Podcasts about his image

Return of the Man-Child (6)  (audio) David Eells – 4/6/25  We know that in the Gospels, the Lord has shown us that the things that happened in those times are going to happen again around the world. In fact, He gave us these as types and shadows of prophecies which shall come to pass in our days. Praise the Lord! God has hidden so many wonderful things in His Word. Father, we thank You for opening our eyes and bringing us into agreement with You. You say, “How can two walk together except they be agreed?” So, Lord, it is so awesome to see what You are doing so that we can cooperate with You and be used as vessels of Your glory in these coming days. We are just so happy to hear about the great revival You have planned for us that is almost upon us, Lord. We want to be partakers in that and let You use us in it. We thank You so much, Lord, in Jesus' name.  I'd like to go back and talk a little bit more about the John the Baptist ministry because there's much still to cover. (Mat.3:1) And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, (2) Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (3) For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight (or “make a straight path for Him”). John's job was to prepare people for the coming of Jesus, and there is a corporate John the Baptist ministry in our day whose job it is to prepare for the coming of Jesus in the Man-child.  Remember, Jesus said He was coming again on the morning of the third day (Hosea 6:2), which is where we are now. We're at the third millennial day from Jesus, when He came the first time as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth (Hos.6:3). He came as the former rain, and now He is coming as the latter rain in a corporate body of people. We'll return to that text, but first, let's look at this. (Luk.1:12) And Zacharias was troubled when he saw [him,] and fear fell upon him. (13) But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. (14) And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. (15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.   There is also a fulfillment of that in our time. Remember that Paul spoke about being separated from my mother's womb (Gal.1:15), meaning he was being born out of the Jewish religion. In John's case, it could be taken that way as well, although Luke literally meant “from his (John the Baptist's) mother's womb.” I believe this John the Baptist ministry in our day is going to be the spiritual fulfillment of that corporate body. I believe that they will be anointed from their spiritual “mother's womb”, or, in other words, they are delivered out of their religion. The woman in Revelation 12 who birthed the Man-child and other later seeds represents the Church who brings forth these seeds as they grow up and mature.  Luke goes on to describe what we know to be a great revival that is coming because this John the Baptist ministry is on the verge of coming forth, probably after the next great judgment. Luke continues, And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God (Luk.1:16). Notice that it states “many of the children of Israel,” so this refers to those who were considered to be God's people. However, they were not who they thought they were. Jesus had a great problem with people like that, who believed they were right with God because of their religion. But He said that the Father had sent Him to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). In our day, we have the same situation. There are a lot of lost sheep in Christianity, and the Man-child ministry of our day is going to be sent to them as the fulfillment of that in our day. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition (referring to Christians), upon whom the ends of the ages are come. It says, “Many of the children of Israel shall He turn unto the Lord their God.” That's a great revival!  (Luk.1:17) And he shall go before his face (that is, Jesus' face, or in our day, it would be the Man-child's face) in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children … What He means by that, I believe the Lord showed me, and this is also in Malachi, to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” is that we need the heart that our fathers had. We need to have the diligence and discipleship that our early Church fathers had. God is going to restore what has been lost to the Church for the last 2000 years. He said in Malachi that if He did not do this, He would have to smite the earth with a curse (Mal.4:6). (Luk.1:17) And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient [to walk] in the wisdom of the just … This will be the result of the John the Baptist ministry in our day. People will be seeking righteousness, purity, holiness, and repentance. This was the main message that John had, to “make ready for the Lord” a people prepared for Him. His ministry will be to prepare hearts to recognize Jesus.  Interestingly, most Christians could not recognize Jesus if He walked in the door. That's the whole reason for this repentance. We don't have eyes to see and ears to hear unless we have repented, which is the ministry of John the Baptist, who came to turn the people back to the Lord. If you turn to the Lord, you can hear and you can see; you can recognize someone spiritual. But not if you're dull of hearing and have closed eyes like Jesus talks about when He says, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Mat.13:11). He was referring to His own people here who had become blind and hard of hearing, and who did not recognize Jesus. They didn't know the importance of His words and didn't lay any importance on the sanctification that was in those words. Also, it says, This is He that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight (Mat.3:3). In other words, “make a straight path for your connection with the Lord and His coming into your life.”  This is a part of Isaiah. (Isa.40:1) 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 the Lord's hand double for all her sins. It sounds like that's when John came because this is a prophecy of John, which we'll see when we look at the next verses. They had just come through a time of judgment, and this probably softened them up to be ready to repent when John preached and baptized in the river. He said that they had received double for all their sins. As we read on, we are going to see this again. (Isa.40:3) The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord … The way to the Lord is in the wilderness. It is not in the city; it is not in apostasy; it is not in Babylon.   The way to the Lord is in the wilderness, as Moses told Pharaoh (Exodus 10) because you cannot serve God in Egypt. We have to go into the wilderness to serve God and that's exactly what is going to happen here. We're going into a wilderness where people will once again learn to walk by faith. (Hab.2:4) … But the righteous shall live by his faith. (Heb.10:38) But my righteous one shall live by faith … (Isa.40:3) The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord; make level in the desert a highway for our God. In other words, make a way for His entrance into your life. You have to get all the stones out of the way; you have to remove anything that is between you and God. That's what the John the Baptist ministry is going to be all about.  (Isa.40:4) Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low (God is saying about this coming time, that when a person is humbled, then they'll be exalted and when a person is exalted, then they'll be humbled.); and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain: (Isa.40:5) and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. It was prophesied of John to speak this, and in the letter, Isaiah was referring to the coming of Jesus. But Jesus said He was coming again on the morning of the third day, at the latter rain, and He's going to come in His Man-child company first. His purpose is to fill His whole body with His glory. You know that we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory (2Co.3:18). “Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” is the real Gospel and the people have forgotten that it's the Good News. They've forgotten that the Lord has done this; it is not us. We have faith in Him.  (Isa.40:6) The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. (7) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath (or the “spirit”; it's the same word) of the Lord blewit upon it; surely the people is grass. (8) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever. (9) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! This is prophesied of John the Baptist. “Behold, your God!”   The Lord is coming, folks! This is an exciting thing about the days to come. We're going to see the Lord again. No, not in His first physical body, but it's going to be Him manifested in His people. This is the great joy that God's people are going to have, and this is why no one will make them afraid in the wilderness because God's people are those who do truly desire Him and invite Him into their hearts to truly live, not as religion says, but for the truth.  The next verse speaks of His coming. (Isa.40:10) Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him … (Isa.53:1) … To whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? That was Jesus and it is still Jesus today. Jesus in you is still the arm of the Lord that strengthens His hands to do His work, and He calls us His hands in Isaiah 53:10. (Isa.40:10) Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. Notice that His recompense is before Him. That sounds like what we just read, that Jerusalem has paid double for her sins. It sounds as if judgment is coming before the Lord comes, and I believe that the Lord is showing us exactly that through many revelations, dreams, and visions. We'll return to that topic shortly, but it says, Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth (that is where we are), Say ye to the daughter of Zion (The daughter is born-again Zion, the New Jerusalem.), Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him (Isa.62:11). We can see that in two ways: First, we know that Jesus is coming in the Man-child as the white horse rider (Revelation 6:2) to bring judgment, like Moses came to bring judgment. But, and this is very interesting, it could also mean that there will be judgment before He comes, as we just read in Isaiah 40:2. (Isa.40:11) He will feed his flock like a shepherd (Ezekiel 34 refers to that – that He will shepherd His own sheep, His own flock.), he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, [and] will gently lead those that have their young. That sounds great, doesn't it? Praise the Lord! Glory to God! John the Baptist isn't such a bad guy. He's going to bring the beginning of a massive world revival.  (Mat.3:4) Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan. That sounds like a revival exactly as Luke 1 prophesied of John, that there would be a great move of repentance in God's people. What would cause God's people to repent like this? I believe, according to Isaiah 26, that one of the main things that moves God's people toward repentance is judgment. A very shaking judgment is coming, not only to America, but also to the world, and I believe that this may be the beginning of a John the Baptist ministry, which many will listen to. Something has to happen for God's people to listen and it is spoken about in Isaiah. (Isa.26:8) Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee. So I think God is going to catch people's attention with judgment and then He's going to bring the John the Baptist ministry, which will have a message of repentance.  (Mat.3:5) Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan; (6) and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Notice that “Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan went out unto him, and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” (Mat.3:7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: (9) and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. We see here that there were two kinds of people who came to the John the Baptist revival. Those who were worthy and those who were not worthy. So, according to Jesus, even those who were actually sons of their father, the devil (John 8:44), were coming out there to that revival.  Now, it just so happens that we received a revelation that really fits this John the Baptist revival, the repentant burning up of the wood, hay, and stubble, and the two kinds of people there. Kendall Remmick received this on February 7, 2010. My comments are in parentheses.  I was walking down an old, familiar street with a friend whom I never did see in the dream. I knew the person standing next to me was a friend, but I did not know his identity. (It could have been the Lord. Who knows?) The street is the one I used to walk home on every day from school when I was in the first and second grades. (I think he's going to give us a revelation here of the path of immaturity, as you'll realize shortly.) My friend and I walked by one house that had some low evergreen bushes about two feet high, and there was a woman sitting in a chair in the midst of the bushes. She was pregnant and had her hands on either side of her stomach in anticipation of giving birth. In appearance, she was actually a silhouette of a woman, yet still three-dimensional. Inside the silhouette was black darkness, like deep space with no stars. Staring at her was like looking at a portal into darkness. (This is talking about the apostate, immature Church in whom is the absence of God's light. It is space, a vacuum, the absence of many things, but especially God's light. The Church is in bad shape, andi it's not the glorious Church that it's soon to become. God has a plan and He is going to tell you about that here.)  When we walked past her, either my friend or I said, “She's about to give birth to twins.” (The interpretation that came to me as I read this is that the twins represent the end-time Jacobs and Esaus born to the immature Church. Remember Jacob and Esau wrestled in the womb, And the children struggled together within her (Gen.25:22), and they were opposites, weren't they? Jacob is the father of the 12 patriarchs, just as Jesus was the “father” of the 12 patriarch apostles. In our day, the endtime Man-child will be used to raise up the patriarch apostles to the end-time Church. So there are parallels there and history always repeats, so we should expect this. Esau represents those who have sold their birthright, as Paul said in Hebrews 12:16. These two types will be separated at birth, and Esau will persecute Jacob, who is a type of the Man-child. Jacob was the father of the 12 patriarchs, and the Man-child will also raise up the patriarchs in our day. These two different types are being born to this Church, very similar to what we saw in Matthew 3. Some sold their birthright because they were sons of Abraham, and there is the true seed of promise.)  At this point, we looked away and continued to walk forward a few steps. I then stopped and noticed that I had a very small lawnmower in my right hand. The woman who was in the small hedge was behind us now, and the yard had grown very big. The grass needed to be mowed, but it wasn't green. It was golden yellow-brown, like wheat. And I realized that we were there to mow the lawn. (Now we're back to what we just read: (Isa.40:6) The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass … So the yard of the woman, who represents the Church, has a large, grassy lawn, which represents lots of flesh. (Isa.40:6) The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. (7) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath (or the “spirit”; it's the same word) of the Lord bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. (8) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever. This is truly going to be a revival because of the Spirit of God breathing upon the flesh, withering it up. This is a part of the John the Baptist revelation of Isaiah 40. This is what we need in preparation for the coming of the Lord into our lives in a greater way than we have ever known, in the latter rain movement.)  I looked down at the little lawnmower in my hand. The top of it looked like a regular lawnmower, but the bottom side, where the blades were, looked like a house fan with a safety screen on it. (My interpretation is that a corporate John the Baptist ministry will breathe out the winds of the Spirit. That will cut down the flesh of the Church in repentance to prepare for the coming of the Man-child ministry.) I began to laugh and said, “I can't mow this lawn with this little thing. This lawn is huge!” (Meaning that flesh is abundant in the worldwide Church. This is a worldwide John the Baptist ministry coming to a worldwide Church and their job is cutting the grass. I recently had a lady tell me that she saw me mowing her lawn and I said, “That means I'm cutting your flesh.” This should be the work of every minister, to cut down the flesh to make room for the coming of the Lord.)  My friend said, “Well, sit down on the grass.” (I believe that this represents that these ministers are going to be tested. They haven't been anointed yet, so they'll have to be tested. I believe they're being tested right now, that John the Baptists and the future Man-childs are out there right now. The thing is, they haven't been anointed. I don't know if you've ever noticed, but evangelists like John the Baptist can say less and see more people come to an altar or any other form of receiving the Lord. Their message is very simple, but people just seem to flock to them. It's a gift, an anointing that God gives. These people could be preaching away right now, but it's Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts (Zec.4:6). Great revivals come by the Spirit of God. He is going to grant repentance, the Bible says. He can grant it to anybody. He doesn't even need your help to do it. A great revival is going to be just that; it's going to be a lot of people coming to repentance and wondering what happened. There's nothing from the outside you can observe that would tell you why this is happening, but you know that it's a move of God.)  When they set the mower down in the grass, it cut surprisingly well. But we realized that the lawnmower was way too small, so we agreed that we needed to go home and get a bigger lawnmower. (When the anointing comes on the worldwide John the Baptist ministries from Heaven, which is our real home because this world is not our home and we're going back home, the people will be prepared for the coming of the Man-child ministries. (Mat.11:10) This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. Malachi 3:1 calls him “messenger.”   We once had a brother come and share, and the Lord had been telling me for weeks beforehand that this brother was a John the Baptist, and so when I told Brother Brad to put a banner up on the site to let everyone know he was coming, Brad said that the Lord had spoken to him that this was a John the Baptist. I said, “I know that; the Lord has spoken the same thing to me.” And then, the first thing that the brother said when he opened his mouth was that he was a messenger. I said, “Aha! You just confirmed something for me.” Of course, he didn't know that he was a John the Baptist. A lot of people don't know who they are, but it doesn't matter that you don't know who you are. It matters that you follow the Will of God until you find yourself in the Will of God. Praise the Lord! He can do this!)  When I was writing this, a verse came to me. (Amo.7:2) And it came to pass that, when they made an end of eating the grass … (In Daniel 4, the Beast Nebuchadnezzar, who was the head of the Babylonian Empire, had been given over to the mind of a beast and had devoured much flesh. But when he was delivered over to the mind of the beast, he devoured the flesh of the field for seven years, representing the nations that he was conquering. The nations of the Beast were conquered. Why is God raising up the Beast? He's raising up the Beast to cut the grass. He's not raising up just the John the Baptists who preach repentance, but He's also raising up the Beasts that put you on the cross in the first place. People don't want to see the Beast. They don't have any idea what the meaning and the purpose of the Beast is. They don't understand that God raises up the Beast to put His people on the cross; in other words, “to cut the grass,” so that they will humble themselves before God.)  (There's only one escape from the Beast, folks, and people are going to realize that it's going to be the Highway of Holiness. The Beast can't go on the Highway of Holiness. If you're walking holy before the Lord, Isaiah 35 says the Highway of Holiness goes to Zion, the City of God, the holy city, the mountain of God's presence, where also the Beast cannot tread. There is a place of safety from the Beast. God is going to make people understand that and that's why people are going to flock to Zion. We know that the John the Baptist ministry is baptized for the death of the flesh before the Man-child brings the latter rain.)  The lawnmower is the ministry before the latter rain. (He had that right because I had that revelation as I was reading from the top down, and I didn't know he had that there, but the ministry before the latter rain is the John the Baptist ministry. The dry grass is the saints who will die to the flesh. John the Baptist came in the anointing of Elijah, the Bible says. He will also come again in our time, to fulfill this revelation.)  According to Jesus, Elijah comes twice. (Mat.17:10) And his disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? (11) And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things: (12) but I say unto you, that Elijah is come already (So He said that Elijah was future and that Elijah had come already.), and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. (Mat.17:13) Then understood the disciples that He spake unto them of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was Elijah (spiritually), who had come the first time, and now we have another John the Baptist Elijah that is coming. According to Jesus, he is coming twice.  Our text in Matthew 3 is an interesting revelation of a great revival and wave of repentance. We have had revivals, but a revival always starts with repentance, not just questionable signs and wonders. And for wise people, they are not even questionable. John the Baptist preached against such Babylonish hypocrisy as the Saul leadership, which we saw and understood must die before the David leadership could come.  I was talking with a brother one time about the John the Baptist ministry or evangelists in general, about how different they were, in that they generally stuck with the basics. The brother told me that the Lord had been telling him to get back to the basics, and I recognized that was what the Lord had taught me about evangelists or John the Baptist-type ministries. They're speaking to a people who do not have eyes to see or ears to hear, but through the preaching of repentance God is going to give them eyes and ears. They need to get the basics first in order to come into the Kingdom. The John the Baptists and evangelists both are speaking to people who are not yet fully manifested coming into the Kingdom, and also to apostate ministries, to bring them to repentance. You cannot bring a deep word; in fact, a deep word will just hinder their work.  John the Baptist had a real simple message of repentance, which is more than just crying at an altar. It is changing your mind, turning, going the other way. The Bible says, For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, [a repentance] which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death (2Co.7:10). That means you might repent, but you'll regret it and go right back where you came from. The sorrow of the world is that way, but real repentance changes a person. It does not matter if you cry or not. Repentance is not necessarily crying; it's changing your mind enough to where you reject your old way of thinking, which is the main problem.  Another text in Matthew 11 speaks about John the Baptist's simple ministry, and perhaps he didn't yet understand a few things. It seems very plain here. (Mat.11:1) And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities. (2) Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples (3) and said unto him, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? Now, why did he say that? It may be that Jesus was not living up to expectations, not that Jesus wasn't already doing great work. Maybe in John's eyes He wasn't living up to the expectations of what they thought the Messiah was going to bring. I'm referring to the religious crowd of his day; they didn't expect Him to come this way or act this way. John likely had some of that in him because he asked the question through his disciples, “Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?”   (Mat.11:4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye hear and see: (5) the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them. (6) And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me. Well, that was a mild reproof for John, to tell John, “You shouldn't stumble; don't stumble in Me.” Jesus was the “stone of stumbling” (Romans 9:33) and people did stumble over Jesus. But He warned John not to stumble over Him because there was a big difference between their ministries. John preached repentance and Jesus was an enigmatic teacher of the deep things of God. He had deep revelations of these things. We never had any sign that John ever went beyond the basic preaching of faith and repentance, which is what is needed to prepare the way for the coming of the teaching. People are not even interested in that unless they have changed their mind and turned to God. We hear many times of people who, after repenting and turning to God, ask Him to lead them to truth, and God did that for them. He led them to truth because they had repented and truly became a disciple, but they needed some “food.”  The important thing is that when John is through with you, you're ready for Jesus. That is what's coming in our day. When an evangelist is through with you, you're ready for a teacher. So God is laying the foundation, and He always does a very good job of that. (Mat.11:7) And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? (8) But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft [raiment]? Behold, they that wear soft [raiment] are in king's houses. John was not a fancy person at all, was he? He certainly did not eat fancy food. (Mat.11:9) But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is a great prophet. (10) This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. As we'll see a little further down in the text, John was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, according to Jesus, not because he spoke a lot of great things, but because of the anointing and the preparation and the job that he had to do. Once again, God is choosing a people through whom He is going to do a great work. Many of God's people are going to turn to God through this ministry, a worldwide ministry.  (Mat.11:11) Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. In Jesus' day, John came at the end of the Old Covenant and was an Old Covenant prophet who was, at that time, preparing for a New Covenant; it was the old order preparing for the new order. The old and new orders are slightly different in our day but still have to follow according to the pattern. The old order in our day is the former rain ministry, and I know not many people have even come into that. This is really sad because, if you just read the Bible and pay attention to it, not getting distracted by religion, you cannot help but realize that you're supposed to be filled with God's Holy Spirit.  I believe the John the Baptist ministries that are coming in our day are going to fulfill being in the end of an old order, to prepare the way for the coming of a new order, which is the Man-child ministry. The John the Baptist in our day is going to come as the greatest prophet of the former rain and be a great ministry, bringing in multitudes of people. He will have the gifts of the former rain and be a former rain prophet, but the Man-child ministry is coming with the latter rain. That's the anointing that will fall upon the Man-child. The anointing that fell upon Jesus was the former rain, but the latter rain will fall upon the Man-child. We know that Jesus said He was coming again after two days on the morning of the third day, as the latter rain (Hosea 6:2-3).  So you see, Jesus is coming again, but this time He's coming as the new order for our day. He came as the new order for His day last time, and He's coming as the new order this time, as well, but He's coming after a John the Baptist ministry, which will be the greatest of the old order former rain. We know that the prophecy says that the rain will come, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month] (Joe.2:23). We see that there's a revival coming and it's going to be a revival of the former rain and the latter rain. The latter rain is going to supersede the former rain, and John the Baptist said just that. (Joh.3:30) He must increase, but I must decrease. In other words, “Don't get your eyes on me too long, boys, because there is coming One whose shoe latchets, I am not worthy to undo” (John 1:27). So John's disciples started getting the revelation of Who Jesus was, and they started following Him. John freely admitted that he was not the Messiah, but that the One Who was coming was greater.  (Mat.11:12) And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force. How much more is this going to be true in the coming revival? Why do we have to take the Kingdom by force? Because there is a whole army standing against you, one over which you have been given authority. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. He gives us authority, but we have to fight a spiritual warfare to take the Kingdom of Heaven. It has been given, but you still have to take it with your “sword” (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). When God sent the children of Israel to take the Promised Land, they had to take it with their sword. God said, “You go in there with your sword, and I will be with you.” Basically, that's where we are today. We have to take the Kingdom with our sword. Why? Because there's a second heaven before the third Heaven.  We dwell in the first heaven, but the second heaven is filled with the principalities, powers, and world-rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12) that do everything they can to keep us from reaching the third Heaven. We don't take the Kingdom from God; we're taking it from these spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places] (Eph.6:12). By the way, Paul was a type of the Man-child who entered the third Heaven. He said that he fought the good fight and finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7). We are fighting a fight to take the Kingdom of God, but we must take it here. People think that you don't enter the Kingdom on Earth, but you do. (Luk.17:20) And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: (21) neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. So He says, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force (Mat.11:12). Remember the authority that the Lord gave you. You have a right to everything that the Lord says is yours in this Book, but that doesn't mean you're going to get it if you don't take up your sword and fight. For everything that God has given you, you may have to fight. Don't expect God to just lay it in your hand. You may have to speak faith, act faith, and repent to receive it.  (Luk.17:13) For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. (14) And if ye are willing to receive [it,] this is Elijah, that is to come. (15) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Praise the Lord! And so it is, we are about to enter into more of the Kingdom than we have ever experienced, or anybody has experienced, except the Lord. We're going to enter into it right here. And for some people to receive the former rain, repent of their sins, and become true disciples, it's going to be because of John's ministry. Then the Man-child ministry shall come, which is the latter rain. During the first 3½ years of Jesus' ministry, He was the only One Who had the former rain. When He was baptized by John in the river, He came up and the Spirit of God came upon Him; that was the former rain. At the end of His 3½-year ministry, He breathed on His disciples and said, Receive ye the Holy Spirit (Joh.20:22).   Their former rain came out of Jesus and in our day, it's a perfect parallel because the John the Baptist ministry in our day is going to have the former rain, while the Man-child ministry in whom Jesus lives is going to have the latter rain for the first 3½ years. At the end of that time, they're going to pass on their mantle to their disciples. Why didn't the disciples need it during the first 3½ years? It's because they were being trained under Jesus' authority. He said that He would send them “another Comforter” (Greek: Paraclete; John 14:16). Jesus was also a Paraclete, meaning “One who stands beside and helps.” But the Holy Spirit was also a Paraclete, and Jesus went away in order to send the Holy Spirit, Who would manifest Him in those disciples.  So for the first 3½ years, Jesus' disciples were given authority by Him to go and do the things that they would do. They needed the other Paraclete when Jesus left in order to continue with the anointing and the power. Jesus was the only One Who had the former rain for the first 3½ years, but He imparted that mantle to them, as Elijah had done to Elisha (2 Kings 2:13), who turned and faced 42 youths who were mauled by two bears (2 Kings 2:23-24). The bears were the Beast, and the 42 youths represented the 42 months of the last 3½ years. We're seeing the parallel there of passing on this anointing, this mantle. Elijah passed his mantle to Elisha, who went out and performed more miracles than Elijah ever did. So did the disciples of Jesus; they went out and did greater works than Jesus (John 14:12) because they were multiplied. This was Jesus in all of them, going out and performing the same works that Jesus was doing, so it was multiplied into many greater works.  This is going to be repeated again and the reason this revival is going to spread all over the world is because of a geometric progression, or the “stadium effect” we've spoken of before. The stadium effect is a circle inside a circle inside a circle, and each circle that receives the words spoken in the center passes it on to a larger circle. Everyone who receives the Word passes it on to more than one person, creating a progressively larger circle. Geometric progression is going to turn the world upside-down in these coming days, just as it did for these disciples. The Man-child ministry is going to teach under the latter rain for the first 3½ years and will impart that to the disciples, who are going to go on in the second 3½ years to raise up the five-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11), and so on and so forth.  We saw in Acts 16 that Jesus was still with them in Spirit, just as Moses went halfway through the wilderness and had to put a veil on his face because there was a glorified man underneath. Then Moses went with the Israelites the rest of the way through the wilderness, which represents the last 3½ years of the Tribulation. We know that the wilderness is, according to Revelation 12 and 17, the first and second 3½ years of the Tribulation. So, every Man-child type in Scripture adds more and more detail to the final revelation. Praise God! He's going to do an awesome miracle, an awesome revival, that will start with John the Baptist and be carried on through Jesus and the Two Witnesses because they're the ones who were trained by Jesus. He sent them out two-by-two, in every place that He was about to go. Where is He going? The whole world, For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man (Mat.24:27). That anointing will be passed from these ministries throughout the Church in this way and Jesus is going to raise up a body in His image. He will raise up the body of Christ.  We have been calling ourselves the body of Christ for a long time, but Jesus lives in the body of Christ, and He ministers from the body of Christ, so we're going to really see the body of Christ in the earth. Jesus will be famous from here on out. For the last 2000 years, His name has been small among the nations, but not so from here onward. The Lord is going to manifest His glory in this earth and people will fear the name of the Lord. They are either going to love Him or fear Him, but He is coming again, though not in the way the Pharisees and the Sadducees think. He didn't come the last time the way they thought He would, either. Once again, God has hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes (Mat.11:25). Praise God!   The Lord has a great plan to once again hide these things from the Pharisees and the Sadducees of our day. They will not understand it; they will not believe it; they cannot see Him, and they do not know Him. But, as Jesus said, those who come as a child to the Kingdom of God will do awesome wonders in the power of God, like He did through those ignorant fishermen. They were like babes to the great theologians who looked down on them, but these were the true believers, the true people of God. And in our day, it's going to be God coming in simplicity through John the Baptist. You couldn't imagine John the Baptist in a suit and tie in the wilderness, could you? He was a simple man here for a very important purpose, and I will guarantee you that's exactly what is going to happen. Praise God!   Thank You, Lord, for doing a mighty work. Amen!   The things God has spoken in Matthew are prophetic of something to come in the future. The prophet Isaiah also said the same thing: (Isa.7:14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign (The Hebrew word there is uwth, meaning “a sign of something to come.”): behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Jesus' birth to the virgin Mary was for a sign and we've discovered that Jesus' ministry was a sign of the coming Man-child ministry. When we look in the Gospels, we can also see a prophetic word about the coming days. Our study has reached the part where Jesus was anointed of the Holy Spirit, so we'll continue there. (Mat.3:16) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; (17) and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This, too, is a prophecy of the things to come. As you know, Jesus spoke to us in John 16 and said that He was going to come again as a baby born to a woman, “a woman when she is in travail” (John 16:21). When we look all the way through the Bible, we come to Revelation 12:2 and there's the woman in travail with the Man-child.  After the sign that Jesus gave us here in Matthew, we know the Man-child is a corporate body coming forth in our day. It's interesting that everything that happened in the former rain is going to happen in the latter rain and this Spirit of God falling upon Jesus at this particular time was the outpouring of the former rain of the Holy Spirit that Joel prophesied would restore all things to the people of God (Joel 2:23). The former rain was given to Jesus first, who taught His disciples for 3½ years and then breathed on them, saying, Receive ye the Holy Spirit (Joh.20:22). Ten days later, a mighty, rushing wind came into their presence and baptized all of them in the Holy Spirit and they received the former rain.   But Jesus had it first and was the One Who breathed it on the disciples. Paul said that Jesus is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence (Col.1:18). And He is going to have the preeminence this time, as well. Many people leave Him out of their Manchild theology, but the point is that it is the Lord Who is coming to do this. The Lord came with the former rain, and He is the One coming with the latter rain, although He's coming in a different body. It is still Him coming to do it. He came in the body of the Son of David, the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).  I know people want to make that the “seed of God,” but That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (Joh.3:6). Jesus was declared to be of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom.1:3), but declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness (4). God was the Father of the spiritual man Jesus, the Son of God, Who came from Heaven, and it was Mary's seed that was the son of David. Jesus said, a body didst thou prepare for me (Heb.10:5), and that body was from man. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Once again, the Lord is going to take on a human body in these days and the body gets no credit; it is the Lord Who gets the credit.   But the Lord is coming to start the latter rain and though you've heard this before, I'll share it with you again briefly. (Hos.6:2) After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (3) And let us know, let us follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. “He will come unto us … as the latter rain that watereth the earth.” This is referring to the epiphany of Jesus, not the parousia of Jesus. The parousia is the physical coming of Jesus, but this latter rain is the epiphany of Jesus coming in His body. The first-fruits who are going to receive this blessing are called the Man-child ministry and it's on the morning of the “third day,” exactly what we see here in the text. It is Jesus who is coming to anoint His people and to, once again, sit upon the throne of David, as Luke 1:32 tells us; Jesus sat upon the throne of David.  The Bible also tells us, by the way, that the Man-child is going to be caught up unto God, and unto his throne (Rev.12:5). A lot of people do not realize that the throne the Man-child is caught up to is not some throne up in Heaven, way out yonder. It's the Kingdom of Heaven here. The “throne” that Jesus was caught up to is that He was given the throne of David to rule over Israel and He even came in the triumphal procession into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9; John 12:13), where it was quoted, Behold, thy King cometh … (Mat.21:5; Joh.12:15). Of course, He wasn't treated like a King, was He? He was a King Who was born of the seed of David and was to sit on David's throne and rule Israel. The Bible tells us, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king (Jer.23:5), and that David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel (Jer.33:17). So, once again, the Man-child is caught up to the throne, but I want to tell you Who rules on that throne: it is not the Man-child; it is Jesus! Jesus is coming as the latter rain to rule.  Here's another verse that pertains to this: (2Ch.9:8) Blessed be the Lord thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God. He's talking about the throne of David. We are still talking about flesh, aren't we? Who is that Spirit in David? Paul spoke about the Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets and that Spirit of Christ was pointing toward the suffering of Christ in our day. So, who was in David who manifested that righteousness and goodness? It was Christ. He has always been on the throne; nobody else is going to sit on the throne. Oh, yes, there will be fleshly bodies that rule, just like there are in the Church today. There's the five-fold ministry that God raised up, and those are now our leaders in the Church. They rule, yet they really only have a gift that comes from the Lord, and it's the Lord manifested in them to Whom we are submitting. Paul said, Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ (1Co.11:1). In other words, “Follow me as I follow the Lord.”  The latter rain is in complete parallel to the former rain and the Lord is coming to rule in a body, to raise up the whole Church into His Image, the glory of God. (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. That's the Gospel! I believe that the Man-child is the first-fruits in our day to reach sun glory. There is “star glory,” there is “moon glory,” and there is “sun glory,” the three glories that Paul spoke about in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41. He said that we grow through each of them in stages to come to maturity in Christ, Who is sun glory  Notice that one of the key words spoken in the verses that we looked at from Hosea 6:3 is “rain.” (Hos.6:3) He will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. This “rain” keys in on quite a few verses, especially in the Old Testament. Those verses give us little clues as to what's going to happen in the latter rain, not only for the Church, but also in the Tribulation, because the latter rain happens in the Tribulation, which is “on the morning of the third day,” the third thousand years from when Jesus came.   Now let's look at Micah 5. The chapter starts out speaking about Jesus. (Mic.5:2) But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel (that was Jesus); whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. (3) Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth (That's the woman bringing forth the Man-child in Revelation 12. He has given them up, but they are going to come back.): then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. However, the children of Israel in the New Testament are not those who are circumcised in flesh but circumcised in heart. That's what Paul tells us in Romans 2:28-29. His brethren are going to come back to the children of Israel, the ones who are grafted into the olive tree. As the Bible tells us, they're going to be grafted again back into their own olive tree that they were broken off from because of unbelief (Romans 11:23).   This is what He's referring to right here, but the wonderful thing, the thing that excites me, is this: (Mic.5:4) And he shall stand, and shall feed [his flock] in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. This is the Lord coming as the latter rain, at the time that the woman brings forth the Man-child, and it says He is going to feed His flock. That excites me! The Lord is coming, folks! I love to think about His coming. He's coming to feed us and minister to us. The Lord is angry with the shepherds and what they have done unto His flock, as He tells you all through the Old Testament.  Some key verses that refer to the latter rain begin a little further down. (Mic.5:7) And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from the Lord, as showers upon the grass (There it is again, “showers upon the grass.”), that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men. Wow! They are not dependent on this world, are they? People who love the latter rain are just carried by it. Without the Spirit of God, it is such a struggle to live and do His work and to minister as He called us to minister. It's a struggle without the Word of God. He makes it easy. We're supposed to give Him our burdens (Matthew 11:28-30). It's Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts (Zec.4:6). It will get done by God's Spirit. We have now wasted almost 2000 years and made very little progress, as far as Christianity being born in the earth, as Isaiah 26 tells us. In just a very short time, the anointing of God is going to do its work. The Lord Jesus is coming with that anointing to sit once more on the throne of David and rule over His born-again people.  (Mic.5:8) And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples (We are spread throughout the world among the beasts of the field, the Beast being the nations of lost mankind.), as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and there is none to deliver. (9) Let thy hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off. He is referring to the Lord here, the Lord in His people. The Lord stands and feeds His flock, and the Lord raises up “seven shepherds, and eight principal men,” or “princes among men,” as stated in Micah 5:5. The seven shepherds are like the apostle John, who was also caught up to the throne as a type of the Man-child, but he gave a revelation of the end time to seven angels, who were then to bring it to the Church. The word “angel” is the same word as “messenger,” and it's used in the New Testament for not only heavenly-type angels or messengers but also earthly ministers. John is giving his revelation to seven ministers, who go forth to the seven churches. This is what Jesus did. He raised up disciples to go forth to the 12 tribes because He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. John raised up seven ministers to go forth and bring the message of the end time to the seven churches. Here in this text, we see the same thing. We see the seven princes among men, and the eighth is Jesus in the midst.  We also see here that they are going to be used to bring judgment in the earth, that they will be like a lion and not like lambs. Jesus came as a Lamb and He sent out His sheep to be lambs in the midst of wolves (Luke 10:3), but now He is saying they will be like lions. Not only are they going to bring the Gospel, but they are also going to bring judgment, like the Two Witnesses company brought judgment upon the earth. The Two Witnesses represent the disciples of Jesus because Jesus sent them forth two-by-two, corporately, to the places He was supposed to go, and the same thing is going to happen to the Man-child ministers: they are going to send forth witnesses, two-by-two, and they are going to speak judgments. It is like Revelation 11 on the earth and upon the wicked. No, it's not going to be like a lamb this time. It's going to be the Lamb and the Lion this time.   There is judgment coming with the latter rain movement because the end is near. All nations are going to persecute the saints, but God is not going to leave them defenseless. He is raising up a Man-child ministry, who is raising up a Two Witness ministry, which is raising up a five-fold ministry. Remember the disciples that Jesus sent out ordained a five-fold ministry to lead and guide the Church. This is what we're referring to that will happen again in our day. The Spirit that is upon Jesus, the mantle that is upon Him, He put upon His disciples, and they put it upon the five-fold ministry, and so on. This same thing is going to happen. The anointing that is upon Jesus coming as the latter rain is going to be put upon His disciples, etc. This anointing is the latter rain. It's the power of the Holy Spirit.  There's another way that God speaks about coming judgment. (Rev.6:1) And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals (the first seal), and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. (2) And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown (this is the crown of David): and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. Notice that he had a bow but no arrows, and this is the first judgment. I have shared before that this is not really referring to the Antichrist, nor literally Christ. It's referring to the Man-child ministry, which is coming with judgment. Moses was the Man-child ministry in his day and he loosed all of the “horses” of judgment in his day. All of them followed his ministry. All of the judgments that fell upon Egypt came right out of Moses' mouth, and this is the same thing that's about to happen, according to type and shadow. The Man-child is the first judgment and because of his ministry, all those other horse judgments and the other seals are loosed upon the earth. This white horse rider is none other than the Lord in His Man-child.  We can see the same thing here: (Zec.10:1) Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain (We need to be praying for that now because it is very near.), [even of] the Lord that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. There are ‘the showers' on the grass again. Peter said, All flesh is as grass (1Pe.1:24), and yet, the Lord said that He was going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Acts 2:17). That refers to the Church because that is “all flesh,” men and women out of all nations. He is pouring out His rain upon the “grass of the field,” which Jesus said was the world (Matthew 13:38). This gives you the timing that we are talking about in the latter rain; this is a prophecy of our time. If we go back one chapter, we read, For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim (Zec.9:13). What does Judah represent? Well, Jerusalem the Bride came from Judah, and David was from Jerusalem, and David ruled over the Bride in Jerusalem over the rest of Israel. He says, “I have filled the bow with Ephraim,” and the name “Ephraim” means “the fullness of nations.” That refers to what we just studied in Revelation; it's a different parable, but it means the same thing. A remnant of Jacob or Israel was going to be used by God and was going to receive the anointing of the Man-child through the seven shepherds, who went to the churches, etc.  So how is this going to spread all over the world in just seven short years? It will be like a geometric progression, starting with a 144,000-member Man-child, first-fruits people with an anointing. And that anointing is nothing to belittle; look at the miracles that Jesus did. And then consider the miracles that Jesus is going to do because The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former (Hag.2:9). The miracles of the Man-child through the Two Witnesses, through the five-fold ministry, and through the Church will spread very quickly. God is doing a quick work here, for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short (Rom.9:28) in righteousness. He will fill His bow with Ephraim. Notice also that the Man-child who rode upon the white horse had a bow, but he did not have any arrows. He had already sent forth His arrows.   The Bible says that our children are our arrows. (Psa.127:4) As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Jesus called His disciples “children” (John 21:5) and He sent them forth. He drew the bow and sent them forth as His arrows to bring His anointed, His works, and His ministry all around the world. The exact same thing is going to happen again. (Zec.9:13) For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion (the Bride), against thy sons, O Greece (the Beast at that particular time), and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man. Anytime one of the Beasts (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, etc.) is mentioned in the Bible, it's a type and a shadow of the end time. Well, He says He would stir up sons, so there's a war preparing to happen here.  Let's see what He says about this white horse rider. (Zec.10:1) Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain, [even of] the Lord that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (2) For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams, they comfort in vain. He's referring to the ministry that is there when the Man-child comes. It's the same as the ministry that was there when Jesus came. They were into a lot of falsehood – a lot of false prophets, false shepherds – and they had dealt corruptly. The Lord was judging them, but He did not judge them like He is about to judge this time because it is the Lion who is coming this time. (Zec.10:2) For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams, they comfort in vain: therefore they go their way like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd. Remember, the Lord is mourning because there is not a shepherd in Israel. They are like sheep scattered without a shepherd. Of course, they had shepherds, but God was not calling them “shepherds” and that's the problem. So the Lord sent His Own right arm, the Lord Jesus.  (Zec.10:3) Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats; for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his goodly horse in the battle. You know, all those horses in Revelation 6 represent the harnessing of the flesh to do work. They were all judgments, but God was using different flesh to bring each kind of judgment. The kind of flesh that the Man-child is riding here is talking about Judah. David's authority was first received by the Bride because the capital city was Zion, which represents the Bride, and David was king in Zion.   The house of Judah will be “his goodly horse in the battle.” (Zec.10:4) From him shall come forth the corner-stone (which we know has happened), from him the nail (which we also know has happened), from him the battle bow … (And we know that happened. He sent forth Judah and Ephraim as the arrows. Judah is once again going to be in leadership, including the Lord Himself, Who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. They will raise up the whole Church and that's what Ephraim represents as the “fullness of nations.”), from him every ruler together. (Zec.10:5) And they shall be as mighty men, treading down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle … A lot of people do not know the authority God has given His people, especially in a time when grace is being taken from some. There is going to come a time during the Tribulation period when nobody else will repent. In fact, God will turn away from the Gentiles and He will turn to the remnant of the Jews that He is going to bring in, like He said He was going to do, back in Romans 11.  Once again, this white horse rider is going to bring judgment in the earth, like Moses did with the judgments he brought. (Zec.10:5) And they shall be as mighty men, treading down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them … That's another meaning of “Immanuel.” Remember the sign that the woman would conceive and bring forth a son and they would call His name “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14)? Once again, “God is with us” because the Man-child is going to be born to the woman and God is going to be with us again. This is not saying that men will be God. It's saying that God is coming to do His works. If that offends anyone out there listening, the Bible says through Paul, Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate (2Co.13:5). To the extent that you are bearing the fruit of Jesus, 30-, 60- and 100-fold, as in the Parable of the Sower, to that extent Jesus lives in you. We're just talking about Him coming in maturity in some people first in order to lead the rest into the same maturity. It's still Jesus, and He is still the Son of God. He is still God. (Zec.10:5) And they shall be as mighty men, treading down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them; and the riders on horses shall be confounded. Now, what is this referring to? God is leading the horsemen, yes, but they don't have any effect upon God's people. If you remember, in the Exodus, the judgments that fell upon Egypt, God separated His people in Goshen from those judgments (Exodus 8:22). So the riders on horses will be confounded in one aspect and that is concerning God's people because they are under the Passover; they are not under the curse.  (Zec.10:6) And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back (Back from where? Bring them back from Babylon, back from bondage. They were the first ones to come out of bondage and build the city of God.); for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and I will hear them. (7) And [they of] Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; yea, t

As we behold Jesus we are being transformed into His Image. In becoming more and more like Jesus, we need to look at the fact that Jesus operated in grace and mercy. In this week's message, Pastor Chuck continues his series entitled "Beholding Jesus". and takes a look at how Jesus extended grace and mercy to the people He encountered. LiveStream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRKPv4eujOA

As we behold Jesus we are being transformed into His Image. In becoming more and more like Jesus, we need to look at the fact that Jesus, when He lived on Earth, did everything in submission and obedience to his heavenly father.John 6:38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.Pastor Chuck continues his series entitled "Beholding Jesus". In this message, he shares the importance of being obedient to God, just as Christ Jesus was obedient to the Father. LiveStream:www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5wX_Mj5uo

Suffering & God's Response Pt. 2 Why Does God Allow Suffering By Louie Marsh, 3-16-2025   Big vs. Small Picture:   Today I'll be talking about the big picture of suffering not the smaller more personal one. The Bible gives us a framework to understand how a good and loving God can allow suffering in this world. It does not explain why certain things happen to certain people. No one can answer that question, and if someone says they can – run away!!   But there are two scriptures we must rely to help us as we deal with the smaller picture and they are not on your outline so please write them down:   1  There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1-5 (ESV)   45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 (ESV)   God allows suffering because … GOD IS LOVE   1)  God made humans in His IMAGE.   26  Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)   · Us = trinity · Image - Human life was created in (lit., “as,” meaning “in essence as”) the image of God (v. 27). This image was imparted only to humans (2:7). “Image” (ṣelem) is used figuratively here, for God does not have a human form. Being in God's image means that humans share, though imperfectly and finitely, in God's nature, that is, in His communicable attributes (life, personality, truth, wisdom, love, holiness, justice), and so have the capacity for spiritual fellowship with Him The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.   2) God made us to LOVE HIM.   34  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37  Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38  This is the first and greatest commandment. 39  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)   3) Love cannot be forced but only FREELY CHOSEN.   20  Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21  When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Genesis 9:20-21 (NIV)   “1Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:1–3, ESV)   · God gave us REAL choices in a real universe. · Therefore he HAD to allow us to choose evil over good. · Adam & Eve did and so has every one of their offspring save one – JESUS!   4) But God will hold us accountable on JUDGMENT DAY.   34  You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35  The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36  I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 (ESV)   So, eternal love – God – allows evil to exist now to honor our sovereign free will and so that we can, if we choose, freely love Him and others. However, because He is just, there will be a judgment day where all wrongs will be righted.  

Be an Image of Jesus (audio) David Eells 2/19/25 (Note: I have been concentrating my teachings for months in the area of sanctification, or Christ in you, to prepare you for your high calling of God. As the Lord has led, some are being prepared to be in the Man-child body, some in the Bride body, some in the virgin body, and some will just get their toe in the door. I want the best for you. Concentrate on your holiness and be ready to meet and recognize the Lord in the anointed Man-child as we head towards the wilderness.) Let's start with Paul's exhortation to the Corinthians in (1Co.15:1) Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received (So he's definitely talking to Christians here.), wherein also ye stand, (2) by which also ye are saved (The Greek word there is sózó and it is grammatically in the active voice; this should correctly read “being saved.”), if ye hold fast… Well, that's a condition: “ye are being saved, if.” You are being saved if, and only if, you hold fast the Word. That means all those churches out there preaching unconditional eternal security, or ultimate reconciliation, or any other such doctrine, have cut all the “ifs” out of their Bibles. That also means they've been lying to you. (1Co.15:1) Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, (2) by which also ye are being saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. Sadly, there are people who believe, and are Christians, but they don't “hold fast” to the Word and so they end up believing in vain. It's important what you believe about the Word. It's important that you believe only what “thus saith the Lord,” because these are the Words of eternal life (John 6:68). And there's only one “Seed” according to Galatians 3:16, which is Christ, the Word, the Seed of the Scriptures that can recreate in you the living, true Christ, which God considers to be your “fruit.” The Parable of the Sower explains how very important it is that we “hold fast” the original Word which the first disciples preached (1John 2:7,24,3:11; 2 John 1:6), otherwise, you're just wasting your time. Many people have “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4) because the men that are leading them don't hold fast to the Word. There's only one Word that will bring forth the fruit of Christ, and that is the Seed, which is Jesus Christ, the Sower. That's the Seed which brought forth, in one out of the four types of people, thirty-, sixty-, and a hundred-fold fruit of Jesus Christ. Now if we want to know what the “fruit” looks like, we look at Jesus. If we say that we abide in Him, we must walk as He walked (1 John 2:6) because He is our demonstration of what our Father wants. We can't look to our modern-day preachers; many of whom are all fallen-away from the Truth. So we are told in (Heb.10:23) let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised. We have to be those “that endureth to the end” to be saved according to Jesus in Matthew 10:22. Colossians somewhat repeats this in (Col.1:21) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works (Obviously, again he's speaking to Christians.), (22) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death… “Reconciled” is the word apokatallasso and it means “to exchange completely.” This exchange includes Jesus' righteousness for our sins, His blessing for our curse, His health for our sickness, His provision for our lack, etc., etc. Gal.3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. And Abraham was said to be blessed in all things. And we are responsible for making this exchange by our positive confessions of these blessings. We are also the ministers of this reconciliation to ourselves and others. For instance, our confession in (Gal.2:20) … it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me… brings this truth into the physical realm. We cause the reconciliation, the exchange, to come to pass and we do that by our faith and our confession, since we see in (Jas.2:17) … faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. When we have faith, we walk it and talk it out; in other words, our actions agree with our faith. That's what causes the reconciliation to continue. We understand that the exchange, of course, is the life of Christ for our life, because “fruit” is according to (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. Fruit is the 30-, 60-, and 100-fold fruit of the Word sown in the heart, as the Parable of the Sower shows us, and by our faith we consider it done. Jesus said in (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. Believing here is manifested in our words and feet. When we believe we have received something, we can confess it with confidence, and that agrees with (Col.1:22) yet now (That is the Greek word nuni and it means “at this instant; immediately.”) hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if so be that ye continue in the faith… Not just any faith will bring the reconciliation to pass, only lasting faith in the Gospel, faith in the true Word and the true Promises will cause us to bring forth fruit. Religions have fallen far short of this and that's the reason they're not producing people who walk in the steps of Jesus. They only produce people who are (2Ti.3:5) holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. From these also turn away. The apostle certainly knew what was going to happen, and so he said to turn away from them and hold fast to the Word. (Col.1:23) If so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel (“Hope” is the Greek word elpis meaning a “firm expectation or confidence in what is sure.”) which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister. We are not to be “moved away” from the original Good News because the salvation of our soul, the reconciliation, is not the beginning of our faith, it's a product of the end of our faith according to 1 Peter 1:9. (Gal.3:16) Now (This word “now” is not in the original text. It was added by the translators.) to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. So the promises were spoken to Abraham and his One Seed. The promises were not spoken to us outside of Christ; they were spoken to us as we abide in the One seed of Christ. (17) Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul (“Disannul” is how the KJV and the ASV translated the Greek word akuroó that actually means “I annul, make of no effect, cancel, invalidate.”), so as to make the promise of no effect. So, the promise to Abraham and to Jesus are still in effect. It's the Law that's not still in effect. (18) For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. (19) What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions (You see, the main Covenant was the promise to Abraham. Then the Law was added afterward “because of transgressions.”), till the seed (Jesus) should come to whom the promise hath been made; [and it was] ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. According to this the Old Testament Law is over; it has vanished. It was meant as a temporary measure to help keep people from parábasis, from “transgressing, overstepping, deviating” beyond the boundaries set by God. The Law was in effect only until “the seed,” Who is Christ, “should come to whom the promise hath been made.” It's simply a type and a shadow, as the Bible clearly says, of the greater things which are to come and the greater Covenant, which took its place. (Heb.8:13) In that he saith, A new covenant he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away. 2Co 3:14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.  Well, if the promise was to Abraham and to Christ His Seed, how do we appropriate this blessing? We have to be “in Christ”. If you're not in Christ, you don't have the covenant blessing. Let's look some more at what it means to be “in Christ” so the promises can be ours. (1Jn.5:10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him… The word “witness” here is the same word as “testimony” in both the Hebrew and the Greek. In the Greek New Testament, “witness” is from the word marturia, meaning “witness, evidence, testimony, reputation.” In the Old Testament, the two tables of “testimony” is the same word as “witness” (Exo 31:18). Moses the man-child brought the two witnesses to the people of God in (Deu 9:11) and they broke them in (Exodus 32:19). Those tables of testimony were the written Word of God; His testimony. Jesus also brought us the two witnesses; His disciples who went out two by two. The Bible says in (Joh.7:38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. (39) But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet [given]; because Jesus was not yet glorified. There's the “witness” or “testimony”: It's the Spirit of the Word that all believers should receive in (Rom.8:9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Meaning, if you do not have the born again Spirit of Christ you are not saved. But the Holy Spirit empowers you to walk in the Spirit. And notice, we must believe on Him “as the Scripture hath said,” not adding to, or taking away, from it. (1Jn.5:10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. Notice that if the preachers are changing any part of the witness, the testimony, concerning the Son, concerning the Word of what He came to do, concerning His sacrifice, concerning the provision that He left us as heirs, if they're changing any of this, then they're making God a liar. And you can tell they're making God a liar because they're not turning-out people that look like Jesus Christ. And since they're not turning out people that look like Jesus Christ, they're not sowing the right seed. It's their seed, not God's Seed. God's Seed is His Witness, His Testimony that He bore concerning His Son (1 John 5:9). (1Jn.5:11) And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life (Yes, He did, but He adds a condition to that gift.), and this life is in his Son. He didn't put the gift of eternal life in your hand. Eternal life is in Christ; that's where He put the gift. (Gal.3:16) … To Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed … which is Christ. The promise was made to Christ, not to us. It is only to us if we abide in His Son. The Bible says, (1Co.15:22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Life comes from abiding in Jesus Christ. I've had people say to me, “God's given me eternal life, David, and He can't take it back. I have unconditional eternal security.” No, people who say that are deceived because God did not do that. He gave eternal life to Christ, so if you don't abide in Christ through repentance and faith, you don't have it. That's one reason why people fall away; they think all they need to do is shake a preacher's hand and “accept” Jesus, and they've received everything. No, you have to continue to abide in Christ. If you're in Christ, you will be doing what Christ does. We are called the “Body of Christ.” Who lives in the Body of Christ? He does! Now, it's a word of faith, I understand, but so many people who call themselves “Christian” don't abide in Christ. They don't abide in His Body, respecting His Word, doing His works, thinking His thoughts, doing His deeds, appropriating His blessings, and so on. “God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son,” therefore, we have to abide in His Son to have it. (1Jn.5:12) He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. And in (2Jn.1:9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not (“Abide” is the Greek word menó and it's also translated “remain, stay, wait, endure, continue, live.”) (2Jn.1:9) Whosoever goeth onward (I.e., continues to walk with the Lord) and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God… You can get saved and you can have a born-again spirit, but then you can walk on believing some other word than the teaching of Christ or His apostles, and then you don't have God. You've lost Him. Go back, get into the Word of God for yourself, and once again confirm what He says so you know what to believe. There are over 40,000 denominations today and they can't all be right. Only the Word of God is God. (Jn 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Again in (2Jn.1:9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching (We abide in the teaching so we can have God in us.), the same hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting: (11) for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works. You better pay attention to this if you don't want to put yourself under the same curse that those “evil works” have brought on them. So in Christ is the only place you can claim the gift of eternal life, because your eternal life IS Jesus Christ. It's His nature in you: That is eternal life. (1Jn.2:4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar… Only those who keep His Word know Him. Obviously this is a progression of receiving His life as we learn His Word but we must stay on the road. It's true that people make all kinds of excuses for not keeping His commandments, and the doctrine of “unconditional eternal security” is one of the main excuses. It teaches that you can't be lost, even though you don't keep His commandments, but if you were keeping His commandments, you would not be in a dead church that teaches lies in the first place. You wouldn't be in a dead church that doesn't have the power of God and isn't filled with the Holy Spirit and His gifts. (1Jn.2:4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; (5) but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him (Listen carefully.): (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. We have to believe exactly what God said, the Witness that God gave, concerning His Son. We don't have to believe anything else. Anybody who teaches anything else, we're not to receive from them. Now, didn't Jesus say the exact same thing here? (Joh.15:1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit (Notice that you can get in Him to begin with, but what He's watching for is to see if you're going to bear His fruit.) (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh it away… We're watching this happen even now with the faction movement that's going on around the world. He is snatching rebellious people out of the body. It says in (Mat.13:41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things (Not in the Greek) that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity. God turns them over to faction, they become offended over nothing and then, suddenly, they're gone. Then they are gathered “in bundles to burn them,” just like He said He'd do with the tares at the end of time in (Matthew 13:30). Then (Mat.13:43) … shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father… (Joh.15:2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away… And this is a “falling-away”. If you were in Him and then you're out of Him, that's a falling-away. The “fruit” that is ultimately left is the fruit of Christ. Remember, the fruit was the fruit of the Seed that Jesus, the Sower, sowed into hearts in Mathew 13, while the other three out of four fell away. The fruit is not you going out and saving another 30, 60, or 100 souls, as some teach. That's ridiculous, it's plain that the “fruit” is the fruit of the Seed that Jesus sowed, which is the Word of God in us. The most important thing you can do is put the Word of God in your heart. If you don't do that, you're going to fall away. You have to feed the spiritual man, Who is Jesus Christ in you. You have to feed Him, and He only lives and grows on the Word of God and the breath of the Holy Spirit. Again, (Joh.15:2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away… The Greek word kathairó translated there as “taketh it away” means “pruned (purged); eliminating what is fruitless by purifying.” Of course, pruning can be painful, but if you're sapping the strength that comes through the vine of Jesus Christ by getting into too many other things, it's like burying your talent in the earth (Matthew 25:25). If you're doing that, He's going to cut some things off from you. Some people have idols and those idols are sapping their strength. Notice that all through the Bible, God judged people's idols (Deu 31:16-17; Judges 10:6-7; 1 Kings 11:9-11; etc.) Be careful not to make an idol of your wife, your husband, your mom, your dad, any of your family, or your church, or your preacher, or your job, or even some hobby. Whatever it may be, don't put them before God and His Word. Anything that you make an idol can be cut off because it is sapping your strength that belongs only to the Son. (Joh.15:2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he pruneth it (Some versions say “taketh it away.”): and every branch that beareth fruit, he pruneth (This is also translated “cleanseth.”) it that it may bear more fruit. You don't want to lose a husband or wife because you've made a god out of them and they're ruling your life and your time. Of course, we have rules in the Scriptures. The head of the woman is the man and the head of the man is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:2-16). That's obeying Christ. That's abiding in Christ. But you don't want to make a god out of your spouse to the point where everything revolves around them. You have a relationship with the Lord, and the most important thing for you to do is to obey His Word or else you don't abide in Him, just as we saw. And you can obey His Word when you walk by faith and you have the good confession, which brings reconciliation. We are ministers of this reconciliation. (2Co.5:17) Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. (18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. We make this exchange happen in ourselves as we “trust and obey for there is no other way”. First comes the born-again Spirit of Jesus Christ and then, as you obey that Spirit, the born again Soul (i.e., mind, will, emotions) of Jesus Christ, and if you've obeyed in your soul, you will have a new body. And when we preach the Gospel to other people, we make this exchange of our life for His, happen in them. They repent of the old man and the new man begins to come forth. So He prunes His people to help them bear more fruit. If you waste your time by not bearing fruit, you are thrown out, “spewed” out, rejected from the body of Christ (Revelation 3:16). You have fallen away. (Joh.15:3) Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. The Word cleans you up. The Word transforms you by the “renewing of your mind.” (Rom.12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. What are you transformed into? Christ. The Word creates (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. You're coming into His Image. He's recreating the body of Christ in the earth, and the true body of Christ does not look like many modern Christians today so that's not yet the body of Christ. In Hosea 5:7 they are called “strange children” because they do not look like the Father. (2Co.6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. Back to (Joh.15:4) Abide in me (If you don't abide in Christ through faith in the promises, you're cast forth as a branch.), and I in you… How do you put Jesus in you? First, you accept that He took away your sins and nailed them to the cross. Then you accept by faith that Christ lives in you. 2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Then you begin to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind with the Word.” You put Jesus in you through the Word because He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). He is the manna that came down out of heaven that gives life to the world (John 6:51). This Word is the Manna. Eat the Word. If you want to bear fruit quickly, eat more of the Word as you repent of your old life. There has to be a reconciliation, an exchange. You have to lose your life to gain your life, as Jesus said (Matthew 16:25). That's a most ignored condition. If you want more of Jesus' life, then there has to be less of your life because they occupy the same territory. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (Joh.15:4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself… That just makes good sense. If it's not connected to the trunk or the vine, a branch is not going to receive the life-giving sap of Jesus to bear fruit; it's going to die. If you don't stay connected to the Lord because you're refusing to bear the fruit and act on the Word, well, you're broken off. You might be sitting on a pew, but it won't make any difference; you're still broken off. (Joh.15:4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. Do you want to bear even more fruit? Then put the Word of God in your heart and abide in Him by keeping His commandments. You can keep His commandments because God will give you grace for faith. Do you believe the reconciliation? It happened at the Cross. He gave all of His Son for all of our old life. (Rom.6:11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. This will empower you to forsake sin. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof. If you believe it's done, God will empower you to bear fruit, “for apart from me ye can do nothing.” If we don't abide in Him, we can do nothing. (Joh.15:6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch… So, even though he was in you to begin with, you may not have abided in Him and here you are cast forth as a branch. Some people say that if a person falls away, then he never was saved in the first place. We're seeing that's not true because this whole text is saying that's a lie. (Joh.15:6) If a man abide not (meaning does not continue to stay) in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you (There it is two more times again.), ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Do you know a lot of people who don't get any of their prayers answered? What's the problem? They are not abiding and eating the Word. In other words, if this happens, your will is changed to His will. Your will is in agreement with God and His Word. (Amo.3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? We read the Scriptures in order to come into agreement with Him, so that everything we ask is according to His Will and, therefore, we receive it. He wants us to bear fruit like this. “Ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” People who come into agreement with God are people with power! These are people whose prayer has power to deliver, to save, to provide. If you don't have enough power, maybe you should spend more time putting His Word in you, because faith comes through hearing and hearing by the Word (Rom.10:17). Spend more time putting the Word in you. There's an uncertainty when you don't know God's Will. It's hard to have faith if you don't know something is God's Will, but you'll become convinced what God's Will is by reading about Jesus and His disciples. You'll see it's obvious that God's Will is to save, to heal, to deliver, and to provide for His people. When you put the Word in you, according to the Parable of the Sower, you can bear the fruit of Jesus Christ, 30-, 60-, and 100-fold. He said, “Ask whatsoever you will” and “believe you have received” (Mark 11:24). What happens when you put the Word in your mind is that it changes your will. (Php.2:13) … it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. The Contemporary English Version says, “God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.” That's how you get set free. (Joh.8:36) If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. He gives you His Will, and when you have His Will, you're free, because everything you want to do is what He wants to do, and He gets what He wants. So freedom comes from putting the Word in you, abiding in Him, and Him abiding in you. This really is Good News! (Joh.15:8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples… Notice that a “disciple,” a mathétés, is “a learner and a follower.” If you can't learn from Jesus and you can't follow Him and you're all caught-up in an idolatrous institution, with an idolatrous leader in the Nicolaitan error, who thinks he's the head of the church, then you're not going to bear fruit and you're not going to be a disciple. Preachers are not to make disciples of themselves; they're to make disciples of Jesus. They're to point you to the Word, to show you how you should be a disciple, a learner and a follower, of Jesus. Praise the Lord! Everything we need is in Christ. (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ… Notice! Every spiritual blessing has already been given to us in Christ. A spiritual blessing can also be a physical blessing. It's a spiritual blessing: a blessing from the Spirit and in the Spirit. God wants you to have all of your needs met. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He wants your needs met: spiritual, physical, and emotional. And as you see, if you abide in Him and put the Word in your heart, you can ask whatever you want and it will be done because what you want is what He wants. Well, since every spiritual blessing is in the “heavenly [places],” where are the “heavenly [places]”? They are “in Christ.” Note again it says, “He hath (That's past tense.) blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places],” which is in Christ. When you abide in Christ, you have every spiritual blessing and you have your needs met. God has put all of your provision there. You must go there to get it, and ask in faith. The flesh wants to live and walk outside of Christ and think outside of Christ, and then men wonder why in the world God does not do for them these things that He says in His Word He will do. It's because these things are in the heavenly places. You can't “walk on the earth,” spiritually speaking, and “walk in heavenly places” at the same time. Either you're walking worldly and earthly, or you're walking heavenly. If you're in Christ, you're walking in heavenly places because He is the heavenly place. And when you abide in Him, you can have what you need, because that's where it's provided. It's not provided outside of Him. He hasn't given it to you. Remember, (Gal.3:16) Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. So those people who say that if God gives you a gift, He can't take it back, they don't understand that He doesn't have to take it back, because when you step out of Him, you lose it. Who moved? You're abiding in Him, first of all, through your faith in the reconciliation, and second of all, through your actions since faith without works is dead (James 2:17,20,26). If you walk by faith in Him, you have all these promises, because that's abiding in Him, too. Then you have all of these promises; they're yours. However, if you're in willful rebellion, know that the only promise you have is this: (Heb.10:26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. There's your promise. If you're walking outside of Him, the promise you have is that God's going to whip you. That's His promise. Again, in (Eph.1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love. You see, you weren't an after-thought at all. He had you in Mind before Adam ever fell. Did He know Adam was going to fall? Yes, but He chose you in Him, meaning that He knew you needed a Savior, and He provided that Savior before Adam ever fell. Why did God go on with the process? He did that because fallen people who are saved have a great appreciation for God and they know what's wrong with walking according to the world. They've tried it, they failed, and they understand that God has provided better. God doesn't want ignorant people; He wants people who are trying, and let me tell you, the “fall” is a training (Genesis Chapter 3). Yes, He knew about the “fall.” We're not in plan B, we're still in plan A. God doesn't make plan B's. (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be (He wants us to be something.) holy and without blemish before him in love. The reason we abide in Him is to have His holiness and to be without blemish, and if you put the Word in you, the Word will empower you to walk “holy and without blemish before him in love.” If you starve your spiritual man, you will spiritually die. He needs the Word of God to be fed. He's created out of the Word of God.

What I mean by the statement, All dogs go to heaven, is really a question I have been asked numerous times by both young and old: Will my pet go to heaven when it dies? I want to do my best to answer that question, but I want you to know that my answer will also address a much broader question related to what Gods ultimate plan is for his creation. We know what His plan is for humanity, but do you know if Gods plan of redemption includes animals? Let me begin by stating some things that could not be any clearer from the Bible and then we will dive into Psalm 8. So, here is what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt: The Bible assures us that God is the giver of every good thing (James 1:17); what this means is that God is not the taker of every good thing. When Nathan was five years old, we got him a kitten because we believed that he would enjoy having a cat. You have given gifts to your children out of your love for them as well. Here is what Jesus said about what we do for our children: If you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:1011)! God is so good that there is no room for improvement for Him to be better. I already mentioned James 1:17 but listen to what the verse actually states: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In Psalm 106, we are told to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting (v. 1). According to Psalm 145, God is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works (v. 17). Because there is no room for improvement, God is not trying to get it right in the way He exercises His goodness. However, we live in a reality where the curse of sin is inseparable from our human experience and sorrow and sighing are like the compounds that come out of the curse that suck the joy out of life. You may even feel like Bruce from the movie Bruce Almighty in the way he described God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, but he'd rather tear off my feelers and watch me squirm. So, lets walk through Psalm 8 together with the hope that there is enough in these verses to help us gain a fuller appreciation of what God is doing with this sin-cursed world. A Good God Created a Grand Creation I love the way the Bible begins: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1:12). The earth was a formless and desolate emptiness until God spoke. He did not speak out of any need, for He was perfectly content within the fellowship of Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God was not lonely or bored, nor was He obligated to speak and create. No, God created because He wanted to, and He wanted to create because He was motivated by love. Out of love, God desired to share that which nothing else could top or compare, which was Himself. God was motivated by love to share Himself with us. Our solar system is estimated to be about 12 trillion miles wide. The diameter of our sun is estimated to be 109 times the size of our earth, and if you were to drive from the Sun to Pluto, it would take an estimated 6,000 years to complete the trip. If that were not enough, you should know that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains thousands of solar systems like ours. On our little planet, in our vast galaxy, lives just over 8 billion people. The renown astronomer, Carl Sagan, died believing that there was no compelling evidence for the existence of a Judeo-Christian-Islamic God, and said of our earth and the universe: If we are alone in the Universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space. David, in Psalm 8, answers Carl Sagans question, and if only Sagan could have opened his eyes to see what David saw: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! If you are wondering if the universe is too big if life on earth is all there is, the answer is a resounding NO! The universe is the size that it is because it is testifying to the majesty and splendor of the One who spoke all of it into existence. The God who spoke all things into existence out of the overflow of His love and goodness is not only knowable but created us with purpose! A Grand God Created Mankind in His Image with Purpose There is only one creature of all the creatures created that was created in the image of God, and that creature is all of humanity. On the sixth day, after God created the animal kingdom and everything else, He created Adam and Eve: Then God said, Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth (Gen. 1:26). To Adam and Eve, God gave them the responsibility to manage His creation as His image bearers. Humans were commissioned and commanded to care for creation and at the same time add to creation by filling the earth with humans like themselves. We are not a part of the animal kingdom; we stand above the animal kingdom as stewards of what Almighty God created! King David marveled over this magnificent reality in his psalm: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; what is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him (Ps. 8:34)? David does not stop there, for what he says in the following verses ought to be enough to answer what place your pet has in the universe: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas (vv. 68). Adam and Eve were commanded to manage the Garden, to be fruitful and multiply, and not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As you know, they ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree, and by eating the fruit they brought a curse upon Gods creation. As a result, all of creation was cursed as the Scriptures testify: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). There is only one creature who bears the image of God, and that creature is mankind. As image bearers of the living God, we were created to live forever. There is a part of us that lives on after death known as our soul which is also referred to as our spirit (not to be confused with the Holy Spirit).[1] Unlike the rest of creation, humans have a soul that only God is able to destroy. So, when it comes to death, our soul lives on even after our body dies, but death for the Christian is not the end as we are assured from the Bible: For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (2 Cor. 5:14) So, when your pet dies, there is no immaterial part of them that lives on because they do not bare the image of God and therefore do not have a soul. What this means is that when your pet does eventually die, regardless of the behavior, there is no eternal punishment or eternal life waiting for them... they simply cease to exist. The only creature that is born and lives in active rebellion towards God are humans. Unlike the animal kingdom, sin is now a part of our nature. A Good and Gracious God Has Provided Redemption Through a Second and Perfect Adam Now, remember what I said at the beginning of my sermon: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... (Jas. 1:17). God is a good God who is the giver of every good thing, not the taker of every good thing! After Adam and Eve sinned, they were promised a Descendant who would reverse the curse of sin. A second and more perfect Adam was promised who would come to reverse the curse of sin: For if by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). The second and more perfect Adam was also promised to David who wrote Psalm 8! God assured David, When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1213). What will this second and more perfect Adam do? According to Jeremiah 23:5-6, He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.... Oh, and the Name by which the Son of David will also be called will be, The Lord Our Righteousness. In Isaiah we are promised that when He reigns as King, He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa. 2:4). The second Adam would, be born of a virgin as fully human and fully diving: ...a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. When the second Adam comes to reign as King, His reign will bring the kind of peace only God is capable of restoring: ...the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and fattened steer will be together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.... They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:6-7, 9) When it was announced by the angels to the shepherds that the promised King was born, it was declared to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). Jesus, as the second and better Adam, humbled Himself by, taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). He was born to live the perfect life we could not live to die the death we all deserved. There is only One who is qualified to reverse the curse of sin, and it was and is Jesus! In Revelation 21:5, we are told that through His death and triumphant victory over death, that He is making all things new! This is what we all want and what all of creation is longing for! We long for a day without the dark cloud of the curse of sin. This is why Paul wrote, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom. 8:18-21) When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the week before He was to be crucified for the sins of mankind, the children in the temple area shouted something that irritated the chief priests and scribes. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the children shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! (see Matt. 21:15-16). The chief priests and scribes said to Jesus, Do you hear what these children are saying? What were the children saying? They were celebrating the promised second Adam, the righteous Branch of David, and the One who is to be called The Lord our Righteousness (see Jer. 23:5-6). Guess how Jesus answered the irritated religious leaders who were concerned about what the children were saying? He answered them by quoting Psalm 8:2, here is what He said: Yes. Have you never read [chief priests and scribes], From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself? Do you realize what Jesus said to the chief priests and scribes? He was essentially saying that although Adam made a mess of creation through his sin in the Garden, there was a Son of Man who was made a little lower than the angels and God when He willingly took on human flesh to become fully human while remaining fully God at the same time! Jesus did this for the purpose of redeeming mankind through His cross for our sins, and by doing so, made redemption possible for all creation, and this is the point of Psalm 5, Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! Do you hear Philippians 2 in Psalm 8? And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) Now, against the backdrop of Philippians 2:8-11, listen what Psalm 8:7-8 promises: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. All of creation, including your pets, are eagerly awaiting for the completion of our redemption because when it happens to us, creation will enjoy the good and faithful reign of the second Adam over them as well, and when He comes to do that, He will make all things new and it is what He will restore that all of creation is longing for: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. On the Day Revelation 21 becomes our reality, all that was lost, will be restored and it will be even better than the Eden the first Adam lost! I am not sure if that means He will restore and make new your pet that was lost to the curse, but I do know that it will be better! The glory we will be crowned with will be the glory of King Jesus when, There will no longer be any curse... (Rev. 22:3). We will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11)! The great hope of our future is not who is in office as our president, but the King who is coming to restore all that was lost through the first Adam. Christian, because you belong to the second Adam, you can declare with David: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! [1] Soul and spirit are used synonymously in the Bible (e.g. Acts 7:54-60; Matt. 10:28).

What I mean by the statement, All dogs go to heaven, is really a question I have been asked numerous times by both young and old: Will my pet go to heaven when it dies? I want to do my best to answer that question, but I want you to know that my answer will also address a much broader question related to what Gods ultimate plan is for his creation. We know what His plan is for humanity, but do you know if Gods plan of redemption includes animals? Let me begin by stating some things that could not be any clearer from the Bible and then we will dive into Psalm 8. So, here is what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt: The Bible assures us that God is the giver of every good thing (James 1:17); what this means is that God is not the taker of every good thing. When Nathan was five years old, we got him a kitten because we believed that he would enjoy having a cat. You have given gifts to your children out of your love for them as well. Here is what Jesus said about what we do for our children: If you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:1011)! God is so good that there is no room for improvement for Him to be better. I already mentioned James 1:17 but listen to what the verse actually states: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In Psalm 106, we are told to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting (v. 1). According to Psalm 145, God is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works (v. 17). Because there is no room for improvement, God is not trying to get it right in the way He exercises His goodness. However, we live in a reality where the curse of sin is inseparable from our human experience and sorrow and sighing are like the compounds that come out of the curse that suck the joy out of life. You may even feel like Bruce from the movie Bruce Almighty in the way he described God: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if He wanted to, but he'd rather tear off my feelers and watch me squirm. So, lets walk through Psalm 8 together with the hope that there is enough in these verses to help us gain a fuller appreciation of what God is doing with this sin-cursed world. A Good God Created a Grand Creation I love the way the Bible begins: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1:12). The earth was a formless and desolate emptiness until God spoke. He did not speak out of any need, for He was perfectly content within the fellowship of Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God was not lonely or bored, nor was He obligated to speak and create. No, God created because He wanted to, and He wanted to create because He was motivated by love. Out of love, God desired to share that which nothing else could top or compare, which was Himself. God was motivated by love to share Himself with us. Our solar system is estimated to be about 12 trillion miles wide. The diameter of our sun is estimated to be 109 times the size of our earth, and if you were to drive from the Sun to Pluto, it would take an estimated 6,000 years to complete the trip. If that were not enough, you should know that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains thousands of solar systems like ours. On our little planet, in our vast galaxy, lives just over 8 billion people. The renown astronomer, Carl Sagan, died believing that there was no compelling evidence for the existence of a Judeo-Christian-Islamic God, and said of our earth and the universe: If we are alone in the Universe, it sure seems like an awful waste of space. David, in Psalm 8, answers Carl Sagans question, and if only Sagan could have opened his eyes to see what David saw: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! If you are wondering if the universe is too big if life on earth is all there is, the answer is a resounding NO! The universe is the size that it is because it is testifying to the majesty and splendor of the One who spoke all of it into existence. The God who spoke all things into existence out of the overflow of His love and goodness is not only knowable but created us with purpose! A Grand God Created Mankind in His Image with Purpose There is only one creature of all the creatures created that was created in the image of God, and that creature is all of humanity. On the sixth day, after God created the animal kingdom and everything else, He created Adam and Eve: Then God said, Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth (Gen. 1:26). To Adam and Eve, God gave them the responsibility to manage His creation as His image bearers. Humans were commissioned and commanded to care for creation and at the same time add to creation by filling the earth with humans like themselves. We are not a part of the animal kingdom; we stand above the animal kingdom as stewards of what Almighty God created! King David marveled over this magnificent reality in his psalm: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; what is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him (Ps. 8:34)? David does not stop there, for what he says in the following verses ought to be enough to answer what place your pet has in the universe: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas (vv. 68). Adam and Eve were commanded to manage the Garden, to be fruitful and multiply, and not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As you know, they ate the forbidden fruit from that one tree, and by eating the fruit they brought a curse upon Gods creation. As a result, all of creation was cursed as the Scriptures testify: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). There is only one creature who bears the image of God, and that creature is mankind. As image bearers of the living God, we were created to live forever. There is a part of us that lives on after death known as our soul which is also referred to as our spirit (not to be confused with the Holy Spirit).[1] Unlike the rest of creation, humans have a soul that only God is able to destroy. So, when it comes to death, our soul lives on even after our body dies, but death for the Christian is not the end as we are assured from the Bible: For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, since in fact after putting it on, we will not be found naked. For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (2 Cor. 5:14) So, when your pet dies, there is no immaterial part of them that lives on because they do not bare the image of God and therefore do not have a soul. What this means is that when your pet does eventually die, regardless of the behavior, there is no eternal punishment or eternal life waiting for them... they simply cease to exist. The only creature that is born and lives in active rebellion towards God are humans. Unlike the animal kingdom, sin is now a part of our nature. A Good and Gracious God Has Provided Redemption Through a Second and Perfect Adam Now, remember what I said at the beginning of my sermon: Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... (Jas. 1:17). God is a good God who is the giver of every good thing, not the taker of every good thing! After Adam and Eve sinned, they were promised a Descendant who would reverse the curse of sin. A second and more perfect Adam was promised who would come to reverse the curse of sin: For if by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). The second and more perfect Adam was also promised to David who wrote Psalm 8! God assured David, When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1213). What will this second and more perfect Adam do? According to Jeremiah 23:5-6, He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.... Oh, and the Name by which the Son of David will also be called will be, The Lord Our Righteousness. In Isaiah we are promised that when He reigns as King, He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa. 2:4). The second Adam would, be born of a virgin as fully human and fully diving: ...a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. When the second Adam comes to reign as King, His reign will bring the kind of peace only God is capable of restoring: ...the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and fattened steer will be together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.... They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:6-7, 9) When it was announced by the angels to the shepherds that the promised King was born, it was declared to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11). Jesus, as the second and better Adam, humbled Himself by, taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8). He was born to live the perfect life we could not live to die the death we all deserved. There is only One who is qualified to reverse the curse of sin, and it was and is Jesus! In Revelation 21:5, we are told that through His death and triumphant victory over death, that He is making all things new! This is what we all want and what all of creation is longing for! We long for a day without the dark cloud of the curse of sin. This is why Paul wrote, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom. 8:18-21) When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the week before He was to be crucified for the sins of mankind, the children in the temple area shouted something that irritated the chief priests and scribes. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the children shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! (see Matt. 21:15-16). The chief priests and scribes said to Jesus, Do you hear what these children are saying? What were the children saying? They were celebrating the promised second Adam, the righteous Branch of David, and the One who is to be called The Lord our Righteousness (see Jer. 23:5-6). Guess how Jesus answered the irritated religious leaders who were concerned about what the children were saying? He answered them by quoting Psalm 8:2, here is what He said: Yes. Have you never read [chief priests and scribes], From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself? Do you realize what Jesus said to the chief priests and scribes? He was essentially saying that although Adam made a mess of creation through his sin in the Garden, there was a Son of Man who was made a little lower than the angels and God when He willingly took on human flesh to become fully human while remaining fully God at the same time! Jesus did this for the purpose of redeeming mankind through His cross for our sins, and by doing so, made redemption possible for all creation, and this is the point of Psalm 5, Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! Do you hear Philippians 2 in Psalm 8? And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) Now, against the backdrop of Philippians 2:8-11, listen what Psalm 8:7-8 promises: You have him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. All of creation, including your pets, are eagerly awaiting for the completion of our redemption because when it happens to us, creation will enjoy the good and faithful reign of the second Adam over them as well, and when He comes to do that, He will make all things new and it is what He will restore that all of creation is longing for: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. On the Day Revelation 21 becomes our reality, all that was lost, will be restored and it will be even better than the Eden the first Adam lost! I am not sure if that means He will restore and make new your pet that was lost to the curse, but I do know that it will be better! The glory we will be crowned with will be the glory of King Jesus when, There will no longer be any curse... (Rev. 22:3). We will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isa. 51:11)! The great hope of our future is not who is in office as our president, but the King who is coming to restore all that was lost through the first Adam. Christian, because you belong to the second Adam, you can declare with David: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! [1] Soul and spirit are used synonymously in the Bible (e.g. Acts 7:54-60; Matt. 10:28).

Rewards and Judgments (audio) David Eells 12/22/24 Disciples to be Blessed Now Marie Kelton -12/16/24 (David's notes in red) I had a dream that UBM was in a classroom. (A revelation for those partaking of God's unleavened bread of the Word.) There were a lot more people in the classroom than there had been. I knew we were in the school. (This means we are about to take possession of the properties. The schools given when the Man-child is anointed.) I was sitting next to Anna (meaning Grace) and her kids. (Delivered from the curse and given grace.) David was in the front and about to teach and share a message. He was looking at a computer and there were three visions that he was going to share that I had, that related to the message. (These 3 dreams/visions are included here) The first vision David shared which I wrote was that I was on top of a tall building in Chicago. (Algonquin for chicagoua – meaning garlic or skunk) I was looking at the city. In the dream, I knew that the vision had to do something about the Italian mafia, that was in Chicago. (A stinkin gangster city that represents US DS Babylon.) But David couldn't get far because there was a lot of noise and distraction in the classroom. (Distraction from the things that are important will spiritually kill most. Three out of four people who received the Word fell away by distractions in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.) Then David left to go get his Bible from the car because he had forgotten it. So we were all waiting for David to come back, then David and Michael came back. (The Man-child David's return from the throne.) Then I had a vision that David was downstairs, He opened the car door to grab his bible, which was in a blue bible case. While in the parking lot, David was talking to someone who said they saw someone break into his car, and stab his Bible. I knew they stabbed the back of the Bible multiple times, like starting with the Book of Revelation. (violations of the promises of the Word) The knife point stopped at the book of Zephaniah because when David came back up into the classroom he said, “Someone stabbed my Bible.” (For those partaking of the Unleavened Bread, the knife of the thief will cease at the end of Zephaniah. The thief will go no farther. There is the end of the curse. The thief cometh to kill, steal, and destroy.) The bible was still in a blue bible case. (The heavenly book.) The Bible was being passed around for us to see it. When it came to me I saw the imprint wounds in the Book of Zephaniah but the knife didn't go through it. I was shaking my head agreeing that yes, someone had stabbed David's Bible. But I didn't know who did it. Then I woke up Zephaniah is about the day of the Lord's wrath. But the end of Zephaniah, where the point of the blade stopped, is all about the end of the curse and the beginning of blessings. The thief of the curse will cease and the blessings will start. Let me read here the end of the Book of Zephaniah where the curse ends and the blessings start. Zep 3:13-20 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem (The Bride), Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. 17 Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing. 18 I will gather them that sorrow for the solemn assembly, who were of thee; to whom the burden upon her was a reproach. 19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all them that afflict thee; and I will save that which is lame, and gather that which was driven away; and I will make them a praise and a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, saith Jehovah. (Notice, they are released from Babylon's captivity. This revelation speaks of the near end of the wilderness tribulation for the Bride with a great turnaround of fortunes. They will then be prepared to bring the Church through their 7-year tribulation.) December 17, 2024 During the meeting, I had an open vision. I was in the heavens and I saw Satan as an angel. I saw him fall from heaven. I looked over the edge of heaven and I saw Satan as he was falling and transforming into a huge dragon. (The dragon in Revelation 12 is the beginning of the Tribulation when Satan falls from the second heaven.) Then Satan began to breathe and set the Earth on fire. I saw a lightning bolt come from heaven and hit Satan. I knew God had sent it. After being hit, Satan began falling to the ground and he could not set the Earth on fire anymore. This speaks of Satan losing his authority over God's true disciples. In Luk 10:17-20 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. (They were casting down Satan's dominion and Jesus called it ‘falling from heaven.' I.e. no longer the prince of the powers of the air over true disciples.) 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. 20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. December 13, 2024 I then had another vision where I was looking down at a city from on high. (As in the revelation above) I saw people were busy walking and then all of a sudden, a huge crack in the Earth split the city in the middle. I knew it was from an earthquake. (As above the evil city is the US DS Babylon. In the center of which is the New Madrid fault which separates when Jesus comes at the later rain in His Man-child reformers.) The following verses are confirmations of the Lord coming in His Man-child body of reformers in the midst of great earthquakes. At the death of Jesus: Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47 And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him. 50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent; 52 and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many. 54 Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. We read of an earthquake at Jesus' (Man-child) resurrection in Mat 28:1 Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; (This is three days later at His resurrection.) for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. Verse 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who hath been crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples, He is risen from the dead; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. Psa 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations also of the mountains quaked And were shaken, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet. Isa 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence, (God's presence is coming with quakes. He is coming in His Man-child body by Word and Spirit, as it was with Jesus, as time will surely tell.) 2 as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, (Quakes this big could bring volcanic activity. This will be a great judgment on the wicked of the U.S. and the world.) that the nations may tremble at thy presence! (A great revival will spring from this. Many lost or apostate will turn to the Lord of the Bible.) 3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. 4 For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him. (The righteous will be exonerated as judgment finally comes to the wicked who oppressed them.) Psa 97:4-5 His lightnings lightened the world: The earth saw, and trembled. 5 The mountains melted like wax (Volcanic activity follows earthquakes.) at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 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. 12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. 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. (The Day of the Lord's wrath comes twice, after the tribulation of the Bride at the beginning of the tribulation and the greatest fulfillment is after the tribulation of the Church at the end of the tribulation.) Mic 1:2-4 Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be melted under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, (Hebrew bâqa‛ meaning to cleave; generally to rend, break, rip or open) as wax before the fire, as waters that are poured down a steep place. In the Midst of the earthquakes and chaos, the Man-child ministry will be anointed to conquer the DS like at the Red Sea and lead God's people into the wilderness Tribulation. This begins in Rev 6:2-4 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. (This is the Man-child ministry in whom Jesus lives by Word and Spirit. These will conquer the beast holding God's people in bondage.) 3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (This is a true World War between both entities, DS and Alliance have a world footprint.) Isa 14:12-20 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! (Here we see Satan, the god of DS Babylon, falling from heaven as the dragon cast down to the earth, as in Revelation 12 and Marie's vision in 12-17-24 above. This is also as he has used the DS to do using the might of the U.S.) 13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (usurping authority over the saints.); and I will sit upon the mount of congregation (He wants Mt. Zion's authority), 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. 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; (Notice” A “man” representing a corporate man, inhabited by Satan, has shaken the kingdoms of the world through its wars.) 17 that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that let not loose his prisoners to their home? 18 All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But thou art cast forth away from thy sepulchre 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. 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. (The DS traitors have murdered their own people.) Joel 3:15 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 16 And Jehovah will roar from Zion (Notice His presence is on the earth in Zion.), and utter his voice from Jerusalem (The Bride); and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel. Nah 1:5-8 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is upheaved at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him. 7 Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that take refuge in him. 8 But with an over-running flood he will make a full end of her place, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. (Even now the DS elite are headed to their caves and underground cities.) Heb 12:25-29 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: 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: 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Continuing with Marie's vision: People continued to walk but they were falling into the Earth. (Those who do not take the warnings will fall into hell.) I thought that they would stop walking and realize that there was a huge crack in the Earth, but they didn't stop walking and were falling into the Earth. So now I want to encourage you how to not be those who fall away in the times to come. Let's begin with what Peter said in (1Pe.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat (That's the Greek anagennaó, meaning “to beget again” and it's a combination of aná, “up, again,” and gennáō, “give birth,” in other words, “born-again or born from on high.”) begat us again unto a living hope… We were born-again unto a living hope, and when we were first born-again, it was our spirit that was born-again. The soul is born-again in a different manner. (1Pe.1:3) … according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It was a “living hope” because when He was resurrected, we were resurrected. However, that's by faith, and as we exercise faith in that promise, we receive the manifestation if we continue on in the faith. (1Pe.1:5) Who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. So you're guarded through your faith until you come to the salvation. And we know that you have to continue in the faith. A person who doesn't continue in the faith, doesn't get what they've believed for, because Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. And, (Mat.10:22) … he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. If you don't endure to the end, you will not be saved. You have to endure in your faith to the end, knowing that your faith is going to be tested. (1Pe.1:6) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials… The Greek there means “various temptations.” You are going to be tempted. Your faith is going to be tested and you must hold fast the confession of your hope that it waver not (Hebrews 10:23). If you do that, you'll come to verse 9, which says, (1Pe.1:9) receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls. So the beginning of your faith is that born-again experience in verse 3, where you receive a born-again spirit; the end of your faith is the born-again soul. Now, obviously, what's been put into your spirit has to go into your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. That's where you bear the fruit. You're not the “good seed put into the ground” until you have that initial born-again experience of a born-again spirit. Then you're the good seed and then you have to bear fruit, because when the harvest comes, He's coming to pick the fruit. Some people don't endure to the end in order to bear fruit in their soul, and this is why the falling away happens. The falling away happens because most people don't think they have to bear fruit, which is, “[Even] the salvation of [your] souls.” Glory to God! With that in mind, we can continue in (1Pe.1:21) Who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. (22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth… To whom was Peter speaking? If we back up to the beginning of his letter, we find he was speaking only to true believers. (1Pe.1:1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion… He wasn't speaking to those who were just the called, but those who were the elect, because the elect are the ones who always bear fruit. (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. “Chosen” is the Greek eklektos, meaning “select, by implication, favorite.” So you may truly be called and may have had a born-again spirit, but will you have a born-again soul? Will you go on to bear fruit in your mind, your will, and your emotions? This is how you make your calling and election sure. “Seeing ye have purified your souls,” means that you have to see the end from the beginning. You have to walk by faith. You have to believe it was done at the Cross. This is what you see in your spirit: you see it as done, as finished. (Hebrews 10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (1Pe.1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth (If you don't want to fall away, you have to be obeying the truth, and for you to obey the truth, you have to search for truth. You search for wisdom as gold {Job 28:16-17; Proverbs 3:14,16:16}.) unto unfeigned love (The most important thing is love. Many people prove that they do not love, and they are in danger of falling away.) of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: (23) having been begotten again… That's the Greek word anagennaó, meaning “born-again, from above,” and when you're first born-again, you don't know much about the Bible, but you don't have to. All you have to do is repent and desire the Lord to take over your life. “Repent,” which means “change your mind,” and believe the first message you have of the Gospel. After repentance, as you search for the truth and obey the truth, you will have fruit in your soul. In other words, you'll be renewing your mind with the Mind of Christ, which will enable you to bear fruit by your faith in what you understand. God will give you power when you believe what you read. Some of you hearing this might go to churches and might not get enough Word to overcome anything you've already been indoctrinated with. You need to get this on your own by searching out the truth. God's people will love the truth. All of the elect will love the truth and they will love Him enough to obey it. Going on in (1Pe.1:23) having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. What is the “incorruptible seed”? It is the Word of God, and again, when you first come to the Lord, do you know the Word of God? No, you don't, but this is the second part of being born-again, and that is born-again in your soul, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God.” You do have to seek the truth and you do have to obey the truth. You can obey the truth because you believe that you were united with Him in the death, burial, and resurrection, and that your sins were taken away as it says in (Rom.6:5) For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection; (6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him,] that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (7) for he that hath died is justified from sin. You can obey the truth because you believe the Gospel that you were made free from sin. (Rom.6:22) But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. And, as you exercise faith in that, sin won't have power over you because you believe it's been conquered already. (Joh.16:33) These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (1Pe.1:24) For, All flesh is as grass… Now, we do go through this crucifixion of the old flesh, and when you receive the Word of God, you're obeying your spirit. That means you're not obeying your flesh, and it dies a little more each time you do that. The flesh is used to getting its way, but you're weaning it. (1Pe.1:24) For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: (25) But the word of the Lord abideth for ever… This Word, which you put in your heart, that is eternal life: “the Word of the Lord abideth forever.” It is eternal. The “grass” or flesh is temporal, but this is eternal. We become the Word made flesh, and that is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. (1Pe.1:25) But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. (and if it abides in you then you are eternal) And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. This is the Gospel, not that other apostate teaching which says “just accept Jesus.” He doesn't accept you unless you repent and believe, and that's a continual process. It's not a step-over-the-line, one-time profession that religion would have you believe. This “purifying of your soul” comes by obeying the truth, which is what James was talking about in (Jas.1:21) Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted (This is the Greek emphutos and it means “inborn; innate; rooted.”) word, which is able to save your souls. (How? Through your obedience to the truth, as we just read.) (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. Multitudes of what are called “Christians” are deceived. They don't think they have to walk in the truth. They think they can walk in the flesh, even though Paul said clearly to Christians in (Rom.8:13) … If ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. There's a condition there, “if.” (Jas.1:23) For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. Beholding the “natural face” is contrary to what we are commanded to do in (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face (That's if we have “eyes to see”; some don't.) beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. In other words, it's a gift from the Spirit as you continue to behold Jesus in the mirror. This is the Gospel: You don't live anymore; Jesus lives in you. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. That's what Paul said. When you're looking in the mirror, you're seeing Jesus, because you accept this by faith. It's an imagination that you must hold on to so that you come into His Image more and more, “from glory to glory.” You see Jesus in the mirror by faith because it's already done. (Joh.3:13) And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who is in heaven. When you see your natural self in the mirror, or in other words, when you see your old “stinkin' self,” you're not exercising any faith there. You're not calling (Rom.4:17) … the things that are not, as though they were. There's no faith involved there, so how can you grow? How can you be anything more than what you are? (Jas.1:24) for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. When people begin to look at “self” too much, they begin to fall into denial. It's the only way they can have any peace. When you read the Word, it tells you what God wants, and if you look in the mirror and say, “I don't want to look like that,” you're not exercising the power of faith. You'll not overcome; you'll always be a “hearer and not a doer.” (Jas.1:25) But he that looketh into the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and so continueth (This is what we've been talking about.), being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. Thank You, Father, for the awesome Good News! Now let's go to (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten (Again this word, gennaó means “born.”) of God doeth no sin… When you have a renewed soul, a born-again soul, that is in the Image of Jesus because you held fast to the words your spirit received from God through the Word, then you're going to overcome. Think about how many things you've overcome since you came to know the Lord, things you don't even consider doing anymore and, if the devil tried to tempt you with them, you'd laugh at him. God wants to continue that all the way to the end. God wants to continue it until you have at least 30-, then 60-, and finally, 100-fold fruit. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed you put in is the Seed of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Ask Him to put a desire in you to put the Seed of the Word in your heart and when you obey it, the born-again man that is growing in you. He's taking ground, he's taking that Promised Land away from the old Canaanite, the old sinner in the land (Deuteronomy 4:38,7:1-6, etc.) He's putting to death that old sinner and taking his house and living in his house (Deuteronomy 6:10, Joshua 24:13; etc.) That's what the spiritual man is doing. If you're hearing and obeying the Word of God, you're conquering this land. The problem was that when the Israelites were going into their land, they forgot faith (Numbers 13:28-29, etc.) They forgot what God said. Joshua and Caleb didn't forget; they kept reminding them (Numbers 13:30, etc.), but they wouldn't listen, so the Israelites died in their wilderness (Numbers 14:35; etc.), which is a warning to us. (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him… That “seed” is the Word of God, but know that after you receive the initial born-again experience, your faith is going to be tested. if in the trial you give up the Seed in order to sin. Instead when you accept what the devil says, guess what you're accepting? You're accepting the devil's seed and you'll eventually end up being a tare. You don't want to give up the Seed of God. It has the power to bring eternal life, manifestly, in your life. (1Jn.3:9) … because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. The part of you that's born of God is not going to sin because it's God in you. That's where you have “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” and that part of you is not going to sin. But there are other parts of your Promised Land that you haven't conquered yet. You haven't killed the old man, you haven't taken his house, you haven't raised your own crops on his property, and so on. You have to march through the whole Promised Land because God said that every place you put the sole of your foot, He's going to give it to you. You already know the parts of you that are born-again because you're not tempted in those areas anymore. God changed you and that wasn't an accident; you had faith. (1Jn.3:10) In this the children of God are manifest (Now we're talking about manifestation, and that's what we're here for, to manifest Christ.), and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. They are not of God. They are not doing what the Word tells us to do if we sin. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. When you sin, you can confess it and forsake it, and He will wash you clean. He will wash you of all unrighteousness, and that's part of your tools along the way to stay clean before God. If you're not going to confess your sin and you choose to justify yourself instead, then you won't be able to hold fast to your faith and you are going to fall away. It's a choice: You can just hide your sin around the people of God and make yourself acceptable to them as a deceiver, or you can confess your sin and God will cleanse you of all unrighteousness. Let's choose wisely to believe and confess and forsake this worldly way. Choose to accept that you've purified your soul in obedience to the truth. Choose to continue to obey the Truth so that you can go on to take that Promised Land and bear fruit in your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. Choose to allow the fiery trial to burn up that old “grass,” which is the flesh. Now go to (1Pe.2:1) Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies… Those who preach, “You're always going to be a sinner, saved by grace,” are liars. They are anti-Christ and they've never even gotten a revelation of the Gospel. If you're always going to be a sinner saved by grace, then you didn't get saved by grace! Think about it: If you're always going to be a sinner, you didn't get saved by grace. Grace comes through your faith in the Word of God to save you from sin. God doesn't save you so you can sin and get away with it; He comes to save you from sin because you confess it, you forsake it, and you want God. These people will be known because God is more important to them than sin, and that's the trial. The church is full of hypocrisies and guile and deception by masking people. (Jud.1:12) … who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Yes, they will be shown to be “twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” They're full of guile and are hidden. They're deceivers who want you to believe they're somebody that they're not. Instead of confessing their sins to someone who is faithful, or at least confessing them to the Lord, they'd rather deceive themselves, delude even themselves. There's so much judgment coming out of these people, even though we're not permitted to judge until we're complete, until we're delivered from sin. (Matthew 7:1-2; etc.) (1Pe.2:1) Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (2) as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation… That is the manifestation of salvation. What did Jesus tell His disciples? (Joh.4:34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. That's also true for all of us. Our “meat” is to do the Will of Him that sends us; our “meat” is to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. How are we going to grow up only on milk? When Jesus was teaching the multitudes, He protested to them, (Luk.6:46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? We are growing unto the manifestation of our salvation. The manifestation is what you're looking for when you go out into the field to pick the fruit. You might believe that the seed is going to bring forth wonderful fruit, but you're not going to go out there to pick it until it's above the ground and you can see it. That's what we're here for. The earth is the field and we're here to bear fruit, but some people say you don't bear fruit until you go to heaven. Well, they're not going to heaven, because the fruit comes out of the earth. Fruit is attached to the earth before you pick it. Salvation is something that is in Jesus Christ. If you abide in Him, you have it. If you don't abide in Him, you don't have it. It's not something magical that happened to you when you first accepted Jesus. The test comes after that to find out if you're just called, or whether you're called and chosen. (1Pe.2:3) If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: (4) unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men (If you don't want to be rejected of men, you're going to do what it takes to make them happy, but it's more important to make God happy because He has eternal life for you.), but with God elect, precious, (5) ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  (When the priests offered sacrifices, what did they offer? They offered flesh, burnt flesh. Deny it and you will feel it burn.) When you're in the fiery trial, you're making a decision. Do you want more of Jesus or do you want more of the flesh? If you obey the flesh, you get more of the flesh; if you obey Jesus, the flesh is crucified because it doesn't get what it wants. It's on the altar of fire and it's burned up. This is how you get more of Jesus and bear more fruit. In the trial, which He said you are going to go through, you decide to obey the Word even though you can feel the old flesh drawing on you, and the devil beyond that. He's got his rope around the old flesh, pulling against you. You can feel it every time you're tested or tempted to do something other than obey the Word of God. The Word puts you on your cross. If you don't obey it, you're not on the cross. And if you don't take up your cross and follow Jesus, you're not His “disciple,” which means “a learner and a follower”. (1Pe.2:6) Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. How can you prove that you believe on Him? The Bible says, (Jas.2:26) … even so faith apart from works is dead. If you believe, if you have faith, you will act on your faith, but there are a lot of people who are going to be put to shame. (7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve (It will be proven in the midst of the trial whether or not you believe.), The stone which the builders rejected… You may claim, “I never rejected Jesus,” but if you don't obey Him in the midst of the trial then you're not believing on Him. You've rejected the stone which the builders rejected, just like those early people did, and you're shamed right there. (1Pe.2:7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; (8) and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. It's always the disobedient who stumble and fall away. They're disobedient because they're not believing the Word. They've made up a convenient doctrine so that they can live in the flesh and still go to heaven. Even people who know better can fall into the trap when they stumble on the Rock of offense; when they stumble over the Word of God. The Word comes to prove, to test, you. The Word comes to empower you with faith and deliver you. Like a two-edged sword, it will cut away that which is fleshly and demonic. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (Paul is trying to convince them after he just finished giving them the conditions here.), a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. He loves you. He has called you out of “darkness” to come into the Light of the Word, the Wisdom of God so He can fellowship with you. That “darkness” is the darkness of your unregenerate soul that's not born unto God and separates you from Him. You see, parts of your soul are born unto God because you're obedient to God there. You're not even tempted anymore in those areas, but there are parts of your soul where you're not obedient to God. Those places are where your Promised Land hasn't been taken away from the carnal man of the land, the “Canaanite.” He must be put to death in order for you to take the land 30-, 60-, and 100-fold. The grace of God gives you the opportunity to do that. (1Pe.2:10) Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God… How do you become the “people of God”? Well, when you're born-again, it's God, Himself, Who lives in you, and the part of you that obeys God is His Kingdom. That's where He rules, but the part of you that doesn't obey Him is not His Kingdom because He doesn't rule there. The more and more you obey, the more and more of you comes into the Kingdom of God. (1Pe.2:10) …. but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. God is so good! We thank You so much, Father, for your mighty blessings in drawing us unto yourself! Now let's go to (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh… Obviously, if you're being crucified and the old man is being put to death, it is painful. It is painful to give up sinful self in order to have more of Christ, but as the Bible says, (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. If you don't let your outer-man decay, the inner-man is not renewed because they both occupy the same territory. Somebody's got to be losing the territory and somebody's got to be taking the territory. If you're not putting to death the “old man in the land,” you're not taking the territory. Remember, the Israelites were told, “Take up your swords and go take your Promised Land,” and that God would be with them. Every place they put the sole of their foot, God would give it to them. They were to take out the enemy everywhere they went. God said, “Don't appease them; kill them.” That's a type and a shadow of how your old man, your old life, has to die. It can't be reformed. (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind… You see, it's a good thing to suffer in the flesh. When you deny yourself, when you take up your cross and follow Jesus, you will suffer in the flesh. A cross is a cross. Your “cross” is “obedience.” Jesus obediently went to His Cross and He even said that it was for this reason He came into the world, but the disciples tried to talk Him out of going to His Cross. Well, now we can see a parable there. Of course, there are many people who will try to talk you out of going to your cross, but Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, Satan,” and we ought to say the same thing. (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (Consider “suffering in the flesh” to be “ceasing from sin.” If you don't cease from sin, that means sin is going to rule you. If sin rules you, you're going to fall away.); (2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh (Where? In heaven? No, on earth, because there is no flesh in heaven.) to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. If you're questioning, “David, is that really possible? Do you mean all these preachers lied to me about how I just have to accept my forgiveness and go on sinning?” Read that verse again: “that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” And how do you do that? You do that by suffering in the flesh because it doesn't get its way. You have to say, “No!” to your flesh and you can do that since the Cross, because your old flesh, your self-life, was crucified there. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. Jesus has (Col.1:13) … delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. You don't have to serve your flesh anymore, but if you believe you have to serve it, then you do. What did Jesus tell those two blind men as He was healing them? (Mat.9:29) Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you. What happened when the centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant? (Mat.8:13) And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour. If you believe you're going to be a sinner for the rest of your life, you're going to be a sinner for the rest of your life, but you're not going to heaven because you're not going to bear any fruit. That's not the Gospel. The Gospel (Rom.1:16) … is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth… (1Pe.4:3) For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles (In other words, he's saying, “Yeah, you got away with it for a while.”), and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: (4) wherein they think it strange that ye run not with [them] into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. They do think it's strange that you don't run with them “into the same excess.” Well, if you humble yourself to them and if you're really interested in impressing them, of course, you're going to get into the same things they're into and you're going to lose your salvation. I know some people teach that you won't lose your salvation, but we're seeing how ridiculous that is. The elect are not going to lose their salvation, but many of “the called” will. The elect are the chosen because they bear fruit. Those people running in the “excess of riot” don't understand that they will eventually have to answer to God. (1Pe.4:5) Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. The Lord will judge the living and the dead. If you continue on in your riotous living, doing everything the way your flesh wants to do it and not putting to death the sin, you will fall away. You cannot go to heaven because you would ruin it. That's just the truth. (1Pe.4:17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God… Yes, God uses the wicked to judge the house of God, and then God judges the wicked. That's His method because somebody has to put you on your cross. The apostate people of God and the Romans put Jesus on the Cross and then the Romans crucified the apostates. We need to walk in the judgment of God. That old flesh needs to die. We need to suffer the loss of self because self cannot go to heaven. “Self,” which is synonymous with “soul” in the Scripture, is not going to heaven; it has to die here. Every seed that goes into the ground is put to death by the dirt around that seed, but then life comes out and starts bearing fruit. There has to be a death before a life. So this judgment begins at the house of God because you have to have time to bear fruit before your time is up. That's why it's called a “race.” (Heb.12:1) Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. You're racing against the clock to bear fruit before your time is up. (1Pe.4:17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God: and [if it] begin first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved (That's the Greek word molis and it means “only with difficulty; very rarely.”), where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? Wow! If you're going to be a sinner for the rest of your life, it doesn't look good there, does it? How about the righteous? The righteous are doing much better. There's not as many of them because they're “scarcely” saved, but there are lots of sinners, and you're either in one camp or the other. (1Pe.4:19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. God is trying to create your soul into the Image of Jesus Christ, and how does it happen? We just discovered that it happens through your obedience to the truth, and the reason you can obey the truth is because you have faith. If you have faith, you're going to have obedience because (Jas.2:17) … faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. (18) Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith. Now let's go to (2Pe.1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and [the] Saviour Jesus Christ: (2) Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. “Grace and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.” How sad that so many people don't have time to search the Scriptures, and don't make time to get the New Testament down in their hearts! There are too many other things distracting them, but call to mind how the “seed” was destroyed in the Parable of the Sower: The distractions of life is why those who heard did not continue on to bear fruit. (We saw that in Marie's vision.) (2Pe.1:2) Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; (3) seeing (This means “seeing by faith.”) that his divine power hath granted (It's past tense, meaning that it's already done, He's already given you this.) unto us all things that pertain unto life… That word in the Greek is zóé, which means “life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence.” Strong's goes on to say, “it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God's self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life.” This is God's Life. It's not your old, soulish life, which is psuché. Zóé is the higher life that you get when you give up the psuché, the lower life, the self-life. He's giving you “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” He did this at the Cross. You can have grace and peace multiplied to you when you believe on this, when you apply it in your life. (2Pe.1:3) Seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue. You have to know what God has given to you and then you have to exercise faith for it. You have faith in God and God will rise up in you and do the work. Thank God it's by faith and not our own self-efforts! (2Pe.1:4) Whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature (If you're going to live a godly life, you need the divine nature, and the promises are what give you this divine nature.), having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. We must escape the “corruption that is in the world by lust” or we will have a falling-away, because God doesn't want this in heaven. The Greek word epithumia, which is translated as “lust,” means simply “desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire.” The “lusts” are those “desires of the flesh,” and the Bible says, (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die (That's a falling-away.); but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body (Those are the acts of the flesh.), ye shall live. We need to put the promises into our hearts in order to partake of the divine nature so that corruption does not overcome us. Otherwise, we're falling away. God instructed Moses in (Exo.16:4) …Behold, I will rain bread from heaven (Jesus said that He was that manna that came down out of heaven {John 6:35,48,51}.) for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them (God was testing them to see if they would be obedient to Him and get their daily portion of manna.), whether they will walk in my law, or not. People like to belittle the necessity of spending time in the Word every day, but that is exactly what God expects you to do. He expects you to be obedient and to eat the Word daily, just like they gathered and ate the manna in the wilderness daily. You're being proven; your obedience is being tested. Oh, you can go party. You can even go party with a lot of Christians. You can go live after all the lusts of your flesh, but that's not why you're here. You're here to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. (2Pe.1:5) Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith… There's not supposed to be any comma behind “diligence,” it should be behind “faith.” The original had no comma behind diligence either. You're “diligent in your faith,” because you can't add anything. You can't be diligent in any of the attributes that He's getting ready to mention here. You have to use the faith that God has given to you to freely receive these attributes from Him. If you haven't been given faith, you're not saved. Inside of faith are all these other attributes, which are all given to you because of your faith. In a lot of Bible translations when speaking of the Godly attributes they use “adding to, adding to” but we cannot of our own power add any of the attributes to our life, but we can use our faith to receive them.  So, “adding to” is not correct according to both the original language and the numeric pattern. These attributes are like those nesting dolls or one of those little toy eggs that you open up and there's another, smaller egg inside, and you open that and there's another egg inside. It's “in your,” and “in your”. See this proof here: (2Pe.1:5) Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence in your faith, supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge; (6) and in [your] knowledge self-control (Some people don't believe in self-control. Granted “your” was not in the original either so you can leave it out but it says the same thing.); and in [your] self-control patience… He wants patience to have its perfect work. (Jas.1:4) And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. (2Pe.1:6) and in [your] knowledge self-control; and in [your] self-control patience; and in [your] patience godliness; (7) and in [your] godliness brotherly kindness; and in [your] brotherly kindness love. Notice that all of the attributes are yours “in” faith. (8) For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we see that Christlikeness has been given to you; just use your faith to have it. Also we see that we started with knowledge and we ended with more knowledge. In other words, knowledge is built on a foundation of knowledge.   If you exercise faith in the promises of God, you receive of His divine Nature. So because you believe that you were crucified with Christ, because you believe that your old man was put to death when you were “buried” in baptism as an act of faith, then the old man is dead and the One Who came up from the water is Jesus, not you. (Joh.12:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. If the Seed is the Word of Jesus, what is the fruit? It's the fruit of Jesus. It's not gaining souls, it's gaining your own soul. Certainly, if you gain your own soul, you'll be able to be useful in gaining other souls, but you can't give away what you don't have. (1Pe.1:8) For if these things (attributes of Jesus) are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) For he that lacketh these things is blind… He's “blind” because he doesn't see correctly. He still sees only his natural face in the mirror. He doesn't look in there and see Jesus by faith. He doesn't behold in the mirror the glory of the Lord. (1Pe.1:9) For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near (And that's just his own, ugly face.), having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Have you forgotten that you were cleansed of your sins? Just like Jesus bore your sicknesses, you have to believe your sins were borne by Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). You don't have a problem with sin; you have a problem with unbelief. The problem of sin has been dealt with, so your problem is unbelief, but if we want the grace of God, we have to walk by faith. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. This recreation of your soul into the Image of Jesus Christ, from glory to glory, is happening as you walk by faith. Did you forget that your sins were taken away? Why are you lending your body to sin? You will die; you will fall away. Three out of four do, according to the Parable of the Sower. Remember you were cleansed from your old sins. Does that mean you can continue to walk in them? No, because when you walk by faith that you are cleansed of them, you are not going to give yourself over to them since God is going to give you grace. “By grace have ye been saved through faith.” (1Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure… The word, “calling” there is the Greek klésis and it means “invitation; in the New Testament, always of a divine call.” The word for “election” is the Greek eklogé and it means “a choosing out, selecting, choice (by God).” So since you were born-again in your spirit, you now have a divine invitation from Him “who saved us and called us,” but notice that you also have to make certain you will be among those whom God chooses because that calling means an invitation to partake of everything that Christ is. What happened in the Parable of the Banquet when the king's servants went out and called people to the marriage feast? (Mat.22:11) But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment: (12) and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. (13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. The “wedding garment” is your works of righteousness (Revelation 19:8). (Rom.13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Put on Jesus! Put on your “Wedding Garment” “to make your calling and election sure.” (1Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble (Which is another way of saying, “you will never fall away.”): (11) for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance… You may be thinking, “Whoa! I thought I entered way back there when I was baptized.” Well, as you “do these things,” you are progressively entering into the eternal Kingdom because you are progressively taking more and more of your Promised Land, which is where God rules. That's how you enter the Kingdom. (1Pe.1:11) For thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The preachers have lied to us a lot about this. Many think they entered “the eternal kingdom” manifestly when they shook the preacher's hand, who told them, “That's all you need to do. Now just go sit down in a pew and wait for the rapture,” but they don't know what they're talking about. They've not been a partaker in bearing this fruit because they didn't read the Word; they just accepted what their dead religion said and passed it on to you. The Bible calls it “leaven.” (Mat.16:6) And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Join Fr. Adam Potter for this third session of The Little Prince Advent Retreat as he reflects on the theme of relationship. In a sense, thirst leads us to relationship. “[W]e're going to die of thirst,” said the Pilot. …“So you're thirsty, too? The pilot asked. But he didn't answer my question. He merely said to me, “water can also be good for the heart…” (67) Consider the themes of shared responsibility, time, and suffering that leads to "creating ties" or being "tamed." Both the little prince and the pilot have their own journeys to understanding true love, and it culminates at the well. Here are some helpful quotes used in the podcast, not in the book:“The prince also begins to understand that his own actions within the relationship have bound him to the flower permanently. For one, the time and care he has lavished on the rose have transformed his own feelings toward her: she has gone from being simply a flower like any other to “his” flower. The relationship has also changed the flower herself, in the sense that it has made her more vulnerable. The prince, for instance, often things of the “four ridiculous thorns” (80) the flower has to protect herself, but this physical fragility is largely a metaphor for the flower's new emotional fragility. Now that she loves him, he has the capacity to hurt her. As a result, the prince comes to feel that he has a duty to return to his rose.” (Study Guide, 50)"Each of us can experience that in [Jesus's] eyes we are loved, chosen by God, in an extremely personal way. We often have a feeling that God loves in a general way: he loves all men. But being loved in a ‘global' way cannot satisfy us. And it is absolutely different from the reality of the particular, unique love that God the Father has for each of his children. God's love is personal and individual. God does not love two people in the same way because it is actually his love that creates our personality, a different personality for each. There is a much greater difference between people's souls than between their faces, says St. Teresa of Avila." (Jacques Phillippe, Thirsting for Prayer, 22-23)"Even more mysteriously beautiful, God's infinite love also makes Him infinitely vulnerable. Love makes the lover vulnerable. He is moved by the Beloved. She brings Him out of Himself. He gives all He is to each one without ever becoming less because He is infinite. He pours Himself out in creating us in His Image. He pours out His image and shares His very self with us. He pours Himself out in infinite vulnerability, emptying His divine self to become human (Phil 2:6-8), and becomes one with us in the Incarnation. He pours Himself out totally for us on the Cross as He suffers anything and everything that has ever been suffered for the sake of His Beloved. God becomes radically vulnerable, using all His divine power not to protect Himself but to love more deeply and become more vulnerable to us. And He does this for all, and for each and every one as if each were the only one." (Frs. Acklin & Hicks, OSB, Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love, 11)

Justified By Faith (Audio) David Eells 12/11/24 Saints, I know you know this but it is often forgotten because the devil fights against it with all he has. Listen carefully to (Rom 4:2-8)  2  For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.  3  For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.  4  Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.  5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.  6  Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,  7  saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.  8  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. Do you believe in the midst of your failures that Jesus took away your sins and nailed them to the cross and you have them no more? Then you are accounted righteous before you are manifestly delivered from them. (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel (the “Good News”): for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.... The Good News is a powerful revelation and when we exercise faith in it, God imparts His power to us, to save us in all things. We know “salvation” in the New Testament is the Greek noun soteria and the verb of that is sozo. It has a wonderful meaning in scripture of deliverance, salvation, preservation, healing and provision. God has already provided our every need, according to Scripture. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I remember when we once asked a local man, who was Greek, what soteria meant to him and he said, “It means, all of my needs supplied, like a little baby.” I've never forgotten that and as I researched the Scriptures, I found out that's exactly what it means – “all of our needs supplied” and it's to the believers. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (17) For therein is revealed a righteousness.... This is because we are “counted righteous” by our faith. People who walk by faith are the ones who are justified because “counted righteous” means “justified.” (Rom.1:17) For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live from faith. The literal translation there is “from faith” and not “by faith.” God puts a high premium on people who believe and act upon His Word. (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. (18) Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith. People who act on what the Word says will see results. They will receive power from God. (Heb.10:38) But my righteous one shall live from faith: And if he shrink back (Through unbelief), my soul hath no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition.... “Perdition” is “destruction” and everyone who shrinks back from the walk of faith is being destroyed. They're under the curse; they're subject to all the things that faith delivers us from. (Heb.10:39) But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul. When you first receive salvation, it's not your soul that gets saved; it's your spirit that is saved and as you continue to walk after the Spirit, you bear fruit in your soul. Walking by faith brings us the manifestation of God's salvation in our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions. And having our mind, will and emotions in tune with Jesus Christ is what this salvation is all about. (Heb.11:1) Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. Some translations say, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for while the evidence is not seen.” The power of God to save you in every circumstance and every situation, which is the Gospel, comes because of faith. It comes when you believe that you have already received these things, which you do not yet see. I want to prove to you and encourage you that you don't have to talk God into anything. He has already made provision for you. It's a free gift that He puts into your hand. He gave it to you 2000 years ago and He will not take it back. You can give it up by not walking by faith, but He won't take it back. Our faith stands in as the “substance” of the thing that we need and the thing that we need in every circumstance is salvation in all its forms. (Heb.11:2) For therein the elders had witness borne to them. (3) By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. Science has proved this is quantum faith. The smallest unseen particles become what we want because we believe before we see as Jesus said, Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Numeric) them, and ye shall have them..   The Word of God has framed the world by the faith of God. God Himself creates through faith and, if we are going to be a son of God, we have to do the same thing. Our words will bring forth the creating power of God through us into every situation and every circumstance. But we need to give God the “substance” of the thing hoped for and that's our faith (Heb.11:6) ... without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. Jesus also said, (Mat.9:29) ... According to your faith be it done unto you, and (Mat.8:13) ... As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. He constantly made faith the requirement. We, like God, learn to (Rom.4:17) ... calleth the things that are not, as though they were, and our faith has the power to create all of our needs. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. We know that grace is unmerited and unearned. It's a free gift, so you can't work for it. It can only come by faith. This is past tense, it says, “have you been saved” because salvation was accomplished at the cross. And it also includes your soul, your body and your circumstances, so that all your needs are met, completely. (Eph.2:9) Not of works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (And that's the works of the Lord, not the works of the flesh.), which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Again in (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved… Remember that this word “saved” used in other places in the Bible, has already been done and it's only going to manifest through faith. “By grace have ye been saved.” God wants us to believe the promises in order for us to have the manifestation of that salvation in our life. There are also “catch-all” verses, such as Mark 11:24. When you receive this revelation and start acting upon it, you have a miraculous life. It is basically saying that salvation covers everything you need. Salvation has already been done and all of it has been provided, as Jesus said. (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Numeric pattern. Even the Received Text has this as a Greek note.) them.... Note that you are supposed to believe you have received it in the physical realm. Because Ephesians 2:8 says, “by grace have ye been saved,” and “saved” covers everything that we need, through faith. We have a complete agreement here. So “all things whatsoever” have been provided because He tells you, no matter what it is, believe you received. And He tells you that because it was all provided at the cross, turn around and look behind you. This is what faith is. (Rom.4:16) For this cause [it is] of faith, that [it may be] according to grace... (17) [even] God who ... calleth the things that are not, as though they were. It's past tense. It has already been done. Everything about salvation has been completed. If you're waiting for God to do it, you have no faith, or you're not exercising faith and you're not claiming the promise. That's why many people are not growing up in the Lord. If you really believed that you have received it all back there at the cross, what do you think you would say? What do you think you would do? What do you think your imagination would be like? This is a really good exercise. Practice meditating on what you would say and do if you have already received a healing, a deliverance, a provision, a protection, or so on. In other words, practice believing that it's already yours! Faith without works is dead it says in (Jas.2:26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. Many people say, “I believe I received,” but everything else about them is totally backward to what they would be doing if they really believed. Their imagination is only imagining the things of this world, which is the curse and everything negative, and yet they are trying to believe they have received. But a whole part of their being is warring with them because we are kind of a schizophrenic being. We're flesh and we're spirit. However, because we are born-again, we have the power to cast down these vain imaginations. (2Co.10:5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. We cast down these vain imaginations, we begin to speak in agreement with the fact that we have received, we act as if we have received, we imagine we have received. We have been made in the image of our Father and our imagination is very powerful when mixed with our faith to do miracles. Believing you have received should take over your whole being from your mouth to your eyes to your feet. Everything that you do should be in agreement with the fact that you have already received. Now if you need a healing for instance, we have this scripture (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare (past tense) our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed (past tense). So, we believe we were already healed at the cross. (Col.1:12) Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet (or “able”).... We can thank the Father that He made us able through His gift of faith that He has given to us. (2Th.3:2) ... For all have not faith, but He has given to each one of us, that is, to God's elect, the measure of faith. (Rom.12:3) … God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. So He made us able. (Col.1:12) Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. “The saints in light” means the saints who walk in light. We are able to partake of everything that the saints who walk in light are capable of partaking in. (Col.1:13) Who delivered (it's past tense again) us out of the power of darkness.... He has already delivered us, it's already been accomplished. When the devil tells you he has you in bondage, just remember you were already delivered so don't buy the lie. Accept the Good News that sets free and is the power of God to save you. If you do not agree with the Good News, God cannot bring it to pass. People live under the curse all their life, but the Lord delivered us. You're not under the power of the devil. The devil has deceived many people into believing that he has legal power over them, but he doesn't have any power because Jesus told us in (Mat.28:18) All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go ye therefore.... So He sent out His disciples to exercise that same authority over the devil's kingdom. (Col.1:13) Who delivered (past tense) us out of the power of darkness, and translated (past tense) us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; (14) in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. We already have our redemption. “Redemption” is the Greek word apolutrosis and it means “a release on payment of a ransom.” A ransom is paid when a person is being held captive because of sin and the ransom sets them free. The price has already been paid by our Lord Jesus Christ for us to be set free from bondage to the devil, set free from bondage to the flesh, and set free from bondage to the curse. You can't earn your redemption. Our redemption, our release from bondage, and the forgiveness of our sins have already been accomplished at the cross. Praise be to God! Now, something even greater that we should know about is in (2Co.5:16) Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more. And why is that? It's because “after the flesh” is like walking by sight. Now, instead, we know people by faith; we know ourselves by faith; we know the people for whom we have prayed by faith. (2Co.5:17) Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away.... They are gone; everything that we have known ourselves as, in the flesh, is gone. All that we have known about ourselves in the flesh is over. We know no man after the flesh anymore. (2Co.5:17) Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. (18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself.... So everything has become new because of what Jesus did at the cross. That was when He provided everything new for us. He provided our life, our deliverance, our healing, our provision, our protection, and on and on. We should see ourselves in the light of what the Bible says about us, which is that all things are new. Going on in (2Co.5:18) But all things are of God, who reconciled us.... Now “reconciled” there is the Greek word katallasso and it means Jesus made an exchange at the cross. He took all of our curse and gave us all of His blessings. He took all of our lack and gave us all of His provision. (Php.4:19) My God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He has already given us all of our needs because He made an exchange at the cross. And what He took from us is everything we don't want and that we can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven with. Everything has already been accomplished! (2Co.5:19) ... That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. The Lord is not reckoning to us, not attributing our trespasses to us, and He has given us the opportunity to share with other people that God has reconciled them, too. When we give them this Good News of reconciliation and when they become believers in what God has already accomplished, then they can start having miracles, also! That's our ministry that the Lord has called us to. Here's another awesome revelation: (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. You don't have to worry about your “old man” anymore. But think more like this: You have already been crucified. The old you doesn't live anymore. (Rom.6:11) Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. This is because it was accomplished at the cross. If you exercise faith in that, the Lord will bring your crucifixion to pass. If you try to do it yourself, you'll be trying to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and you will constantly fail. You will fall short of the glory of God. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me ...” Since you're dead and He lives, the reconciliation, the exchange, was accomplished at the cross. You were crucified and Christ is now given to you as the gift of God. Christ is manifesting in you and you are entering into the rest, by resting from your own works through your faith in the promises. (Heb.4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest.... You are entering into that rest; God is giving you the promise. The Land of Rest was also called the Promised Land because that's where all the promises are fulfilled. So we've been crucified with Christ and we don't live anymore. He lives in us and we're justified by faith in this promise. (Gal.2:16) Yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ.... “Justified” means “accounted righteous.” When you believe these promises that are contrary to your senses, contrary to your eyes, contrary to the things around you, that is when God says you're righteous. …that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. And in (Gal.3:6) Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. Abraham was justified because he believed God and he was reckoned righteous. So when we believe the Good News, we are reckoned righteous and we receive these benefits because we are righteous. It's the unearned favor of God. (Gal.3:11) Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by (literally, “from”) faith.... Our life is going to proceed from the gift of faith which God has given to us. But we need to remember how to exercise our faith because this is very important. (Gal.3:12) And the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. In other words, if you're going to try to obtain righteousness by your own works, by doing the works of the Law, then have at it, but God is not going to be in it. Remember in (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us .... “Redeemed” is again past tense. It's the Greek word exagorazo and it means “to buy out” or “to purchase a slave with a mind to set him free.” We were slaves of the curse, of the devil, of the flesh and slaves of our circumstances, but the Lord redeemed us. He set us free from that. Do you really believe it? Well, if you do, you're accounted righteous. And if you believe, then that's the power of God unto salvation and God will bring it to pass for you. (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Glory be to God! I especially like, (Rom.3:4) ... Let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. We know that the judgment of this world is the curse and we want to prevail every time we come under the judgment of a curse, no matter what the cause. Whether it comes as a trial to build our faith, whether it comes as a chastening for sin, or whatever, we want to prevail when we come under the curse. And God says that there's only one way to prevail: we have to “Let God be found true, but every man a liar.” God is birthing sons of God, the spiritual, born-again man on the inside who is being created in the likeness of Jesus Christ. This is the man who speaks the words and believes the thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the righteous man before God. It's very important that we are justified in our words. Without being accounted righteous, we are not able to partake of the benefits of the Kingdom. Jesus said, (Mat.12:37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. If we claim to be Christians but we let that old man speak, he can bring us into an awful lot of judgment and wrath because we are not justified. We have to be careful that we are agreeing with God's Word and trusting in what He says so that we can be justified in our words. When our words agree with God's Words and we confess our faith in every situation, then we're coming into the renewed mind of Jesus Christ, and we are being transformed by that renewed mind. We are coming into His image and we're prevailing when we come into judgment. (Rom.5:1) Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace (unmerited favor) wherein we stand.... Now that's very clear. Our words of faith and actions of faith give us access to the grace and favor of God. We stand in the favor, benefits and blessings all because our faith gives us access. (Rom.5:2) Through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and let us rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (3) And not only so, but let us also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness.... The word here for “stedfastness” is also translated as “patience.” Many times we don't want to wait and trust in God or we don't want to endure the struggle or the pain in order to see the manifestation. This is an “instant gratification” society. We want to believe and then see something happen immediately. But if we stand in faith, we have access to His grace, His grace enables us to stand and we eventually receive the thing we are believing for. (Rom.5:3) And not only so, but let us also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) and patience, approvedness.... The word “approvedness” is a word for “character.” This is the character of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are called to come into His Image. (Rom.8:29) For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. If we want His character, we have to walk patiently in our faith. Don't give up! Many people do and it's sad that this is such a major problem among Christians. They don't keep the Word of God before their eyes and the Word of God in their thoughts; they do not pray to God for mercy to write this Word upon their hearts. They are just useless in their faith. We're called to be warriors for the Lord Jesus Christ and warriors for our brethren around us who need the benefits of God's Kingdom. In order to do that, we have to be like Jesus and His disciples were and that is a warrior through faith. We have to be someone who walks justified before God because we speak faith in agreement with the Word of God. (Rom.5:4) And patience, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: (5) and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. How do we know we have the love of God in our hearts? According to this, those who are patient in their faith have hope and that hope does not put them to shame. Some people think that “the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts” means “the love that God has for people,” but also I think it's talking about “the love that we have for God.” A person who wants to please God walks by faith because we know (Heb.11:6) without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]. So the people who want to please God are the people who love God. These are the people who are struggling to be patient in their faith. They are justified because it is important to them to endure the trial of their faith. We have proof about the meaning of “the love of God” in verse 5 because it's also found here: (Jas.1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation....  This is spoken of in Deuteronomy 28, where the one who is blessed is the one who “hearkens unto” the voice of the Lord, the one who hears and acts upon the voice of the Lord. The people of faith hear His voice and they act upon it, they speak in agreement with it and their feet prove it. (Jas.1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved (There's that “approvedness” again; we endure temptation in order to be approved of the Lord.), he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love him. Notice that the people who endure temptation are the people who love Him and want to be well-pleasing to Him. They want to be called “righteous” because they walk by faith and faith is submitting humbly to the Word of God, agreeing with the Word of God, speaking the Word of God. These are learning to walk as sons of God in the Kingdom of God. And we read in (Jas.1:2) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations (or “trials”); (3) knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. (4) And let patience (which is so well-pleasing to God) have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. The person who patiently endures the trial of their faith lacks nothing. Most people will not endure to the end. They endure to somewhere down the trial and then they decide that God's not quite right about this, that He really hasn't answered their prayers. They decide that they can't believe that they have received because their eyes tell them the truth and that God's Word has not told them the truth. They're proving themselves to be unbelievers. They have an “evil heart of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12) which we all must war against. The person who is patient in their faith will be perfect in their entirety, lacking nothing, so you see how important it is to endure the trial of our faith. (Jas.1:5) But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. You can feel the Lord's feelings about people who are double-minded, those who cannot ask without doubting. Now we all have thoughts that come through our mind that are of doubt, although those are not necessarily our thoughts, but if we give into them and act upon them, then we have doubted. (Heb.10:36) For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. Everyone starts out asking God and believing, but they don't all endure in their patience to receive the promise. The people who have learned patience are people who have lived miracles. They see answers from God and they awe everybody with their faith. It's not necessarily that their faith is any stronger, but it's that they don't give in to doubts or unbelief. They cast these imaginations down when they come into their mind. They're well-pleasing to God and accounted righteous because they are patient in their faith and they will receive the reward. (Heb.6:11) And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope (The word “hope” here means “firm expectation.”) even to the end: (12) that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Obviously, if God speaks so much about this, it must be what is dear to His heart because it is His joy to see His people receive the benefits of the Kingdom. I've had many trials of my faith that I can share with others and I know that the Lord brought me through these things so that I, myself, would learn patience and faith. Some of these were enduring trials that took a while and a lot of wrestling to receive answers. They were a warfare of casting down reasonings, imaginations, dreams and revelations, and these things that are contrary to God's promises. Now, something else that we need to do consistently is, (Jas.5:16) Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.... Now we know that Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them, and that's exactly right, but we also know that if our sins are against us, then we're not going to be bold toward God. (1Jn.3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (22) and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. Confession is a way to get rid of your unbelief because your conscience is right with God. It's not that God wouldn't heal you. In the Scriptures Jesus healed every single one of those Jews who came to Him because it was a benefit; Jesus called it “the children's bread” in Matthew 15:26. In cases where He wasn't sure if the people had faith, He tried to draw faith out of them, such as with the Syrophoenician woman and with the centurion. Jesus said things to make them speak words of faith because He knew that this person had to agree with Him. In His own hometown, (Mat.13:58) ... He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief, so we know that Jesus didn't heal because of people's unbelief. Confessing our sins is very important. It's humbling before God and it's necessary in order to get rid of double-mindedness, which is caused by a conscience that's not right before God. We don't know how much we suffer in our faith because of our conscience. (Psa.32:1) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. (2) Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. (3) When I kept silence, my bones wasted away (I believe they knew back then that a person's blood which, according to Leviticus 17:11, is “the life of the flesh,” is created in your bones.) Through my groaning all the day long. (Psa.32:4) For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me (Notice it was God Who sent the curse in order to motivate man to repentance, as it says in Deuteronomy 28.): My moisture was changed [as] with the drought of summer. (Psa.32:5) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. (6) For this let every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found (That is, before it's too late. Confessing your sin quickly will keep you out of a lot of the curse.): Surely when the great waters overflow they shall not reach unto him. The waters, which represent the curse of the world, will not reach unto this person because he has confessed his sin and so he is accounted righteous and entitled to the benefits of the Kingdom. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Here is a person who has confessed his sin and is entitled to the benefits of the Kingdom. Now we can partake of the benefits of God because we have faith. The devil tries to sidetrack us from that faith because we are justified by our faith. He is always accusing us of something, but if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (1Jn.3:21). The Lord knows that you have to have faith to overcome. He does not want you to waste any time with condemnation when it's not necessary. He doesn't want you to condemn yourself because you cannot have condemnation and faith at the same time, and faith (1Jn.5:4) Is the victory that hath overcome the world. Condemnation does come because of willful disobedience, but not for ignorance or for failure. Through the commandments of God in the New Testament, we come to a revelation of what sin is and now we start being held accountable for it. It says in (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. The Bible says in, (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. So a person does not have a blood covering for wilful sin and judgement comes.

Pastor Judy Dawson starts the series on Imago Dei, responding to the question “Who Am I”. Each one of us are a gift from God and we are all His Image bearers, and how that shape the way we see ourselves and interact with others. 

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the depth and intentionality needed for true discipleship. In today's episode, Brian Daniel and Joel Polk engage with Dr. Coleman Ford, author of Formed in His Image, to discuss the significance of spiritual formation within the church. Dr. Ford emphasizes the need for accessible resources and intentional discipleship practices, while encouraging a slower, more reflective approach to spiritual growth. They explore the evolving nature of spiritual formation, the vital role small groups play in fostering this growth, and even the often-overlooked practice of lament in the Christian life. Leaders are urged to cultivate environments where Scripture and community are prioritized, creating space for deep engagement and transformation.It's time to go beyond the surface and invest in the kind of discipleship that makes lasting impact! Thanks for listening and sharing with a friend!SHOW LINKS: Formed in His Image,Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.

Created To BEatitudes: Living In The Kingdom Like The King by Pastor James Sabin.  Oct. 20, 2024.  Big Idea: God created us in His Image and in His Likeness (Gen. 1:27). Living out our God given image is the ultimate blessing. It is in living out who God made us to be that we experience wholeness, contentment, and joy. In this fallen world, we are taught that wealth, power, and pleasure are the goals of this life. According to Jesus, the opposite is true. If you want true power, humble yourself. If you seek true riches, you must exchange them for poverty. And if you wish to have your desires satisfied, you must hunger and thirst for what seems unsatisfying. Jesus Way is the only way to experience the BLESSED life. EDGE Student Ministries

This week, Rob preaches through 2 Timothy 3:10-13 - We face immense pressure in our world to form to the culture around us. As Christians, we must fix our eyes on Jesus and His example - being transformed to His Image.

Today we are in Chapter 4 of Galatians and our focus is, No Longer Slaves.  God's plan for us has always been Sons & Daughters, Created in His Image with Purpose.  The Plan was interrupted by sin and everything went awry.  But Jesus Came and now we have a choice.  We no longer have to live enslaved to this world's systems or to the law or to idols.  We can live free as we choose not to love the world.  We can live free as we recognize what might be at work from within to enslave us, whether it be pride, fear, greed/comparison, unforgiveness, living beyond our means, or a wrong view of God.  We can choose to. live empowered by the Spirit and walk in freedom. 

Hey Winner, Do you get frustrated when you set goals and don't hit them? I know I do. Well, here's what I've learned. Usually it's because we've set ourselves up for failure. Here's what I mean by that. We set unrealistic goals, we put pressure on ourselves to reach those goals in an unrealistic timeframe, and we forget to check in with God to find out what He wants us to do.  Today I want to share a conversation I had with Jo Harris of the Business In His Image podcast earlier this year that addresses these issues. We talk about how to set attainable goals with God at the center so that you can feel fueled up and energized to do the work set in front of you and make a difference using your gifts rather than feeling exhausted, burnt out, and ready to call it quits. Rooting for you ~ Gabe   LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE: Business in His Image podcast: https://thevirtualmama.com/podcast/ Finish Line Goals: https://redhotmindset.com/flg CONNECT WITH ME: ➡️ Website: https://redhotmindset.com ➡️ Join the Red Hot Accountability Club: https://redhotmindset.com/rha/ ➡️ Free workshop: 3 pillars to setting and crushing goals in a stress-less, no hustle way https://redhotmindset.com/goals/

How do you view your own body? What does the Bible say about your body? How does this biblical view influence our opinion of sexual immorality?1. God Made in His Image, Both Soul & Body2. God Made Your Body for His Glory3. God Has a Plan A For Your Body4. God Has United Your Body with Jesus

How do you view your own body? What does the Bible say about your body? How does this biblical view influence our opinion of sexual immorality?1. God Made in His Image, Both Soul & Body2. God Made Your Body for His Glory3. God Has a Plan A For Your Body4. God Has United Your Body with Jesus

Ken Boa joins Michael to talk about his new book, Recalibrate Your Life, and what it means to steward what God has given you. Links Mentioned: Recalibrate Your Life by Ken Boa and Jenny Abel Reflections Ministries Conformed to His Image by Ken Boa Ken's Monthly newsletter To read the show notes, click here.

3 internal truths about worrying:1. Worrying doesn't display your focus, worrying displays your lack of faith2. Worrying doesn't demonstrate your depth of care, worrying demonstrates your affinity with control.3. Worrying destroys the image of God in you. It destroys the image of God in you. You where we're made in His Image and we're made in his likeness.You destroy worrying by seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth!

We carry two things of God with us:His IMAGE. We are made in His likeness.  We are created, male and female, to bear His image to others in His creation.  We are surrounded by the image-bearers of God.His charge for us to exercise DOMINION. He's given us sovereignty over some stuff. We are to have responsibility that we carefully carry.  He has given every person, even children, the "burden of command."Join me to consider this for 7 minutes. come back tomorrow by going to bewithme.us or bewithme.us@gmail.com

Coleman Ford joins the podcast to talk about his story of coming to faith and how the Lord led him to academic ministry. He also talks about his recent book on discipleship, Formed in His Image. During this conversation we cover everything from the power of narratives (especially in movie form), the trinitarian aim of discipleship, the necessity of the church for forming people into the image of Christ, and much more!

We Need To Check Ourselves (5) (audio) David Eells 2/4/24 Escaping Jezebel Spirits Winnie Osegueda 2/05/23 (David's notes in red) I recently had a trial where I was having extreme heart palpitations for about two or three days. It felt as if someone was unplugging and then plugging my heart back in very quickly all day long. I had the temptation to be nervous, as I had never had this before, but decided to get prayer from David and I also confessed anything that I knew of. Chuc did not realize that I was dealing with this yet, but he woke up from a dream where I had died and so we just continued to pray and believe. And although the palpitations kept coming, I just continued to cast it down and trust the Lord that I was healed.  There were moments within that time period that Chuc and I were battling with bickering. I did hate it and I did confess it and received prayer, but I realized there were areas in our marriage that Jezebel was still rearing its ugly head. There were places that I had not relinquished control out of fear or from just having my own opinion of how things should go in the matter. Although the Lord had definitely brought us a long way since we moved here, there was still much more that needed to be cleaned up in this area. I sought the Lord to reveal to me if there were any open doors for the enemy to be able to attack me in this way and then I received the following dream:  I dreamt that I was at a small wedding venue and I was getting ready to marry this man that was not Chuc. (Meaning submit to and receive the seed of a spirit that was not Chuc.) I still had awareness of Chuc in the dream and the awareness that I was already married to him, or at least that I was supposed to be. This other man (A Jezebel spirit as we will see) that I was getting ready to marry was a black (Meaning walking in darkness), bald (Meaning not submitted to God) actor (Meaning masquerading a lie).  He was on a show that I used to watch many years ago called "The Good Wife." His name on the show was Lemond Bishop and he was a very eloquent criminal. (Lemond in Norse means “Law Man”. Jezebel will put you under its law. Bishop means “overseer” confirming “Law Man”.) He was extremely well-spoken, charming, and articulate; however he was extremely dangerous. (Jezebel is dangerous and will kill you spiritually and sometimes physically.) He was also a powerful Chicago drug lord (Jezebel will lord over a person and skew their perceptions of right and wrong. The Jezebel spirit is known for ruling over households and Churches. 1Ti 2:12  But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness.) In my dream, he was the same exact character from the show.  Lemond Bishop came downstairs to the venue where I was supposed to be getting ready, however I was not dressed yet, but was wearing gray sweats and white tee with black lettering on it (Symbolizing the Word of God in your heart). Lemond was already dressed and he was wearing a white suit with pinstripes of various colors on it. (Chuc said that could represent being in prison or bondage.) He was speaking to someone in the front of the venue. So I went to talk to Anna and Matt Stewart who were also there. As I went to speak with them, I could see that Matthew was very upset with me and not really speaking to me. (Matthew means gift of God.) I knew that he was upset because I was getting ready to marry this man that I should not be marrying. I began to speak with Anna and I asked her why Matt was being this way with me and at first, she did not answer me, but I followed her around and asked her again. She then said that I was a fool if I marry that man. (Anna means grace.)  (Receiving the criminal seed of Jezebel makes one a fool.) I then began to ponder this and I prayed to God to reveal to me if I was making a bad decision by marrying this man. For some reason it did not seem as bad to me as it clearly was to God and everyone else. I asked the Lord to give me a clear answer and I cast lots and received four tails to not marry this person and get away from him. I was afraid because I knew that he would come after me, but I grabbed my phone and bag and I ran out as fast as I could. (Fear to allow Jezebel in your life for God Hates Jezebel and her fruit. Speaking of Jezebel God says. Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. 24  But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. )  I ran to Chuc's apartment or house that he had in this dream so that I could hide from Lemond because I knew he was coming to look for me. I lay in the bed with Chuc and I was on the right side of the bed just lying there quietly with him. Lemond then came in because for some reason he knew that I would go there, however he could not see me because I was invisible as I lay there on the bed. (We are hidden when we are at rest and we are hidden when we are in submission to our husbands.) As Lemond was looking for me, I became nervous that he would find me, so I slid off the bed thinking that maybe I could be even more hidden if I crouched beside the bed, however when I did that, he found me. (Being outside of the rest and outside of submission to our husbands make us open to attacks.)   Lemond threatened me with a weapon and out of fear I gave in and went back to where he lived. He lived in a building with gray metal staircases and metal walls that I would say looked like an industrial factory. His apartment was on the top floor and when I entered, there were groups of people there talking amongst themselves at different tables. This time Chuc was with me and he sat across from me at a table. I looked over and there was a huge rectangular cardboard box that a man was testing to see if a person could fit into by trying to fit a large dummy into it.  (Another word for fool.) I looked over at Chuc again and began to weep because I knew that he was preparing that box for me and that the plan was to kill me (meaning spiritually) and put me in there. I was desperate to get out of this situation and so when Lemond left again for a moment, I ran to find an exit by checking different exits and I finally found one. I went through the exit and it led to the lobby of this building and Lemond was there and saw me. I ran out of the building and flagged down a cop car and they let me in the passenger seat, and then I woke up.   I asked Chuc to get me a verse by faith at random for this dream and he received: Mat 10:1 And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.  I thought this was amazing and a great reminder not to run from the enemy, but to confront him and cast him out because the Lord gave us authority even over the enemies, we deem to be too strong for us to take down. At times I have felt grieved by my failure in these areas, but the Lord already defeated the enemy and we can kick him out.   I also asked the Lord for a couple of verses by faith at random and received: Deu 1:21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land (representing our natural life) before thee: go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of thy fathers, hath spoken unto thee; fear not, neither be dismayed. (This is a great one. Thank you Lord.)  Jos 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. This is a great confirmation to the other scripture and another great reminder that the Lord is with us and we just need to take the authority He has already given us.   After I woke up from this dream, I went to our casual Sunday fellowship that afternoon and Anna said something that made me think of my dream, as well as confirmed some of the things the Lord was showing me. She said that when you marry your husband, you are now hidden in him because you take on his name, so the old you no longer exists. For example, me and Chuc would be Mr. and Mrs. Chuc Osegueda, and she equated this with being hidden in Christ and taking on His name and I thought that was a great point. Submission to our husbands keeps us safe and it is ultimately obedience to the Lord that keeps us safe. (Eph 5:22  Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. 24  But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.)  After I received this dream, and I repented, and Chuc and I prayed, the heart palpitations were completely gone as if they never existed. I have not had it once since. Thank you, Lord!      Wonderful Testimony and Word  Katie 12/11/23  On Sunday I was with Tim and there were some women who got up and were preaching on hope during the Church service. (They do Advent during the holidays so people take turn preaching on different topics each week for about 15 minutes each.)  I randomly thought about how I'd feel if were to go up there and preach and I thought to myself, "I'd feel naked." Before I could even think on that further, I heard the Lord say, "That's right, because your husband is your covering." The rest of my communication with the Lord wasn't in words, but to sum it up, He showed me that I am to be hidden in my husband, and going up and preaching would be stepping outside of that covering. He then showed me further about the beauty of submitting to and honoring my husband, and about a meek and quiet spirit, and being in all subjection and submitting. It was beautiful!  The other day I was thinking more on this. I've really been praying about this topic because it's so prevalent in so many churches and I was deeply confused as to why that is and how it can almost appear fruitful sometimes. For example: God is using those women to help people and they speak good words sometimes - here is a word I got when I was talking to the Lord about women preachers  or teachers:  "They are doing it to honor themselves. If they were doing it to honor Me, they would be obedient to My Word. Women being quiet and in all subjection, honors Me more than any words they can preach.  Remember My word goes against the flesh. A woman's flesh can feel in bondage when they obey and submit to this area of My Word and they are being greatly deceived by their flesh. They are wrongfully trying to "break free." This is rebellion. This is self-will and self-seeking. Take heed that you do not fall into the world's trap of feminist liberation that has crept into My church through the enemy. That is liberation of the flesh and spiritual bondage. I desire you to be free, and that freedom is found only in obedience to My Word.  Even the most beautiful sermon preached by a woman is still rebellion to My word and they will be held accountable. Women who take authority are at risk of My judgement, no matter how spiritual they appear. Many curses are the result of this rebellion.  In the World, women desire so greatly to be seen. I desire them to be hidden in Christ and in the bosom of their Husband. Oh, if only they knew how beautiful it is.  I do not command these things so that women are in bondage. No, rather because there must be order. Look at the destruction that has come from women taking charge in the family, at work, and in the church. When My order is flipped, chaos ensues. There is no room for compromise on this area, this is My command. You cannot bend, stretch, or twist my commandments, they are written in stone.  Do not be deceived, being used of Me, is not the same as being in My will. Being used of Me, is not a good judgement of your standing with Me. I can use anyone whom I will to use. I have often used even vessels of dishonor who do not know Me. Do you believe I am God OF and OVER all?  Your obedience to My Word is what will be accounted for and how you are to judge your standing with Me; You can do many mighty works whilst in rebellion.  Are you prepared to remain obedient in the midst of disobedience? Many will hate you and come against you for these things. Are you prepared to follow the lonely road of obedience? You will be hated, ridiculed, mocked, and isolated. Yes, even by people who claim to know Me. But know that this is expected, for I faced these things too. If it is accepted by the multitudes, there is something wrong. I have called you to be Holy, set apart. This comes at a great cost, a cost of many rejecting you. But take heart, for I will lead you to exactly where you need to be and bless you with likeminded people. I have heard your cries and your longing for fellowship and in due time I say, it is coming. I will place you exactly where you need to be. Take heart and be patient. Know that I am training and equipping you.  Are you covered? Are you hidden? If you are not, you are not only sinning, but you are causing men to sin. Any man who is under a woman is in sin. Any woman who is preaching, teaching, and exercising authority and rule over men, is ruling by the spirit of Jezebel.  Jezebel doesn't always have to appear headstrong and overbearing, she can just be rebellious. A woman preaching is in rebellion to My word. Truth coming out of her mouth does not change this fact. This is not a small thing, this is not something to overlook. Rebellion to My Word is dangerous, do not follow after any harlots, but come out from among them.  Will you choose to be set apart, or will you compromise for the sake of pleasing men and desire to fit in? I want to remind you the narrow path can often be lonely, for it is the road less traveled. Few find it. Compromise is broad and wide; obedience is narrow. Do not feel like there is something wrong with you if many disagree with you. Being in agreement with My word should be more important than being in agreement with man. I remind you again that man will come against you for these things. Obedience to My Word brings separation and division between the wheat and the tares.  Count the cost and choose obedience. For it reaps well springs of life, where disobedience leads only to death. I am gracious and merciful, but everyone who goes against My Word and does not repent, will be brought into judgment. There is no valid excuse to bring before Me. Follow Me and My ways, do not let anyone confuse you. If it is contrary to My Word, it is not of Me.  Choose to be hidden in your husband and submit to and honor his authority. It is not your job to teach or preach, your job is to serve. Rejoice in this, for the greatest were called servants. Yes, even I. Rejoice and rest in this. You are perfectly equipped and built for your role as a woman. Just as is true in the physical, the spiritual garments of a man will never fit you properly. And behold I have sewn you perfect garments that fit just right.  Women preach for regard and praise. Their labor is in vain. For I say unto you the women who are the most hidden, shall be the ones who receive the most glory. Do things for the Glory of your husband. Just as you do things for My glory; You should seek to honor and please your husband in all areas. Not other people, not yourself, but seek to honor and bring glory to your husband. Make this your focus, and take your eyes off of self. Put your husband first, regard him as lord, and do what is fitting.  You may feel like you need to speak, but remember that I showed you the power of being quiet. Blessings follow when you are in obedience to My Will. I will lead you to where you should be. I will lead you to women who will be able to encourage you and grow you in this area. Be patient and wait as I am currently doing a work in you in this area Myself.”      The Born-Again Soul  David Eells  Father, thank You for giving wisdom, discernment, and understanding that motivates us to holiness, so that we may escape this great falling-away that we know is happening at this time. Thank You, Father, for Your grace and mercy towards us. In Jesus' Name, amen.   (1Pe.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope… (That's the Greek anagennaó, meaning “to beget again” and it's a combination of aná, “up, again,” and gennáō, “give birth,” in other words, “born-again or born from on high.”) We were born-again unto a living hope, and when we were first born-again, it was our spirit that was born-again. The soul is born-again in a different manner, as we'll see. (1Pe.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.   It was a “living hope” because when He was resurrected, we were resurrected. However, that's by faith, and as we exercise faith in that promise, we receive the manifestation of it if we continue on in the faith. (1Pe.1:5) Who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. So you're guarded through your faith until you come to the manifestation of salvation. You have to continue in the faith. A person who doesn't continue in the faith, doesn't get what they've believed for, because Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. And, (Mat.10:22) … he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. If you don't endure to the end, you will not be saved.   You have to endure in your faith to the end, knowing that your faith is going to be tested. (1Pe.1:6) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials… The Greek there means “various temptations.” You are going to be tempted. Your faith is going to be tested and you must hold fast the confession of your hope that it waver not (Hebrews 10:23). If you do that, you'll come to verse 9, which says, (1Pe.1:9) receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls. So the beginning of your faith is that born-again experience in verse 3, where you receive a born-again spirit; the end of your faith is the born-again soul.   Now, obviously, what's been put into your spirit has to go into your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. That's where you bear the fruit. You're not the “good seed put into the ground” until you have that initial born-again experience of a born-again spirit. Then you're the good seed and then you have to bear fruit, because when the harvest comes, He's coming to pick the fruit. Some people don't endure to the end in order to bear fruit in their soul, and this is why the falling-away happens. The falling-away happens because most people don't think they have to bear fruit, which is, “[Even] the salvation of [your] souls.” Glory to God!   With that in mind, we can continue. (1Pe.1:21) Who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. (22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth… Peter was speaking only to true believers. (1Pe.1:1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion… He wasn't speaking to those who were just the called, but those who were the elect, because the elect are the ones who always bear fruit. Elect means chosen and that is because they have born fruit.  (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. “Chosen” is the Greek eklektos, meaning elect “select, by implication, favorite.” So you may truly be called and may have had a born-again spirit, but will you have a born-again soul? Will you go on to bear fruit in your mind, your will, and your emotions? This is how you make your calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). “Seeing ye have purified your souls,” means that you have to see the end from the beginning. You have to walk by faith. You have to believe it was done at the Cross. This is what you see in your spirit: you see it as done, as finished. (Hebrews 10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.   (1Pe.1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth (If you don't want to fall away, you have to be obeying the truth, and for you to obey the truth, you have to walk by faith as you search for truth. You search for wisdom as gold. (Job 28:16-17; Proverbs 3:14,16:16) Continuing with 22, unto unfeigned love (The most important thing is love. Many people have feigned love and prove by their actions that they do not love, and, of course, they are in danger of falling away.) of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: (23) having been begotten again…  That's the Greek word anagennaó, meaning “born-again, from above,” and when you're first born-again, you don't know much about the Bible, but you don't have to. All you have to do is repent and want the Lord to take over your life. “Repent,” which means “change your mind,” and believe the first message you have of the Gospel. That's all you have to do, but, after that, as you search for the truth and obey the truth, you will have fruit in your soul.   In other words, you'll be renewing your mind with the Mind of Christ, which will enable you to bear fruit by your faith in what you understand. God will give you power when you believe what you read. Some of you reading this might go to churches and might not get enough Word to overcome anything you've already been indoctrinated with. You need to get this on your own by searching out the truth. God's people will love the truth. All of the elect will love the truth and they will love Him enough to obey it.   (1Pe.1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: (23) having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. What is the “incorruptible seed”? It is the Word of God, and again, when you first come to the Lord, do you know the Word of God? No, you don't, but this is the second part of being born-again, and that is born-again in soul, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God.”   You do have to seek the truth and you do have to obey the truth. But He will do it in you as you believe the truth. You can obey the truth because you believe that you were united with Him in the death, burial, and resurrection, and that your sins were taken away. (Rom.6:5) For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection; (6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him,] that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (7) for he that hath died is justified from sin. You can obey the truth because you believe the Gospel that you were made free from sin.   (Rom.6:22) But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. And, as you exercise faith in that, sin won't have power over you because you believe it's been conquered already. (Joh.16:33) These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.   (1Pe.1:24) For, All flesh is as grass… Now, we do go through this crucifixion of the old flesh, and when you receive the Word of God, you're obeying your spirit. That means you're not obeying your flesh, and it dies a little more each time you do that. You're weaning it. The flesh is used to getting its way, but you're weaning it. (1Pe.1:24) For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: (25) But the word of the Lord abideth for ever… This Word, which you put in your heart, that is “the end eternal life”: “the Word of the Lord abideth forever.” The Word is eternal. The “grass” or flesh is temporal, but this is eternal. We become the Word, made flesh, and that is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory.   (1Pe.1:25) But the word of the Lord abideth forever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. This is the Gospel, not that other apostate teaching which says “just accept Jesus”, which is not scripture. He doesn't accept you unless you “repent and believe”, and that's a continual process. It's not a step-over-the-line, one-time profession that religion would have you believe. This “purifying of your soul” comes by obeying the truth, which is what James was talking about. (Jas.1:21) Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted (This is the Greek emphutos and it means “inborn; innate; rooted.”) word, which is able to save your souls. (How? Through your obedience to the truth, as we just read.)   (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. Many are deceived; multitudes of what are called “Christians” are deceived. They don't think they have to walk in the truth. They think they can walk in the flesh, even though Paul said clearly, (Rom.8:13) … If ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. There's a condition there, “if.”   (Jas.1:23) For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. Beholding the “natural face” is contrary to what we are commanded to do. (2Co.3:18) But we all (That's if we have “eyes to see”; some don't.), with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. In other words, it's a gift from the Spirit as you continue to behold Jesus in the mirror by faith.   This is the Gospel: You don't live anymore; Jesus lives in you. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. When you're looking in the mirror, you're seeing Jesus, because you accept this by faith. It's an imagination that you must hold on to so that you come into His Image more and more, “from glory to glory.” You see Jesus in the mirror by faith because it's already done.  The reconciliation or exchange of His life for yours has been accomplished. 2Co 5:18  But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. So we don't live in us, He does. (Joh.3:13) And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who is in heaven. When you see your natural self in the mirror, or in other words, when you see your old “stinkin' self,” you're not exercising any faith there. You're not calling (Rom.4:17) … the things that are not, as though they were. There's no faith involved there, so how can you grow? How can you be anything more than what you are?   (Jas.1:23) For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: (24) for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. When people begin to look at “self” too much, they begin to fall into denial. It's the only way they can have any peace. When you read the Word, it tells you what Jesus looks like and then you can say that's mine because you see Him in the mirror.  If you look in the mirror at self and say, “I don't want to look like that,” you're not exercising the power of faith. You'll not overcome; you'll always be a “hearer and not a doer.” (Jas.1:25) But he that looketh into the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.   (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten (The Greek word is the same gennaó meaning “born.”) of God doeth no sin… When you have a renewed soul, a born-again soul, that is in the Image of Jesus because you held fast to the words your spirit received from God through the Word, then you're going to overcome. Think about how many things you've overcome since you came to know the Lord, things you don't even consider doing anymore and, if the devil tried to tempt you with them, you'd laugh at him. God wants to continue that all the way to the end. God wants to continue it until you have at least 30-, then 60-, and finally, 100-fold fruit.   In the Parable of the Sower, the seed you put in your heart is the Seed of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. You must put the Word in there and you will obey it as you walk by faith. There is a born-again man that is growing in you. He's taking ground, he's taking that Promised Land away from the old Canaanite, the old sinner in the land. If you're hearing and obeying the Word of God, you're conquering this land. The problem was that when the Israelites were going into their land, they forgot faith. They forgot what God said, but Joshua and Caleb didn't forget; they kept reminding them, but they wouldn't listen, so the Israelites died in their wilderness, which is a warning to us.   (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten (or born) of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him… That “seed” is the Word of God, not any religion, but know that after you receive the initial born-again experience, you're going to be tested. Your faith is going to be tested, and if you give up the Seed and you accept what the devil says, guess what you're accepting? You're accepting the devil's seed. What does that end up being? A tare. You don't want to give up the Seed of God. It has the power to bring eternal life, manifestly, in your life. (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.   The part of you that's born of God is not going to sin because it's God in you. That's where you have “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” and that part of you is not going to sin, but there are other parts of your Promised Land that you haven't conquered yet. You haven't killed the old man, you haven't taken his house, you haven't raised your own crops on his property, and so on. You have to march through the whole Promised Land because God said that every place you put the sole of your foot, He's going to give it to you (Deuteronomy 11:24; Joshua 1:3). You already know the parts of you that are born-again because you're not tempted in those areas anymore. God changed you and that wasn't an accident; you had faith.   (1Jn.3:10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. They are not of God. They are not doing what the Word tells us to do if we sin. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  When you sin, you can confess it and forsake it, and He will wash you clean. He will wash you of all unrighteousness, and that's part of your tools along the way to stay clean before God. If you're not going to confess your sin and you choose to justify yourself instead, then you won't be able to hold fast to your faith and you are going to fall away. It's a choice: You can just hide your sin around the people of God and make yourself acceptable to them as a deceiver, or you can confess your sin and God will cleanse you of all unrighteousness.   Let's choose wisely to believe and confess and forsake this worldly way. Choose to accept that you've purified your soul in obedience to the truth. Choose to continue to obey the Truth so that you can go on to take that Promised Land and bear fruit in your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions. Choose to allow the fiery trial to burn up that old “grass,” which is the flesh (1 Peter 1:24).   (1Pe.2:1) Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies… Those who preach, “You're always going to be a sinner, saved by grace,” are liars. They are anti-Christ and they've never even gotten a revelation of the Gospel. If you're always going to be a sinner saved by grace, then you didn't get saved by grace! Think about it: If you're always going to be a sinner, you didn't get saved by grace. Grace comes through your faith in the Word of God to save you from sin. God doesn't save you so you can sin and get away with it; He comes to save you from sin because you confess it, you forsake it, and you want God. Then you believe He took away the sins of the world. Rom 6:11  Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.  These people will be known because God is more important to them than sin, and that's the trial. The church is full of hypocrisies and guile and deception by people (Jud.1:12) … who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Yes, they will be shown to be “twice dead, (I.e. born again and died again), plucked up by the roots.” They're full of guile and are hidden. They're deceivers who want you to believe they're somebody that they're not. Instead of confessing their sins to someone who is faithful, or at least confessing them to the Lord, they'd rather deceive themselves, and delude even themselves.   (1Pe.2:1) Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (2) as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation… Notice that we “newborn babes” must “grow unto salvation”.  What did Jesus tell His disciples? (Joh.4:34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. That's also true for all of us. Our “meat” is to do the Will of Him that sends us; our “meat” is to be a doer of the Word. How are we going to grow up only on milk?   When Jesus was teaching the multitudes, He protested to them, (Luk.6:46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? We are growing unto the manifestation of our salvation. The manifestation is what you're looking for when you go out into the field to pick the fruit. You might believe that the seed is going to bring forth wonderful fruit, but you're not going to go out there to pick it until it's above the ground and you can see it. That's what we're here for; the earth is the field (Matthew 13:37-39) and we're here to bear fruit. God only wants the fruit.  (1Pe.2:3) If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: (4) unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men (If you don't want to be rejected of men, you're going to do what it takes to make them happy, but it's more important to make God happy because He has eternal life for you.), but with God elect, precious, (5) ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices (When the priests offered sacrifices, what did they offer? They offered flesh, burnt flesh.), acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.   When you're in the fiery trial, you're making a decision. Do you want more of Jesus or do you want more of the flesh? If you obey the flesh, you get more of the flesh; if you obey Jesus, the flesh is crucified because it doesn't get what it wants. It's on the altar of fire and it's burned-up. This is how you get more of Jesus and bear more fruit. In the trial, which He said you are going to go through, you decide to obey the Word even though you can feel the old flesh drawing on you, and the devil beyond that. You can feel it every time you're tested or tempted to do something other than obey the Word of God. The Word puts you on your cross. If you don't obey it, you're not on the cross. And if you don't take up your cross and follow Jesus, you're not His “disciple,” which means “a learner and a follower” (Matthew 10:38,16:24).   (1Pe.2:6) Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. How can you prove that you believe on Him? The Bible says, (Jas.2:26) … even so faith apart from works is dead. If you believe, if you have faith, you will act on your faith, but there are a lot of people who are going to be put to shame. (7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve (It will be proven in the midst of the trial whether or not you believe.), The stone which the builders rejected…   You may claim, “I never rejected Jesus,” but if you don't obey Him in the midst of the trial then you're not believing on Him. You've rejected the stone which the builders rejected, just like those early people did, and you're shamed right there. (1Pe.2:7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; (8) and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.   It's always the disobedient who stumble and fall away. They're disobedient because they're not believing the Word. They've made up a convenient doctrine so that they can live in the flesh and still go to heaven. Even people who know better can fall into the trap when they stumble on the Rock of offense, when they stumble over the Word of God. The Word comes to prove, to test, you. The Word comes to empower you with faith and deliver you. Like a two-edged sword, it will cut-away that which is fleshly and demonic. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.   (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. You're called out of “darkness” to come into the Light of the Word, the Wisdom of God, and that “darkness” is the darkness of your unregenerate soul that's not born unto God. You see, parts of your soul are born unto God because you're obedient to God there. And there are parts of your soul where you're not obedient to God. Those places are where your Promised Land hasn't been taken away from the carnal man of the land, the “Canaanite.” He must be put to death in order for you to take the land 30-, 60-, and 100-fold.   The grace of God gives you the opportunity to do that. (1Pe.2:10) Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God… How do you become the “people of God”? Well, when you're born-again, it's God, Himself, Who lives in you, and the part of you that obeys God is His Kingdom. That's where He rules, but the part of you that doesn't obey Him is not His Kingdom because He doesn't rule there. The more and more you obey, the more and more of you comes into the Kingdom of God. (1Pe.2:10) Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. If you're being crucified and the old man is being put to death, it is painful. It is painful to give up the things that you have to give up in order to have Christ, but as the Bible says, (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. If you don't let your outer-man decay, the inner-man is not renewed because they both occupy the same territory. If you're not putting to death the “old man in the land,” you're not taking the territory.   Remember, the Israelites were told, “Take up your swords and go take your Promised Land,” and that God would be with them. Every place they put the sole of their foot, God would give it to them. They were to take out the enemy everywhere they went. God said, “Don't appease them; kill them.” That's a type and a shadow of how your old man, your old life, has to die. It can't be reformed. (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind… You see, it's a good thing to suffer in the flesh.   When you deny yourself, when you take up your cross and follow Jesus, you will suffer in the flesh. Your “cross” is “obedience.” Jesus obediently went to His Cross and He even said that it was for this reason He came into the world (Matthew 16:21-22; Mark 8:31-32), but the disciples tried to talk Him out of going to His Cross (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33). Well, now we can see a parable there. Of course, there are many people who will try to talk you out of going to your cross, but Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, Satan,” and we ought to say the same thing (Matthew 4:10,16:23).   (1Pe.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (Consider “suffering in the flesh” to be “ceasing from sin.” If you don't cease from sin, that means sin is going to rule you. If sin rules you, you're going to fall away.); (2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. If you're questioning, “David, is that really possible? Do you mean all these preachers lied to me about how I just have to accept my forgiveness and go on sinning?” You need to read that verse again: “that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” And how do you do that? You do that by suffering in the flesh.   (1Pe.4:3) For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: (4) wherein they think it strange that ye run not with [them] into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. They do think it's strange that you don't run with them “into the same excess.” Well, if you humble yourself to them and if you're really interested in impressing them, of course, you're going to get into the same things they're into and you're going to lose your salvation.   I know some people teach that you won't lose your salvation, but we're seeing how ridiculous that is. The elect are not going to lose their salvation, but many of the called will. The elect are the chosen because they bear fruit. Those people running in the “excess of riot” don't understand that they will eventually have to answer to God. (1Pe.4:5) Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead. The Lord will judge the living and the dead. If you continue on in your riotous living, doing everything the way you want to do it and not putting to death the sin, you will fall away.  (1Pe.4:17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God… Yes, God uses the wicked to judge the house of God, and then God judges the wicked. That's His method, because somebody has to put you on your cross. The apostate people of God and the Romans put Jesus on the Cross. You need to walk in the judgment of God. That old flesh needs to die. You need to suffer the loss of self because self cannot go to heaven. “Self,” which is synonymous with “soul” in the Scripture, is not going to heaven; it has to die here. 1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Every seed that goes into the ground is put to death by the dirt around that seed, but then life comes out and starts bearing fruit. There has to be a death before a life. So this judgment begins at the house of God because you have to have time to bear fruit before your time is up.   That's why it's called a “race.” (Heb.12:1) Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. You're racing against the clock to bear fruit before your time is up.   (1Pe.4:17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God:and [if it] begin first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved (That's the Greek word molis and it means “only with difficulty; very rarely.”), where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? Wow! If you're going to be a sinner for the rest of your life, it doesn't look good there, does it? How about the righteous? The righteous are doing much better. There's not as many of them because they're “scarcely” saved, but there are lots of sinners, and you're either in one camp or the other.   (1Pe.4:19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. God is trying to create your soul into the Image of Jesus Christ, and that happens through your obedience to the truth, and the reason you can obey the truth is because you have faith. If you have faith, you're going to have obedience because (Jas.2:17) … faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. (18) Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith.   (2Pe.1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and [the] Saviour Jesus Christ: (2) Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. “Grace and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.” How sad that so many people don't have time to search the Scriptures, don't make time to get the New Testament down in their heart! There are too many other things distracting them, but call to mind how the “seed” was destroyed in the Parable of the Sower: The distractions of life is why those who heard did not continue on to bear fruit.   (2Pe.1:2) Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; (3) seeing (This means “seeing by faith.”) that his divine power hath granted (It's past tense, meaning that it's already done, He's already given you this.) unto us all things that pertain unto life… That word in the Greek is zóé, which means “life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence.” Strong's goes on to say, “it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God's self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life.” This is God's Life.   It's not your old, soulish life, which is psuché. Zóé is the higher life that you get when you give up the psuché, the lower life, the self-life. He's giving you “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” He did this at the Cross. You can have grace and peace multiplied to you when you believe on this, when you apply it in your life. (2Pe.1:3) Seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue. You have to know what God has given to you and then you have to exercise faith in it. You have faith in God and God will rise up in you and do the work. Thank God it's by faith and not our own self-efforts!   (2Pe.1:4) Whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature (If you're going to live a godly life, you need the divine nature, and the promises are what give you this divine nature.), having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. You must escape the “corruption that is in the world by lust” or you will have a falling-away, because God doesn't want this in heaven. The Greek word epithumia, which is translated as “lust,” means simply “desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire.” The “lusts” are those “desires of the flesh,” and the Bible says, (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body (Those are the acts of the flesh.), ye shall live.   We need to put the promises into our hearts in order to partake of the divine nature so that the corruption does not overcome us. Otherwise, we're falling away. God instructed Moses, (Exo.16:4) …Behold, I will rain bread from heaven (Jesus said that He was that manna that came down out of heaven to give life to the world.) for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them (God was testing them to see if they would be obedient to Him and get their daily portion of manna.), whether they will walk in my law, or not.   People like to belittle the necessity of spending time in the Word every day, but that is exactly what God expects you to do. He expects you to be obedient and to eat the Word daily, just like they gathered and ate the manna in the wilderness daily. You're being proven; your obedience is being tested. You're here to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him.   (2Pe.1:5) Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith… There's not supposed to be any comma behind “diligence,” it should be behind “faith.” You're “diligent in your faith” because you can't add anything. You can't be diligent in any of the attributes that He's getting ready to mention here. You have to use the faith that God has given to you, and if you haven't been given faith, you're not saved. Inside faith are all these other attributes, which are all given to you because of your faith. In a lot of Bible translations they have “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge…” and all the other attributes are added to your faith, but that's not correct according to both the original language and the numeric pattern. It's this way > (2Pe.1:5) Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence in your faith, supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge; (6) and in [your] knowledge self-control; and in [your] self-control patience; and in [your] patience godliness; (7) and in [your] godliness brotherly kindness; and in [your] brotherly kindness love.  Notice all of the attributes are IN faith. These attributes are like those nesting dolls, or one of those little toy eggs that you open up and there's another, smaller egg inside, and you open that up and there's another egg inside.   Notice at the center of the eggs is Love. God wants love from His people, and love for one another. If you don't have that, you're not going to make it to heaven. Notice He wants patience. (Jas.1:4) And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.   Then at the end of the list of attributes of Jesus we see: (2Pe 1:8) For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words towards the beginning of the list the list is knowledge and now we see that knowledge begets knowledge of the Lord.  Its “line upon line”. If you exercise faith in the promises of God, you receive of His divine Nature. So because you believe that you were crucified with Christ, because you believe that your old man was put to death when you were “buried” in baptism as an act of faith, then the old man is dead and the One Who came up from the water is Jesus, not you. (Joh.12:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. If the Seed is the Word of God, what is the fruit? It's the fruit of Jesus. It's not gaining souls, it's gaining your own soul. Certainly, if you gain your own soul, you'll be able to be useful in gaining other souls, but you can't give away what you don't have.   (1Pe.1:8) For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) For he that lacketh these things is blind… He's “blind” because he doesn't see correctly. He sees only his natural face in the mirror and doesn't see Jesus. He doesn't behold in the mirror the glory of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). (1Pe.1:9) For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Have you forgotten that you were cleansed of your sins? Just like Jesus bore your sicknesses, you have to believe your sins were borne by Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). You don't have a problem with sin; you may have a problem with unbelief.   The problem of sin has been dealt with, so the next biggest problem is unbelief. But if we want the grace of God, we have to walk by faith. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. This recreation of your soul into the Image of Jesus Christ, from glory to glory, is happening as you walk by faith.  (1Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure… The word, “calling” there is the Greek klésis and it means “invitation; in the New Testament, it is always of a divine call.” The word for “election” is the Greek eklogé and it means “a choosing out, selecting, choice (by God).” So since you were born-again in your spirit, you now have a divine invitation from Him “who saved us and (only then) called us,” but notice that you also have to make certain you will be among those whom God chooses, because that calling means an invitation to partake of everything that Christ is.   (1Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: (11) For thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You may be thinking, “Whoa! I thought I entered way back there when I was baptized.” Well, as you “do these things,” you are progressively entering into the eternal Kingdom because you are progressively taking more and more of your Promised Land, which is where God rules. That's how you enter the Kingdom.   (1Pe.1:11) For thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The preachers have lied to us a lot about this. Many think they entered “the eternal kingdom” when they shook the preacher's hand and accepted Jesus, who told them, “That's all you need to do. Now just go sit down in a pew, pay your tithes, and wait for the rapture,” but they don't know what they're talking about. They just accepted what their dead religion said and passed it on to you. The Bible calls it “leaven.” (Mat.16:6) And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.   Father, we ask that You keep these things in our mind, and that we be given this gift to always seek out Your Word day-by-day to learn and grow, and receive the Word of God into our hearts where it can give root to that seed so that we can bear fruit as the parable of the sower shows. Lord, we love you and love to read Your Word. We love to know what it is to be righteous, what it is to be truly born-again in spirit, soul, and ultimately, body, for those who are born-again in soul. Lord, we thank You, Father, for the gift of Jesus Christ, because when we look in the mirror, we don't see a sinner; we see a sinner that's been saved by grace. “Saved” is Jesus. We accept Jesus: We accept the reconciliation, the exchange, of His Life for our life.   We give up our life, daily, Lord. It's been nailed on the Cross, it's been buried in baptism, and we accept the Life of Christ, daily, because as the outer man is decaying, the inner man is being renewed day by day. Every day, Lord, let us give up the old man to death in the fiery trial on the altar of burnt offering. Lord, help us every day to deny ourselves and to let the fiery trial burn-up the old man. Lord, we win, because Jesus won. We need to just keep on believing that, keep on believing these awesome promises and accept the fact that we don't live anymore: Christ lives in us. And the life that we now live, we live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved us and gave Himself for us, as Galatians 2:20 says. Oh, thank You, Father, thank You for this awesome and miraculous work!

Jim Berg is a member of the BCC Council and serves as a Professor of Biblical Counseling at Bob Jones University Seminary after having served as Dean of Students of BJU for 29 years. He has a DMin in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is ACBC certified, and holds advanced certification (ABC3) with the Association of Biblical Counselors. Jim has authored numerous books, including Basics for Believers, Essential Virtues, When Trouble Comes, God is More Than Enough, and Quieting a Noisy Soul—a multi-media personal study program addressing guilt, anger, anxiety, and despair. Jim also serves as the Executive Director of Freedom That Lasts®—a Bible-centered ministry to those struggling with addictions and hurtful life circumstances. Jim and his wife, Pat, have three married daughters and eleven grandchildren. Jim joins us for this episode to discuss his recently re-released book Changed into His Image.   From our sponsors: Learn more about the new Southern Seminary MDiv at sbts.edu/newmdiv.   Support the work of the BCC by making a donation here. 

Cami Bunting begins a new series on improving our relationships and starts with the topic of being "Created in His Image".Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): http://uppbeat.io/t/zoo/clarity License code: UL9CSCKZ4YPM52DF

We are launching Season Four of Let's Talk with Sanctuary today & welcome a return visit with our friend, Sheila Harper of SaveOne. As we sit in the first month of the year 2024, the very definition of identity is up for grabs. In the past, the term ‘identity' meant your name, your job, your role in a family or a business, how you were known as a human. In years past, jokes were made about having “an identity crisis”. But we are undoubtedly in one of the greatest identity crises the world has ever seen.How does this identity crisis affect the 21st century woman in ministry and leadership? How does this impact the next generation? And what does God say about the subject of identity? You'll draw immeasurable wisdom & be better equipped to shape the next generation on the other side of this insightful conversation with LTS host Bridgette Tomlin & her guest Sheila Harper. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sheila Harper is the Founder and President of SaveOne, a global outreach ministry helping men, women, & families recover after abortion. She holds a Master's degree in Biblical counseling, is a certified mental health coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors, & is the author of 10 books. Her first book, SaveOne-A Guide to Emotional Healing after Abortion, has been translated & distributed in 23 languages.SaveOne currently has close to 400 chapters in 27 countries. Sheila has traveled the world speaking on the topic of abortion recovery, as well as training abortion recovery leaders. After enduring seven years of personal anguish over choosing abortion, she  found restoration & forgiveness through Jesus Christ.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Connect with today's featured guest:Sheila Harper [Episodes 5, 38]Linktree:  @saveoneFeatured:Share Sanctuary!InstagramFacebookSanctuary SiteLearn about Let's Retreat.What does God say about your identity?Eph 2:10 | You are a masterpiece. Gen 1:27 | You're created in HIS IMAGE! 1 Pet 2:9 | You're part of a royal family. Col 3:12 | He chose you.Eph 1:11 | You have an inheritance.Gal 3:26| You're a child of God. Eph 2:8 | You're saved by His grace.John 15:15 | You're God's friend.Is 49:16 | You're engraved on the palm of His hand. Ps 139:14 | You're wonderfully made.Many thanks to our host, Bridgette Tomlin, and engineer Justin Lynn of Justin Lynn Music. Learn how you can capitalize on all Justin can do for your small business, church, or ministry by clicking here!

The bible is clear … do not measure your self nor with others !!! Our measuring rod is Jesus … let Him be conformed into His Image …2024 year of suddenlies and fruitfulness Support the show

Episode 189 – My Word for 2024 is “EMPOWERED”The Webster definition of empowered is: having the knowledge, confidence, means, or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself. Not sure how many years ago it was but a business coach of mine strongly encouraged me to have a new “word to live by” each year.Thus, my word for 2022 is “Empowered”! If we're going to live like the Lifestyle Champion that God placed within each of us, then it's important to learn how to live according to the victory of the promises of God.A key verse that highlights the invitation of Jesus is found in Mark 1:17, Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” You and I are invited!  Everything pertaining to life and godliness, to wholeness and holiness, comes down to hearing this invitation. Not just a once-upon-a-time invitation commonly called justification or being saved, but the every-day-every-moment invitations which are the call of the Spirit for our sanctification. Our responsibility is to listen for the call of Jesus to “Follow Me” and then respond with integrity.   The promise of being discipled is a promise that you never again have to do life by yourself. Jesus is inviting you to do life with Him, for eternity, which, oh by the way, includes every day of this life.Are you hearing God's invitations in your everyday life to follow Him and become like Him in everything you do? The results are guaranteed for all who accept the invitation. Jesus promised, “I will make you become fishers of people.” In other words, Jesus is promising that God, through the Holy Spirit, will not only conform you to His Image, but also have you partake in His divine purposes. You are invited! You are Empowered!!!acourageousrecovery.com

Preacher: Interim Pastor Jon StorckText: Genesis 1:26-31Title: God Made Me in His Image, Therefore I AmQuote: “People today are trying to hang on to the dignity of man, but they do not know how to, because they have lost the truth that man is made in the image of God....We are watching our culture put into effect the fact that when you tell men long enough that they are machines, it soon begins to show in their actions. You see it in our whole culture -- in the theater of cruelty, in the violence in the streets, in the death of man in art and life.” ― Francis A. Schaeffer, Escape from Reason, 1968

Glynn Alsup Jr. brings us today's message, "His Image" during our family worship Sunday.

Dr. Coleman Ford joins Michael to discuss his newest book, Formed in His Image, and how to live an everyday life of faith. Links Mentioned: Formed in His Image by Dr. Coleman Ford To read the show notes, click here.

John Lamb Lash is arguably the heaviest authority on the Gnostics, at least the Nag Hammadi Library. The Gnostics were vehemently opposed to the Abrahamic religions. Is that relevant in today's secular world? Well, yes, because the secular world has inherited more features from traditional religions than we think. The Gnostic message is one of liberation from the shackles of both religious and secular ideas that enslave us under artificial rules and renege our divinity and natural connection with Mother Earth. There is a mainstream also in spirituality. Some things John Lash says are controversial, and some of the Gnostic content, as John interprets it, is outlandish, even by the standards of this channel. But whatever you think of it, it is a fascinating and thought-provoking message. John Lamb Lash has written a number of books, but the pivotal piece of work on the Gnostic worldview is Not in His Image. ”My work is an arrow, and Not in His Image is the head of that arrow”, John says. ”The Gnostics were the first noetic, cognitive psychologists. They still get a bad rap, except from those who have read my book.” The first quarter of the book is about the basic problem in humanity. ”What I found is that the basic core problem that underlies all other problems in our world is an ideology of master race supremacy. It is a subject that goes very deep, into the wounding of civilization and into our very sense of humanity. The battle between good and evil is right here, it is in the human heart, and in our minds.” The idea of an off-planet male god, redemption and a savior – the Gnostics saw all of that as insanity, according to John Lash. ”I want to liberate people from this, to the best of my ability.” In today's world the tzaddik, the unnatural and detrimental ultra-righteousness, is represented by technocracy, like the transhumanism movement, says John. ”They think they are going to tell you not only how you can live, but how you must live. The goal of this insane ideology that came into our world is to destroy our inherent sense of what it is to be human.” The latter three quarters of Not in His Image is about the solution. The Gnostic myth about how humanity came to be is different from other creation myths. The core of it is that the goddess Sophia – an aeon, not the ultimate source – dreamed up and manifested our planet, including its plant and animal kingdom and anthropos. Thus, Sophia not only created the earth but is the planet. And we are, basically, her. ”To Sophia it's like a dream. To her the earth is like your body is to you in a dream. You are a character in her dream”, John says. But we forgot our origins. Only a few indigenous peoples have always remembered. At one point, a ”mind virus” managed to enter human minds. It originated from inorganic entities that Sophia had also manifested, but by accident: the archons. It was then salvationist religion was introduced. This is the one aspect of the Gnostic worldview that is most difficult to interpret and describe. At first the ”virus” operated through religion, but it has mutated. ”Science was taken out of the realm of the senses and spun into a mind game, which goes nowhere”, John says Before this ”infection” broke through, the indigenous cultures of the world, meaning most humans, knew we were in the presence of a divine force, the earth mother. And so did the Gnostics. They dared to say openly that the newly introduced off-planet male god was a pretender god. Hence, they were brutally persecuted and massacred by Christians in the early centuries of the Common era. The good news in our day and age is that the archontic influence is dying out, according to John Lamb Lash. ”The correction of the insane behavior of humanity is happening today.” Not in His Image (book) Nemeta (JLL's Sophianic school) Sophianic Myth (Youtube) Sophianic Myth (website)

Have you ever felt like you don't belong? Like your identity should be in more than the things you do from day to day? You can take heart that you are made in the image of your Creator and you are called to reflect His Image to the world around you. In this weeks Greatest Hit, Pastor Patrick gives tangible steps to look more like Jesus every single day.//NEXT STEPS: http://rockcity.churchPRAYER REQUESTS: https://rockcitychurch.tv/careGIVE: https://rockcitychurch.tv/give// Rock City Church has multiple locations throughout Columbus, Ohio. Whether you're spiritually restless, new at discovering who God is or you are a veteran of the faith, you are welcome here! //WEBSITE: https://rockcitychurch.tvFACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/rockcitychurchINSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/rockcitychurchTWITTER: https://twitter.com/rockcitychurch 

Bad advice! It's out there, you've heard it, and the Trinamic Trio is here to write those wrongs. Coaches Tam, Zack, and Jillian Lowe are back with another brilliant episode that follows hot on the heels of a previous two-parter, 'Top 10 Best ADvice for Christian Entrepreneurs'.If you want to have a ministry that goes the distance, you need to be able to monetize your message. So ignore the person who says, "You shouldn't charge that much." That's one piece of bad advice. True transformation takes time and resources, so you need proof of concept to advance your ministry. Believe in your message, your expertise (and it's worth) and you'll go far.Spoiler alert: If you build it, they won't just come. But if you market it really well too, they will! For every bit of bad advice, there's the flip side - an important lesson that we Christian entrepreneurs can learn as we learn from the mistakes of others, and build our Kingdom in His Image. More valuable lessons on what NOT to and what advice NOT to take are inside. This is the best bad advice you'll ever hear. Come on in!"We think (and we think incorrectly) that if we charge less, we'll be able to help more people because more people will be able to afford it. That is not how it works." ~ Zack Lowe"You don't want to die with your dreams. You want to take action and you want to do it now. " ~ Coach Tam"We just have to do it. We just have to jump in. Because life is not slowing down." ~ Coach Sunny BunnyIn This Episode:-The importance of selling Higher Ticket Items-Valuing your brand to enhance your credibility-"If you build it, they will come" – that's not how it works-‘The comfort zone is the coffin zone'-Appreciating that there will be difficult seasons (becoming an all-weather entrepreneur)-"Starting a business is risky" - commonsense foolishness -Why the real risk is doing nothing -"You have to perfect everything before you do anything" – a fancy way of procrastinatingAnd more!Resources: FREE GIFT: NYT BESTSELLER TAMARA LOWE'S BOOK “ON PURPOSE” - https://www.onpurposebook.com/free-ebook46807388Connect with The Kingdom Builders: Website - https://www.kingdombuilders.academy/Facebook - https://web.facebook.com/sz.lowe/Facebook Group - https://web.facebook.com/groups/kingdombuildersacademyLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kingdombuildersacademy/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@kingdombuildersacademy4771

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Derwin Gray joins the podcast to talk about his football career, faith, and shares his thoughts on the racial divide and what he thinks it'll take to heal it.About Derwin Gray: After graduating from Brigham Young University, Derwin played professional football in the NFL for five years with the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and one year with the Carolina Panthers (1998). During that time, he and Vicki began their journey with Christ and experienced God's faithfulness and direction as He moved their hearts to know Him and make Him known.Derwin and Vicki began an itinerant speaking ministry in 1999, One Heart At A Time Ministries. Derwin went on to graduate magna cum laude from Southern Evangelical Seminary with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, with a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher, Dr. Norman Geisler.Following God's call on their lives and their desire to shepherd people towards transforming their world through the mission of Christ, the Lord transitioned Derwin from his primary role of itinerant speaker to serving as the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church in January of 2010. Coupling his dynamic speaking style with a shepherd's heart, his intense passion for seeing lives and culture transformed is both contagious and inspiring. Key Takeaways:1. Derwin talks about how he transitioned from being an NFL player to becoming a pastor.2. He talks about the relationship between modern-day politics and religion in the US.3. He speaks to white leaders looking to diversify their churches. 4. If you're not developing your character, you're not going to have longevity as a leader.Quotes From the Episode:“If you're filtering your faith through Republican politics or Democratic politics, that is idolatry.” “Only a theological cure can heal a theological problem.” “Why don't white people go to minority lead churches?”“Leadership is the development of your character.”“Do not compare, bigger is not better, better is better.”Resources Mentioned:How to Heal Our Racial Divide by Dr. Derwin GrayThe Good Life by Dr. Derwin GrayMultiethnic Church RoundtableBuilding a Multiethnic Church by Dr. Derwin GrayTransformation ChurchConformed to His Image by Kenneth BoaConnect with Derwin:Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

How do you talk to young kids about sex? Keep conversations small and have them often. Justin and Lindsey Holcomb are back to share insights on talking to your kids about their bodies, God's design for sexuality, and the boundaries of healthy touch. Guests: Justin and Lindsey Holcomb Show notes: Java #459 How Sexual Abuse Affects You (And Why God Is Still Trustworthy) with Justin and Lindsey God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb God Made Me in His Image by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb God Made Babies by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb Parenting Through Weakness (Juli's blog) Java #316 Sorry Mom & Dad, the "Sex Talk" Doesn't Work (exclusive content)

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Revelation 19v6-7.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Revelation 19v6-7.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Revelation 19v6-7

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Revelation 19v6-7.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Romans 12v1-2.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Romans 12v1-2.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Romans 12v1-2.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Romans 12v1-2.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Luke 7v36-50.

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." Luke 7v36-50.

Today, we have Coleman M. Ford joining us on The Way Home podcast. Coleman Ford is the assistant professor of Humanities at Texas Baptist College. He has a new book coming out titled “Formed in His Image” where he thoughtfully guides his readers into the depths of spiritual formation. Today, we discuss the definition of…

From the series "God & The Whole Person: Soul, Mind, & Body in His Image." John 9. “What do you want me to do for you?” That is the question Jesus posed to Bartimaeus, a question that targeted his deep desire led to his deep healing. Equally, it's a question that, asked in Christ's presence, uncovers our deep desire and leads to our deep healing.

Justin and Lindsey Holcomb describe the fundamental truth from scripture to teach kids about their bodies. And, they share practical implications of viewing others as people made in God's image.Receive the book "God Made Me in His Image" and the audio download of the broadcast "Celebrating the Bodies God Gave Us" for your donation of any amount: https://donate.focusonthefamily.com/don-daily-broadcast-product-2022-08-29?refcd=1460502&treatment=one-time-giftGet more episode resources: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/celebrating-the-bodies-god-gave-us/#featured-resource-ctaIf you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback: https://focusonthefamily.com/podcastsurvey/

Recently, the Colson Center announced an upcoming Breakpoint course entitled, The Essential Church: Why Christians (and the World) Still Need the Church.   The responses we have received just to the title reveal a lot about where people are in regard to the Church.   “Dear John, ‘What is the Church for?' It used to be the Body of Christ. And the Bride of Christ. Being conformed into His Image. They were to ‘love one another.' Despise is closer. ‘What is the Church for?' Well . . . I have no clue anymore.”  “The nutjobs and con artists have run people away: Get rid of them and maybe people might come back.”  “I had to quit hanging out with other Christians so I could hang out with nice people again.”  “What is the Church for? To psychologically abuse people, particularly children, with indoctrination into its religion of FEAR.”  Some critiques of the Church are nothing more than personal grievances that they've elevated into blanket condemnations. Some critics didn't appreciate learning the truth about their behaviors, beliefs, and lifestyles, which they then chose over Christ. Condemning the Church becomes an act of self-rationalization, not justice.   Others, of course, have more legitimate complaints. Christians have not been there for them at crucial points in their lives and families. And far too often, the Church has imitated the world in its worst depravities, and then, rather than expose sin within its ranks, closed them, protecting the institution or its leaders from being held accountable.   While there are times (like now) that Church scandals seem to add up, a recent joke turned meme on social media notes that, at least historically speaking, this is not really new. “There are two kinds of Paul's epistles to the early Church,” the meme goes. “One is, ‘I always thank God for you and His unsearchable blessings in Christ.' The other is, ‘Why can't you sick weirdos be normal for just a minute?'”   A great hymn of the 19th century tells a similar story. In “The Church's One Foundation,” Samuel John Stone proclaims Christ to be the security and preserver of His Bride, despite its obvious brokenness. This verse in particular speaks volumes.  Though with a scornful wonder   Men see her sore oppressed,   By schisms rent asunder,   By heresies distressed,   Yet saints their watch are keeping;   Their cry goes up, “How long?”   And soon the night of weeping   Shall be the morn of song.  These beautiful words describe the tension of life between Pentecost and the Second Coming, and underscore something hotly debated today, even among Christians. Despite the painful reality of sin's enduring power in its members, the Church is essential, not only for Christians but for the entire world.   Despite all these critiques—we could add so many more— Christians must see the Church as essential because Christ does. As a former colleague used to say, “the Church is Plan A, and there is no Plan B.” Jesus didn't call us merely to embrace a set of theological proofs and wait for the end of the world. To be Christian is not just to believe in Him for personal forgiveness and meaning and then to live a moral life.   When Christ saves us, He saves us into a movement, His Body, His redeemed people. Somehow, joining together with other frail saints is part of His plan to restore our hearts and minds, make all things new, and glorify the Father which is in heaven. We stick with the Church not because it is perfect, but because it is His plan.   Because of this and the current confusion about the Church, we invite you to ponder with us what it means that the Church is essential, especially now when it does not always seem as if it is. For a gift of any amount this month, you can join this online course hosted by theologian-in-residence Dr. Timothy Padgett, and it will include thought leaders like Collin Hansen and Dr. Peter Leithart. To give and register for this course, please go to colsoncenter.org/August.  After describing the church's obvious faults, Stone then, in the very next verse of “The Church's One Foundation,” proclaims this:  The church shall never perish,   Her dear Lord to defend   To guide, sustain and cherish,   Is with her to the end   Though there be those that hate her,   And false sons in her pale   Against a foe or traitor,   She ever shall prevail.