Podcasts about gentile church

Is it Rapture or Tribulation (1) ? (audio) David Eells – 11/2/25 Is the Tribulation for You? Amos Scaggs - 08/03/2005   In a dream, I was at a computer and it was the mid-tribulation time period. I saw millions of people being destroyed and all sorts of catastrophes happening all over the world. I saw the Beast system in full swing, its leaders and commanders. I thought I had seen enough so I wanted to close the screen out. I kept clicking the “X” with the cursor 15-20 times in rapid succession but every time I would hit the “X” the screen would pop back up again. I was getting frustrated because I couldn't exit the page. Then a voice said, “You're Not Getting Out”. (So, no pre or mid-trib rapture) I had to sit there and watch the activities of the tribulation times. Needless to say, I was totally disappointed, and my heart sank because I thought I would escape the tribulation period. Regardless of what you have been taught or think, the Christian/Church will go through the seven-year tribulation period.   Revelation in Mid-Trib of Soon Coming Rapture K. H. - 06/16/2008 (David's notes in red) In a house, I was in a living room with my mother and my sister; each of us was sitting on a separate couch. I knew that it was about in the middle of the tribulation (The timing of the rest of this dream starts at this mid-trib) and we had begun to discuss when the rapture was going to happen. My mother and sister were very insistent that the rapture was going to happen very soon, whereas I was thinking there was a little more time (past the mid-trib). As I was telling them how much more time I thought we had, the Lord showed me a picture of the earth. I then saw two or three black holes forming on the earth; it was almost like the earth looked like Swiss cheese. The Lord drew my attention to a black hole forming in the Indian Ocean between Africa and Australia as I saw the earth sucking itself up into the black hole. Simultaneously, as I saw the black hole beginning to ingest all that surrounded it, I felt like I was being sucked or pulled in the opposite direction. In that moment, I knew that it was the rapture, and the peace that surpasses all understanding came over me, and the joy of being in the presence of the Lord. As I was being taken up into the clouds, I woke up suddenly and I felt the Holy Spirit come over me very strongly, and I quickly went back to sleep. During the second 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, or mid-trib, as the world is being swallowed up by the beast from hell, we shall be increasingly swallowed up by the Kingdom of Heaven and ultimately into Heaven itself at the end of the trib. Few understand that the rapture is for those who have already learned to dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven while on Earth. Mat.24:31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet (We are told the rapture will be at the last or seventh trump- the seventh year of the trib.), and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.)   Pre-Trib Rapture? Rick Sergent - 06/1997 THE LORD SPEAKS OF THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE THEORY I was working at International Truck Corporation in Springfield, Ohio. It was my lunch break. I was at my work desk and I had my bible when I heard the Lord say, “Go to Matthew 24.” I kind of pouted with Him and said I had read that chapter a zillion times. He said, “I WANT YOU TO READ IT AGAIN”. So just before I read it, the Lord said to me, “The pre-tribulation rapture theory is a false doctrine to lead my people astray, thinking they don't have to do or prepare for anything. My Church will go all the way through the tribulation. Some well-meaning teachers have taught this theory, but I have not taught them”. He also said, “This theory encourages laziness”. Then the words “Beginning of sorrows” went into my spirit. I knew what those words meant, and asked the Lord anyway, “What is the beginning of sorrows?” He did not respond to me with words, but automatically my eyes were fixed on some bold print at the bottom caption of some editorial notes of Matthew 24. In bold print were these words, “BEGINNING OF SORROWS”. I had read this many times, but never saw those words in that caption before. It was these words: “the transition of this age to the Age to come” ...severe birth pangs. I heard the Lord say, “I want you to read Matthew 24 just as it is, and do not read anything else into it”. When I did this, the Lord opened up my eyes, especially in verse 29: “after the tribulation of those days” and the coming of the Lord. I had asked the Lord to confirm this because it messed up my doctrine, and He told me my doctrine needed to be messed up! Since that time, the Lord has many times confirmed this to me in different ways and linked me to people with the same belief without me searching for such people. I also later did a term paper on the pre-, mid-, and post-trib in 2001 and found out that the pre-trib rapture doctrine first came into the Church in 1832! Watch the Hidden Manna For the End Times video series.   WORD OF REVIVAL IN TRIBULATION Rick Sergent - 5/19/07 The Spirit of the Lord was resting heavy upon me and through me as I was at my home: He said, Much of My Church cannot discern the sky. They cannot see the storm clouds coming. They are wrapped up in their visions of grandeur. Many pastors do not want to hear warnings about great troubles coming to this nation because it threatens their vision. Some do not realize that the days of calamity will bring forth a great harvest and ministry to the lost. For the Big Harvest, I will not separate from calamities and trouble times. It will go hand-in-hand together. They hope to have their vision fulfilled during a time of prosperity, but I will allow these things to happen to America, to awaken My Church, and to shake this nation to the core of its foundation. There is coming to America a “day of trouble”, but at the same time, I will pour out My Spirit upon this nation as they cry out to Me. To My remnant that is hearing Me, I am pouring into them My power and My love. I am developing My character in them. I want you to reach out to others with My love and My compassion. I am pouring these things into you, so you can pour out of yourselves, My love, My compassion, and power into others who are hurting and in need. Be prepared to disciple and mentor My newborn babies, for they cannot walk; they are fragile and need much help. They can only crawl. Help and teach them to walk on their own. Feed My sheep so they know how to feed themselves with My Word. For I have truly called you for such a time as this.   Rapture? Or Sanctification in Tribulation? Colleen Quinn - 12/22/2009 (RM and David's notes in red) In April of 1982, I was about eight months pregnant with my son, Shawn Mann, in Anchorage, Alaska. I had been praying and asking God to show me if the rapture was true or not. Shortly after that, I had this dream: I saw this huge city that was very busy with people. Out of the sky came the hand of God with a sword; He divided the city into two sections. The section on the left (goats) was much larger than the section on the right (sheep). (This is likened to God separating/sanctifying His people when they were in Egypt. The city is the world, a corporate city of nations, also called Babylon. Isa.25:3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.) A dark cloud was formed over the people on the left. These people were doing horrid, unspeakable things to each other. When they saw the dark cloud above them, they started reaching up to it and eating it like cotton candy. (The Holy Spirit later showed me that a lot of the dark cloud was from the TV and computers. And MSM) The people on the left became bored with doing horrid things to each other so they started going over to the section of people on the right and doing horrible, torturous things to them. (The people on the right are all who call themselves Christians. They will all be persecuted by the world in the tribulation. History always repeats, as with Rome and the early Christians. Those who are sanctified, and have faith, will escape.) God then divided the section on the right into three more sections. The first group on the right had many more people in it than the other two groups. These people had a hard time letting go of their past lives. They wanted to get to Heaven but did not want to give up their sinful ways from their past. Because they kept looking back at their past, they all turned into pillars of salt. (They looked back to the worldly ways of Sodom, like Lot's wife, in loving the present world. Jesus likened them unto the seed that fell upon the rocky ground. The seed sprang up with life, but because it had no root, it withered.) Because they had not learned to have a relationship with Jesus, they had no power to fight off the wicked people on the left. The group on the left could not get their fill of doing horrid, torturous things to the pillar of salt people. (The “pillar of salt people” are the vast majority of all who claim Christianity but have no personal faith or understanding of the Word of God, which could protect, save, heal and deliver them. These will be the persecutors of the true saints. Mat.24:10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. These are the “many” or majority who, as the Laodicean church, will be spewed out of the body of Christ.) The second group had more people than the third or last group. These people appeared to have no backbone or spine. They swayed with the wind. Any doctrine that came along, they were quick to accept because, without knowing the Word well enough, they accepted whatever was preached. They were lazy and did not want to put forth effort in reading the Word or praying. (This is the church world that the righteous will leave behind. This comfy church routine of conflicting mingled doctrines, where people smile and clap for whomever and whatever is spoken across the pulpit. 2Ti 3:6-7 For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Jas.1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.) They wanted other people (especially their pastors) to do all the work for them and loved to listen to doctrines that tickled their ears (like the all-fly-away, pre-trib rapture and the once saved always saved.) and did not call them to die to their fleshly desires. Mat.16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?) These people had a little bit more power than the pillar of salt people, but they still did not have the power in their lives to combat the evil that was coming on them. (These are as the churches of Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira and Sardis, which had a little power but were exhorted to overcome their evils in the tribulations.) The third group of people was by far the fewest in number. (This is the remnant as the Philadelphia church who are to be spared “the hour of trial ... which is to come upon the whole world”.) These people had determined in their hearts to be obedient to God no matter what the cost. They denied themselves and walked in love with others. This group was the pillars of fire. They were untouchable by the group on the left. The group on the left would try to kill and destroy this group and God would translate the pillar of fire people or put His angels around them so that they could not be harmed, at least spiritually. (Rev.12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.) The pillar of fire people would go back and forth, trying to help the pillar of salt people and the people with no backbones who swayed in the wind. (These will be the anointed ones of the tribulation, like the Bride and her Man-child leadership. The early church went through its tribulation, as it is written: Act.14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.) The pillar of fire people had trained themselves to listen to the voice of God and they were used as the hand of God in the last days. (Joh.10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. They know His voice, which is His Word, because they abide in His Word. 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.) I saw in a dream of my son, Shawn, on 2/19/08, that he had this glow around him. Then it was like I went back in time and saw this river of fire. God was beckoning him to walk in the fire, and he was hesitant. God told him to trust Him and He would be with him in the fire. (Like the three Hebrews, Shawn was chosen to go through the tribulation fire heated seven times hotter than normal, but the Lord will be with him in the fire to burn off his bonds.) When he was in the fire, it was like he was being purified. He went through some things that were extremely hard and broke his heart. Every cell of his being ached and cried. Several times he begged God to stop, but he kept encouraging him to trust Him. He was using the fire to purify Shawn's heart. After he went through the fire walk, he had this glow around him, and when he talked to people, God would cause the scales to fall off their eyes and the plugs to come out of their ears. Their hearts were then tender to hear God, and they literally turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. (Shawn will help bring the revival of repentance and faith.) Less than a month later, Shawn's baby died in the womb. His wife became pregnant again, and as of now, 12/22/09, they have a healthy seven-month-old baby girl. (A sign of tribulation and bearing fruit through it to the end.)   Rapture Delusion Amy Methvin (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was walking alone, really sort of feeling sorry for myself in this wilderness journey that the Lord has me in. I really wanted to find some like-minded believers to fellowship with. All of a sudden, I walked up on a group of 20 or so people who were claiming that they had the “real” right doctrine on the rapture. They were telling me that the rapture was coming any minute and that I needed to join them and be ready. I thought about it for a minute and decided that it would not hurt to just listen to their point of view, seeing as I have gone down a few wrong rabbit trails before, maybe I should be open-minded and just listen. I told them that I used to be a pre-trib believer, but was now post-trib. They again excitedly told me that the rapture would come very soon. Very shortly, I felt this shaking, and we began to slowly lift off the ground. Immediately, it was dark and I could not see anything. They all started screaming, “Yippee, Wahoo! I told you, it's the rapture!!!!!!!” We were going up, but something did not seem right to me; it seemed too slow. I tried to open my eyes but I could not. (Spiritual blindness from false doctrine.) Finally, I was able to open them, but something was over my face. I reached to pull it off. It was wrapped around my whole head. It would not let go, even though I was able to pull it slightly off of one eye. It was a huge black bat!!! Terrified, I immediately knew that we were not going to heaven as the people thought, but were being taken to hell. I immediately screamed the name of JESUS. The bat disintegrated and I began to float back down to the ground. Somewhat relieved, I knew that I had to tell my husband of the deception, so I started to scream his name. As I did, I felt my heart go into cardiac arrest. I was having a massive heart attack that I don't think I was going to survive. As I lay there, I knew I had been saved from hell, but the deception was going to cost me my life. End of dream. This seems to be saying two things. Those in the strong delusion of the pre-trib rapture believe that they don't need trial and refining through tribulation to bear fruit and enter heaven. Being blinded by this demon doctrine, they will believe this all the way through the tribulation and will take the mark, not bear fruit, and end up in hell. Also, for those who find out that it was a lie too late, it will cost them their lives, for they did not prepare to endure the trial of their faith in the wilderness because they didn't think it necessary. Because of our site, many pre-tribbers have sent me their imminent pre-trib rapture revelations for years. I tell them that this is a deception, and it won't happen but even though the timing comes and goes, and I am proven correct, they send me the next imminent pre-trib rapture revelation, and it is also proven to be a lie. No matter how many times they are lied to, they continue to believe it because it permits them to live as they like and enter heaven regardless of what the Word says. This is proof that this is a strong delusion to keep them from bearing fruit. Let's examine what the Word has to say about the Rapture from our Book, Hidden Manna – For the End Times: I felt I first should share this part of my revelation in order that the rest would be sufficiently important. For now, I would like to deal specifically with the ingathering harvest of the Church and not the First-fruits. Many disagree with the term “rapture” because it is not in the Word. The Greek word harpazo, meaning “to snatch or catch away,” is translated “caught up.” Since this is what most mean when they use the term “rapture,” it is just a sectarian spirit that would have us argue over such things. So that the majority will understand, I will use their terminology. Most agree with the Scriptures that the rapture and the resurrection happen “together.” (1Th.4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout…and the dead in Christ shall rise first; (17) then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…. (1Cor.15:51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Notice that all the dead and all the living in Christ at this time will be changed in the same moment. Therefore, if the time of the resurrection can be proven, we will know when the rapture happens. (1Cor.15:22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (23) But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. Notice that after Christ's resurrection, there is only one more complete resurrection of the righteous dead, “they that are Christ's, at his coming.” This is only speaking of permanent resurrections in the heavenly body. Since there is only one more complete resurrection and rapture, they must be at the very “end” or everybody who gets saved cannot be resurrected. This complete resurrection is to a spiritual heavenly life, not to a physical earthly life which happens all the time. (24) Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. (25) For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. Notice that the last enemy that shall be abolished is death. The resurrection and rapture, which abolish death, are at the end when God will have abolished all rebellious rule over and in His people. They do not happen seven years before the end when the influence of the beast, the harlot, sin, and the world system still have some hold on God's people. Solomon said that every man is a beast (Ecc.3:18-19), meaning all unregenerate men are ruled by a carnal nature. The mark of the beast just identifies members of that corporate body. Of course, mature sons of God are ruled by a mind renewed with the Word of God. “The Harlot” identifies those who receive a seed or word that is not from Christ, their husband. Many of God's people are pledging allegiance to the world system rather than submitting to the Word. At this time, sadly, most of God's people fall into these categories. Therefore, the resurrection and the rapture, which abolish death, must be last, after the beast, harlot, and the world system no longer rule God's true people. (Act.2:34)…The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (35) Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. The Lord will not come until His enemies are under His feet and His elect are completely restored. (3:20) And that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, [even] Jesus: (21) whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all (of God's elect) things (“things” is not in the Greek)…. When all are restored through the Tribulation, the Lord comes. Here is that one complete resurrection again. (Rev.20:4)…[I saw] the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (5)… This is the first resurrection. Notice that the saints who were beheaded, because they would not take the mark of the beast, are in the first resurrection. It was called first by John, who looked into the future from 96 A.D., which was after Jesus' resurrection. This clearly tells us that there is no resurrection and rapture before the Tribulation mark of the beast. Again there are many who are resurrected to a physical life but those who are resurrected to the heavenly life are forever. The second resurrection, called the second death in verse six, is after a thousand years and is for the wicked. Since the first resurrection is also the only complete resurrection of the righteous, it must be at the end of the Tribulation. If it were at the beginning, the great multitude that is purified during the Great Tribulation could not be resurrected. (Rev.7:9) After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of ev­ery nation and of [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…. (14)…And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Notice that the resurrection and rapture are after the Great Tribulation, which most agree is the last 3½ years. Jesus said He would raise up all of His people at the last day, which must also be the time of the rapture. (Joh.6:39) And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. (40) For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. Now let's be honest, “the last day” cannot mean seven years before the last day. (Job 14:12) So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep. The resurrection cannot happen until the time when the heavens pass away. (2Pet.3:10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Obviously, the heavens could not pass away or the earth burn up at the beginning or even in the middle of the seven years, or there would not be anybody here to have a tribulation! The resurrection and rapture could only be at the beginning of the last day, here called the day of the Lord, which we will see presently, is a year-long. Noah knew the Lord would come for him seven days before the flood. He was given a sign to read in his day. Some will argue that Jesus said, “Of that day and hour knoweth no one” (Mat.24:36). The tense of the verb “knoweth” is present, not future! This spoke of Jesus' day, not our day. Jesus gave us a clear type so we would know when He would come in our day when the covenant with many is made for seven years. (37) … As [were] the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. The days of Noah are only mentioned in Genesis seven. (Gen.7:4) For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth…. (10) And it came to pass after the seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. God said that “after the seven days” the flood would come and they would be lifted off. We know that those in the ark of Christ will be raptured “after the seven days.” Those seven days represent the seven years of Tribulation, as we will see in many other places. The seventieth week of Daniel prophesies the Tribulation, which will be a week of years, or seven years, just as the first sixty-nine weeks proved to be weeks of years, totaling 483 years, which led to the time of Christ (Dan.9:25-26). (Dan.9:27) And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week (Hebrew: shabua, meaning “a seven” of days or years)…. Noah's seven days also represented the seven years of the Tribulation. His tribulation preceded the flood, which also lasted for a year. It was ten days over their lunar year from the time the flood started (Gen.7:11) until the waters dried up (8:13-14). At that time, their year was a lunar year of 354 days, which God corrected with the ten extra days, bringing us up to the 365th first full day of a solar year when they stepped out of the ark. If God made the year following the seven-year solar, it stands to reason the seven years are also solar. We will see more proof. Noah's seven days also represent the seven years of the Tribulation. His tribulation preceded the flood, which also lasted for a year. From the time the flood started (Gen.7:11) until the waters dried up (8:13-14) was ten days over their lunar year. A lunar year of 12 months can be 354 or 355 days in length. This is due to the varying time it takes the moon to circle the earth, and also because the start of their lunar months was determined by new moon sightings. The lunar year during the flood was most probably 355 days, which God corrected with the ten extra days. This gives us a full 365-day solar year. If God made the year of the flood solar (representing the year of the Lord), which followed after Noah's seven days (representing the seven years of Tribulation), then it stands to reason that the seven years of Tribulation are also solar. We will see more proof of this. This last year foreshadows the wrath of God on those who persecute His people during the Tribulation. This year was also called a day. (Isa.34:8) For the Lord hath a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. Here we see that the wrath of God, also called the Day of the Lord, is also a day/year following seven days/years. Many mistake the Tribulation for the wrath, saying, “God appointed us not unto wrath” (1Th.5:9). Speaking of the Church in tribulation, Revelation 12:6 says, “the woman fled into the wilderness.” The Tribulation is a wilderness trial for the saints like the Hebrews had. As we have seen, they leave after that tribulation “at the last day” (Joh.6:40), the “day of the Lord” or “day of vengeance.” The year of wrath is God's judgment upon the wicked who were used to tribulate and purify the saints during the previous seven years. The Lord says, (Isa.63:4) For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. (6) And I trod down the peoples in mine anger, and made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth. Notice that the day of vengeance was also a year, the year of the redeemed, just as in Noah's day, which was after the seven days. This is a year of wrath on the wicked who have persecuted God's people. The rapture and resurrection are after the Great Tribulation, which is the last 3½ years of tribulation! Matthew 24:21 says, “Then shall be great tribulation” and verses 29-31 say, “After the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light…and they shall see the Son of man coming….and they shall gather together his elect…from one end of heaven to the other.” The corresponding verse in Mark 13:27 says, “from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” Taken together, we see that one end of heaven is on the earth, the living, and the other is in heaven, the resurrected. We see here that Jesus is rapturing and resurrecting His elect after the Great Tribulation. After the Tribulation, the sun and moon being darkened signal the coming Day of the Lord or flood. (Act.2:20) The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable [day]. Notice that the sun and moon are darkened after the Great Tribulation but before the Day of the Lord. Again we see that the flood follows the Tribulation. Revelation 14 is the story of the Tribulation and the Day of Wrath that follows. (Rev.14:6) And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people; (7) and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come…. This hour of judgment is the hour that the ten kings of the beast rule in Revelation 17:12, which is also the last 3½ years of the Tribulation in 13:5. (9)…If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, (10) he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…. Notice that those who receive the mark during the Tribulation are threatened with the coming wrath. (11) … They have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. Without taking the mark, the true saints patiently endure persecution and sometimes death in the second 3½ years. (12) Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Some saints die from refusing the mark. (13) And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them. Some die during the Tribulation and some “are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord” (1Th.4:15). Then we see the harvest of the righteous after the Tribulation. (Rev.14:14) And I saw, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud [I saw] one sitting like unto a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. (15) And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send forth thy sickle, and reap: for the hour to reap is come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. (16) And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped. Those who do not bear the fruit necessary to be in this harvest will be in the next. After the time of that rapture/resurrection harvest, we see the beginning of a year-long harvest of the wicked through the wrath of God. (Rev.14:17) And another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. (19) And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great [winepress], of the wrath of God. (20) And the winepress was trodden without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs. This flood of wrath involves the last real worldwide war. Revelation chapters 15 and 16 explain this wrath, or Day of the Lord, more completely. There we see that “seven angels having seven plagues, [which are] the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God” (15:1). They had “seven bowls of the wrath of God” (16:1). These bowls of the year of wrath on the wicked follow the Tribulation of the saints. Jesus rebuked Israel for not seeing the sign of the time of His first coming. After all, Daniel gave them 483 years to the day of Jesus' birth, but they did not read the Scriptures any more diligently than the Christians in our day. Here we see by example that history always repeats (Ecc.1:9). Like Noah, Daniel knew when the Lord would come for him seven days before the resurrection, so why didn't the Israelites go in a pre-Tribulation rapture if there was one? Daniel tells us to the day when the rapture and resurrection are by giving a sign to be read in our day. (Dan.9:27) And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week (a sign to be read in our day): and in the midst of the week (mid-Tribulation) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease…. As we saw, this “week” or shabua is “a seven” of years that the beast makes a covenant for. Notice in the “midst” of this Tribulation covenant, he causes the sacrifice of the burnt offering to cease. The “midst” comes after the first 3½ years of the Tribulation, which are 1260 days according to Revelation 12:6 (Notice the numbers). “The woman fled into the wilderness…a thousand two hundred and threescore days (1260).” That would make 1260 days until the burnt offering is taken away. Then we are given another count of 1290 days until the end of the Tribulation. (Dan.12:11) And from the time that the continual [burnt-offering] shall be taken away (mid-Tribulation)…there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Now we see that there are 1260 days before the sacrifice ceases and 1290 days afterward. That comprises the Jewish lunisolar seven years of the Tribulation, after which the saints enter the ark. Then we are given another count of 1335 days from the “midst of the week” until the resurrection. (12) Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (13) But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest (die), and shalt stand in thy lot (resurrection), at the end of the days. This resurrection comes simultaneously with the rapture when the ark lifts off. There it is to the day! The 1260 days for the first 3½ years plus 1335 days past that gives us 2595 days from the time the covenant with many is made until Jesus comes for the resurrection/rapture. So, even though no man in Jesus' day knew, once the covenant begins, we will know the day. The resurrection/rapture only appears to be forty-five days after the end of the Tribulation. In Noah's account the ark left forty days after the tribulation. (Gen.7:10)…After the seven days…. (17)…the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. There appears to be a five-day difference between the days of Noah and the days of Daniel, but actually, there is none. God, who narrated Noah's account, used solar time, as we have seen, which is actual time, to typify the seven years of tribulation. However, when He gave Daniel's account, we can see that He was using their Jewish lunisolar calendar, which was necessary then to show types and shadows. This calendar was only corrected for solar time after every six years. From the writings of Moses and the prophets, we know that they, by then, had a 360-day year. Multiply this by 3½ and you get the 1260 days of the first 3½ years. They adjusted to solar time after every six years by adding a leap month of thirty days, which would make the second 3½ years 1290 days. We can see that Daniel's figure of 1290 days above for the second 3½ years takes into account a leap month. It appears that the Tribulation will start the year after a leap month, so that six years later, thirty days will be added. This would leave one more year remaining in the Tribulation, which the Jews would not have corrected for solar time by adding five days. Since the Jews only adjusted after every six years, they wouldn't add the five days after the final (or seventh) year. This is also proven by the equation: 1260 + 1290 = 2550 but 7 x 365 = 2555. The Jews were five days short of a 365-day year. However, most of the Gentiles have these five days included in every year of 365 days. With this five-day solar correction to Daniel's account, he and Noah are in total agreement. Jesus takes His saints forty days after the Tribulation, which is 2595 days after the covenant is made. There is one more calculation before we include all of this in one chart and that is the return of the Lord with His saints. (Gen.7:11) In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. (17) And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. That was when the flood started and this is when it ended with their return. (8:13) And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year…. (14) And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry. (15) And God spake unto Noah, saying, (16) Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Since we have seen that the Bible says the flood of wrath is a year, this text has to agree with that. Considering that they had a 354-day lunar year at that time, if we started at the beginning of the day stated in verse 14, when the waters dried up, we would have approximately a 365-day solar year. Or, if we started at the same time on each day and they left the ark the next morning, we would have a 365-day solar year. If we subtract from the forty days that they were in the ark, we see that 325 days after the ark left, they set foot on earth (365 - 40 = 325). This brings us to day 2920 from the making of the covenant (365 x 8 years = 2920 days). On this day, as it was with Noah, the Lord appears with His wife and children. (Another symbol seen here is that the ark is Jesus in Whom the family of Noah, meaning “rest,” abided.) This is when Noah sacrificed the beasts on an altar (20) and God said He would not “again smite any more everything living” (21). This is when the Lord and His saints return to sacrifice the armies of the beasts of the nations (Rev.19:11-18). The Lord called this “a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel” (Eze.39:17). Thus, we are given the signs to read in our day that from the time the covenant is made, unto the coming of the Lord for His saints, is 2595 days and His return with His saints is 2920 days. The above figures of two witnesses, Noah and Daniel, let us know that God included no fractions of .24 in the 365-day year. The Jewish solar correction from 1260 to 1290 for six years changed their 360-day year in Daniel's account to 365 days just as in Noah's account. Why no fraction? We just had proof that judgments can affect the rotation of the Earth, changing the number of days in a year. The earthquake on December 26, 2004, off the west coast of northern Sumatra in the Indian Ocean, was said by scientists to have tilted the Earth by an extra 2.5 centimeters and sped up the rotation by some three microseconds, and much greater, and more frequent earthquakes are coming. We are told in Scripture that the earth will be struck by meteors and that it “shall stagger like a drunken man” (Isa.24:20). These kinds of judgments could easily slow the rotation. This would lengthen the days but shorten the number of days in a year, possibly by .24. I am sure this will bring to some minds Jesus' words. (Mat.24:22) And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. The primary meaning of this is that God's elect leave in the ark before the end, shortening the number of days for the “elect's sake” but not for the wicked. Perhaps there is a secondary symbolic meaning here as well. Another objection that some might have is that 1260 days does not bring us to a perfect “midst of the week.” The Hebrew word used here for midst is chatsi, and it's not used in the Bible to mean “perfect center.” “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed…And the sun stayed in the midst of heaven” (Jos.10:13), “take me not away in the midst of my days” (Psa.102:24), “the Mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst” (Zech.14:4). See what I mean? However, 1260 days does bring us to the “midst” of the lunar days in this week. It also brings us between the lunar and solar corrected days. We see conclusively that the saints will be here for forty days of the wrath, although they are not in the wrath, for they are in the ark, which also represents fully abiding in Jesus. (1Th.5:9) For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Passover was a type of this forty-day preservation in the spiritual ark. The Passover and the Ark are both the last judgment before the saints leave Egypt as a type of the world. The Lord said to me, “During that last forty days there will be a corporate, Psalm 91, Passover of the curse for the saints.” We hear from many that the Lord will come “as a thief in the night” (1Th.5:2) in a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church. After the judgments on Egypt (a type of the world), Israel was freed to leave at midnight (Exo.12:29-31), which is also when the wise virgins left (Mat.25:6). Then, as in Noah's Day of the Lord, the Egyptians were killed by a flood at the Red Sea. Midnight for an overwhelmingly Gentile Church is the end of one day and the beginning of a new day, the Day of the Lord, when the world is destroyed. Let us see when the thief comes. (1Th.4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; (17) then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (5:1) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Here we see that the Lord's coming in the Day of the Lord is as a “thief,” but when is that? (2Pet.3:10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Peter tells us plainly that the thief comes not at the beginning of the Tribulation but when the earth is burned up in the last Day of the Lord! (11) Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in [all] holy living and godliness, (12) looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? We are not told to look for a secret pre-Tribulation rapture, but to live holy lives to escape the wrath of God when heaven and earth will be destroyed. (13) But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Noah lived a holy life, went through the seven days/years and escaped at the beginning of the wrath, and came down on a new earth, for the first earth was destroyed by the flood. Everything will happen according to type. (1Cor.10:11) Now these things happened unto them (Israel) by way of example (Greek: “figure or type”); and they were written for our admonition (Christians), upon whom the ends of the ages are come. God will finish His born-again creation on this morning of the seventh millennial day as He did with the natural creation. (Gen.2:2) And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made…. This morning of the seventh millennium is the seventh day for “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2Pet.3:8). A morning of a thousand-year day could be years instead of hours. However, we are told that the city of God will be saved from the raging nations and the melting earth “at the dawn of morning,” which narrows the time down considerably. (Psa.46:5) God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God will help her, and that right early (Hebrew: “at the dawn of the morning”). (6) The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted. What we will now prove is that early at the dawning of the seventh millennium, after seven years of tribulation, at the seventh or last trump, with a great shout, the saints will enter the heavenly New Jerusalem. For proof of this, consider these promises and the type that follows. As we have seen, “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout” (1Th.4:16), and “we shall all be changed…at the last trump” (1Cor.15:51- 52). Notice that “all” will be changed at the “shout” of the “last trump.” In an attempt to make a pre-Tribulation rapture fit, some have adopted the oxymoron that there are two last trumps. However, in Revelation 10:7 the only last trump, which is the seventh, is the time in which “is finished the mystery of God.” (Rev.11:15) And the seventh angel sounded (last trump); and there followed great voices in heaven (saints), and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord…. (16) And the four and twenty elders… worshipped God, (17) saying…thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign. (18) And the nations were wroth (Tribulation), and thy wrath came (Day of the Lord or flood), and the time of the dead to be judged (resurrection), and [the time] to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth. The last trump is the time when the Lord takes personal possession of the world, His saints are brought to heaven and given their reward, and the wrath of God is poured out on the nations who are left. Therefore, the last trump rapture is at the end of the Tribulation, in the beginning of the flood of God's vengeance, the Day of the Lord! (Isa.34:8) For the Lord hath a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. The apostate (fallen away) Christians will not escape this wrath any more than the apostate Jews escaped the wrath in 70 A.D., when the true people of God fled to the mountains, a type of the rapture. The unripe figs will be cast down at this time (Rev.6:13) and the lukewarm spewed out of the body of Christ (Rev.3:16) to partake of God's wrath. Let's see more proof of when this last trump shout comes. Look at a type, which is fulfilled on the morning of the “seventh day,” representing the morning of the seventh thousand-year day, which is where we are now. Joshua, which is Hebrew for Jesus, brought the saints out of the wilderness, representing the end of the Tribulation. Here, the Israelites came to the city of Jericho. Like heaven, it was an impenetrable fortress for mere man to enter. This was the first city of the Promised Land, representing the New Jerusalem. Here, they compassed the city “seven times.” “Times” are used for years of tribulation in Revelation 12:14,6. “A time (one year), and times (two years), and half a time (half a year)” were “a thousand two hundred and threescore days” or 3½ years. While compassing the city “seven times” they blew “seven trumpets,” representing the seven trumps of the seven years of Tribulation and resurrection/rapture. Then the saints gave a “great shout” and the wall separating them from the New Jerusalem fell. The falling of the wall represents the falling of the flesh as the saints receive their new bodies to “go up” into their Promised Land. Here it is: (Jos.6:4) And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark (before the coming of the Lord): and the seventh day (seventh millennium) ye shall compass the city seven times (seven-year tribulation), and the priests shall blow the trumpets (seven trumpets of tribulation, resurrection/rapture). (5) And it shall be, that, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn (the last trump), and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him (saints raptured around the world). From clear Biblical chronology, we have come to the beginning of the seventh thousand-year day from Adam. According to this type we are now on the threshold of the seven years and seven trumpets of tribulation, before entering the heavenly New Jerusalem with a great shout. Later this is repeated in the text but the timing is narrowed to “early at the dawning of the day.” (15) And it came to pass on the seventh day (seventh millennium), that they rose early at the dawning of the day (that is where we are now!), and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times (the Tribulation). (16) And it came to pass at the seventh time (end of the Tribulation), when the priests blew the (seven) trumpets, Joshua (Hebrew: “Jesus”) said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. From this, you can clearly see that the rapture will come early at the dawning of the seventh millennium, after seven years of tribulation, at the seventh or last trump, with a great shout, as the saints enter the New Jerusalem. The Feast of Trumpets has long been thought to be the time of Jesus' return for His saints, even by the pre-Tribulation rapture multitudes. (Lev.23:24) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest (Sabbath) unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation (Hebrew: “rehearsal”). This feast is a rehearsal for the rapture/resurrection, which also happens after the “blowing of (seven) trumpets” during the previous seven years. It is fulfilled on a Sabbath, which represents the seventh thousand-year Sabbath day. It is also fulfilled on the first day of the seventh month, which at least says that spiritually it will be very early on the seventh thousand-year day. However, the rapture/resurrection could also physically happen on the first day of the seventh Hebrew month, Tishri, which is our September/October. This feast is celebrated with joy and solemnity. During the daily prayer service, a ram's horn or shofar is sounded, representing the last trump. Jewish - the seven days of the creation of the world, and it is a day when God takes stock of all of His creation. Likewise, on that anniversary, God could finish His born-again creation by taking the saints early on the morning of the seventh thousand-year day. Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year” in Hebrew. The Jews believe that God's judgment on this day determines the course of the coming year. This turns out to be true spiritually, for the rapture/resurrection is a judgment that determines who will go through that year called the Day of the Lord. In order to see this timing in the feasts of Israel, I want to share with you a wonderful revelation that the Lord gave me. There are four types seen in Israel's experience that give the timing for the coming days: their Time in Egypt; their Time in the Wilderness; and two types of their Time in the Promised Land. These tell the end time story of the last eight years. Earlier in the Hidden Manna book, I shared what I call the Panoramic View, in which these types tell one consecutive story when laid end to end. The people of God were saved from bondage to the Egyptians, the old man, and were baptized in the sea. Then they were tried in their wilderness tribulation to prove who would go to the heavenly Promised Land. In this view, it is clear that the people of God will not jump from Egypt to the Promised Land of heaven without going through the wilderness, as pre-tribbers believe. These four types in Israel's experience can also be seen in what I call the Parallel View, which is another fulfillment of the last eight years for the Church. Let me explain each individual type first and then we will see them in parallel. 1) [The Time in Egypt] – The judgments come upon the world in the Tribulation, as they did in Egypt, and then the saints escape to heaven as the wicked die in the flood of wrath at the Red Sea. 2) [The Time in the Wilderness] – The saints are tried in their wilderness tribulation and then escape to the heavenly Promised Land. 3) [The Time in the Promised Land] – In the Tribulation the spiritual man, as the Israelite was, will be highly motivated and empowered to take the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word” (Eph.6:17) and conquer the carnal man in the Promised Land of his own life or soul. (2Cor.4:16)…Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. As the old carnal man is conquered we become the heavenly land of rest, bearing the fruit of the spiritual man. (1Cor.3:9) For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry (Greek: “tilled land”), God's building. (Isa.5:7) For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel…. If we walk by faith in the promises, then we take the land, and if not, then the old man takes it back and the fruit is corrupted. (Mal.3:11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field (world), saith the Lord of hosts. (12) And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. Carnal Christians can lose their fruit in this world and never fully enter the kingdom. As they submit to the carnal man he wins the battle for their Promised Land, and Christ in them, Who is the spiritual man, will be crucified again. (Heb.6:4) For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, (6) and [then] fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (7) For the land which hath drunk the rain (of the Word) that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, re­ceiveth blessing from God: (8) but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected (Greek: “reprobated”) and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. Those who do not take seriously the command to drive the carnal man's lusts of the flesh from their land will be reprobated. 4) [The Time in the Promised Land] – While physical Israel had a physical Promised Land, spiritual Israel, the Church, has a spiritual Promised Land. And while the land of this world will be destroyed, the spiritual land of the life of the righteous will be healed, for like their Lord, their “kingdom is not of this world” (Joh.18:36). (2Chr.7:14) If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. In the Tribulation, the saints first conquer their flesh so that their personal Promised Land is healed. Then they become in totality the spiritual man. These, as those who go in the ark, are God's heavenly land of rest, for “Noah” in Hebrew means “rest.” As Noah went through the seven days in type, the righteous will conquer themselves in their tribulation. After the Tribulation at the last trump, the world itself becomes their physical Promised Land. (Rev.11:15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ…. (Mat.5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. When this world also becomes the saints' kingdom, then they can conquer the enemies in the earthly Promised Land. The wicked will be under their feet in judgment just as it was with Noah. (Mal.4:3) And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith the Lord of hosts. In the Parallel View, these four types tell one complete story of the last eight years of the Tribulation and Day of the Lord. Imagine making three transparencies of these three types and laying them on top of one another so that all three can be seen at one time. In this way, we can see the full end time story. As the judgments fell upon Egypt so they will fall on the world in the Tribulation of the saints. During this time, the saints will be sanctified by driving the carnal man from the Promised Land of their lives so the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested in them. Then, in the rapture/resurrection, they fully enter the kingdom and conquer the wicked in the Promised Land of this world in the Day of the Lord's wrath. We see from all of the types that there is no pre-Tribulation-all-fly-away rapture. God's plan is to manifest His character of patience, faith, hope, love, and perfection in the saints through the Tribulation trials. (Rom.5:3)…We also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; (4) and stedfastness, approvedness (character); and approvedness, hope: (5) and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts…. (Jas.1:2, Numeric) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations (trials); (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. Taking the people of God out of this world, when they are unsanctified and unregenerate, would defeat God's purpose.

John McKee delivers the August 2025 Outreach Israel News update. Is it irrefutably true that the Messiah said that the Kingdom would be transferred from the Jewish people, to the Gentile Church?

Bible Readings: Acts 10:1-11:18 Sermon Outline: Acts 10:44–48 (NKJV) 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the… The post 22/06/2025 – Morning Service: The Pentecost of the Gentile Church appeared first on Maroubra Presbyterian Church.

Call: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Scripture: Acts 11:19-26 NASB

Acts 13:13-39 | Fulfillment & Freedom | Johnny Kurcina | May 11, 2025 In this passage, we see Paul and Barnabas called to be missionaries to the Gentile Church. We see Paul preaching in the synagogue at Antioch in Galatia, and we learn about the importance of listening to God’s calling.

In this powerful conclusion to our study of Ruth, Pastor Byron walks through Ruth 4 and Boaz's legal redemption at the city gate. Boaz, acting with integrity and wisdom, steps in as the true Kinsman Redeemer—fulfilling the law where the nearer relative could not. This message highlights the deeper symbolism in the story: Naomi as a picture of Israel, Ruth as a symbol of the Gentile Church, Boaz as a type of Christ, and the law's inability to redeem. It all points to God's providence in grafting Ruth—a Gentile—into the royal line of David and ultimately to Jesus Christ. A story of redemption, legacy, and sovereign grace.

Return of the Man-Child (7)  (audio) David Eells – 4/9/25  History happened once in the letter, and it is happening again in the Spirit. We've noticed a repetition of history on a larger scale in every type and shadow that we have looked at. The first revelation was according to the letter, but the way it is being fulfilled in our day is in the Spirit. Last time, we saw that Christ had been anointed with the power of the former rain, and we know that Jesus did not do a miracle or a sign or a wonder until after He had received this anointing of the former rain. It was power! I don't think a lot of people realize that when God gives you power, He tests you to see if you are going to use that power according to His Will or take it for your own use. In other words, you could abuse power and authority. Jesus was being tried here. The Bible says, He hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin (Heb.4:15).  We'll continue our study in Matthew. (Mat.4:1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. So He had just been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit to do all the wondrous works, and now He is being led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the devil. There is a purpose in temptation; there is a need for temptation, the Bible tells us. (Jas.1:2) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; (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. Temptation is a way to perfection, or as it's sometimes translated in the Scriptures, “maturity.” (Jas.1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love Him. Even Abraham was tempted or tried. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried … The word there is peirazo, the same word for “tempted.” And the same word occurs again further down in the text, in verse 37 – “they were tempted.” So Abraham was tempted   Does God tempt anybody? No, He does not. Temptation comes quite naturally to us because of our old carnal nature. (Jas.1:13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: (14) but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. God tempts no man, but He does bring us through the trial to be tempted, so we can make a decision as to whether we're going to walk in the flesh or whether we're going to walk in the Spirit. The Bible says, if we walk in the light, as He is in the light … the blood of Jesus … cleanseth us of all sin (1Jn.1:7). Being tempted is a method by which you can have more of God because when you walk in the light or, in other words, when you walk after the Spirit, the Holy Spirit cleanses you of the very sin nature that you don't want anymore.   Temptation is God's method for giving you more of God and less of you. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promise was offering up his only begotten [son;] (18) [even he] to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) accounting that God [is] able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. Abraham was tried and God said, Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me (Gen.22:12). Will God do these things with us? Will He try us? Yes, He will. First of all, when Jesus received power, He had to be tried before He started His ministry. I think everybody is tried. If God gives you a gift or power or authority, you are going to be tried to see if you're going to abuse what you've been given.  I'd like us to note the very next thing He speaks about. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came … What does fasting have to do with a trial? Remember, I'm not taking anything away from the letter. Jesus was fasting in the letter; He was physically fasting, denying Himself food. So far, we've seen that there is a spiritual manifestation now in the New Testament for the people who walk in the steps of Jesus. We are not doing away with the letter. We're still talking about literal fasting. But there is also a spiritual fast, and if you keep this spiritual fast, no matter how much the devil tempts you, you will win every time. Isaiah speaks about this spiritual fast.   Let me point out some things to you. (Isa.58:3) Wherefore have we fasted, [say they,] and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors. In other words, there is selfishness in there – selfish desire and ambition. The old man is not only living, he is thriving in the midst of their fast. You can refrain from eating food and still be a big sinner, but you cannot do a spiritual fast and walk in sin. I will point that out to you. (Isa.58:4) Behold, ye fast for strife and contention, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye fast not this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. (5) Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? He is being rather critical of a natural fast that has no spiritual component, no spiritual focus.  Then Isaiah speaks about another kind of fasting. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke … What is “wickedness” and what is “the yoke”? It is the old man. Remember when the three Hebrews went into the fire and the only thing that burned up was their bonds (Daniel 3)? What do you think that means? It means the wood, hay and stubble, the old man, was burned up. That's what binds us; that's the “wickedness” and “the yoke” right there. Jesus came with the Isaiah 61 anointing to open the prison for those who were bound and to set the captives free. How does He do that? The old man has to die here. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? So there is a fast that breaks every yoke. God is about to tell you about His fast, not just their natural fast. They were failing to do anything but sin in the midst of their fast. (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry … It is not just refraining from eating it; it is giving it to somebody who needs it. It is denying yourself.  First of all, a physical fast is to deny your physical self food. A spiritual fast is to deny your self food because “self” is a spiritual entity. It is a sinful, carnal entity, and if you do not feed “self”, “self” dies. How many of you know that you can refrain from feeding your body and still feed “self”? That's what God is talking to them about here. He is saying, “Okay, you are fasting, but it is not doing you any good whatsoever. Let me tell you about My fast.” It is a fast that actually does away with the bondage to the old man. It's not enough to not eat it; give it to somebody else. Deny your “self”; don't feed self. Instead, give.   (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? We all like our privacy and our peace, but it is also a sacrifice to bring people into your house. For years, we have had people in need in and out of our house. It is a big sacrifice. You have to give up a part of you; you have to bend toward their needs. You have to resist your flesh, and that's a big temptation, especially if people come to live with you for very long. But the Lord is saying, “Deny yourself; don't feed the old man. Do something for the Kingdom here.”  Now let me say that there are a few verses in here that speak about the fast, and all the rest of the verses in this text are promises to those who do fast. Here is one promise: (Isa.58:8) Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall by thy rearward. (9) Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer (That is an awesome promise!); thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. (And then here is a part of the fast:) If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly. Now that is a fast! It is denying feeding “self”. Self wants its way; self wants you to give it the reins and let it run. You have to pull back and say, “No. I deny self. I will not feed “self” today. I will not feed the flesh today.” Anytime you give the flesh its way, you are feeding it. When you are denying it, it is dying. Jesus said, Whosoever doth not bear his own cross (which is to die on), and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luk.14:27). A fast is taking up your cross. It is not really something we should ever stop. In a literal fast, you have to stop, and it may not gain you anything. But it's good if you use it as a means to an end in the Kingdom. For instance, when you give your bread to someone else, it's good.  As we read on, we see another part of this fast. (Isa.58:10) And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry (In other words, in what your soul desires, make sure you are meeting someone else's need.), and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday; (11) and the Lord will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (12) And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations (Well, that's what we need today, folks; we need to go back and restore again the foundation that is fallen.); and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Here's another part of the fast: (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day … Now we know that the Sabbath is not a day anymore, according to Hebrews 4. It is a sabbatismos, a continual ceasing from your works, which are the works of the old man, and entering the rest. In other words, it's denying the flesh; it's not feeding the old man. That is what the Sabbath is.  (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of the Lord honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways (again, not feeding self), nor finding thine own pleasure (instead, attempting to please the Lord, meeting the brethren's needs and sacrificing yourself, etc.), nor speaking [thine own] words. That's an important one right there because the tongue [is] a restless evil (Jas.3:8), and the tongue can no man tame (8). Only the Lord can tame it if you give Him faith. (Isa.58:14) Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. That is an awesome promise of God's spiritual fast! There definitely has to be a fulfillment in the Spirit, and we can look at Jesus or the Man-child ministry as showing us how to do a spiritual fast.   I believe that the Man-Child ministry's corporate body is going to be tried in this question about power and authority, and I do not think that they are all going to overcome it. I have seen dreams and visions about this. But I believe that if we do this spiritual fast, we cannot fail. If you do what the spiritual fast calls for – if you do not feed your old man, if you deny yourself in the midst of trial – then you're not going to listen to Satan, and you're going to be an overcomer. As you read the Book of Revelation, all of the promises to the churches are for overcomers. There is no promise to people who are not overcoming. What are they overcoming? They're overcoming self and temptation because they're overcoming self. Notice that God is not necessarily doing away with the natural fast. He is saying, “Look, if you don't eat food, give it to somebody who needs it.”  I want to share a revelation with you about fasting. It says the exact same thing about the spiritual fast, and it was given to Hermas, who wrote The Shepherd of Hermas, which you can read on our site. At the end of the first century, the Shepherd came to Hermas and gave him revelations in the way of visions to give to the Church, which was just about to go into great tribulation, as we are in our day. In fact, they were going to face the Beast and the Harlot of their day and many of them were going to lose their lives. The Lord gave them an exhortation through Hermas. That exhortation was then sent throughout the early Church, and he gave them a revelation on fasting. Notice its similarity to what we just studied. Let's begin in similitude 5, chapter 54. (My comments are in parentheses.)  While I was fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, thanking the Lord for all that He had done for me, I saw the Shepherd (the Shepherd here is the Lord) sitting beside me and saying these things to me: “Why have you come here so early?” “Because, sir,” I said, “I am on guard duty.” “What,” said he, “is the guard?” “I am fasting, sir,” I said. “But what,” said he, “is this fast that you are keeping?” “Sir,” I said, “I am fasting just as I have been accustomed to do.” “You do not know how to fast to God,” he said, “and this useless fast that you are keeping for Him is not a fast.” (He called this fast “useless.” I'm sure Hermas was refraining from eating food, but the Lord called it a “useless fast.”) “Why, sir,” I said, “do you say this?” “I am telling you,” he said, “that this is not a fast you are keeping, but I will teach you what an acceptable and a complete fast to the Lord is.” “Yes, sir,” said I. “You will make me happy if I may know the fast acceptable to God.” “Listen,” said he. “God does not wish such a futile fast as this, for by fasting in this way, you do nothing for righteousness, (It can be, as we just saw in Isaiah 58, that they were fasting diligently, but getting nowhere and doing nothing but feeding the flesh because they were leaving selfish ambition alive.) but fast to God in this way: Do nothing evil in your life. (He is talking about a spiritual fast here. In other words, do not feed the flesh.) But serve the Lord with a clean heart, keeping His commandments, following His orders. (Again, do not feed the flesh. The commandments of God crucify the flesh; they do not permit it to live. That's why there is so much emphasis on ear-tickling doctrines out there, because they all permit the old man to live. If you obey God, the old man dies. It's like you're starving him. You're not giving him what he wants, so he dies.) And let no evil desire arise in your heart. (Do not listen to him; do not feed him; do not let him live.) Believe in God, because if you do these things and fear Him and abstain from every evil deed (in other words, not feeding the flesh), you will live to God. And if you do these things, you will complete a fast that is great and acceptable to the Lord.”  Wow! That is a spiritual fast! He didn't touch on the physical fast, but in one of the next chapters, he does talk a little bit about the physical fast and how it can tie into the spiritual fast. You can see here the spiritual fast, which was the most important. You can fast for the rest of your life for selfish ambition, and you will not do anything for the Kingdom. Your sacrifice is worthless before God. But, if you do a spiritual fast, you are going to grow in God. I am not denying that you can mix this with a physical fast, but if you do a spiritual fast, you will conquer the devil every time. The only thing in you that he can use to conquer you is your flesh, so if you do not feed your flesh, your flesh is not going to be able to conquer you. Let me go to chapter 56.  I said to him, “Sir, I do not understand these parables, nor could I comprehend them unless you interpret them to me.” “I will interpret everything to you,” he said, “and whatsoever I tell you, I will explain. Keep the commandments of the Lord and you will be pleasing to Him and be enrolled in the number of those who keep His commandments. If you do something good beyond the commandment of God, you will gain greater glory for yourself. (This is an important issue here. You can go beyond what God commands and God will give you good credit for that.) And you will be more honored before God than you would have been. If then, while keeping the commandments of God, you add also to those services, you will rejoice, and you will keep them according to my commandment.” I said to him, “Sir, whatever you command me I will follow, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you have such zeal for doing good, and I will be with all,” said he, “who have the same zeal. This fast,” he said, “is very good, if you keep the commandments of the Lord. So observe this fast which you are going to keep in this way: First of all, guard against every evil word and every evil desire. (Do not feed “self” and do not give “self” permission or the right to give in to evil thoughts or evil words. Otherwise, you are wasting your fast.) And cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world. (In other words, there are a lot of things in the world that have no point in the Kingdom. The Bible says to lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race (Heb.12:1). And the sin? Some weights are not sin, but they hold us back. They themselves are not sin, but they keep us from doing things that are important in the Kingdom.)  (Many people do not take the Great Commission seriously. They figure they hired their preacher to do that, so they just live their lives the way they want to all week long and then at the end of the week, they go to church and call that “service.” No, actually we're called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and we're called to keep and to do the Great Commission and do the works of Jesus. (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. We are called to do His works, and if the Church had been doing that all along, just think how much of the world would have been taken into the Church by now. The Lord says to avoid the vanities of this world, which are not necessarily sin, but have this uselessness. There are so many things that Christians do that are useless. If you are really devoted to God, your hobbies ought to be His hobbies. Your loves ought to be His loves. You ought to be doing the things that are pleasing to your Father. Even as a child, Jesus said (Luk.2:49) Knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house? In other words, “be about my Father's work”? That's right; that's what we are here for.)   If you observe these things, this fast will be complete. And here is what you will do: When you have finished the above-mentioned, on that day when you are fasting, (Now he is talking about a physical fast.) you will taste nothing except bread and water, and you will be aware of the cost of your food you would have eaten on that day which you are going to keep. Having set it aside, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or someone else in need. And in this way, you will be humble-minded, so that from your humility, the one who receives may fill his soul and pray to the Lord for you. (So, here's a way that a physical fast can actually be a spiritual fast in denying yourself and then furthering the Kingdom, by not only refraining from eating, but giving it or the monetary equivalent to someone who needs it, or through sacrifice.) If then you complete the fast in this way, as I command you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God. And this fast will be recorded, and the service done in this way is good and joyous and acceptable to the Lord. This is the way you shall observe these things with your children and all your house. If you observe them, you will be blessed, and as many as hear them and keep them will be blessed, and whatever they ask of the Lord they will receive.”  That is very interesting because Isaiah 58:7 basically says that, too, “to deal thy bread to the hungry,” give that which you would have eaten to the hungry. Then Isaiah goes on to talk about the same principle, but in many other ways that are dealing with “self”, such as using something that you would consider yours to meet the need of someone else. In this way, a physical fast can be a spiritual fast. I dare say that a lot of people who fast are sometimes too miserable to even pray and take advantage of their fast. Have you ever caught yourself doing that? I used to fast regularly and I still do, but I would catch myself and say, “Wait a minute! I'm not taking advantage of this sacrifice here. I need to be fasting and praying.” So I would remember and go back to praying and making my fast count for something. I was always giving, and a person who fasts should use it to further the Kingdom and bless God's people. Now, if you do that and the devil tempts you and you keep on fasting and denying self in order to let your Spirit man live, there is no way the devil can beat you.  If you look at the Book of Matthew, you see that Jesus received this great power from God and He was going to be tried by the devil to see if He was going to use that power wisely. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. What kind of temptation is this? First of all, with “If thou art the Son of God,” the devil was tempting Jesus to believe that He was not Who He was supposed to be, and that is the Son of God. He was tempting Jesus to use His power to feed His flesh. Look at it in the Spirit, not just in the letter.   In what way can you use your power to feed your flesh? Well, for example, you could be in the prosperity doctrine. You can use your power and authority to live high above the average means of the people around you, to consume upon your flesh the things that would be detrimental to your spiritual health. (1Ti.6:9) But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. Many people fall away, according to Paul in 1st Timothy, because of their lusting after the things of the world. They use God's power and even their bodily efforts, which is again using God's power because ye were bought with a price (1Co.6:20), to live after the lusts of their flesh.  Now let's look at the next temptation. (Mat.4:5) Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. What is the devil tempting Him with here? He's tempting Jesus with proving to others Who He is. Why do we have to prove to others who we are? Isn't that really something that should just be left up to God? There are people who abuse the power and authority that the Lord has given them to make themselves great in the sight of other people. That is a temptation, especially if you have power.   I see it today in people exercising power in such a way as to put on a show. You've seen it; you've seen the wave of the hand and half the audience falls down. What's the purpose of that? Who is getting the glory for that? When did Jesus ever do such a thing? Even when He healed someone and they were entering the town, He said, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee (Mar.5:19), not “Remember me when you tell the story.” How many times did He disappear like the Lone Ranger after He did a good deed? That was because He was not looking for the credit for it. You do not have to prove who you are to anybody. As a matter of fact, it's better if you are pretty quiet about it. If you did not deny yourself or fast spiritually, if you did not deny the flesh its right to prove who it was, then to glory in the things done would just cause your flesh to grow.  Here is another temptation. (Mat.4:8) Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. What kind of a temptation is that? Well, the glory of the authority over the world. When we receive power from God, there is a temptation to use it to gain the glory of this authority. In these days, there are many people who run around calling themselves apostles or prophets or giving themselves great titles, none of which the early disciples did or used. But they do that in order to profit “self” and glory in the authority that they have. They count the numbers of people in their churches so they can glory about how big their church is. They talk about how many churches are under their authority or how many men are under their authority. They use power and authority to glory and to build “self”. Jesus was being tempted to see if He would abuse authority and power. Of course, God knew the outcome, but you still have to go through the temptation. It has to be proven. That was the whole gist of this temptation, from beginning to end.  I believe that the Man-child ministry will go through the exact same testing, and those people who are making somebody of themselves, taking advantage of other people because of their authority, plundering the flock because of their position, will not be qualified to be in the Man-child ministry. When you look at Jesus, when you look at His disciples, you see humble people. You see people who did not plunder the flock for the sake of themselves, to live high on the hog. You don't see fancy-dressed people who take positions of authority or who glorify self. Jesus and His disciples denied “self” in order to meet the needs of others; love caused them to pass up many of the things in the world that people take for granted. They didn't have time for the world or vanity because their ambition and their hobby was God's people, meeting their needs and serving them.   The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. If Jesus did that, how much more should we? Glory to God! We are going to be tried. Everybody who is called to this latter rain ministry of restoring the Church will be tried and it's a fairly small number who will remain in the Man-child. We will be tested and tried to see if we will abuse that power. If we do, we will not be qualified. But Jesus overcame and, therefore, God sent Him to the Church. You say, “Well, why wouldn't He be qualified? He was the Son of God.” But when He came, He had to be made in all things like unto His brethren, and He came as a Spirit-filled Man in order to do the works of the Spirit and to be used of God. He could have come in all the omnipotence of God, but He didn't. Jesus became tired; He got weak; He had to eat. He came as a Spirit-filled Man and laid aside His omnipotence and, in some cases, omniscience, because He said that God knew things that He did not know and could not reveal in order to come and be as a man.  We know that He was God in flesh, but did you know that your spiritual man, “Christ in you,” is also God in flesh? Christ is God wherever He is, and He is God in you, in your heart. Before we can be trusted to be used of the Lord, we are going to be tried to see if we're going to be abusive of His power or authority. It doesn't matter if you are in the Man-child ministry or not. You are going to be tried, and if you fail, that does not mean you will not keep on being a minister or a preacher or having your title or your church; you just will not be doing it in God. There were lots of ministers around when Jesus came, but they were a bunch of apostates. In fact, He said, All that came before me are thieves and robbers (Joh.10:8). They had stolen the position that they had over the flock, and they were plundering the flock.   But Jesus had the kind of authority from God that they did not have. They had natural authority that was given to them, given to their title, given to their position. But Jesus' authority came only from God, and it came in the form of meeting the needs of God's people, of serving God's people and feeding them spiritually, of delivering them from demons and healing their bodies. I do not care what kind of ministry you have. You are going to be tried to see if the position of authority over God's people you have is abused or if the power that God gives you to use your supernatural gifts is abused. If it's abused for the purpose of aggrandizing yourself, then you are not qualified to do this for God. You might continue on in religion, and they may still give you a position and a salary, but you are not doing it in God.  We see that Jesus has overcome and it was obvious that anybody who took this position in the world to glory was worshipping Satan, not God. (Mat.4:10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God … The word “worship” is proskuneo and it means “to kiss toward.” It is an act of love toward God. If you love God, you're not going to aggrandize “self” and you're going to keep His commandments. You're going to be humble. You're going to know that you can do nothing without Him and that it is all by grace, and you're going to know that you don't deserve this position any more than anybody else does. It was given to you by grace. You cannot take it for granted.  (Mat.4:11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. Here is Jesus coming right out of His temptation and going to Galilee. Luke tells you some things that are not told to us in Matthew, so I would like to look at that. (Luk.4:14) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. Fame is something you need to be careful of. A lot of people fail when it comes to fame and they will lose their humility and begin to abuse their position and power. (Luk.4:15) And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. This did not last long, but as soon as He was anointed and was tried and had overcome, God sent Him to the people of God. Where were they? They were in the synagogues, which were very apostate, as Jesus made clear to them. I am sure He was extremely graceful for a short while, but there were teachings He had to get out to them because He had an extremely short ministry. So He had to get around to some of these hard things. Well, in the beginning He was “glorified of all” and I can tell you He had to have been very weak to the weak (1 Corinthians 9:22) in order to get away with some of those teachings, being Who He was and having the power that He had, with the authority that He had. For Him to be accepted among these apostate synagogues, He had to be weak to the weak. I tell you, the first sermon when He was not as graceful, they wanted to kill Him.  (Luk.4:16) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. (17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (20) And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. They were saying, “What's your point here, Jesus? What are you getting at?” (21) And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. Uh-oh. They believed that this text was written about the Messiah, and now Jesus is taking credit for being the Messiah, in a subtle way.  I think they're finally getting the point here; they're looking at Him and wondering. (Luk.4:22) And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph's son? “Wait a minute now; we know this guy. We watched him grow up. He's nothing special. He's human like we are.” They were probably thinking all these things. (Luk.4:23) And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country. (24) And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. (25) But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; (26) and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (He had to even go to a Gentile, didn't he?) (27) And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. Wow! They're really getting mad now, aren't they? (28) And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things; (29) and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. (30) But he passing through the midst of them went his way. There is no doubt this was supernatural. When you're on the edge of a hill and there's a crowd behind you that wants to kill you, how are you going to pass through the midst of them, unless it's supernatural? That's what I think happened here.  At any rate, the honeymoon was over, as they say. Jesus was basically telling them who He was and what He was sent to do. And they thought instead that He was glorifying Himself, but in this case, He was telling the absolute truth because He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). He was pointing out to them, “There are a lot of Gentiles out there more righteous than you are.” Of course, that's still true today, and the opposite is still true for the Church. There are a lot of Jews out there more righteous than some Gentile Church folks. That's why God is going to turn back to the Jews once again at the end of the gathering of all the last Gentiles. But the honeymoon was over, and now they wanted to kill Jesus because He told them the truth, and the ministry that's coming is going to be the same way. There is going to come a time when the Man-child ministry will be weak to the weak and they will go into the apostate churches because now it's the Christians who are the lost sheep of the house of Israel, circumcised in heart and not in flesh (Romans 2:28-29). He called those believers the Israel of God (Gal.6:16) because they were sons of Abraham through faith.  So this time, the Man-child is going to go to the apostate church that is not willing to know the truth, not willing to know that Jesus is once again in their midst. You know, when Jesus sent out His disciples, He said, He that receiveth you receiveth me (Mat.10:40). Those disciples had Jesus in them because He had spoken His Word into their hearts and recreated His life in them. They were called “Christians.” They were anointed to go and serve, to teach, and to heal the sick and cast out demons. Jesus was in them. It will be the same with the last days' disciples of the Lord, who are going to go forth with the authority and the power of Jesus to do these things. But their teaching and even their very lives are going to be rebuked by the apostate church, especially by the apostate leaders. They're going to want to kill them, but they're not going to be able to do that with the Man-child ministry. It's not going to be possible. They will pass right through their midst and the apostates will not be able to kill them because their time is not yet (John 7:6). We will come a little later to the crucifixion and how that applies to the Man-child ministry, but for now, it suffices to know that these people are going to be hated by the Church, just exactly the way Jesus was hated by the Jews.  There was a first-fruits company that came out from among them and followed Jesus. John the Baptist pointed them out and said, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom (Joh.3:29). They followed Jesus, but they were in the minority. The rest of the Jews really loved their religion and respected their religious leaders, for whom Jesus had absolutely no respect because they were in total apostasy. And in these days, it's again going to be just as we've studied. Before the David ministry can come, the Saul ministry has to lose its life on Mount Gilboa to the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6), meaning the old man has to put them to death. They were twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Jud.12). There will once again be a great falling away in our day of the Saul ministry, to make room for the Davidic Man-child ministry.   They are falling away as they are plundering the sheep and stumbling in everything we saw that the devil tempted Jesus in. They're falling right into temptation and they're loving and serving the devil; they're worshipping the devil and they don't even know it. They're living high on the hog, taking advantage of their position, glorying in the authority that has been given to them by the world. Remember, the devil said, “I'll give you all this if you just worship me.” He had this dominion, and it was under his authority to give it. It is under his authority, actually, to “prosper” people if they will serve the devil to obtain it. If you are prospering in the world while your brother is not and you are not paying any attention to him, misusing your position to aggrandize yourself, then you are worshipping the devil. It does not matter if you call him Jesus; you are still worshipping the devil.  So the Man-child ministry is coming to leadership. Remember what Jesus said as the Man-child of His day: (Joh.10:8) All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. Wow! There was a group who recognized Jesus when He came. They recognized integrity, sacrifice, and humility. The rest of them were all fawning over the apostate leadership, totally submitting to them and respecting them because they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear. This is where we are heading again. History is going to repeat on a larger scale this time. We know that the Man-child ministry is what it is because Jesus lives in their hearts. He is the One Who is doing the works! Even Jesus gave credit to the Father for doing the works in Him, and these people will give credit to the Lord for doing the works through them. Everything they have is by grace. The apostle Paul said, 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 (1Co.15:10). Amen. 

The retelling of a defining moment in the history of the Christian church… the planting of the first gentile church by the Holy Spirit in the city of Antioch. The post Antioch: The First Gentile Church (Acts Sermon 26) appeared first on Two Journeys.

The retelling of a defining moment in the history of the Christian church… the planting of the first gentile church by the Holy Spirit in the city of Antioch. The post Antioch: The First Gentile Church (Acts Sermon 26) appeared first on Two Journeys.

The retelling of a defining moment in the history of the Christian church… the planting of the first gentile church by the Holy Spirit in the city of Antioch. The post Antioch: The First Gentile Church (Acts Sermon 26) appeared first on Two Journeys.

The retelling of a defining moment in the history of the Christian church… the planting of the first gentile church by the Holy Spirit in the city of Antioch. The post Antioch: The First Gentile Church (Acts Sermon 26) appeared first on Two Journeys.

Salvation cannot be lost. But many presume upon God's grace without ever recognizing their need for a Savior or putting their faith in Christ. Paul speaks a strong warning to those who assume that God has chosen them because of who they are, rather than what Christ has done for them. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29

Over 100 years ago, Philip Cohen published the first issue of "The Messianic Jew: Organ of the Jewish Messianic Movement." We read the introductory article to this Messianic Jewish publication to discover the beautiful heart Cohen had for Jewish followers of Yeshua to express their Jewish identities. He casts a vision and an aim for Jewish believers that ultimately results in Jesus being made known, reigniting the Jewish consciousness of Jewish believers, and partnering with the Gentile Church to help us fulfill this vision. You can access this issue of "The Messianic Jew" here You can also watch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Social Media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you are looking for a way to support us and gain early access to our content, you can become a monthly supporter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribestar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sermon: The First Great Gentile Church Scripture: Acts 11:19-30 Speaker: Pastor John Core Resurrection Church Arizona ResChurchAZ.com

Hanukkah has been overlooked by the traditional Gentile Church for nearly 2000 years! It has neglected its importance, failing to recognize that Hanukkah is inextricably connected with Jesus and His Mission. One cannot separate the meaning of Hanukkah from who Jesus is. He is the inaugural fulfillment of its revelation and significance. The themes and lessons of Hanukkah are universal and it inspires us to believe in Jesus staying loyal to God's law. Join us in our dance with this ancient song and story of Hanukkah! You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free!

Has the Church replaced Israel? Are the promises God made to Israel applicable to us today? Or does God have a separate plan for ethnic Israel and the Gentile Church?In this episode, Matthew and Shepard Lilley discuss the concept of being ‘grafted into Israel' as described in Romans 11. They explore the agricultural practice of grafting, its biblical significance, and the theological implications of covenants made with Abraham and David.The conversation emphasizes the importance of faith for both Jews and Gentiles in the context of salvation and God's overarching plan for humanity. They also highlight the urgency of the Great Commission and the role of the church in reaching out to both Gentiles and the Jewish people.

In this week's episode of The Missions Podcast, Alex Kocman sits down with Stephen Atkinson and Gregg Kite from Christian Witness to Israel to discuss the cultural, theological, and political challenges of evangelizing modern-day Jews. Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber! Premium Subscribers get access to: Exclusive bonus content A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts Invite-only webinars A free gift! Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Acts 11:1-30

A message from Edmund Chan at Forest Town Church, St Albans (UK). At our Sunday at 6 service, Ed continues our Journey Through Acts speaking from Acts 11 19-24.

We come along side Peter as he addresses "Ye Men of Israel" in Acts 3 and offers them the promises made to them by the prophets. We challenge pastors to try and preach this chapter as it is written, in its context, to its audience, with the plan of God clearly displayed. Israel and Jews remain Israel and Jews all through the Acts age.For those keeping score at home, Acts 3 comes after Acts 2 (the Jewish feast of Pentecost)

Acts 11:19-30 Antioch was a top city in the Roman Empire . . . New Mission How did the witnesses in Antioch advance the Church's mission? New Ministry What did the leaders of the church do to encourage this mission? New Act of Mercy Why did the church in Antioch help the church in Jerusalem?

Thanks for listening to the River in The Hills Church podcast. We hope you are encouraged and edified by this message brought to you by Zvi Randelman, president of the Jerusalem Bible Institute.

God raised up a chosen people from a "foolish" nation to bring about His plans and purpose in the New Covenant. Join Pastor Cameron as he discusses the mystery behind God's glorious plan! 

Man-child, Planet X, Revival, X Babylon David Eells - 4/17/24 (audio) Study of Isaiah chapters 11-14 Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit. The Branch in our day is the David Man-child reformers. -  Jer 23:4-6  And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith Jehovah.  5  Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. Notice: "our Righteousness" Speaks of a corporate body. Jer 33:15-16  In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby she shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. Notice also "our" points to a corporate body. Also now this person is called a "she" whereas in the first text they were a "he".  She is used many times to point to a corporate body. These differences are correct but the translators didn't understand this method of Identifying a corporate body and changed the wording to suit their ignorance. Isa 11:2  And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah. Tubby's revelation in a dream he had years ago where he said to me you remind me of a person I read about and then he quoted Isa 11: 2-5. Representing the David Man-child reformers. Many believe this text to be speaking of Jesus but the only way this fits is when you see that Jesus will return in a corporate body. Isa 11:3  And his delight shall be in the fear of Jehovah; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; I.e. he walks in the Spirit. Isa 11:4  but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Jesus did not do this. This is the Man-child in whom Jesus lives in our day fulfilling the second part of verse 2 - Isa 61:2  to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn. Psa 89:20-23 I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him:  21  With whom my hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him.  22  The enemy shall not exact from him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.  23  And I will beat down his adversaries before him, And smite them that hate him. Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.  Isa 11:6  And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The predatory leaders will be subdued. This little child is the Soloman Man-child type who followed the warrior David Man-child anointing - had a peaceful Kingdom according to 1Ki 5:4, 4:24 Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. I had a dream in 2007 of being in a Refuge with beasts identified by Peter as the Gentile Church fleeing to the refuge. In this dream there was peace between these animals. Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. In Zion mountain there will be no enmity. All of those who were born beasts will be at peace with one another. Isa 11:10  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious. His resting place is Zion, the Bride. Isa 11:11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, that shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. After the first time when the Jews returned, the Christians then return from Beast captivity to repeat history.. Isa 11:12  And he will set up an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. As a repeat of history the Christians will be drawn out of captivity to the whole world to stand on their land of the promises. Isa 11:13  The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and they that vex Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Apostates cease persecutions of the Spirit filled people, represented by Judah, when judged and make peace. Isa 11:14  And they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines on the west; together shall they despoil the children of the east: they shall put forth their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. In unity they will conquer their factious brethren. Isa 11:15  And Jehovah will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind will he wave his hand over the River, and will smite it into seven streams, and cause men to march over dry-shod. After the Passover that strikes the Egyptians, as a type of the world, God's people escape Egypt through the Red Sea, which destroys Pharaoh's army. Then they go into the wilderness tribulation. Isa 11:16  And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, that shall remain, from Assyria; like as there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. This is the Highway of holiness that leads to Zion. Isa 12:1  And in that day thou shalt say, I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. Comfort ye my people from the beast chastening. Isa 40:1-3  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.  3  The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. Isa 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Jehovah, even Jehovah, is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation. They will learn of God's way of salvation and provision in the wilderness tribulation. Isa 12:3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. A love of the Word will come to them. Isa 12:4  And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted. Revival spreads geometrically Isa 12:5  Sing unto Jehovah; for he hath done excellent things: let this be known in all the earth. The Great Commission will finally be sent to all the earth. Isa 12:6  Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel. Jesus' fruit and power is manifestation in His people. Isa 13:1  The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. The Fall of Babylon DS in the time of the Man-child. Isa 13:2  Set ye up an ensign upon the bare mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. Man-child brings fruitless Kingdom of God into the nobility of Christ. Isa 13:3  I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones. The Alliance of nations, Cyrus' Media-Persians arise to destroy Babylon DS. Isa 13:4  The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people! the noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! Jehovah of hosts is mustering the host for the battle. God is raising up the Alliance, a true one world order. Isa 13:5  They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Here is an example of use of "uttermost heaven": Mat 24:31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Heaven starts on all the earth, The Kingdom of heaven is among you or within you. Isa 13:6  Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. The Brides day of the Lord is at the end of their personal tribulation is to judge those who afflicted them by the wrath of God.. Then the Churches tribulation begins the seven years. Isa 13:7  Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt: The wicked will fear and pass away. Isa 13:8  and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame. They will be in the fire of God's wrath. Isa 13:9  Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. This is the judgment of the enemies of the Bride. Isa 13:10  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. Planet X / Nibiru comes as the hand of God to finish off Babylon DS and faction against the Bride and Church. Isa 13:11  And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. A worldwide judgment on the Kingdom of Satan and his haughty proud DS and factions against the Bride. Isa 13:12  I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. The golden vessels of the house of God shall survive but not the tares among them. Isa 13:13  Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. Planet X Nibiru shakes heaven and earth at the time of the Man-child anointing. Heb 12:25-28 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven: Only the repentant are guaranteed to escape P-X. 26  whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.  27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.  28  Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:  Hag 2:21-23  Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;  22  and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them (comparing the fall of Pharoah and his DS army); and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.  23  In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts. Zerubbabel, the first fruits MC whose name means "Born from Babylon". Signet is a sign of authority as was given to Mordecai and Joseph. Isa 13:14  And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land. The DS are fleeing. Klaus Schwab, a top general in Satan's DS army, WEF, was just taken from his adrenochrome to go to Gitmo. The angel told me many of the elite were fled to the Antarctic city, and the angels dropped it on them. It was Sodom and Gomorrah. Isa 13:15  Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is taken shall fall by the sword. All their home nations will kill the DS. Isa 13:16  Their infants also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be rifled, and their wives ravished. (The nations are angry because the DS Kazarians have killed millions of them. It will all be revealed in the declass during the days of darkness. The nations will be infuriated.) Isa 13:17  Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. The DS will not be able to buy their way out of this. The vengeance of God is in the Alliance under Cyrus of Media-Persia, represented by Trump and the Alliance. Isa 13:18  And their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. The White Hats and the Red Hats will destroy them. This came to pass. Their demonized and perverted children born to their sex slaves underground and experimented on were permitted to die. They found they could not live in daylight. Isa 13:19  And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.  These are two members of the same Dragon; Religious and political. Religious Babylon is full of demons. Rev 18:2-3 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.  3  For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness. The DS also are the worst of Sodom and Gomorrah. The hatred against Hitler and his Gestapo was nothing compared to hatred against the DS. Their crimes against humanity cover the earth. Isa 13:20  It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there. True Shepherds depart from religious Babylon. Rev 18:4-5  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:  5  for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Isa 13:21  But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and wild goats shall dance there. Rev 18:2... Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. Isa 13:22  And wolves (Predatory Pastors) shall cry in their castles (Churches), and jackals (Fornicator pastors) in the pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.  Isa 14:1  For Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the sojourner shall join himself with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. The apostate leadership of the Church will be declassed and come to disrepute for their lusts and especially for their cooperation with the depopulationists vaccine murders in their Churches. Isa 14:2  And the peoples shall take them (The sojourners), and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of Jehovah for servants and for handmaids: and they shall take them captive whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. One third of the factious will survive and serve God's people. Isa 14:3  And it shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve, Freedom will be secured for the remnant who have served Babylon DS. Isa 14:4  that thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!  5  Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; As the King of Babylon was killed by the Medo-Persians so are they now killing the elite Satanists of DS. The Lord's angels are executing the factious in Church and state as Satan falls from heaven. Isa 14:6  that smote the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained. The DS Kazarians made their money off of faction, constant wars, drugs that kill, etc.. Isa 14:7  The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. The Dragon of both factions is overthrown by Cyrus and the Man-child Davids. Soloman, the prince of peace will rule. The people shall rejoice!! Isa 14:8  Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid low, no hewer is come up against us. 9  Sheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10  All they shall answer and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? The dead receive the Dragon of Babylon's factious people. Isa 14:11  Thy pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and worms cover thee.  Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations!  Rev 12:7-11 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;  8  and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.  9  And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.  10  And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down (Both factions), who accuseth them before our God day and night.  11  And they (the saints) overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. The faith of the saints causes the angels to fight for them. Isa 14:13  And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; 14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit. The Devil is like all of his factious children, eaten up with ego to be their own god and rule over the Bride. They are falling into Sheol with their angel principalities. Isa 14:16  They that see thee shall gaze at thee, they shall consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; The Devil's factions of Church and state constantly shook and plundered those Kingdoms but they are falling into Sheol. Isa 14:17  that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that let not loose his prisoners to their home? The judgments upon them will create the wilderness for a world-wide Church. Isa 14:18  All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house. 19  But thou art cast forth away from thy sepulcher like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, that are thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a dead body trodden under foot. (They don't get a memorial sepulcher?  Are they fed to the sharks like the DS did with their children and enemies? Isa 14:20  Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people; the seed of evil-doers shall not be named for ever. These traitors of their own people will reap what they sow, except for the elect among them who will repent. Isa 14:21  Prepare ye slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers, that they rise not up, and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities. The children inherit the demons of their fathers which is a terrible curse on the world. God destroyed them all in the time of Noah for the same reason. 22  And I will rise up against them, saith Jehovah of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and son and son's son, saith Jehovah.  Isa 14:23  I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith Jehovah of hosts. The porcupine Christians and state draw their spears against all. Isa 14:24  Jehovah of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: 25  that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder. (In Joel 2 and elsewhere they were destroyed when they came against the Bride, Jerusalem. All should go down the Highway of Holiness to hide in Righteous Zion from the Beast. Isa 14:26  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. (This is a world-wide happening. Isa 14:27  For Jehovah of hosts hath purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? As we can see, history must repeat for the Lord commands it in Ecc 1:9-10  That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  10  Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us. Isa 14:28  In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. 29  Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth an adder, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. So basically God is saying to Israels enemy don't be happy because your time is coming. Isa 14:30  And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and thy remnant shall be slain. It appears this is happening but that does not mean that the one who executes it is righteous. Isa 14:31  Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou art melted away, O Philistia, all of thee; for there cometh a smoke out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks. 32  What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge. When Zion is righteous they represent the Bride as a place of refuge from the beast kingdoms and P-X. Joel 3:16-21  And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake (Planet X Nibiru is coming): but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.  17  So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.  18  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the valley of Shittim.  19  Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.  20  But Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.  21  And I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Jehovah dwelleth in Zion. So run to Zion's refuge and enter through holiness. Jer 4:6 Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. Zion represents the obedient holy people who are not under the curse.  For this reason unholy people are purged from her so that she is a spotless blemishless Bride.

Welcome back to another dadcast.  Audio didnt turn out so well, I did try and make it sound better.  For all inquiries reach out to timonspodcast@gmail.com Act 15 The Jerusalem Council 1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”The demand for salvation through circumcision was from Pharisee converts. This group became known as Judaizers. They taught that Gentiles had to become Jewish proselytes, following all the Mosaic laws, before they could receive salvation. They had a compelling argument because in Genesis chapters 12 and 15 God established an everlasting covenant with Abraham. Later in Genesis 17 God added the rite of circumcision to this earlier covenant. Circumcision was given to Abraham and every male descendant of his house forever. Look at Genesis 17:7 & 13-14: And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you... both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” Notice that this sign is given to men only. However, this sign does not correlate with personal salvation. Remember, Abraham was righteous in God's sight before the covenant of circumcision was ever implemented (Galatians 3:6). The sign of circumcision was to accompany a heart that obeyed God. Circumcision was a national sign for the men of Israel, a mark to remind them of their commitment to serve God alone and no other. In the Old Testament, wives and daughters were set apart as unique because they were connected to a family where the men were circumcised – they were set apart along with their fathers and husbands for God's purposes. Circumcision made Israel different than all the nations that surrounded them. And this unique quality is what the Judaizers wanted to preserve. They insisted that circumcision remain obligatory, that all male Gentile believers must be required to keep it. The fact that Gentile believers were bypassing the Mosaic codes was perplexing and odious to the Pharisee converts. They felt that Paul was forsaking the Pentateuch and circumcision altogether. But Paul, who was trained as a Pharisee, disagreed with their position. He had been preaching salvation through faith in Jesus, not through the Mosaic Law. Look at what he proclaimed at Antioch in Acts 13:38-39: Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man [Jesus] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. And in Galatians 2:16: yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. And in Romans 2:28-29 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not bythe letter... Paul knew that circumcision did not necessarily birth salvation. Consider Israel's sordid history. It produced a myriad of circumcised males who rejected their own God. Salvation had always come to both men and women through a personal relationship and commitment to God. So what was circumcision even for? As I hinted earlier, it was a physical mark that reminded a man that he and his family belonged to a unique faith community. That community was supposed to train it's own populace to know and love the Lord and invite other nations to seek the Lord with them. Each Israelite man and his family had a God-given task to remain faithful to the Lord and their national calling. But it was up to each individual to choose to participate in that calling. Now let's tackle baptism. But why throw baptism into the mix? Because Paul argued that in the New Testament, baptism worked in a similar way that circumcision worked in the Old Testament. Look at Colossians 2:11-12: In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. First note, that believers are circumcised with a “circumcision made without hands.” This event occurs spiritually, inside a believer's heart. Second note, the circumcision of Christ frees us from our flesh, our sinful nature. It is very important to understand that it is not our commitment to Him; but, it is His commitment to us that brings salvation. He initiated the relationship. Third note, baptism symbolizes the war that Jesus won in Sheol: we are buried with Christ in the grave and we are raised with Christ into the heavenly realm. 1Peter 3:18-22 has much more to say about the connection between spiritual warfare and baptism. To put it another way, baptism is a non-physical sign that proves the “inner circumcision” of our heart. It is the New Testament sign of the Old Testament sign of circumcision. John the Baptist, Jesus and his disciples all baptized people as a sign of an inner working of faith residing in their hearts. Note also that baptism is not gender specific, both male and female believers were baptized. Again, circumcision and baptism do not save you, but they are supposed to be a representation of what you already believe. They are a membership card, so to speak, that you belong to Christ. Recap: 1 – Circumcision in Christ is an inward, spiritual event 2 – Circumcision in Christ brings freedom from the sinful nature 3 – Baptism relates to the burial and resurrection of Jesus from Sheol. 6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe (he is referring to Acts 10 where Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit about 10 years earlier). 8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith (their hearts were cleansed by faith, not the law). 10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, (Notice that James, not Peter, is presiding over the council at Jerusalem. This is one reason, among several, why I object to the teaching that Peter was the first Pope.) “Brothers, listen to me. 14Simeon (his Jewish/Aramaic name) has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.' James is quoting Amos 9:11-12 here. “After this” means that after the exile, God will do three important things. First, God would raise up the Messiah. This correlates to “David's fallen tent” because the kingship lineage of David had fallen into disarray after the exile. Jesus has corrected and fulfilled the ruins of David's kingship. Secondly, God would raise up a remnant of Israelites, who would seek God in truth. These are Messianic Jews; the 1st century Jewish prophets, evangelists and apostles that witnessed to the Gentile nations around them. This remnant of Jewish believers founded the Church and turned the world upside down. Third, God would raise up a new group of people that would follow the Messiah. This new group would consist of both Jew and Gentile believers. By the way, this refutes replacement theology which teaches that God has replaced Israel with the Gentile Church; not so, the “remnant” that became the church was a community of both Jewish and Gentile believers. In contrast, Jews and Gentiles who reject God, unbelievers, are the ones who fail to participate in God's purposes. Recap: 1 After the exile God would raise up the Messiah 2 – God would then raise up a faithful remnant of Jews who would seek the Messiah 3 – God would add to this group of Jewish believers a remnant of Gentiles who would seek the Messiah. 19Therefore (James is still speaking) my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” Verse 20 why does James list these four things in particular? Why not list all 613 Old Testament commands? Or why not list the really bad sins like a murder, adultery or stealing? Because James is recalling the “holiness codes” of Leviticus, especially chapters 17 – 23. Like circumcision, these codes were given exclusively to Israel to make them different than the nations around them. But there are three particular places in Leviticus where God includes restrictions on Israelites and Gentiles alike. He prohibits both groups from idol worship (17:8; 20:2); He prohibits both groups from sexual abominations (18:26); and He prohibits both groups from eating meat with the blood and in it (17:10-12). The fourth thing that James points out is avoiding strangled meat. I suspect that strangling an animal is prohibited because that kind of death would retain and congeal the blood of the animal inside of it. Which would be similar to consuming its blood [1] . These horrible practices were all connected to pagan rituals that summoned demons and fallen entities to that worship service. These rituals acted as a portal for the fallen realm to enter and inhabit the bodies and the physical territory of the worshipers. God wanted His people and His land to be a dwelling place for His righteous presence. So James' intention is to reiterate the long-term plans that God had for the remnant Jew/Gentile church long before its existence. A movement that had started after the Tower of Babel event. This was where the nations united against God, and then as a correction, He divided them. The nations were given over to angelic shepherds who ended up seducing them away from God, rather then shepherding them back to God (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). And so God raised up Abraham and his lineage to follow the Lord. Israel's job was to live as an exemplary culture so that the lost and pagan world would be attracted back to God. And the nation of Israel was also to produce the Messiah Who would one day unite and rule over all the nations. The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers 22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas (note that the church didn't vote. Unity was reached by church leadership). They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,(Although the issue of salvation through circumcision was settled here, this faction of Judaizers will continue to oppose Paul). 25it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. (Judas and Silas are sent along with the letter to the Gentiles as non-biased, second witness to the decision of the council). 28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” 30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Paul and Barnabas Separate 36And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark (who wrote the Gospel of Mark). 38But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work (Acts 13:13). 39And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. The outset of this chapter begins with disagreement: the Judaizers against Paul and Barnabas. This resulted in the first church council to correct faulty doctrine. The chapter ends with disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Many commentaries side with Paul. But I don't think we need to side with either Paul or Barnabas. I think it's okay to live with disagreement among the saints. This is reality. Notice that Scripture neither condemns nor commends either man. Nor does the Holy Spirit step in and correct either man. Let's wrap this up. In the Old Testament circumcision was the membership card into the Israelite community. The community was supposed to train you and nurture you in the things of God. The Judaizers insisted on continuing circumcision as a rite of entry into the Kingdom of God. Paul and the other apostles realized that God desired Jew and Gentile believers to have a “circumcised heart.” This was the fulfillment of Jeremiah's 600 year old prophecy (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Entrance into the Kingdom was about inward faith, not outward symbols. In letters of Paul he points out that in the New Testament baptism was the membership card, so to speak, for believers. The job of the church was to train and nurture its members in the things of God. But it was also understood that neither circumcision nor baptism could replace one's personal faith in Jesus. Today, our job in this church is to continue the work that God began after the Tower of Babel. God called Israel to be a light to the nations that had gone rogue. We are to be a remnant from every nation that has joined the family of God, grafted into that remnant of Jewish believers. Together we are to summon the nations back to the Lord. JCN 2/24 Lord please reveal to us Your ways. Reveal to us Your ancient paths. Rip open the veil of darkness that has been cast over the nations. Let the fullness of the Gentiles come in so that Your house is filled with every people, tribe, tongue and nation. 1 [1]As a side note, eating steak rare is not consuming blood. The juices of a slice of meat are mostly water and myoglobin. Myoglobin is a protein that turns red when exposed to oxygen.

Something very specific sparked a major controversy that was addressed in what has come to be known as The Jerusalem Council.--Just as Jesus promised, once the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell all believers, the gospel began to spread dramatically. It began in Jerusalem, and before long there were over 10,000 Christians among the Jews.--Soon, the gospel went to Samaritans. Not long after that came the first Gentile convert, a man from Ethiopia. Then -Acts 10- God brought the first group of Gentiles to faith in Christ, when Peter was the key man at the house of Cornelius. Fast forward to chapter 13, and where the Gentile Church in the city of Antioch, Syria launched the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on what is referred to as the First Missionary Journey of Paul.--1 - Problem Erupts -1--2 - Debate Begins -2--3 - Call For Backup -3--4 - Report Given -4--5 - Dissent Repeated -5-

Something very specific sparked a major controversy that was addressed in what has come to be known as The Jerusalem Council.--Just as Jesus promised, once the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell all believers, the gospel began to spread dramatically. It began in Jerusalem, and before long there were over 10,000 Christians among the Jews.--Soon, the gospel went to Samaritans. Not long after that came the first Gentile convert, a man from Ethiopia. Then -Acts 10- God brought the first group of Gentiles to faith in Christ, when Peter was the key man at the house of Cornelius. Fast forward to chapter 13, and where the Gentile Church in the city of Antioch, Syria launched the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on what is referred to as the First Missionary Journey of Paul.--1 - Problem Erupts -1--2 - Debate Begins -2--3 - Call For Backup -3--4 - Report Given -4--5 - Dissent Repeated -5-

Something very specific sparked a major controversy that was addressed in what has come to be known as The Jerusalem Council.Just as Jesus promised, once the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell all believers, the gospel began to spread dramatically. It began in Jerusalem, and before long there were over 10,000 Christians among the Jews.Soon, the gospel went to Samaritans. Not long after that came the first Gentile convert, a man from Ethiopia. Then (Acts 10) God brought the first group of Gentiles to faith in Christ, when Peter was the key man at the house of Cornelius. Fast forward to chapter 13, and where the Gentile Church in the city of Antioch, Syria launched the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on what is referred to as the First Missionary Journey of Paul.1 - Problem Erupts (1)2 - Debate Begins (2)3 - Call For Backup (3)4 - Report Given (4)5 - Dissent Repeated (5)

"Race: Who Are God's People" is a thought-provoking series exploring Israel as God's chosen nation. Tracing its roots to the lineage of Abraham and God's covenant to establish a nation through him, we gain insight into the significance of the 12 tribes of Israel as God's original chosen people. However, with the national rejection of God by Israel, a transformative shift occurred, designating the Gentile Church as the new chosen people of God. This shift presents a unique opportunity for salvation to the entire world. Find out more in this podcast series!

"Race: Who Are God's People" is a thought-provoking series exploring Israel as God's chosen nation. Tracing its roots to the lineage of Abraham and God's covenant to establish a nation through him, we gain insight into the significance of the 12 tribes of Israel as God's original chosen people. However, with the national rejection of God by Israel, a transformative shift occurred, designating the Gentile Church as the new chosen people of God. This shift presents a unique opportunity for salvation to the entire world. Find out more in this podcast series!

"Race: Who Are God's People" is a thought-provoking series exploring Israel as God's chosen nation. Tracing its roots to the lineage of Abraham and God's covenant to establish a nation through him, we gain insight into the significance of the 12 tribes of Israel as God's original chosen people. However, with the national rejection of God by Israel, a transformative shift occurred, designating the Gentile Church as the new chosen people of God. This shift presents a unique opportunity for salvation to the entire world. Find out more in this podcast series!

"Race: Who Are God's People" is a thought-provoking series exploring Israel as God's chosen nation. Tracing its roots to the lineage of Abraham and God's covenant to establish a nation through him, we gain insight into the significance of the 12 tribes of Israel as God's original chosen people. However, with the national rejection of God by Israel, a transformative shift occurred, designating the Gentile Church as the new chosen people of God. This shift presents a unique opportunity for salvation to the entire world. Find out more in this podcast series!

Pastor Mike Ascher

Pastor Mike Ascher

Web Description: Why do we believe as we believe for Israel and for the Jewish people? Because God said to. This is a Scriptural mandate to the Gentile Church that we comfort His people and be part of what God is doing to restore the Jewish people to their land. On this foundation we stand and pray with an intense focus that God will end the current pattern of division and violence within Israel and fulfill His Words over His people right now before our eyes.   Show Notes: As we enter into the time of the Fall feasts, I believe there is an urgent need for prayer that is focused on Israel and the Jewish people, and I am making a request to you for intercession during this time. The reason is because of a deep burden on my heart. It concerns me that Israel is being affected and impacted by the same spirits of anger and division that are devouring many nations on the earth.   At this moment in Israel we are seeing protests over judicial reform that almost bring cities to a halt and stop the normal flow of function. There is also a great deal of division manifesting between ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews. There have actually been proposals floated to break up Israel into two Jewish states. In addition we see new levels of violence beginning to take place within Israel, not just between Jews and Arabs but especially against Christians.   According to His Word and His promises, the purpose that God has for Israel is not to fall into the world's pattern but instead to be an example and an illustration that the world should follow. And we need to pray with a renewed intensity and determination that we will see with our own eyes the fulfillment of those Words. Our faith for Israel and the Jewish people is not based on current events, but because God has made a covenant by the oath of Himself to the nation and people of Israel. And He uses this relationship He has with them to prove Himself to all the earth.   Key Verses:   •       Jeremiah 31:33–36. “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel.” •       Ezekiel 36:22–23. “The nations will know that I am the Lord … when I prove Myself holy among you.” •       Numbers 14:15–17. “The nations … will say, ‘Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised.'” •       Ezekiel 36:24–30. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” •       Isaiah 24:5. “The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants.” •       Ezekiel 11:17–20. “I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them.” •       Jeremiah 32:38-41. “I will give them one heart and one way.”   Quotes:   •       “Do we love the Jewish people? Yes. Do we see the benefit of Judaism in its relationship to Christianity and what it provides for us as believers? Absolutely. But the foundation that we are building everything upon is the Scriptures themselves.” •       “These blessings that God is proclaiming are solidified before God. They are a covenant. They are His Word that He has given that these Words will be fulfilled. They will take place before our very eyes.” •       “Will there be a judicial reform? Yes, there will, because they will walk in His statutes and His ordinances and be His people. And that will manifest, because, again, it is part of the promise that God has made to Israel.”   Takeaways:   1.    We need to determine with an intensity that we are going to see the Words over Israel fulfilled before our eyes. They are not for another generation. We cannot put them off to sometime in the future. This is a prayer of urgency. We are praying now that we see these Words fulfilled now. 2.    Remember that Christian support of Israel must be born out of obedience in faith to the Word of God and not rooted in Israel's actions. Whatever is happening now, it does not change our stance, our faith, and our determination. 3.    The ultimate fulfillment of the Word is God glorifying Himself, not just before Israel, but before all of the nations of the world. That is the end game. That is what we are looking to see. Therefore our prayer is, “Lord, glorify Yourself through the fulfillment of your Word.” Amen.  

Acts 11:19-30 The First Gentile Church by Upcountry Calvary

Web Description: In our focus to bless Israel, we are supporting several organizations that are being a tremendous blessing to that country. We could not do that without your generous contributions, and we felt it would be good to give everyone a report on what we are doing. That is why we are doing this podcast. We want you to be informed about and feel included with these projects that Hargrave Ministries supports on a monthly basis.     Show Notes: This podcast is a way to give our listeners an informative look into the organizations that their donations support through Hargrave Ministries. On our recent trip to Israel, we visited these organizations, starting with the AMI-Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies and Research. The people there are like family to us and we stayed with them during this trip. They are pioneers in Jewish-Christian relations and they continue to bring people together.   Another organization we visited is Yad Eliezer, which meets a very great need by helping the multitudes of people who come into Israel from all over the world. Many of these have been forced out of their countries and have to start new lives from scratch. Yad Eliezer works to bring them out of an impoverished state and into a place where they can support and take care of themselves.   We also visited two facilities of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). The Haifa Home for Holocaust Survivors takes care of Holocaust survivors who are unable to care for themselves. ICEJ provides for the health, financial, and social needs of these elderly survivors. Next, the Aliyah Programs project puts arms and legs on the scriptural directive that we are to participate in the return of God's people to Israel. This project has had amazing success helping people through the immigration process.   Shiloh Israel Children's Fund is another organization we visited. Terrorism is a reality in Israel and this fund provides therapies and assistance for children who have been traumatized by terror attacks. Another reality is that almost every family in Israel has lost someone in the defense of their country. That is why we give to the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization, whom we also met with on this trip. This group becomes involved in the lives of those who have lost husbands, wives, sons, and daughters to war and terrorism, so that they can have the eternal understanding that the nation is not walking away from them, and they are going to be helped.   The last two organizations we visited are the Jewish National Fund and the City of David Foundation. Through your donations, the Jewish National Fund has helped plant millions of trees in the country of Israel, and the City of David Foundation is unearthing amazing discoveries that are constantly confirming the validity and truth of the Scriptures.   Key Verses:   •       Isaiah 40:1–5. “Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” •       Deuteronomy 15:11. “You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor.” •       Zechariah 8:7–8. “I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem.” •       Genesis 12:1–3. “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.”   Quotes:   •       “We actually traveled during this season because of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast that was scheduled at the first of June. And we wanted to add to that time, so we stayed about three more weeks to visit each of these organizations.” •       “You realize that those miracles were done not just by God, but by those who were His arms, His legs, the expression, the heart of what He was doing in bringing about the existence of the State of Israel and making a homeland for the Jews.” •       “This country has gone from what Mark Twain described 150 years ago as a bleak wasteland of rocky soil, hardly a tree in the country, to now 240 million trees and the entire country filled with forests and trees and farmland.”   Takeaways:   1.    Isaiah 40:1–3 speaks to the Gentile Church at this time, and it gives us guidance on how we are to relate and participate with Israel and the Jewish people. In these end days we are to make a smooth path for the return of Messiah to Israel and Jerusalem, and we are to be a blessing to the Jewish people. 2.    We want to make sure that we are giving to organizations that are worthy of your time and energy and involvement. We looked for organizations that we could meet with, have relationships with, see what they are doing, and make sure that the donations are being effectively used by people who honestly have it in their hearts to serve and love Israel. 3.    As we come to the end-time, we see that God gathers the nations and deals with them. And part of the vision of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast is to go out to the nations and have these prayer breakfasts in the different nations of the world, so that they have the opportunity to make their nations part of blessing Israel—that their nation may be blessed in return.

Today's program: ITW Season 5 Ep# 868: Acts 11:25-12:17 - The Majority-Gentile Church At Antioch Sends Assistance To The Majority-Jew Church In Judea & Peter Is Miraculously Rescued From The Deadly Intentions Of King Herod Agrippa. Join us today at www.IntoTheWord2020.com or via your favorite podcast platform. Distributed by www.ReSermon.com.

Today's program: ITW Season 5 Ep# 867: Acts 11:19-26 - The Majority-Gentile Church At Antioch Begins & The Majority-Jewish Church At Jerusalem Sends Barnabas There To Help It Grow, So Barnabas Brings Saul From Tarsus To Help Him Do Just That. Join us today at www.IntoTheWord2020.com or via your favorite podcast platform. Distributed by www.ReSermon.com.

The New Story Podcast exists to equip you to live out your Christian life as you faithfully love God and love others with truth and grace. On this Equip episode of the New Story Podcast, Jeremy and Dennis look at Acts 9 and how Jesus equated the church with Himself and what the implications are of this. They then discuss a passage that we won't be covering on Sundays where we see the first Gentile church founded..Resources:• We're Hiring a new Teaching Pastor - Learn more• Sermon - Transformation (Acts Week 11)• Sermon - Jonah or Peter (Acts Week 12)To learn more about New Story Church, you can do that by visiting NewStory.Church or find us on Instagram and Facebook at @NewStoryKC.

SPECIAL GUEST Brother Andre Marie  Host of ReConquest aired only on the Crusade Channel Follow Brother on GAB and Twitter - @Brother_Andre HEADLINE: Saint Vincent Ferrer 1419 by The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary  40 thousand miracles have been attributed to him. He was one of the greatest saints of the Dominican Order. He was a Spaniard and was born at Valencia. He was one of the main forces that ended the Great Western Schism, a hardship of the Catholic Church, which lasted from 1378 to 1417, when two, and eventually three, cardinals, one at Rome, one at Avignon and one at Pisa, were all claiming to be Pope. Saint Vincent Ferrer had the gift of tongues. Speaking in his own language, all who listened to him could understand him in theirs. Saint Vincent Ferrer raised forty persons from the dead. He cured thousands of the blind, the lame, the deaf and the dumb. He extinguished a fire with one blow of his breath. A laborer at Valencia, who had fallen from a staging, was suspended by Saint Vincent Ferrer in mid-air until he brought him safely and slowly to the ground. A swarm of butterflies flew into Saint Vincent Ferrer's room as he was dying. A great number of angels assembled there to take his soul to God. He was in his sixty-third year when he died. He would preach in Catalon which was his native language and whatever the language those in the audience spoke, they could hear him in their native language.  The Church of The Holy Innocents in New York City In Spanish the rr is a distinct letter. He preached these mission and he just converted everyone in there. Glossolalia = The Gift of the Tongue Tonights ReConquest Episode 370: Dramatis Personae Hebdomodae Sanctae Jesus rode a beast that had never been ridden before. If something is used for a spiritual purpose you don't ever turn it into something for daily or normal use. You couldn't take that think and repurpose it.  It has to be set aside for the sacred use. That is why Joseph lived a chaste life. Mary housed the Word Incarnate therefore her body couldn't be used for any other ‘regular' purpose.  The 1st coming is the one that already happened and the 2nd is what we pray in the Creed. What makes this night different from any other night? The oldest boy, at a Passover meal, they have to tell their children about this night - what makes this night different than all other nights. The father tells the story of the Exodus.  In Mel Gibson The Passion -  Mary wakes up and Mary Magdalen is there and then you get the ‘jump scare'.  At that point What Makes This Night Different Than Any Other Night? is spoken by mary Magdalen.  Quick version of moving Missal from right to left is -  To the left is North the Gospel is chanted facing where the Barbarians where.  North is the liturgical symbol for the world. East is the land of the sunrise and holy. West is the land of the sunset which is evil. (West is where the sun goes to die.) The Barbarian threat was real and it was evil. If you look at where the Missal is for the low Mass, on the Epistle side it is square…when it is the time for the Gospel it is tilted slightly so the Priest is facing NORTH while reading it. Psalm 21 - Our Lord facing Rome, back to Jerusalem - It begins w/ My God My God why hast thou abandoned me? He is talking about the Gentile Church. Doctor Robert Hickson - in your charity pray for him he is dying, he used to be a major part of the SBC Conferences. 

Why would Paul, writing to a mostly Gentile Church, refer to the Israelites during the Exodus as 'our fathers?' How are Gentiles related to the fathers of Israel?

Why would Paul, writing to a mostly Gentile Church, refer to the Israelites during the Exodus as 'our fathers?' How are Gentiles related to the fathers of Israel?

In this episode, Andy and Wes discuss the advance of the Gospel among Gentiles in Antioch and some aspects of their church life and ministry The post Acts Podcast 22: The First Gentile Church appeared first on Two Journeys.