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17) 2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18-20; James 4:6-7)  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20) - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration (Luke 15:22-24,32)   Apply   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17). The prodigal son clearly recognised what mess he had made of his life. He'd had money and he'd done everything he wanted, but he got into big trouble because of his own ego, selfishness, and because of his false values. He had failed to recognise all the blessings he had received through being close with his father. Instead, he thought he would be happy if he could have money, sex, and the party life with many cool friends. But despite doing everything he wanted and spending his inheritance on ‘wild living', he was not happy. In fact, his friends were not his friends, abandoning him when the money ran out. He had been used. He came to an awful situation where he just begged for a job, and got the absolute lowest, most degrading job for a Jew, of looking after the despised, unclean pigs. He was desperately trying to survive, even if that meant eating the food the pigs were getting. But then he got real and recognised the true state of his life. He came to his senses. He recognised how low he had sunk and how far from the father he had gone. That's what we must do if we want to see restoration in our lives. But how low do we have to go in life before we come to our senses? How low does a family have to go? How low does a nation have to go before we recognise something is wrong? A road to recovery begins with this recognition of our need of help and of God the Father Himself.  2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father. Life is all about making decisions. Not to make decisions is a decision. The greatest decision is to return to God and turn away from living our lives our way. This is something which the Bible calls repentance. Repentance means to turn right around (Luke 15:18-20). After recognising how far he had gone from the father, the prodigal son decided to repent and return to him. He determined that he was going to go back to the father, and that he was going to go humbly. He felt he was no longer worthy to be called the father's son. He was ready to just plead to see if there was any chance that he would be allowed back as a lowly servant. And this is how we too should come to God, with honesty and humility when we recognise how much we need Him. So often in our culture today, we act as if we're God, and He's got to come on our terms. But if we're going to know God, we must come on His terms. We need to get real with God and acknowledge how we really need to turn around. We must repent of having gone our way and not God's way (James 4:6-7). Then you can receive the revelation of the Father's love mercy and grace for all who believe in Jesus Christ.  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father. Grace means undeserved favour. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. Our world longs for grace. It's no coincidence that Amazing Grace' is the world's best-known and most popular hymn sung in churches and non-religious events all over the world. The hymn writer, John Newton, the former vicious slave trader who became a pastor and leading opponent of slavery, knew first-hand it was only God's grace that ‘saved a wretch like me.' We see what true grace looks like in the response of the father when his broken son returned home.  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20). The Father had been looking for lost son all the time. He had never given up on him. While he was a great way off, the father saw this bedraggled, poor, hungry, skinny figure, coming towards him. And he was so excited that he ran towards him and warmly embraced him, hugging and kissing him. The Prodigal had made big mistakes, but the father was more concerned about him than the mistakes he had made. He just wanted to have his son close with him. This is what God our Heavenly Father is like. He's the best father. God is full of compassion for you and wants you to receive His embrace today.  - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration. Instead of telling him off, punishing him and accepting the son's offer to keep him as a servant, the father went over the top in his celebrations (Luke 15:22-24). The father gave him the best new clothes, new shoes and a ring of new authority. He threw a huge party for him. The Father was so happy because his missing son had come home. And when his older son complained, the dad explained why they could not contain their joy (Luke 15:32). Today, if you have got into trouble and gone far from God, it's time to recognise your mess and return to your heavenly father who wants to welcome you home. He wants to clean you up and give you new clothes of righteousness. He wants to bless you as a son or daughter. He wants to embrace you with his unconditional and never-failing love. This is why Jesus came into the world: to seek and to save those who are lost. God is not out to beat, humiliate you or turn you away. Right now, is your opportunity to come home to God and to receive his amazing grace and mercy. (See hymn: ‘Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling', that was sung at the funeral of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.) 

Have you messed up in your life? Do you know how much God wants you to experience His amazing grace? One of the most famous stories that Jesus told is the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son is a story of two sons who took very different paths in life. One was outwardly respectable; the other was a rebel. One looked good; the other acted badly. One seemed like the perfect churchgoer; the other a sinner you would never expect to see in church.   Last week we learned about the older brother who had been faithful and responsible but had also become very harsh, self-righteous and judgemental. He had a bad attitude towards his younger brother who had been so unfaithful and irresponsible. So, when he saw him being blessed by their father, he was angry. The older brother saw himself as a servant of his Dad, rather than a son. He needed to discover the love of the Father (representing God) just as much as his misbehaving brother did.    The younger, prodigal son was somebody who had really messed up, like so many people have in life. He made wrong decisions and got in with the wrong crowd, blew his money and ended up losing virtually everything. He was down but this story shows, he was not out. He was about to receive unexpected and undeserved mercy and a future of more blessings than he could have ever dreamed of. What happened to him can happen to you, especially if you are at a very low point in your life right now. Your paradise is not lost. God still has a paradise for you. This story shows how you can experience great turnaround in your life.   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17) 2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18-20; James 4:6-7)  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20) - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration (Luke 15:22-24,32)   Apply   1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17). The prodigal son clearly recognised what mess he had made of his life. He'd had money and he'd done everything he wanted, but he got into big trouble because of his own ego, selfishness, and because of his false values. He had failed to recognise all the blessings he had received through being close with his father. Instead, he thought he would be happy if he could have money, sex, and the party life with many cool friends. But despite doing everything he wanted and spending his inheritance on ‘wild living', he was not happy. In fact, his friends were not his friends, abandoning him when the money ran out. He had been used. He came to an awful situation where he just begged for a job, and got the absolute lowest, most degrading job for a Jew, of looking after the despised, unclean pigs. He was desperately trying to survive, even if that meant eating the food the pigs were getting. But then he got real and recognised the true state of his life. He came to his senses. He recognised how low he had sunk and how far from the father he had gone. That's what we must do if we want to see restoration in our lives. But how low do we have to go in life before we come to our senses? How low does a family have to go? How low does a nation have to go before we recognise something is wrong? A road to recovery begins with this recognition of our need of help and of God the Father Himself.  2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father. Life is all about making decisions. Not to make decisions is a decision. The greatest decision is to return to God and turn away from living our lives our way. This is something which the Bible calls repentance. Repentance means to turn right around (Luke 15:18-20). After recognising how far he had gone from the father, the prodigal son decided to repent and return to him. He determined that he was going to go back to the father, and that he was going to go humbly. He felt he was no longer worthy to be called the father's son. He was ready to just plead to see if there was any chance that he would be allowed back as a lowly servant. And this is how we too should come to God, with honesty and humility when we recognise how much we need Him. So often in our culture today, we act as if we're God, and He's got to come on our terms. But if we're going to know God, we must come on His terms. We need to get real with God and acknowledge how we really need to turn around. We must repent of having gone our way and not God's way (James 4:6-7). Then you can receive the revelation of the Father's love mercy and grace for all who believe in Jesus Christ.  3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father. Grace means undeserved favour. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. Our world longs for grace. It's no coincidence that Amazing Grace' is the world's best-known and most popular hymn sung in churches and non-religious events all over the world. The hymn writer, John Newton, the former vicious slave trader who became a pastor and leading opponent of slavery, knew first-hand it was only God's grace that ‘saved a wretch like me.' We see what true grace looks like in the response of the father when his broken son returned home.  - Instead of rejection, he received the father's embrace (Luke 15:20). The Father had been looking for lost son all the time. He had never given up on him. While he was a great way off, the father saw this bedraggled, poor, hungry, skinny figure, coming towards him. And he was so excited that he ran towards him and warmly embraced him, hugging and kissing him. The Prodigal had made big mistakes, but the father was more concerned about him than the mistakes he had made. He just wanted to have his son close with him. This is what God our Heavenly Father is like. He's the best father. God is full of compassion for you and wants you to receive His embrace today.  - Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration. Instead of telling him off, punishing him and accepting the son's offer to keep him as a servant, the father went over the top in his celebrations (Luke 15:22-24). The father gave him the best new clothes, new shoes and a ring of new authority. He threw a huge party for him. The Father was so happy because his missing son had come home. And when his older son complained, the dad explained why they could not contain their joy (Luke 15:32). Today, if you have got into trouble and gone far from God, it's time to recognise your mess and return to your heavenly father who wants to welcome you home. He wants to clean you up and give you new clothes of righteousness. He wants to bless you as a son or daughter. He wants to embrace you with his unconditional and never-failing love. This is why Jesus came into the world: to seek and to save those who are lost. God is not out to beat, humiliate you or turn you away. Right now, is your opportunity to come home to God and to receive his amazing grace and mercy. (See hymn: ‘Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling', that was sung at the funeral of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.) 

John 12:37-50   37 But though He had performed so many signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him. 38 This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and Hehardened their heart, so that they will not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and be converted, and so I will not heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him. 42 Nevertheless many, even of the rulers, believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, so that they would not be excommunicated from the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of people rather than the approval of God. 44 Now Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent Me. 45 And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come asLight into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects Me and does not accept My teachings has one who judges him: the word which I spoke. That will judge him on the last day. 49 For I did not speak on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net    

In this passage Jesus is making it clear that no one will know when the final coming of Christ will be. Only God the Father knows when the End will be. Jesus then provides three lessons and one warning in the passage. All of these lesson reinforce this one very clear teaching: No one knows when Christ will return except God the Father Himself. Because of this, Jesus's disciples should glean as much wisdom from these examples as they can. Listen to Ricky Massengale, lead elder and pastor at CrossLife Fort Smith, lead us through part 4 in our series on the end times in the gospel of Matthew.

Bro. Doug Foster presents "The Father Himself" from John 5, during a worship service at Immanuel Baptist Church, Florence, Ky. Please visit us at 7183 Pleasant Valley Road Florence KY 41042, or call us at (859) 586-6829. Church links: Website: https://www.ibcflorence.com Daily Devotions: https://ibcflorenceky.wordpress.com/follow/ Free App: http://www.ibcflorence.com/ibc-app Our entire list of recent sermons: https://www.ibcflorence.com/recent-sermons Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ibcflorenceky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibcflorence/ Podcasts: https://soundcloud.com/user-658781358 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/ibcflorence/live Instant Message: https://m.me/ibcflorenceky We would love to know how to pray for you! Romans 10:9

Send us a text““Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.””‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭27‬-‭50‬ Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

In the eighth episode of "Divine Guidance," Duane Sheriff teaches about the vital principle of Multiple Witnesses and Jesus to understand God's guidance. God guides us into all truth, especially in our personal lives and spiritual journey. God wants to confirm His word through multiple witnesses. 2 Corinthians 13:1 states, "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." Even Jesus did not claim His identity based on His testimony alone. In John 5:31, Jesus said, "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true," highlighting the need for additional witnesses. Jesus then pointed to John the Baptist, His miraculous works, and the Father Himself as witnesses to His divine nature. Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:16-17 supports this when God's voice from heaven declared Jesus as His beloved Son.God speaks to us through dreams, visions, and inner promptings. To ensure that we truly hear from God, rely on 1 John 4:1 to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God." This process of seeking confirmation through multiple witnesses is crucial, especially when making high-stakes decisions. This teaching teaches us that God desires to confirm His guidance in our lives through various means. By understanding and applying the principle of Multiple Witnesses, we can better discern God's voice and direction in our lives.

The Father Himself declared His crucified Son to be righteous by raising Him from the dead.  Any accusation made against our sinless Savior is full of holes. This is really good news for you and me!  Through faith in our Savior, who died and rose for us, there's no one left who can accuse and condemn you either!

Where God's love has to be earned…     “For the Father Himself loves you.”  - John 16:27 (NKJV) 

Read OnlineThen Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Mark 9:5–7Just prior to the Transfiguration, Jesus began to reveal to His disciples that He would suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders, be killed and then rise on the third day. This caused much fear for the disciples as they grappled with this unsettling revelation from our Lord. And even though Jesus remained firm with them and even rebuked Peter for his fear, Jesus also gave three of His disciples a very precious gift.After much traveling, preaching, miracle working and private conversations about His passion with the Twelve, Jesus invited Peter, James and John to go with Him up a high mountain to pray. These disciples most likely had no idea what they would soon encounter.As they made the difficult and arduous journey, their minds must have been pondering not only the mighty deeds done by Jesus in the previous months but also His words about the suffering to come. As they struggled with this, much to their amazement, Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white.” Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, representing the Law and the prophets. These two Old Testament figures appeared as a way of saying to these disciples that everything that Jesus was telling them was to take place to fulfill all that had been foretold about Him from of old. Perhaps Jesus thought that if His disciples would not fully listen to Him, then seeing Moses and Elijah would help. But Jesus went even further. The Voice of the Father Himself thundered and said, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Thus, if these disciples would not ultimately listen to Jesus alone, or if even Moses and Elijah failed to convince them, then the last hope was the Father Himself. And Jesus delivered such a grace.The Transfiguration was a true mercy. These disciples had never seen anything like it before. But it was most likely this act of mercy that ultimately helped them to accept the hard truth that Jesus was trying to teach them about His coming suffering and death. If the Father in Heaven Personally gave witness to Jesus, then everything that Jesus had said was trustworthy.As we read through the Gospels and the many teachings God has given us through the Church, think about whether there are some teachings with which you struggle? Or in your own life, on a personal level, are there some things you know God wants of you but you find it difficult to accept? When confusion sets in, that means we are not listening, are not fully hearing what God is saying to us or are not understanding. And though we will not see the Transfigured Lord with our eyes and hear the Voice of the Father with our ears as these three disciples did, we must choose to believe all that God has said as if it were the Transfigured Lord, with Moses and Elijah, and the Father Himself speaking clearly and directly to us. “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Those words were not only spoken for the good of the disciples, they are also spoken to us.Reflect, today, upon this powerful experience given to these disciples by our Lord. Try to place yourself in the scene so as to witness Jesus transfigured in the most glorious way, with Moses and Elijah and with the thundering Voice of the Father. Allow the Father to speak also to you, telling you that all He has spoken through the Scriptures, the Church and within your own conscience is true. Allow this revelation to convince you on the deepest level to acknowledge not only the divinity of Jesus but also to “Listen to Him” in every way. My transfigured Lord, You are glorious beyond imagination, and You revealed a small glimpse of this glory to Your disciples to help them trust You more fully. May I also trust in You more completely, knowing that all You have spoken to me is true. Please remove any doubt and fear in my life so that nothing keeps me from embracing Your holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Transfiguration By Duccio di Buoninsegna, via Wikimedia Commons

1 Thessalonians 3 New King James Version Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. Encouraged by Timothy 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? Prayer for the Church 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

  Jesus came to reveal the Father and make a way for us to come to Him. As He was preparing His disciples for the time of His departure, He said: On that day you will ask Me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you.‭ ‭Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full‭ . . . ‭On that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying to you that I shall ask the Father on your behalf.‭ ‭For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came from God.‭ (John 16:23-24, 26-27, MEV). The Father Himself loves you! The Greek word there means an affectionate love, or to kiss. Think of it. The God that created the universe, the God that dwells in the high and holy place loves you with an affectionate love. Jesus died to make the way for you to come to the Father, not just when you die, but now. In fact, Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God the Father and the Son. So I want to encourage you. You CAN come to God, in Jesus' name. You can know Him. You can experience His love in this life. Come to the Father! Enjoy this 8-minute message! Audio Podcast Related Posts Your Heavenly Father Loves You! Everyone Needs a Father! Father God's Amazing Love!

Did you know that God has many different spiritual gifts for us? Some are given to us by the Holy Spirit, some are given by Jesus and then there are amazing gifts given to us by God the Father Himself. In this episode, we'll explore how to recognize, develop, and use these gifts to align with your true calling and make a real difference in the world. Tune in, be inspired, and discover how to turn your divine gifts into action!-- Follow Faisal at: Website: www.faisalmalick.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaisalMalickOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faisalmalick/?hl=en Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/faisalmalick?lang=en Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drfaisalmalick

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (NASB) 11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Four questions to ask yourselves regarding your prayer lives:1) Do you pray?2) If and when you do pray, who are you praying to?3) When you're praying for others, what makes up most of your prayer requests?4) To what end do you make those requests? Three elements if a pastoral prayer which informs how the church ought to pray for each other:1) Its address (3:11a)2) Its request (3:11b-12)3) Its purpose (3:13)

The Scripture readings are Numbers 21:4-9; James 1:22-27; John 16:23-33. God's sovereignty and the power of prayer seem to be incompatible. But they aren't. The reason you ask and God responds is His love for you. Jesus says, “Ask in My name. I don't need to ask the Father for you because the Father Himself loves you.”

Today's TreasureFor I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.  John 12:49Support the show

This Sunday, Pastor Ralph Castillo continued our Lenten series on the Seven Deadly Sins with a teaching on pride. Our current culture has a way of turning vices into virtues and praising disordered loves, making it difficult to identify pride, and can result in practicing righteousness as a way of being seen and honored by others. However, when we choose the way of humility, and practice our righteousness in secret, we recieve the better reward because the Father Himself is rewarding us.

Read the blog here: http://dougapple.blogspot.com/ +++++++ I’m Doug Apple...and my heart is on fire. (Luke 24:32) A highway is a road built up to make travel easier. That’s what the footnote in my Bible says under Isaiah chapter 35 verse 8. That verse is talking about a highway, so the footnote tells us what a highway is. It’s a road built up to make travel easier. You aren’t going through the mud on a highway. You aren’t going through the briars and the thorns. My grandma called it “the thicket.” A highway makes travel easy. It’s a piece of cake traveling on a highway, so smooth and level and wide. It’s a pleasure. It’s a joy! On the other hand, traveling OFF the highway is NOT smooth. It IS muddy. There ARE thorns and thickets. You have to slow down and stop and keep getting your bearings. “Where am I now?” You ask that question a lot when you get off the “hard road” as Grandma called it. “Where am I?” So a highway is a road built up to make travel easier, and Isaiah 35:8 is talking about a highway. This highway has a name. It’s called The Way of Holiness. Sometimes we get weird with this word “holy” and “holiness,” but it’s not weird at all. It’s a road built up to make travel easier. What??? That doesn’t sound very doctrinal and theological. Well what is holiness? It’s a purity, a moral purity in the presence of God. We get weird about the word purity, too, but put it in the highway context. Do you want your highway to be pure, to be as free as possible from bumps and cracks and potholes? We want the highway department to make the highway as smooth as possible. Well on the highway of life, it is holiness, it is purity that makes the road as smooth as possible. If you want to travel fast and light, the Highway of Holiness is the way to go. Isaiah 35:8 says that the unclean, the evil-minded will not travel on the way of holiness. Of course they won’t, and they suffer for it. To the degree that you are not living a holy life, that is the degree to which you are driving off the road. No wonder it’s bumpy and scratchy and leaves you wondering, “Where am I?” You’re off the road. Traveling on the Highway of Holiness means living within God’s parameters. Highways have boundaries. When you drive within the boundaries, it’s a smooth ride. When you think, “I’ll be free! I’ll drive wherever I please!” you’re asking for a really bad ride. And if you’re paying attention, you see that it’s true. Sin brings bumps in the road. Big sins bring big bumps in the road. Living a life of sin is just full of obstacles. It’s not a highway at all, or even a road. It’s like driving into a thicket and thinking you’re going somewhere. You aren’t. My grandma is looking at your car in the thicket and asking, “What are you doing?” The highway is a road built up to make travel easier. Isaiah 35:8 talks about the Highway of Holiness, and when we steer our life within God’s holy boundaries, wonderful things happen. Isaiah says there are no lions or ravenous beasts on that highway. It’s a smooth and clear path for the redeemed. On the Highway of Holiness there is singing and everlasting joy! Sorrow and mourning will flee away, and the people will be filled with joy and gladness. How can that be? Because the Creator, God the Father Himself, is ever present on the Highway of Holiness! He is there, full of life and love and joy and peace. His mercy is forever. He loves us and has created a highway for us to live on, a highway that’s built up to make travel easier. It’s the Highway of Holiness, and when we live within its boundaries, we will find that traveling through this life has never been better. Amen. May God bless you today. I’m Doug Apple.

You're not going to forget, are you?   “For the Father Himself loves you.” - John 16:27 (NKJV)

For a child to learn how to love, they need to first be loved.  So many people find disciplining their children to be one of the biggest challenges of being a parent.  We look back to the way our parents raised us and often we realize that we want to do things differently, but we just don't know how.  Without a new perspective, many times we just fall back on what we experienced as a child and we react from our own woundedness or our own view of what a father or mother should be.  In this episode, Mike and Alicia talk about how parents can model the perfect parent, God the Father Himself.  As we do this, we will find ourselves walking in our true  identity as a son or daughter of the Most High.  When we understand that, then we can form our children as God forms us.   Listen in to this essential conversation and use our Key Takeaways and Discussion Questions to go deeper with your spouse on this topic. Key Takeaways We need to parent the way God fathers us, free of emotion and manipulation Discipline starts with relationship because its all about forming their hearts. We need to teach children how to repair and restore relationships when they do the wrong thing.     Couple Discussion Questions In our childhoods have we experienced shame from our parents or those in authority?  How did that make me feel? Do we imitate those behaviors in our parenting?  How can we reflect God the Father more in our formation of our children?  Consider one of your children in need of formation.  What is the best way to reach their heart?   

What is the birth of Jesus about? It's about every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord! The birth of Jesus is the prequel to the parousia--known only by God the Father Himself. Prepare the way of the Lord!

John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. The Greek word for love here is philéō. Philéō means warm affection or friendship. It's wonderful to know and learn of God's love. But there is something extra personal about knowing He likes us too. In this episode, I will share a recent example of how God used an injury and a verse to help me feel both loved and liked. I will also share a secret song called, “Sanctuary” by Andrew Messenger. (Episode 129 explains why the song is secret) If you would like to support this podcast with a monthly or one-time donation, thank you! ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.sherriyoungward.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ To find out about upcoming gatherings and new projects, please join my email list at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sherriyoungward.com

He is probably the most known person in the world. We hear a lot about his death, but know little about his life and what he actually taught. Some say he was a Christian, others that he was a yogi. Some claim he was God, others that he was a lover of God. And some even see his life as mere fairy tales. Who was Jesus? And what was the heart of his teachings? We explore the many misconceptions surrounding Jesus' life and teachings and reflect upon the commercialization of Christmas and the overshadowing of its spiritual significance. You'll get an insight into Jesus's humble beginnings, his inclinations toward spiritual matters from a young age, and the importance of glorifying the Supreme Father - not Jesus by himself. We discuss Jesus' focus on the kingdom of God and how he challenged people's attachment to material wealth. Jesus' message was love, humility, and service to God–values that we all need more of in our lives. Regardless of our age, nationality, or religion. This is the first episode of our new series ‘The Heart of Jesus' that we will publish at least until Christmas. Highlights: (6:06) The appearance of Lord Jesus Christ; innkeepers provided space in an animal shed and Jesus was born in a most humble setting (16:34) Jesus display of wisdom at young age stirred curiosity about his identity. Jesus is the son of God, not the Father Himself. (26:12) “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (32:05) The fear-based aspect of Christianity is a completely misrepresentation of Jesus' core message (44:39) “It's harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than to thread a camel through the eye of a needle” (55:26) On Christmas we should honor Jesus, not least by showing love towards all others. Traditional values are sadly more and more eroded. Recorded on December 18, 2021. Watch video version, join our email list or contribute to the podcast here:

In this episode, we continue where we left off in part one of the Person of Christ, and continue this glorious section where Owen argues that Jesus is the full and compelte revelation of the Glory and Person of the Father. He further argues that Jesus is the fulfillment of the 2nd commandment, and that Jesus is the image of the Father, that the Father Himself sent into the world through the incarnation.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Mark 9:5–7Just prior to the Transfiguration, Jesus began to reveal to His disciples that He would suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders, be killed and then rise on the third day. This caused much fear for the disciples as they grappled with this unsettling revelation from our Lord. And even though Jesus remained firm with them and even rebuked Peter for his fear, Jesus also gave three of His disciples a very precious gift.After much traveling, preaching, miracle working and private conversations about His passion with the Twelve, Jesus invited Peter, James and John to go with Him up a high mountain to pray. These disciples most likely had no idea what they would soon encounter. As they made the difficult and arduous journey, their minds must have been pondering not only the mighty deeds done by Jesus in the previous months but also His words about the suffering to come. As they struggled with this, much to their amazement, Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white.” Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, representing the Law and the prophets. These two Old Testament figures appeared as a way of saying to these disciples that everything that Jesus was telling them was to take place to fulfill all that had been foretold about Him from of old. Perhaps Jesus thought that if His disciples would not fully listen to Him, then seeing Moses and Elijah would help. But Jesus went even further. The Voice of the Father Himself thundered and said, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Thus, if these disciples would not ultimately listen to Jesus alone, or if even Moses and Elijah failed to convince them, then the last hope was the Father Himself. And Jesus delivered such a grace.The Transfiguration was a true mercy. These disciples had never seen anything like it before. But it was most likely this act of mercy that ultimately helped them to accept the hard truth that Jesus was trying to teach them about His coming suffering and death. If the Father in Heaven Personally gave witness to Jesus, then everything that Jesus had said was trustworthy.As we read through the Gospels and the many teachings God has given us through the Church, think about whether there are some teachings with which you struggle? Or in your own life, on a personal level, are there some things you know God wants of you but you find it difficult to accept? When confusion sets in, that means we are not listening, are not fully hearing what God is saying to us or are not understanding. And though we will not see the Transfigured Lord with our eyes and hear the Voice of the Father with our ears as these three disciples did, we must choose to believe all that God has said as if it were the Transfigured Lord, with Moses and Elijah, and the Father Himself speaking clearly and directly to us. “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Those words were not only spoken for the good of the disciples, they are also spoken to us.Reflect, today, upon this powerful experience given to these disciples by our Lord. Try to place yourself in the scene so as to witness Jesus transfigured in the most glorious way, with Moses and Elijah and with the thundering Voice of the Father. Allow the Father to speak also to you, telling you that all He has spoken through the Scriptures, the Church and within your own conscience is true. Allow this revelation to convince you on the deepest level to acknowledge not only the divinity of Jesus but also to “Listen to Him” in every way. My transfigured Lord, You are glorious beyond imagination, and You revealed a small glimpse of this glory to Your disciples to help them trust You more fully. May I also trust in You more completely, knowing that all You have spoken to me is true. Please remove any doubt and fear in my life so that nothing keeps me from embracing Your holy will. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

In the first of a 3 part series on “Resources in the Trinity”, David Gilliland preaches on “the Father Himself”. From John's Gospel he shows that the Father has resources for our every need. The Father's heart, house, hearing, hands, husbandry, helper, holiness, hedge and honour. Readings: John 12:26, 14:2-3, 16-17, 25-26, 15:1-3, 8, 16:23-24, 26-28, 17:11-13. (Message preached in Ontario, Canada) Complete series: The Father Himself Jesus Himself The Spirit Himself The post The Father Himself (48 min) first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.

Jesus was not recognized as the Father Himself but that did not impede his mission. [John 14:6-14, Feast of Sts. Philip and James]

“Now may our God and Father Himself and Yeshua our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Yeshua with all His saints” (NASU).

Summary: Are we going to obey? When the Nature of Christ is worked us, it is no longer a thought as we have the mind of Christ. Show notes: • The Golden Calf was built out of disobedience. • Moses hit the rock out of disobedience. • The importance of what God is doing in each of us, is finding Him in one another. • I am finding it easier to obey God because I know you. • Start wherever you are at. • The ending point is the nature of Christ worked in you. • We are talking about metamorphosis from a worm to a butterfly. References: Exodus 32:4,5 4. And he took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5. Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” Numbers 20:11, 12 11. Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. 12. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” 2 Samuel 11:4, 15 4. And David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 15. And he had written in the letter, saying, “Place Uriah in the front line of the Fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” John 5:19 19. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. John 16:7, 12-15,27 7. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 12. “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13. But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you, 15. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore, I said that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.” 27. for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father, John 17:21-23, 26 21. that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst sent Me. 22. “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; 23. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as thou didst love Me. 26. and I have made Thy name known to them and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them and I in them.” Romans 6:16 16. Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? Philippians 2:12 12. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; Hebrews 13:17 17. Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be...

“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.' His disciples said, ‘Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.' Yeshua answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world'” (NASU).

Pastor Lowell Nelson teaches on John 16: 16-33 "Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World" on 2/15/2023 for our Wednesday Bible Study. John 16:16-33 Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy 16 "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father." 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?" 18 They said therefore, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is saying." 19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, "Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I Have Overcome the World 25 "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." 29 His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 "Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God." 31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

“And Yeshua cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me'” (NASU).

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 New King James Version   11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 New King James Version   9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

In the old Westerns, they said the hero was the guy in the white hat. Well, in the life-or-death moments of September 11, 2001, it was the man with the red bandana. A red bandana had been Welles Crowther's trademark, I guess, since he was a boy. He still carried one even when he was a 24-year-old equities trader in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. And he had it on that fateful September day when the tower was in flames. Ling Young will never forget the man that she called "the man with the red bandana." She was sitting, bloody, dazed, waiting with others for help in the Elevator Sky Lobby. That was on the 78th floor where the second hijacked plane had sliced through the tower, and that's where she was. She said, "All of a sudden I heard a gentleman come out of the corner saying, 'I found the stairs. Follow me.'" The man was carrying a woman on his back, and he had a red bandana in his hand. After leading the group to a stairwell and giving them a fire extinguisher, he disappeared back up the stairs to help some other people. That was the last time she saw him, and she said, "He's been on my mind every day." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Love That Could Not Leave You Lost." Judy Wein was in that same Sky Lobby. She was badly injured, and that's when she saw a man with a red bandana over his nose and mouth come running across the room, and he led them to this unseen staircase that would take them to safety. And in her words, "He was the cowboy coming in to save the town." Ling Young is sure that "Without him, I would not be here" she said. "He definitely saved my life." Six months after the towers fell, they found his body in the rubble. I can't read this story without remembering the man who gave His life to save mine, and to save so many others. On the fateful day when He died to rescue me, it was not a red bandana He wore. It was a crown of thorns. He bled red for me. And the way I'll know Him when I see Him is by those awful nail prints in His hands. The scars that will forever declare how much my sin cost and how deeply He loves me and you. Our word for today from the Word of God is Isaiah 49:15-16. He tells me, "I will not forget you! I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." See, I'm not alone in my desperate need for a spiritual rescuer. We all sit in the darkness, the danger of being away from our God. We're all away from Him. We're on the edge of being swept into an awful eternity after our last heartbeat, because we've run our own lives. We've hijacked our life from God. It's His life, and we took it. We've said, "God, I'll do it my way instead of your way." And the only way to pay for that is to pay the penalty for an eternity in hell. But here comes Jesus with His hand extended saying, "I have made a way out. Come on, follow Me!" Our eternal destiny depends on whether or not we do follow Him. He said, "Whoever believes in the Son" - that's the Son of God - "has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life" (John 3:36). That's the crossroads we all come to - it's the crossroads to which God might be bringing you today, "What will you do with Jesus, My Son, who gave His life for you?" God asks. The crown of thorns, the nails in His hands and feet, the spear in His side, the separation from God the Father Himself, all for you because of your sin and because of His love for you. Today, as He reaches out His hand your direction, are you going to grab it or are you going to walk away? This could be the day you settle your eternity and trade in that hell for His heaven. Reach out and grab Him and say, "Jesus, I'm pinning all my hopes on You to be my Rescuer." Listen, you want to know more about this? Go to our website today - ANewStory.com. Welles Crowther's father said, "His last hour was his legacy." Well, Jesus' last hour, when He was on that cross and chose to be cut off from God so we would never have to be, that was His legacy. And with a very full heart, I can tell you, I'm part of that legacy, and you can be too.

Romans 8:34 - Can someone who has been justified be once again condemned because of sin? In Romans 8:34 Paul says that this question is unthinkable for those who are in Christ Jesus. Christ took all of the Christian's condemnation with Him on the cross and the Son will no more bring any charge against them or be the means of their condemnation any more than the Father Himself. In this sermon on Romans 8:34 titled Christ, Our Security, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones divides Paul's proofs into four main arguments: Christ has died, He has risen again, He is at the right hand of God, and He is making intercession for His people. Because of these four things, the Christian can rest assured that it is impossible for God to punish them once again because Christ died for their sin and bore their punishment so that they can now be alive in God. This means that a believer has been justified and justification is a declaration that they are no longer under condemnation. God's justice was fully satisfied on the cross and, therefore, God's justice should be viewed as their greatest security and comfort. Christ was raised from the dead shows that God the Father was satisfied with this sacrifice and all condemnation has been dealt with fully. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Romans 8:34 - Can someone who has been justified be once again condemned because of sin? In Romans 8:34 Paul says that this question is unthinkable for those who are in Christ Jesus. Christ took all of the Christian's condemnation with Him on the cross and the Son will no more bring any charge against them or be the means of their condemnation any more than the Father Himself. In this sermon on Romans 8:34 titled Christ, Our Security, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones divides Paul's proofs into four main arguments: Christ has died, He has risen again, He is at the right hand of God, and He is making intercession for His people. Because of these four things, the Christian can rest assured that it is impossible for God to punish them once again because Christ died for their sin and bore their punishment so that they can now be alive in God. This means that a believer has been justified and justification is a declaration that they are no longer under condemnation. God's justice was fully satisfied on the cross and, therefore, God's justice should be viewed as their greatest security and comfort. Christ was raised from the dead shows that God the Father was satisfied with this sacrifice and all condemnation has been dealt with fully. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Romans 8:34 - Can someone who has been justified be once again condemned because of sin? In Romans 8:34 Paul says that this question is unthinkable for those who are in Christ Jesus. Christ took all of the Christian's condemnation with Him on the cross and the Son will no more bring any charge against them or be the means of their condemnation any more than the Father Himself. In this sermon on Romans 8:34 titled Christ, Our Security, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones divides Paul's proofs into four main arguments: Christ has died, He has risen again, He is at the right hand of God, and He is making intercession for His people. Because of these four things, the Christian can rest assured that it is impossible for God to punish them once again because Christ died for their sin and bore their punishment so that they can now be alive in God. This means that a believer has been justified and justification is a declaration that they are no longer under condemnation. God's justice was fully satisfied on the cross and, therefore, God's justice should be viewed as their greatest security and comfort. Christ was raised from the dead shows that God the Father was satisfied with this sacrifice and all condemnation has been dealt with fully. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Romans 8:34 — Can someone who has been justified be once again condemned because of sin? In Romans 8:34 Paul says that this question is unthinkable for those who are in Christ Jesus. Christ took all of the Christian's condemnation with Him on the cross and the Son will no more bring any charge against them or be the means of their condemnation any more than the Father Himself. In this sermon on Romans 8:34 titled “Christ, Our Security,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones divides Paul's proofs into four main arguments: Christ has died, He has risen again, He is at the right hand of God, and He is making intercession for His people. Because of these four things, the Christian can rest assured that it is impossible for God to punish them once again because Christ died for their sin and bore their punishment so that they can now be alive in God. This means that a believer has been justified and justification is a declaration that they are no longer under condemnation. God's justice was fully satisfied on the cross and, therefore, God's justice should be viewed as their greatest security and comfort. Christ was raised from the dead shows that God the Father was satisfied with this sacrifice and all condemnation has been dealt with fully.