Podcasts about holies

RESURRECTION AND AGE TO AGE LIFE As Jesus was dying on the cross he said ‘Father into your hands I commit my Spirit' The Bible says that he then descended - in his Spirit - on a mission of great purpose. Below him was a place called Paradise, and next to Paradise was a place called Hades. Jesus had spoken about these places when he told the story in Luke 16 of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar. The rich man who lived sumptuously in arrogant self-indulgence all of his life ended up in Hades and Lazarus who lived the life of a humble beggar at the gate of the rich man's house ended up in Paradise, with Abraham.  Jesus had now descended to these places. Paradise was where there were millions of souls who had been waiting for him from the beginning of time. These had lived their lives on earth in hope, many of them guided by the Commandments through Moses, but many simply by a good conscience. They were locked away from eternity till Jesus would now come to get them. Jesus would also visit Hades the prison of lost hope. The bible says that Jesus then preached to all those prisoners of time the message of the Gospel, the plan of the Father to send Jesus into the world to set people free from the captivity of sin and to bring his New Creation life to humanity (1Peter 3:19). Jesus would have sat with Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, and many others in Paradise as well as his newfound friend that hung next to him on the cross and to whom he said, ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise'! He spoke to with them and he rested with them. He was to wait there until the end of the third day when he would ascend into Heaven and set the captives free. (Ephesians 4:8) from the captivity of time, as they had waited till heaven came to get them. Jesus also declared the message of the Gospel to those in Hades who had resisted God and refused to listen to him, including those who were destroyed in the flood of Noah.  1Peter 3:18 He died once for the sins of all sinners although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. But though his body died, his spirit lived on, and it was in the spirit that he visited the spirits in prison and preached to them-- spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God, though he waited patiently for them while Noah was building the ark.  The Book of Revelation also tells us that Jesus was given the keys of ‘Hell and death' at this time, and with the key of freedom he was able to unlock those prisoners of the past  and take them into an age to age existence to await an eternal destiny. Revelation1:17,18 Fear not; I am the first and the last: -- I am he that lives and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death. On the third day when Jesus turned the key of freedom in the prison gate a tremor hit the universe. Power from Father and Holy Spirit in heaven was released into and through Jesus to overcome death and the grave. His resurrection changed the nature of every atom of matter in existence. God had joined himself to his own creation in the person of Jesus Christ and now humanity could become a ‘New Creation Being', joined in the Spirit with Jesus (2Corinthians 5:14).  The time had now come for them all to leave, and Jesus led some on a triumphant upward journey, to their new home, his home in Heaven, while others to a place reserved to await an age to come. A company of them was escorted by hosts of angels, ascending ever upwards until they first reached the earth, (Psalm 68:18, Ephesians 4:8, Psalm 24)), and there they stopped for a brief period of time, because there were things for Jesus to do there. The first thing that he had to do was to go to his tomb where his earthly body lay in its shroud. The Archangels Michael and Gabriel went ahead of Jesus to the tomb and found the guards there that the temple priests had appointed to stand watch at the tomb. As the angels alighted the ground shook and the massive stone rolled away as a huge burst of lightning hit the place sending the guards reeling headlong to the ground. They leapt up in fright and bolted. Jesus entered his tomb and united himself again to the wounded shell of his body, leaving the shroud lying separated from the headpiece which had been folded away neatly (John 20:7).  Michael and Gabriel waited inside the tomb while Jesus walked bodily from that temporary resting place, out into the garden. He walked about and would have recalled vividly the events that had so recently taken place nearby, and his time of kneeling in an agony of prayer when he accepted his cup of unbearable suffering.  At that same time some women had prepared oils and spices according to the custom, to anoint the body of Jesus. On their way to the tomb, they were discussing the problem of how to move the huge stone that covered the entrance. When they arrived, they were astonished to see that it had been moved and the guards were nowhere to be seen. They peered inside the tomb and were met by the majestic appearance of Michael and Gabriel, sitting in the place where Jesus had been laying. ‘Are you looking for Jesus?' Gabriel said. ‘He has come back to life as he said he would. Go and tell the disciples that he will be coming to see them, and that they are to wait for him in Galilee.' The women ran to tell the disciples but one of them dropped behind and walked slowly through the garden, still confused and weeping. She almost collided with Jesus who was also walking in the garden, and she apologized, not recognizing him, thinking he was the gardener. This was Mary Magdalene. And he called her by her name and said, ‘It's alright Mary, it is me.' She ran towards him, but he held up his hand and said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,' and she shared the things that he had said to her.' (John 20.17) And now Jesus had to fulfill the offering of his blood to his Father in Heaven. The blood of animal sacrifice had been offered for the sins of the people by the High priest of Israel in the holy place of the temple for the last fifteen hundred years for the nation of Israel (Leviticus 16, Hebrews 9) but Jesus had just marked the end of blood sacrifice for sin for all time by sprinkling his innocent blood on the ground at Golgotha for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole earth. Hebrews 9:11 But Jesus came as High Priest of this better system that we now have. He went into that greater, perfect tabernacle in heaven, not made by men nor part of this world, and once for all took blood into that inner room, the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled it on the mercy seat; but it was not the blood of goats and calves. No, he took his own blood, and with it he, by himself, made sure of our eternal salvation.  A strange phenomenon then occurred in Jerusalem. Hundreds of souls who had just accompanied Jesus from below and who had recently died were making the briefest of appearances to their loved ones. And when the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. Many bodies of the saints who had died were raised up and came out of the tombs after his resurrection, and they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:52) After the very brief visit to their astounded friends and relatives on earth in their new recognizable forms, they then had to regroup with Jesus and resume their journey to Heaven (Imagine the strange reality of this spiritual world). The magnificent procession began to ascend from their graves to the sky in glorious splendour with its escort of glorious angels. As their ascension took them closer and closer to the throne room a mighty voice could be heard proclaiming his majestic entrance. Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! At this command the heavenly music began. The sounds of pipes and trumpets, the voices of hundreds of harmonies, and a beautiful range of stringed instruments created a majestic symphony. Jesus had come home, and the Bible trumpets his victorious homecoming.  Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he sustains everything in the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.  This was the moment - purification for the sin of all mankind had been made and now everything in the Universe was integrated into his glorified New Creation Being of power. Ephesians 1:19-21. how powerful is that divine energy that comes from God to us when we simply believe that he is the creator and generator of this supernatural power which exploded into reality when he raised Jesus from the dead and took him into heaven to sit next to him at his right hand. 21. This heavenly place and position took Jesus as God and man above any other force or realm of authority that can be named, whether on earth or in the heavens…and he has become the centre of all consequence and meaning in the universe. All the angels and all those who had come with Jesus on the upward journey beheld their king in his place of honour and joined in the magnificent celebration. His time in heaven for these celebrations was momentary, as he had left the tomb just before dawn and had to return to earth that same day, still bearing the marks of the cruel wreath of the crown of thorns from his flogging from the guards of King Herod, and the wounds to his hands and feet and side from the cross.  The reason that Jesus had to return to the earth on that same Resurrection Sunday is that on the Sunday morning after the Passover Sabbath there was another feast that was part of the Passover Feast being celebrated by Israel. This was called the wave offering of the firsfruits – the sheaves or bunches of wheat or barley shoots that were the firstfruits of the harvest season. This festive day of the Passover feast was prophetic of the resurrection of Jesus on that day. The Bible twice declares to be the firstfruits of the resurrection (1Corinthians 15:20,23)  After the Passover Sabbath when you reap your harvest, bring the first sheaf of the harvest to the priest on the day after the Sabbath. He shall wave it before the Lord in a gesture of offering, and it will be accepted by the Lord as your gift… Fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost you shall bring to the Lord an offering of a sample of the new grain of your later crops. (Leviticus 23:9-15). Jesus became the prime sheaf of the wave offering on that Sunday and the other company of people who also rose and appeared to many people in Jerusalem made up the rest of the sheaf. So Jesus returned to the earth that same day in a resurrected body that could never ever die again. He would now spend forty days on earth as a witness to his resurrection, and meeting with his disciples and being seen alive again by hundreds of people This resurrected body was without the constraints of a limited physical body, but it could be seen and recognized as a natural body. The remarkable certainty of how only Scripture can interpret Scripture is seen in this astounding eternal prophetic narrative of the Only One God the Father sending his Only One Son Jesus to bridge the gap between Divinity and humanity - through the sending of the Only One Holy Spirit to all of humanity. This means that there is an Only One way to live life on this earth with purpose and meaning and fulfillment. Any other narrative of life on this earth, no matter what it promises the human soul, is fraught with anxiety and uncertainty and helplessness and even despair. God has lovingly offered us his Gift of life – it is done – it is finished. It awaits our ‘yes' of believing Him and putting aside any other philosophy or ideology. That is called repentance and faith – Thank you for the Cross Lord.  

Dr. JB Hixson Mary welcomes back JB Hixson on this Good Friday to talk about the importance of clinging to the cross in living out our day to day faith. When Jesus gave up His spirit, the veil in the temple was torn in two. This was no window curtain, it was at least 60 feet high and 4" thick - and separated the common area of the Temple from the Holy of Holies accessible only by the High Priest. The symbolism is simple: through the rending of the flesh of our Saviour, we now have access by grace to God through Jesus. What a glorious truth. This also means that we can not rely on ritual, tradition, or works to draw near to God, we are now bondsmen of Christ. So, once we understand that, what would the life of the believer look like? What should the church look like not just in our day to day service to God but corporately? Has the church become distracted by far too many bells, whistles, and sound systems? Are we still connected to the Head? The daily life of confession, repentance, cleansing and faith, minus any righteousness of our own is truly the only way to the fruitful Christian life. Circumcision of the heart.     Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

The details surrounding the events of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His resurrection, the timing, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies converged in this critical, most central point in all of human history. Jesus' death served as the ultimate atonement for humanity's sins and the pivotal moment of history it represents. We reflect on the powerful symbolism of the torn temple veil. We could now enter into the Holy of Holies without the oversight of a priest. All creation responded to what had just happened. The sun turned to darkness, the rocks split, the earth quaked, and the wind and the rain loosed their fury. Even the saints resting in their graves were resurrected and seen by many.   Jesus' journey to redeem humankind continues even into the afterlife, where he preached to the spirits in prison, securing victory over sin and death for all believers, even those who had died before the Cross had happened. Amazing!!! Check out God On Trial and start listening today! Get your copy of "Spiritual Warfare and How Deliverance Can Change Your Life" on Amazon, and discover Marjorie's other books. "Because There Is A War For Your Soul"  liferecovery.com

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!Palm Sunday stands as the monumental gate drawing us into the heart of our faith – Holy Week, the Holy of Holies of the liturgical year. As we join the Hebrew children waving palm branches and crying "Hosanna," we confront a profound paradox: the same crowds who welcome Jesus as king will soon demand His Crucifixion.This stark contradiction mirrors our own spiritual journey. We proclaim Christ as King with our lips yet sometimes crucify Him in our hearts through sin and indifference. Yet throughout this drama, one truth remains unchangeable – Christ is victorious. "It is not death that Jesus goes to seek today in Jerusalem, it is triumph." Even as Israel rejected Him, a new people arose from all nations of earth to acclaim Him as King and Savior.As we journey through Holy Week, each day invites us deeper into mystery: Monday (fidelity), Tuesday (silence), Wednesday (fortitude), Thursday (Eucharist and priesthood), Friday (sacrifice), and Saturday (hope). The liturgy brilliantly unites Christ's passion with resurrection, weaving themes of victory and joy even amidst suffering. We're called to unite ourselves with Christ's sacrifice by carrying our crosses and purifying ourselves of all that weakens our union with Him.This week demands spiritual action. Make a good confession to prepare yourself for Easter communion. Offer prayers for those who oppose Christ's kingship, recognizing that all humanity remains subject to Christ in matters of faith and morals. Christ paid an immeasurable price for our salvation – a price we all must reckon with through either sacrifice in this life or purification in the next. Will you join in proclaiming not just with your words but with your life: Christ is King?Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED25 at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/Also sponsored by Quest Pipe Co. Get your St Isaac Jogues pipe here: https://questpipeco.com/discount/Amish?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fst-isaac-jogues-limited-edition********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://shop.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

False Prophet Revealed (audio) David Eells – 4/13/25 Who is the False Prophet and how may we identify him? Experience and the Word have taught me concerning prophecy that if the majority of God's people believe something, it must be wrong. God hides His truths in dreams or visions that are parables so that the false prophets and carnal Christians cannot see them. Let's read Mat 13:10-13 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. But privately He explains them to His disciples Mar 4:33-34 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it; 34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things. He hides things from the wise and understanding (of this apostate religious system) and reveals them to babes. Luk 10:21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. Notice that “disciples”, meaning, learners and followers, get to partake of the hidden manna. Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. And Pro 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. John's Revelation was given to him as a parable of Jesus. If it were literal, the false prophets would know what is going to happen and that is contrary to Jesus' own words. When the disciples were young and under the law they did not recognize the false prophets. As a matter of fact, they respected them! And so it is today! I want to show you who have eyes and ears, who the false prophet is and what his work is. The False Prophet is a corporate body of religious leaders that, to the trained eye resemble those of Jesus' day. In all of Jesus, Peter, and John's writings outside of the Book of Revelation, the warning is that false prophets (plural) would come. In Revelation, false prophet (singular) is used, but in an allegory. Since Jesus said in the end time that Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; …  We read that many false prophets shall arise; verse 11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And verse 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Then the false prophet in Revelation is a symbol of a corporate body like the rest of the characters in Revelation are; the beast, the woman, the harlot, the bride, etc. It's the only way that Jesus and John can both be right. You might say, “David, aren't you sharing the secrets with the false prophets?” Have no fear; they are too proud to admit they have passed on the lie of the traditions of men and repent. Moses prophesied the coming of the true prophet and the false prophet. Deu 18:15-22 Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? 22 when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. The true Prophet of course, is the Son of God Jesus Christ. He is the Spirit that is in His true corporate body. (1Co 15:45 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.) He is the head of His body the Church which is female (Eph 5:23 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.). Jesus' headship is manifest physically through the 5-fold ministry (Eph 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;). The senses of the head correspond to the ministers. For example: the prophets are the eyes (Isa 29:10 For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.) – Evangelists are the mouth (the ministry to those outside of the body), Teachers are the ears (1Ki 3:9 Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people? 12 behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart;) “Understanding” here is the Hebrew word for “hearing”. Soloman heard answers from the Lord.  (1Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not.). It takes the 5-fold ministry to raise up others into the head (Eph 4:15 but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;). We can see a false headship in these days because of the Nicolaitan error which Jesus hates according to (Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate., and verse 15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.) That false headship is that the pastor usurps the authority of the rest of the 5-fold ministry to be the head of the church. The Spirit of Christ is manifest through the 5-fold ministry to lead His body, the church. So also the spirit of antichrist is identified in (1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.). This spirit is manifested through men as a false prophet to lead his body the harlot. The false prophet also has a female body, the corporate harlot, who receives not the seed of the true husband. These do not confess Jesus, the Word, which was given in the beginning. Confess here is a word meaning “to speak the same as”. The false prophet body cannot say what Jesus said. Christ sows His seed, which is the true Word, as we read in His parable in Mat 13:18-23 Hear then ye the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. 20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; 21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. 22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.) The true Prophet, Jesus, always sows the Word. The false prophet cannot confess Him. In Rev 13:11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Here we see a false lamb who speaks for the dragon. We see the head of the false prophet with two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as the dragon beast. Also in verse 5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies (meaning, to speak against); and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. In verse 15, we see the body (harlot) of the false prophet. Rev 13:15 NENT And it was given to her to give a spirit to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Bible Numerics shows a perfect pattern for “her” in the ancient manuscripts and in the most accurate New Testament, the Numeric English New Testament by Ivan Panin. There is no pattern in “he” or “it”. Numerics show beyond a shadow of a doubt which manuscript is right and where. As the harlot of Judaism caused Jesus to be crucified, so will the harlot of Christianity cause His body to be crucified. Let me show this another way. In 1Ki 18, Ahab represents the beast with ten horns, for he ruled over the apostate ten tribes, who worshiped the image of the beast (the golden calf). Ahab's wife, Jezebel, killed the saints and prophets. Compare this for relationship in Rev 17:1-3 …saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication. 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. There she is ruling by the ten horned beast again.) Jezebel is a clear type of the harlot in (Rev 2:20 But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.) She, like the harlot, was guilty of the blood of the prophets and of the saints. (1Ki 18:4 for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) (2K 9:7)(Rev 18:24) In Rev 17:16 when the Beast is through using the harlot, he devours her. Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire. And so it is with Jezebel in (1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake Jehovah, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.). The true ministers of God are fed at the Churches table (1 Cor 9:13,14) and the false prophets (corporately the false prophet) are fed from Jezebel's table (1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.). The false prophets of Baal and the false prophets of the Asherah represent the two horns of the false prophet in Rev 13:11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Find out who the two horns of Baal and Asherah represent in modern times, and you will know who the corporate false prophet is. These two go back to the tower of Babel and were originally Nimrod in (Gen 10:8-10) and his wife Semiramis, the false virgin Asherah. When Nimrod died and Semiramis became pregnant claiming that Nimrod had become the Sun God, Baal, who then by virgin birth was reborn as her son, Tammuz, the false son of God. Then of course, the Babylonian worshiped the false Father, Son and Virgin about 2,300 years before the true Virgin birth. Semiramis probably knew of the prophecy in Gen 3:15 concerning the virgin birth. This false scenario is still worshipped in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. At the dispersion at Babel this legend went throughout the World and these three were given different names in different cultures, many of which are in the Bible. The golden calf in Egypt was a symbol of the Father (Baal) in the Son. Pharaoh's title meant Great Temple of the Sun God. Sun images all over the world and in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches symbolize the false Son. The Israelites, with their golden calf thought they were worshiping “YHWH” or “Elohim”, the true God, but it was Baal. One horn, the 450 prophets of Baal represent those who teach another Jesus. This is the apostate protestant ministers. The other horn is the 400 prophets of the Asherah or those who worship the virgin. This is the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and many others that are into Mariolatry. Mary is my sister and I love her but she is not the mother of God according to (Rom 1:3) concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (In Genesis Jesus was called the “seed of the woman”, who was Mary, the seed of David.) 4  who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord. Here we see Mary is the mother of Jesus' flesh, which is “Son of Man”. His spiritual man was “Son of God” (Verse 4) and born of God. John 3:6 says, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. The false prophet has always been the head of the harlot, and she sitteth (present tense) on 5 world empires that are fallen but still present in Rev 17:10. These were never Christian: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media Persia, and Greece. The corporate leadership of all false Christian religions is the false prophet. Emperor Constantine was head of the early Roman Empire or beast as Daniel 7:7 describes it. Rome was the great beast devouring all the beasts before it (Dan.7:23). Much like the world is today, his kingdom was divided because of much religious faction. Because of Babel there were, to the untrained eye, similarities between the pagan religions and Christianity. In order to unite his empire, Constantine decided to capitalize on these similarities and merge paganism with Christianity. Through the temptations of bribery and power, the backslidden leadership of Christianity gave in. Constantine gathered together at his round table religious leaders of every sect and gave them a position of authority. This corporate false prophet was to advise him and exercise authority over his religious empire. He presided over their councils and put down individual theological differences for the sake of unity. “That which hath been is that which shall be” (Ecc 1:9). Our modern-day revival of the Roman beast, the United Nations, has within its body the whole earth (Dan 7:23) and is doing exactly what Constantine did to unite the earth. The “World Conference on Religion and Peace” was a gathering together under the U.N. of all sects of religious leaders from all over the world to bring unity to religion and hopefully the world. This corporate false prophet with the authority of the U.N. has created a corporate one world religion called the United Religions (the U.R.). Once, when I was teaching on the false prophet several years ago, a brother came into the meeting who had just received a confirming dream. Let me share that with you. Mark W. Dream  (David's notes) I went to church and to the altar to get delivered from smoking. There were many people up front. I knew that the pastor was walking toward me to get away from someone who smelled like smoke, and I thought, “I hope he doesn't come down here because I smell like smoke too”. Just then, my sister came to me very happy and said, “Oh, it's OK now, look over there.” I looked over and saw this man light up a cigarette. There were some booths and a sign that read “smoking section”. People said, “You don't have to quit because now we can smoke in church”. I said, “No, I want to quit smoking.” (Spiritually, smoking is to partake of an unclean spirit because “breath” and “spirit” come from the same word in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Smoke is an unclean breath. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a prison [booths] of every unclean spirit...” Rev.18:2) Then the scene changed, and I saw on TV that everyone was rejoicing because a great agreement had been made to have “one church”. I saw that the agreement was two stacks of paper (two horns of the false prophet), but nothing was written on them. (This is a sign that everyone will drop their doctrinal demands, which in the case of Christians is truth, in order to have unity - Jude 3,4). Then I went to this extremely big church. I couldn't even see the other end of it (This is the U.N. corporate apostate church). I happened to open the wrong door, and I saw inside a giant ministers' conference. (The corporate False Prophet) They were being shown a film on how to scan barcodes on the foreheads of their congregation with a beam of light without them knowing it. (The spiritual mark of the beast given by the false prophet abusing the light of the word.) More interpretation: This is the corporate two horned false prophet who makes merchandise of the people of God (2 Pet 2:1-3) and the Word of God (2 Cor 2:17 in Greek) and marks those belonging to the Beast in their foreheads (or minds Rom 8:5-6, Rev 13:16). Remember in Jesus' day, the “respectable” religious folks who walked after the mind of the flesh cast their vote against him. They were followers of a “respectable” group of ministers who gave them that mind using the light of the word. Remember that 10 out of the 12 tribes and their ministers worshiped the beast (golden calf) and had his mark in their foreheads (mind) and hand (works). The false prophets are the ones who war against this Word the most. It's an honor to have these against me as they were against my Lord Jesus. They protect their prestige, authority, position, and bank account. Draw close to God and His Word so you may be able to recognize them. Daniel 3:4,5 says, “Then the herald cried...peoples, nations, languages... fall down and worship the golden image (of the beast).” This word, “herald” is the only Greek word in the text at a time before Greek became a world language. It is the same word used in the New Testament for preacher. The command to worship the image (Rev 13:14,15) will come from the pulpits in the form of a deception so strong that, “if possible, even the elect would be deceived” (Mat 24:24). If the truth weren't hidden in the parable of Revelation, there would be no strong delusion. In Daniel 3:7, all worshipped the image, even the Israelites except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three wouldn't bow because they wouldn't eat of the beast's food (word) and wine (nature) and be defiled (Dan 1:5-16). If you receive the word and nature of a Babylonish false prophet, you too will be defiled and bow down (Mat 15:6-20). In Constantine's court, there sat the senate of secular rulers over the countries under his control. These foreshadowed the ten horns in Daniel's vision of the end time Roman Empire (Dan 7:7). The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (end time secular rulers), who have received no kingdoms as yet, but they receive authority as kings, with the beast for one hour (Rev 17:12). The horn represents power for it is the weapon of the beast. A king without his kingdom has no power. These kings gave their kingdoms to the beast in (Rev 17:17). From among these kingdoms in Constantine's day arose the religious rulers. They were different, for they were a corporate body of religious leaders from among all the kingdoms. This is exactly what Dan 7:8,24) says. The little horn came “up among” the ten and was “different from the former” because he was a corporate religious body among leaders of corporate secular bodies. Now, the little horn is the false prophet of Rev 13 is easy to see because it had eyes (Dan 7:20), which makes it a prophet (Isa 29:10). He had “a mouth that spake great things” (Dan 7:20) and made war on the saints (verse 21). This identifies the false prophet who was given to the beast in Rev 13:5-7 for the false prophet is the beast's mouth to religious people. In Jesus and Constantine's time, the corporate false prophet kept the people in line for the beast (Rome) because of the threat of loss of position (John 11:47,48). It was this corporate false prophet who was guilty of the blood of Jesus, the Apostles and prophets (Mat 23:29-36). Pilot, representing the Roman beast, did not want to kill Jesus. This is the way it will be in our day. The false prophet Sanhedrin was afraid the Romans would come and take away their position if they didn't put down the Jesus rebellion. Another type of the little horn was Antiochus Epiphanes in 175-164 B.C.. He came up among the horns of the division of Alexander the Great's kingdom and was king of Syria, which means “lifted up”. I emphasize that this king of the “lifted up” was a type because many believe that the history of his acts in Daniel are literally speaking of the end-time antichrist. Daniel prophesies what is clearly now history in chapters 8:9-14, 23-26 and 11:21-39 regarding Antiochus, but he is also a type and shadow of what is to come. His compelling interest was to subject God's people to himself, much like the false prophets of today. He “magnified himself” (Dan 8:25) above all the gods of the Harlot and “the one desired of women” (Dan 11:37) - Jesus was desired of seven women who are the church in Rev 1:11. Isa 4:1  And seven women (the Church) shall take hold of one man (Jesus) in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name (In their rebellion against the Word, they still wanted to be called Christians.); take thou away our reproach. The false prophet, Antiochus deposed the Jewish high priest Onias 3 and usurped his place. Many today usurp the position of Jesus as head. If you permit a person to exalt themselves or their teaching above Jesus and the Scriptures, they become to you a false prophet. He will even use the Word to paint an image in your mind of a false Jesus (2 Cor 3:18), which is none other than the image of the beast (spoken of later). Antiochus, in his position as “lord of God's heritage” then sacrificed a son on the altar and sprinkled the Holy Place with the swine's broth. He cast down many of God's people and caused them to lose their position in the heavenlies like the end time saints (Dan 8:10, Epe 2:6, Rev 6:13). He took away the continual burnt offering (Dan 8:11, 11:31) in the end time will be in the middle of the tribulation or seventieth week of Daniel when the mark is given. (Dan 9:27). We are the sanctuary or temple of God (1 Cor 3:17). Our old life is the continual burnt offering (Rom 12:1) as we take up our cross and follow Jesus and lose our old life (Mat 16:24,25). It is a burnt offering because in the midst of the fiery trial (1 Pet 4:12, Mat 3:11,12) when we obey God, the flesh burns up (2 Cor 4:16,17). If we walk after the mind of the flesh and take the mark, the burnt offering ceases (Dan 8:12). We are to be as gold and silver refined in the fire by burning up the impurities of flesh - Mal 3:2,3. Many will follow the example of Antiochus and sacrifice the Son. Heb 10:29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God.  They follow the false prophets and are defiled, turning back to their sins (2 Pet 2:1-3, 18-22). These are they who give up their life of sacrificing their flesh in the fiery trial in the middle of the tribulation and take the mark of the beast (Rev 13:5-7, 16-18 and Dan 9:27), having been deceived by the false prophets. If you allow the false prophets to identify the mark of the beast and the image, you will not be able to see it when it comes. The Pharisees and Sadducees could not identify the true Image of God, Jesus Christ. What makes you think that they could today? It is not the visible Image and Mark of the beast that you should fear, but the invisible. This is how it can be a deception. Any physical mark can only be put on one who has the spiritual mark already. It will identify these people as members of the body of the beast. Antiochus also set up a statue of Jupiter in the Holy of Holies. He, like the little horn of Ahab's day, Jesus' day, Constantine's day, and the U.R. of our day, gives to the people a false Image of God. Even among Christians, you will notice there are different ideas about who Jesus is, what His nature is, what His teaching is, and what His attitude is toward us. Much of this leads people to worship another Jesus, which is an abomination. Become familiar with the Jesus of the Bible, the true Image of God (Heb 1:3, Jn 1:1). The tip of the little horn starts in the leadership of the U.R., but like Mark W.'s dream, it shows that it goes all the way down to the man in the pulpit. All of them together are the false prophet, the head of the harlot. “Be not many of you teachers, my brother, knowing that we shall receive the heavier judgment” (James 3:1). Now, I'd like to share a few more revelations with you that reveal the end-time false prophet.   War, False Prophet, Harlot, Mark, War Below are two dreams on these subjects East and West War in the Middle East Bill Steenland - 11/14/2014 (David's notes in red) I dreamed there was a lion and a white tiger fighting one another very fiercely with a lot of back and forth, while rolling around on the ground. (I think the white tiger represents Russia, Iran, India, and China [Eastern nations] going to war with the “lion” [Britain, America, Australia, Canada, Europe and NATO].) (The lion with eagle's wings in Daniel is Britain and her lion cubs with the US and its air power. Siberia is part of Russia. The white Siberian tiger represents Russia.) (I was watching Putin in this video, and the Lord said to me, “The white tiger!” Why hadn't I seen it before? We are really seeing the fulfillment of this dream now. This topic is huge in the book Hidden Manna for the End Times, now that I think about it. We are really seeing the posturing and coming war that is shown in that dream now, with all the lines being drawn in the sand over Europe and Asia. (Ultimately this war that the Deep State has tied to start many times, to distract from their evil, will come to pass but I for one have fought for peace.) As the lion and the tiger fought, the scenery and the settings were changing. It was as if they were rolling back and forth in the Middle East from the mountains to the desert to more mountains, back to a dry parched setting like a desert and then a combination of the two. It was as if they were rolling around, fighting each other across the whole Middle East. This is the strange part: There was a black car following them everywhere they went. (This is the Satanic Deep State powers that be, the banksters, with money invested on both sides of the war, as always.) All I knew was that they were in the Middle East and that it was a huge power struggle for territory. At the end of the dream, I saw a black man in full-blown black Masonic attire with a black plate that had a golden pyramid on it. (D.S. Masonic powers that be.) The eye was not floating over the pyramid. It was one that has always represented Lucifer (The antichrist spirit who will once again rise up in Revelation 13 and control the Beast and finally bring their war between East and West to make money off of both.). (Masonic agenda is unfolding; their god Lucifer is the “all-seeing eye” over the Beast one world government.) The black plate was hanging on his chest (the breath/spirit/demons of the Beast). He was standing in the middle of these two fighting animals as they fought, but he was much bigger than the cats. He was kicking his toes into the ground on each side, as if one foot or toes was the lion and the other foot was the tiger. He would kick his toes into the ground one at a time toward the other foot. (End-time fulfillment of the 10 kingdoms from Daniel 2, known as Nebuchadnezzar's image or dream.) (The two feet of the image of the Beast in Daniel's revelation are the end-time Eastern Roman Empire, which Russia is the head of, and Western Roman Empire, which the US is the head of. The clay is nations that were not a part of the original Roman Empire seed, typed by the iron. This Roman Empire is the sixth head that was smitten unto death which is revived. Satan and his earthly representatives, the Deep State powers that be, are kicking their pawns back and forth in the Middle East. The pawns of the U.S. and Russia have also always had their pawn nations that they prefer to fight through, supplying weapons, logistics, trainers, etc., so that they are not personally drawn into a nuclear world war. [Although nukes may be used in this war, it is not the full-scale nuclear war that will come at the end of the tribulation, as seen in Bill's other dream below.] They have engaged in this covert warfare for many years, and it will continue because it makes money for the powers that be and decreases populations, plus it keeps the nations under control. I would say the big black man is the world Antichrist Beast ruled by Satan.) Dan.2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay. (Islam is invading the nations by the DS to bring division.) 44 And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (This begins with the Man-child reformers.) 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. In the dream, I knew the black man over the big cats was Tiger Woods, the pro-golfer. (Tiger has a family heritage from many nations and represents the world beast like the Dan 2 vision of the world beast.) He is like the melting pot of nations and religions melted into one. Tiger Woods spent most of his life standing on grass, playing golf. (This war of back and forth is like a golf game to them. Life is cheap.) Here are a few details from Wikipedia about his multinational family tree: Woods was born in Cypress, California, to Earl (1932-2006) and Kultida (Tida) Woods (born 1944). He is the only child of their marriage; however, he does have two half-brothers, Earl Jr. (born 1955) and Kevin (born 1957), and a half-sister, Royce (born 1958), from the 18-year marriage of Earl Woods and his first wife, Barbara Woods Gray[14]. Earl, a retired lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, was of mostly African American, as well as Caucasian, and possible Native American and Chinese, ancestry[15]. Kultida (née Punsawad), originally from Thailand (where Earl had met her on a tour of duty in 1968), is of mixed Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry[16]. He refers to his ethnic make-up as “Cablinasian” (a syllabic abbreviation he coined from Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian).[17]. Woods' first name, Eldrick, was coined by his mother because it began with “E” (for Earl) and ended with “K” (for Kultida). His middle name Tont is a traditional Thai name. He was nicknamed Tiger in honor of his father's friend, Col. Vuong Dang Phong, who had also been known as Tiger.[18]. The name Eldrick is an English baby name. In English, the meaning of the name Eldrick is “old/wise ruler”.   False Prophet, Harlot, Mark, Nuclear War Bill Steenland - 06/22/2015 (David's notes in red) The dream started off where I was in a big city, like New York or Philly. I had a large white tablet in my hands. There were two guys who were working on it, but we were talking about the mark of the Beast. The guy was talking about the basics of where it goes and so on. The second man was sitting on the step. He had a really faraway look on his face, like he had spent a long time looking at the physical properties of the mark. He sat down on the step and just kept saying, “It's so much more than a mark”, over and over. Then he said, “Calling it just a 'mark' doesn't do it justice. It's much more than that”. (I found out later in that dream the mark will have currency on it as an incentive to take it after a total global economic meltdown.) I looked back at the tablet. I knew that in the dream, when I looked down at the tablet, I could see anything I wanted to or any place I wanted to and that I could be there by looking at this tablet. (It means the Word of God written upon the tablet of our hearts, which gives spiritual insight and discernment. 2Co.3:2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; 3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh. Maybe that is why when I looked at the tablet later in the dream, I could see future events and see into the spiritual realm. 1Co.2:10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.) I was watching a video of a beach as I walked around with the tablet. Then I found myself there on the beach at a resort. I was walking around this beach next to the resort. (Fellowshipping with Abraham's seed, the children of faith. God told Abraham that his children would be as the sands of the sea. Heb.11:11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. Rom.4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them.) (The promised seed, the Man-child Isaac, would bring forth the great multitude of fruit, just like in these end times.) While I was walking around, I saw an old friend whom I knew was caught up in confusion, walking around, too. In the dream, I knew that I had a room at this beach resort. I went to my room and relaxed on my bed (representing resting in the promises of God). I pulled out the tablet and I saw a picture of Benny Hinn. He was wearing a red shirt. (Red represents sin, as in the “man of sin”: 1 John 3:4,10.) (Isa.1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) He looked very effeminate; there was make-up on his face (I.e. what you see is not what you get) and he had his arms out, as if to present something. I noticed there was a witchcraft book in front of him. (1Sa.15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king.) 1Co.10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. There was a table with a whole bunch of objects in front of him that were being used in witchcraft to send curses. (Those infected with Kundalini and who practice false signs and lying wonders are sent out to deceive God's people. God is the one allowing it. 2Th.2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Jesus warned of false leaders. Mat.24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. The word for “false Christ” is pseudochristos or false anointings. (When God does signs because of the faith of His people but the signs do not confirm the life and word of the minister, they are false signs and lying wonders: Mar.16:20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. Deu.13:1 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (another Elohim or Jesus'), which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.) They have another Jesus because they received another Word and another spirit. This scripture explains why he was performing witchcraft in the dream: Gal.1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. 9 As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema (accursed). When people receive another Word, they can receive this working of error mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 3:9-11. Kundalini is a huge working of error that the Harlot Church is going under. Like in the dream, they say they serve God but are in rebellion and witchcraft. When people pray and fellowship with people who are serving these Kundalini spirits, they open themselves up to this working of error because, frankly, they are praying with a witch, and they get slimed with this curse from Galatians that they are under. Here is a call of God to leave these false teachers and churches: Isa.2:5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah. 6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines (Kundalini has been named the false prophetic movement for good reason), and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. (They have joined the Eastern religions through Kundalini spirits.) 7 And their land is full of silver and gold (Benny Hinn is reportedly worth $60 million. (Somebody is not eating while these kind surfeit and care not for the needs of others. Ecc.5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes? Isa.56:11 Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.), neither is there any end of their treasures (prosperity message); their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. (His Rolls-Royce and private jets.) 8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands. (This type builds a false temple made with man's hands, which God says He does not inhabit. Act.17:24 The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.) Isa.10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness; 2 to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right that widows may be their spoil (Their ministries are funded by the poor and the fatherless whom they rob. Benny has promised to these poor people that if they give him $1000, God will multiply it. (When God is teaching His children to give, He may honor their faith but not a greedy leader.), and that they may make the fatherless their prey! (Those who have no true spiritual fathers but are hirelings.) 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? (What will they do when the Lord comes manifested in the Man-child ministry to bring justice?) Back to Bill's dream: There was a book on the table in front of him. As I looked at the book, I heard a news broadcast in the background. The female broadcaster said these words: “Benny Hinn has a new social media program to join,” like Alex Jones has, and another name that was mentioned but was blanked out. (I believe it was a reference to Facebook. I believe these social media programs are the hive mentality of corporate bodies of people who are under the deception of certain spirits. For instance, Facebook is vanity and self-promotion. Benny is obviously Kundalini and the Harlot Church. As I looked at the book, I heard the famous singer Katy Perry singing these lyrics: “I hear that the mark of the Beast is coming and I want one”. (Katy is a perfect symbol of the Harlot Church who will take the mark of the Beast. She is also being used as a type of the Harlot spirit that cause the falling away and, finally, the mark of the Beast.) 1Ti.4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. (The Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus 12 was for seven days, representing the tribulation. Anyone who ate leaven during that time was cut off from the people of God, so we must come out from them now. This will be a great falling away of the people who are cut off.) Next, there were two aliens in my room. They were demons. I knew in the dream that the Harlot Church who rides the Beast was rolling out another deception: aliens. I immediately turned the tablet off, and the demons left. Then I had an open vision while there on my bed. I was looking at a world destroyed by a nuclear war with Russia and a total global economic collapse. (The war between East and West is bound to end this way.) Joe.2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The pillars of smoke mentioned in Joel could be the mushroom cloud pillars of nuclear war. That word “pillar” can also be translated as “column” that could stretch from the earth to the heavens, literally. I was looking at a soldier and a young boy of about 14 years old. The sun was not giving its light, like the scriptures mention. I saw the boy with the mark of the Beast in his hand; it was glowing in the dark while in his hand. It was slightly curved in shape, like a banana. (Representing the fruit of the wicked? A crescent shape?) It was glowing green and yellow. The boy was thinking the following words in his head, and I heard them very clearly. As he looked up at a totally destroyed world, he thought, “We don't ever have to worry; we are safe. The government knows where we are at all times and will be here shortly to help us”. (Notice he had the mark before the nuclear war came and he was programmed to trust in Antichrist.) Rev.13:16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark (In the dream, I knew that this mark had electronic currency on it.), even the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six. (We who refuse the mark will be in the wilderness with God our supplier.) Dan.9:27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing (or pinnacle) of abominations shall come one (abomination = the mark) that maketh (them) desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate. (In the midst of the week, many so-called Christians will take the mark as sons of perdition in the temple of God's people. This mark is an abomination that makes them desolate, which means devoid of God.) As I watched the boy, I knew that people would take the mark for many reasons, but one reason is that there will be currency given to the recipient so he can survive. I came out of the vision and said to myself, “I need to find my old friend”. I knew in this dream that there were a lot of people who needed to hear this warning: Rev.18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: 5 for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. And 2Co.6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 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, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.   False Prophets Revealed Rex Veron - 11/29/2004 (David's notes in red) I believe this is an end-time dream. (This dream is as seen from God's perspective of the false prophets who have put on their deceptive show to deceive the people as to their true nature and false teaching.) I saw a mouse standing in front of a medium-sized congregation, preaching and teaching. It stood up on its hind legs and was the size of a small terrier dog; it had the face of a man. The face was nondescript and no one I knew. (The false prophets standing in the pulpits of God's people are indeed very small in spiritual stature and the vilest of beasts attempting to depict themselves as men of God. As in a plague, they are the carriers of spiritual disease that have brought spiritual and physical death to multitudes.) It had a red broad brimmed hat with little gold tassels hanging from the brim. (They attempt to glorify their own thinking, but underneath is still hidden the brain of a spiritual mouse. The red color here is an attempt to appear to have blood-washed thinking but instead, it is sinful thinking. Isa.1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) It wore a red vest with some tassels hanging from the edge. (They attempt to glorify their own heart, which is not covered by the blood but the sin of the fallen nature. Underneath their show is the heart of a spiritually small beast.) It wore red pants with tassels hanging from the bottom of the pant legs. He had jester-type shoes with a little gold bell on each end of the toe curl. (They love to bring attention to their walk by ringing their own bell when they put on a show to be seen of men. However, before God and those with understanding, they are seen as jesters who walk crooked as the curled toes depict.) It had a stubby tail like a bulldog with a gold cover on it that was flattened out and looked like a spoon upside down. (As unclean dogs, they are dung eaters and that which should be left behind, as Paul pointed out, and flushed is glorified by these apostates and fed to the people as doctrine.) The people kept saying, “We can't stand this any longer, he needs to be made to be quiet, get rid of him”. (When the people begin to awaken, they become dissatisfied with the religious show and want more of God and His Word to sustain them.) I went to the front, picked him up and took off his hat, his vest, his pants, and I started to put him down. (It is here that the true ministers are able to uncover the false thinking, heart and walk of these apostate leaders.) Then I heard a voice saying, “You must take his shoes off and the golden tail, as well. You cannot turn him loose with those on”. (It is necessary to also reveal the apostates' evil walk and despicably unclean doctrine that the righteous will forsake.) I then took his shoes and golden tail off and set him on the floor, and he vanished. (When the truth is revealed, they become nothing in the eyes of God's people, as their yoke is broken off of them.) Turning back to the people, they were quiet and at peace; nothing was said. While still dreaming, I thought the entire scene strange and was wondering about it when I heard, “Get up and write the dream down”. I awoke, wrote it down and meditated about it and then I went back to bed.   False Prophet & Son of Perdition G.C. - 12/2007 (David's notes in red) In this dream, I was watching a scene go down. There was a line of people shuffling forward toward a podium. There were two men at this podium: a father and a son. (In real life, I know them.) The father was dressed in full Masonic priest regalia and was wearing what seemed to be a pope-like hat. The son was on his left hand, and he was dressed like a normal person. Many who only see the letter of the parable in dreams would think this father to be the pope, but this is not how parables work. Like the pope is the “holy father” over the Catholic, meaning “universal” Church, so this father represents a corporate False Prophet over a world body of apostate religions. Many of these very visible leaders are also Masons. Judas, who was called the Son of Perdition, sold the body of Christ to the Sanhedrin, which was this corporate False Prophet in their day. Likewise a corporate Son of Perdition hidden in the body of Christ today will betray them. This way, both people in this parable represent a corporate body today. I watched in horror as the father was giving the mark of the beast to the people in line. (Rev.13:16) And he (the False Prophet) causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead.) As soon as the people received the mark they instantly transformed into a wild pig and leaped straight into a furnace off to the side of the podium. (2 Pet. 2:12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed. (Php.3:18) For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly (like wild pigs), and [whose] glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things (mark in the forehead). I considered what was taking place and tried to warn the people about the furnace (of the great and terrible day of the Lord and Hell itself), but they seemed not to take heed to what I was saying. They were willfully taking this mark as if under strong delusion. It was horrible. Note: Although in real life I worked for this father, he had NEVER called me before. All the business matters were usually handled through his son. After I woke from the dream, the father called me on the phone! He asked me to come to his office to have a meeting with him and his son. So that was a sure confirmation from the Lord. They are merely figures the Lord used to show me something in the dream. They own their own company and are in the business of buying and selling (Just like the “merchants of Babylon” who “make merchandise of you”). The father's name is ROLAND, meaning “renown throughout the land”. This reminds me of the men of renown or giants of old. We have giants today, too: the megachurch pastors of the apostate church. The son in real life is a lukewarm Christian who is given to drunkenness (which is spiritually like the Son of Perdition).   Discernment Delivers from False Prophets Jay N. - 06/09/2008 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in a class with several other students. We were in this big room which looked rather like a gymnasium, and I remember thinking and missing my friends from other classes, whom I remembered were now long gone away. David Eells was our teacher, and I was standing next to him. (A type of the David man-child reformers.) David was telling me that the previous night, there was a party at his next door neighbor's house and he didn't get much sleep. (God's people giving into lasciviousness have truly caused me some loss of sleep.) He was casually dressed, like a sports teacher or a trainer. (We have to train the people of God to get in shape for the contest to come.) Standing next to him, I could see his profile, and I noticed he was wearing a patch or a piece of wool over his nose, like he had a nose job, or even more, it looked to me like something he was wearing to filter the air he was breathing. (This nose filter represents the ability to discern good from evil. The nose gives discernment to the mind that is neither seen nor heard. Wool over the nose represents having the true clothing or actions of sheep, which filter out the false spirits, which is the meaning of “breath” in Hebrew.) The next thing I remember was a tall man entering the room, accompanied by a woman. (The tall man is seen in many dreams as the corporate false prophet and his companion is the harlot church.) They were dressed in suits and looked to me like teachers. The man came and was standing next to me, and I knew they were there to acquire some students for themselves. (They will seek through lasciviousness, meaning a license to excess, to draw aside disciples of Christ.) I tried to ignore him since I could tell what his intentions were, and then he pointed his finger at me. I looked around for David but couldn't see him. (We will face temptation alone.) I turned to the man and looked at his face for the first time. He was so tall, almost all the way up to the ceiling; I remember feeling the pain in my neck as I was struggling to look at his face. (His great size represents a corporate body of people.) He was nicely groomed, with curly hair and he had bright grey, watery eyes. (They tend to see things in grey, not black or white, as in wrong or right.) Being determined, I told him that I was not going with him because David was my teacher. As I was saying these words I was getting weak. I remember being hardly able to say that last word, “teacher”, but I succeeded. He looked shocked and very offended because obviously he had the authority to choose from the class as he liked, and he looked at the woman (harlot?) with disbelief. He looked back to me, trying to put some kind of smile on his angry face, and then I woke up. (The Sanskrit meaning for “Jay” is “victory”. Although tempted, Jay obviously represents those who gain the victory over the false prophet and harlot because of their training in discernment. We are told that the Word exercises our senses to discern good from evil: Heb.5:12 For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. 13 For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for fullgrown men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Preparing His Bride | Apr 12, 2025 You are called to more than just religious function—you are called to a priesthood that represents a complete lifestyle of consecration, righteousness, and love. This priesthood requires personal, daily engagement with the Holy Spirit, not just during designated spiritual activities. Your journey in faith begins with hearing God's Word, which leads to intimacy with Him and transformation by His Spirit. Without faith, it's impossible to please God—and faith comes through hearing His Word. As you progress in this journey, you'll experience spiritual ascension, moving from the outer courts toward the Holy of Holies, where your heart rises in love, truth, and humility. Unlike the Aaronic priesthood of old, which was external and temporary, you are part of the Melchizedek priesthood—internal, eternal, and based on the power of an endless life. God's original design was always to dwell within you, and this priesthood enables that divine indwelling. This blueprint was established before the fall of man, when God had unhindered fellowship with humanity because His image, life, and nature were within them. This priesthood isn't something you achieve alone. You're in a blood covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ, which binds you to Him and to your fellow believers. This covenant is serious—sealed by Christ's blood—and includes responsibilities. Just as a priest must give life, you cannot merely collect spiritual insights without sharing them. Rivers of living water are meant to flow from you, not stagnate within. Remember that Jesus demonstrated what humanity is meant to become. Even creation obeys those who grow into this priesthood, not because of special powers, but because of spiritual maturity. The Melchizedek priesthood unites heaven and earth, discourages division among believers, and encourages unity of faith. Your life either contributes to or distracts from this divine oneness. Focus on what unites rather than what separates. Your priesthood means executing the Father's will, being a conduit of His presence and purposes. The true sonship means surrender—letting God's will shape you rather than projecting your own agenda. This covenant community is how the world will know Christ. When you refuse to be your brother's keeper, you're breaking covenant. Like soldiers who never leave their wounded behind, you are called to care for your covenant family. This is not optional—it's the heart of your priesthood. Learn more : http://caveadullam.org/ Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Check us out on Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/02wUJ3W... or download the Podcast episodes for free : https://hearthis.at/caveadullam-hl/#t... Follow us on Facebook & Instagram Facebook Cave Adullam : / caveadullam.org Ministers Rest : / ministersrest Preparing His bride : / phbfellowship #STNG : / securingthenextgeneration Instagram Cave Adullam: / caveadullam #STNG : / securingthenextgeneration

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give  Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Scott teaches you how to be deeply consecrated unto God, and how to enter the Holy of Holies! You will not only learn from the scriptures, but Pastor takes communion with you, leads you in powerful prayers of consecration, and has his father release a father's blessing on you. This sermon will change your life!

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Scott teaches you how to be deeply consecrated unto God, and how to enter the Holy of Holies! You will not only learn from the scriptures, but Pastor takes communion with you, leads you in powerful prayers of consecration, and has his father release a father's blessing on you. This sermon will change your life!

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Scott teaches you how to be deeply consecrated unto God, and how to enter the Holy of Holies! You will not only learn from the scriptures, but Pastor takes communion with you, leads you in powerful prayers of consecration, and has his father release a father's blessing on you. This sermon will change your life!

A Sermon for Passion Sunday Hebrews 9:11-15 by William Klock William Coffin Coleman.  He was a travelling salesman.  He was in his dark hotel room one night and looked out the window.  This was before the days of electrification.  He saw a blindingly bright lamp in a window across the street and had to know what it was.  He walked across the street, knocked on the door, and found out that the lamp—one that ran on pressurized gasoline—was made by a small local company.  Within days he'd tracked down that little company and bought it.  That company would become the Coleman Lamp Company and pretty soon those blindingly bright lamps—the “Sunshine of the Night” as they called it—would be selling across North America and the technology would be adapted to lanterns you could carry with you.  With a Coleman lamp there was no more fumbling around or straining your eyes in the dim light of a wick lantern.  In fact, it'd be crazy to go back to those old kerosene wick lanterns.  A Coleman was not only brighter, it was also safer.  Back in the 20s and 30s displays would show a table lamp mounted on a rotating arm.  Around and around it would turn and it would never go out and it would never start a fire.  You couldn't do that with a kerosene wick lantern. With that in mind, think of our Epistle from the book of Hebrews.  Hebrews is sort of like a biblical Coleman lamp display, except here the writer of Hebrews holds up the New Covenant for his fellow Jews and turns it around and around to show all the ways it's better than the Old and how you'd be a fool to want to go back to the Old.  Matt talked about this in his sermon last week—although without the Coleman illustration.  Last week's Epistle from Galatians highlighted just how tempting it was for Jewish Christians to fall back into the old way—the old covenant way—of doing things.  Some of this was that it was simply the life they knew.  When they became Christians they didn't stop being Jewish.  But there were also Gentiles now coming into this messianic movement.  The unbelieving Jews didn't like that.  As far as they were concerned Gentiles were unclean.  And so these Jewish Christians were shunned by their friends and family and even kicked out of their synagogues for associating with Gentiles.  It got worse as the Jews began to actively persecute the Church.  Jesus had given these new Jewish believers so much more than they'd had in the old covenant, but it was easy to think only about living for the day.  For Jewish Christians it was tempting and it would have been easy to simply drift away from the church and fall back into old covenant Judaism.  And so the writer of Hebrews urges them not to do that.  Despite the persecution, what they have now in Jesus is so much better than what they had before.  The old covenant gave a promise of a new world and a new life in the Messiah.  In Jesus, the Messiah has finally come and he's fulfilled that old promise.  He's inaugurated the new world and the new life.  In Jesus we take part in the fulfilment of God's promises and that's worth it, no matter the cost. To make this point the writer of Hebrews takes us back to the tabernacle, the precursor to the temple in Jerusalem.  Look at Hebrews 9:11-14.   But when the Messiah arrived as a high priest of the good things that were coming, he entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands (that is, not of this present creation), and not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood.  He entered, once and for all, into the holy place, accomplishing a redemption that lasts forever.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the sprinkled ashes of a heifer, make people holy (in the sense of purifying their bodies) when they had been unclean, how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who offered himself to God through the eternal Spirit as a spotless sacrifice, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God!   The tabernacle.  Think back to the book of Exodus.  The Lord rescued his people from their bondage in Egypt and at Mt. Sinai, in the wilderness, he gave him the law, written on stone tablets.  At the same time he also gave Moses very detailed instructions for building the tabernacle—the tent complex where the people would worship the Lord and present their offerings and sacrifices. That tent, the tabernacle, was built to mimic Eden as we see it in the first chapters of Genesis.  The imagery used to decorate the tabernacle was meant to invoke the idea of a garden.  At the core of the tabernacle, as you progressed from the camp of the Israelites into the outer court of the tabernacle and then into the centre of it was the holy place, where only the priests went, and then beyond that was the most holy place.  That was where the ark of the covenant was kept.  It was God's throne room.  That was where the cloud representing the glory of the Lord rested—God in the midst of his people.  But no one was permitted into the most holy place.  Sin and uncleanness cannot enter the presence of the Lord.  Only once a year did the high priest enter the Lord's presence to offer expiation for the sins of the people. Sinners cannot enter the presence of our holy God.  This is why Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden.  But there in the wilderness, as God's plan of redemption began to move forward, he instructed his people to build this tabernacle so that they could once again know him, so that they could live with him in their midst.  It was a partial undoing of the consequences of sin.  Adam and Eve had once lived in the most holy place, in God's presence.  That's what Eden was about.  They were to live and to serve in God's presence, cultivating his garden.  And as they were fruitful and multiplied, the garden, that holy place would grow—until it filled the whole earth.  Because of their rebellion, Adam and Eve were driven out from God's presence.  But in the wilderness the Lord helped Israel to build a model of that most holy place, he took up his residence in it, and he gave the people a law by which they could live on the periphery of that manifestation of his glory.  They couldn't enter directly into his presence, but whereas Adam and Eve were driven away, in the tabernacle, the Lord now drew his people near.  It was the beginning of something good.  The beginning of renewal.  The tabernacle, the law, the whole old covenant were good things.  They reminded God's people of his promise to one day set all of creation to rights and to restore his people fully to his presence.  It was a light in the darkness. The problem for Israel was that in the day-in and day-out activity of living around the tabernacle, of living the law, and of routinely making sacrifices and offerings, it became very easy to forget that all of this pointed to a greater reality and a greater fulfilment.  These things were like the dim light of a wick lamp.  The tabernacle, the sacrifices, the law were never meant to be a permanent arrangement.  The point was never for God's people merely to camp out around the place of his presence, merely to be able to get close to the Holy of Holies.  The goal was to return to Eden itself, to return to a life in the presence of the Lord.  God and humanity brought back together; heaven and earth rejoined.  A far greater light was coming.  As Christians we're, too, often guilty of forgetting God's end goal.  We come to the Lord's Table on Sundays, we gather with our brothers and sisters for worship, and we make it very routine and hum-drum, forgetting that what we have here is a down-payment on the full inheritance that Jesus will be bringing with him when he returns—of resurrection and new life and of living fully in the presence of the Father. This is what the writer of Hebrews is getting at when he talks about Jesus as our great high priest of the good things to come.  The tabernacle was a good thing, but it pointed to better things, just as the Lord's Supper is a good thing, but points to something even better.  And Hebrews says, as our high priest, Jesus entered not in to the most holy place of the tabernacle.  No.  At the cross Jesus entered into the true, the real holy of holies—the one of which the holy of holies in the tabernacle was only a representation and only a shadow.  In his death, Jesus entered the real, the actual presence of his Father.  The good news is that because Jesus has entered the Father's presence as our great high priest, since he has made purification for us, we're now ourselves welcomed into the Father's presence as well. Again, in the face of hostility and persecution, many Jewish Christians were tempted to just go back to the old way of doing things.  In their day the temple, the great building of stone on the mountain above Jerusalem, had replaced the tabernacle, but it was laid out on the same plan and served the same purpose.  The temple and the sacrifices were good things.  Why not just do things the old way?  The Lord had commanded them, after all.  Why risk persecution by joining with Gentiles to worship Jesus?  And so Hebrews reminds them: as good as the temple was, Jesus went to the real place the temple represents.  The temple was a model that pointed to the heavenly reality.  When Jesus takes us into the heavenly reality, how can we possibly justify going back to the model? Jesus as our great high priest entering the most holy place naturally leads us to the second point Hebrews makes here about the new covenant and how it's better than the old.  The priests of the old covenant entered the most holy place of the tabernacle once every year.  We're told here that Jesus entered once and for all time.  The old sacrifices were good until the next time you sinned.  The sacrifice that Jesus made at the cross is good forever.  Why?  Because when the old priests went into the holy of holies they took with them the blood of goats and calves.  Jesus entered the presence of the Father with his own blood. This was hard for many Jews to understand.  The Messiah was supposed to triumph over Israel's enemies and reign forever.  He wasn't supposed to die, let alone die the most humiliating death imaginable at the hands of their pagan overlords.  Maybe the Messiah would be their great high priest, but priests make sacrifices.  They aren't supposed to be sacrifices themselves.  That's what bulls and goats were for.  And yet, it's all there in Israel's scriptures—if you know how to look at it.  And that's what Hebrews is about. So, first, the Old Testament sacrifices taught the people to trust the Lord.  To offer a sacrifice is to give up something valuable.  This is a principle throughout the law.  The sabbath, for example, taught people to give one day a week to the Lord.  The gentiles scrambled for a living six days a week, but not God's people.  The sabbath taught them to trust in the Lord's provision.  Think of the manna in the wilderness.  Five days they gathered what they needed, but on the sixth day the Lord provide an extra measure to see them through the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was an act of faith.  And so was the tithe.  The gentiles held on to everything they got, but God's people gave him the first tenth—not the last, not what was left over—but the first tenth of everything.  It was an act of faith and he provided. But the animals sacrificed for the people in the temple took things a step further.  They reminded the people of the cost of sin.  Because of their sin, Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, cut off from the tree of life.  Brothers and Sisters, sin puts us outside the presence of our holy God. Sin separates us from the source of life.  Sinners die.  The only way back into the presence of our holy God is by the shedding of blood.  And that's the second point made about sacrifice here.  Redemption from sin requires the death of another in our place.  The animals sacrificed in the temple were costly sacrifices, but they were also imperfect sacrifices.  They were dumb and unwilling.  They served only until the next sin was committed.  And they brought the people only into the tabernacle or the temple.  For the people to be truly cleansed from sin, for the people to enter into the Holy of Holies would require an even costlier sacrifice. Those sacrifices pointed to Jesus.  In Jesus, God himself took up our flesh—he became one of his own people.  He did that so that he could represent them.  He became like a second Adam.  And so Jesus obediently and willingly gave his life for them—and for us.  He was the costly sacrifice—the spotless lamb, the best of the flock.  As our representative, he took on himself the death that we deserve.  This is why we can say, as we do in the Lord's Supper, that by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world has been made.  This is why we can pray that by his flesh and by his blood our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood.  The blood of animal sacrifices gave a superficial cleanness to people who had been defiled by their sin, but Jesus' blood doesn't just make us superficially clean.  It purifies us from the inside out.  And so we can also pray that as his body and blood make us clean, we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.  By his blood we can finally enter the Holy of Holies, we can finally be restored to the presence of our holy Creator. And that gets at the third point made here—the third way in which Jesus' sacrifice is better than the old sacrifices and the new covenant is better than the old.  The sacrifices of the old covenant were shadows pointing to the real sacrifice.  The holy of holies in the temple was a shadow of the real holy of holies, not just the heavenly presence of the Father, but it looked forward to the day when Creation will finally be set to rights, when heaven and earth will finally be joined together and humanity can once again live in God's presence, just as Adam and Eve did before they sinned.  The cleanness and atonement offered by those old sacrifices was a shadow of the atonement and the cleanness offered by Jesus.  Jesus didn't just enter the central room of the temple in Jerusalem to offer the blood of an animal on our behalf.  Jesus, who is both God himself and our perfect human representative, entered into the actual presence of his Father with his own blood shed at the cross.  In doing that he offers a sacrifice that washes us clean from sin to the very core of our being. Somehow the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, Hebrews says, purifies our conscience from dead works so that we can serve the living God.  Brothers and Sisters, through Jesus we are transformed.  Chapter 6 introduced this language of “dead works”, but it refers to our repentance from our old pagan and sinful ways and also, for the Jewish Christians, from the obligations of the old covenant and its temple and sacrificial system.  As good as those things were, as God-given as they were, Jesus now offers something better.  Jesus' sacrifice undoes our sin once and for all.  Through him we have access to the presence of God.  What we lost when Adam sinned we now have back—or at least we have the down payment of it and hope for its fullness in the future.  Jesus washes us clean with his blood and having purified us for the presence of God, he makes us his dwelling place, his tabernacle, as he fills us with the Holy Spirit.  And the Spirit then sanctifies our hearts and our minds, making them holy again so that we can serve the living God just as Adam did in the garden.  Jesus, by his sacrifice, not only leads us into the holy of holies to know God's presence, but in giving us the Spirit he also makes us—you and me and, collectively his Church—the holy of holies: God's presence in us. Verse 15 stresses again that this is all and only through Jesus: For this reason, Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant.  The purpose was that those who are called should receive the promised inheritance of the age to come, since a death has occurred which provides redemption from transgressions committed under the first covenant.   Jesus is the mediator.  There's no other way.  Even the old way—the way of the tabernacle and the sacrifices—that God once gave is now defunct.  It's been fulfilled.  The thing to which it pointed, the thing for which it was preparing the people, the new thing has finally come in Jesus. Imagine a frozen river.  The first time Veronica and I went to Montréal the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers were frozen.  We were driving across the bridge from the west end of the island where the two rivers meet and we saw a Jeep cruising over the ice back towards Montréal.  The ice was that thick.  You can do that in the middle of a cold Québec winter, but when Spring comes the bridge is the only way across.  Try driving your car on thin ice—or try driving on water—and you'll die. In Jesus, Spring has come to the world.  In Jesus a bridge has been provided across the water.  The law was perfectly good in its time, just as the ice was safe to drive on if you wanted to cross the river in January, but the time has passed for that.  If you want to cross the river now the bridge Jesus provides is the only way.  Hebrews was written to people who feared persecution for following Jesus.  They were used to driving on the ice and despite the fact that it was now melting and thin, they were still tempted to keep driving on it.  Last week in our Epistle from Galatians we read about the Judaisers.  They were insisting that to follow Jesus the Gentiles had to be circumcised, follow the right dietary rules, and observe the Sabbath.  They still said they were following Jesus, but it doesn't work that way.  That's like telling everyone how perfectly good the bridge is while trying to drive your car across the thawing river.  The ice is melting.  The time for those old ways has passed.  Jesus offers something better and his way is now the only way. Brothers and Sisters, do our lives demonstrate faith in Jesus as our sole mediator?  While you and I may not be tempted to go back to the law or the temple or the old covenant sacrifices, we have our own pasts to which we often hold more tightly than we may realise.  We profess faith in Jesus, but we still haven't repented of all of our old loyalties, all of our old ways of doing things, all of our old sources of security.  We profess Jesus, but we still find satisfaction in sin and in self.  We say we trust Jesus, but we still look for security in work and in money.  We say we trust Jesus, but we often evaluate ourselves not based on what he has done for us, but on what we think we've done for him.  Friends, it's like giving people directions to the bridge, while we ourselves are sitting in our cars with the engine running, nosing our wheels into the water and thinking we'll somehow get across the river.  Lent is a time for us to look around, to take stock, and to evaluate our situation.  Easter is only two weeks away.  It's a reminder that in Jesus Spring has arrived.  The river isn't frozen anymore.  We need to let go of the old ways of life and follow Jesus across the bridge. Yes, to follow Jesus means challenge and sacrifice, but Jesus is better in every way.  He and he alone has redeemed up from death to serve the living God. Let us pray: Gracious Father, we thank you this morning for the sacrifice you have made in the death of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  In Jesus the price of our sin has been paid once and for all.  By his blood we are washed clean through and through.  Strengthen our faith, Father, that we might trust fully in Jesus as our only mediator.  Open our eyes to the areas of life in which we've failed to repent, and give us the faith to entrust those things to you.  We ask this through him, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

Send us a textBiblical symbolism unlocks the richness of Scripture in ways that rigid literalism often misses. When we approach texts like Revelation with an understanding of how the Bible uses typology, patterns, and symbolic numbers, we discover profound truths about Christ and His church.The seemingly mysterious 144,000 mentioned in Revelation takes on new meaning when we recognize it not as a literal headcount of specially selected individuals, but as a symbolic representation of the complete Church—Christ's bride presented as a "chaste virgin" (2 Corinthians 11). This interpretation makes perfect sense when we understand how biblical numbers work, with 144,000 representing completeness: 12 tribes × 12 apostles × 1,000 (signifying vastness).Throughout Scripture, we find intentional patterns designed to reveal Christ. The tabernacle's elements—from the brazen altar representing sacrifice to the Holy of Holies representing God's presence—tell the story of redemption. Similarly, Noah's ark wasn't just a historical vessel but a type of Christ himself, with those inside "sealed" by what symbolized the Holy Spirit, protected from judgment.This understanding challenges the dispensational approach popularized in America through works like the Scofield Reference Bible. When we recognize that Revelation is primarily "an unveiling of Jesus Christ" rather than merely a timeline of future events, the book takes on deeper significance. As one participant noted, "You don't understand Revelation without understanding the Old Testament," because the Old Testament is where we first meet Christ in symbolic form.What's at stake isn't just academic theology but how we approach our faith. Understanding these connections helps us see Scripture as a unified whole rather than disconnected parts. And while robust theological discussion matters, we're ultimately saved not by perfect doctrinal precision but by Christ's finished work.How might your understanding of Scripture deepen if you approached it looking for Christ in every passage? Join us as we explore the beautiful symbolism that reveals our Savior throughout the entire Bible.Support the show

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connectand tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

At three o-clock in the afternoon, in three different scenarios, a priest, a criminal, and a soldier experienced immediate access to God. In the temple where the Jewish people worshipped, only the high priest was allowed to pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies. This veil was sixty feet high, thirty feet wide, and six inches thick. It took three hundred priests to move it, and it was impossible for a human to rip. When God tore that veil in half, he declared that everyone had access to him through the blood of Jesus. The power of the blood of Jesus declares that nothing separates you from God's Presence. Buy Don't Miss the Power on Amazon

Rabbi Tirzah Firestone is a fellow student of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, an author and psychotherapist focusing on intergenerational trauma, and one of the senior rabbis of the Jewish Renewal movement. Tirzah is the author of Wounds into Wisdom: Healing Intergenerational Jewish Trauma, The Receiving: Reclaiming Jewish Women's Wisdom, and the newly republished With Roots in Heaven: One Woman's Passionate Journey into the Heart of Her Faith.In this episode, we talk about the evolution of Tirzah's work on intergenerational trauma, pros and cons of the popularization of the concept of 'trauma,' Tirzah's recent teaching trip to Berlin amidst the rise of Neo-Fascist politics, Jewish & Israeli reactions to the events of Oct. 7th as an unhealthy trauma response, the conflation of Jewish identity with Jewish nationalism, the search for authority in the opinions of Reb Zalman (Tirzah and Netanel's teacher), Reb Zalman's desire to pray across dividing lines and include God in worldly decisions and problems, the 'seeds' we inherit from our ancestors and which we choose to water, the potentially transformative impact of psychologically based ancestral healing, and the image of the two cherubs atop the Holy of Holies as a metaphor for masculine/feminine balance.You can learn more about Tirzah and her work on her website.Charis FoundationGolden Turtle SoundSupport the show

In this episode of Spirit of Truth Podcast, we dive deep into the layers of holiness within the Temple and how they mirror our walk with God. From the outer courts to the Holy of Holies, each step closer to His presence demands a higher level of sanctification. What does that mean for us today?Join me as I reflect on my visit to the life-size replica of the Tabernacle in Lancaster, PA, and explore how leadership in the body of Christ comes with great responsibility—often misunderstood as privilege. I also address recent opposition I faced regarding the pronunciation of God's name, emphasizing that true holiness is not found in debates but in the fruit of our lives.We'll also discuss the enemy's tactics, including division and distraction, and how we must be vigilant in spiritual warfare. With scriptural insights from Ephesians, Luke, and Mark, we'll uncover the importance of unity, the power of the name we carry, and the necessity of standing firm in our faith.Are we too busy fighting each other to see the real enemy at work? Let's put on our armor, stand together, and walk in the example of Messiah.Scriptures Covered: Ephesians 6:10-12, Luke 10:19, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 9:1-2, and more.Tune in, be encouraged, and take a stand!

(Psalm 119:89) A person's character is only as good as their word. God's good name is connected to the innerancy of His Word. In this study we learn the principle of divine preservation and deepen our conviction in the trustworthiness of the Bible. (0976250327) ----more----  How Can I Know the Bible Is Right? Psalm 119 is the Psalm of the Scriptures. In fact, of the 176 verses in Psalm 119, all but two make a definite reference to the word of God in some way. It is a powerful Psalm, and right in the middle of it, we read these words: Psalm 119:89 says, "Forever, oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." What does it mean? It means the word of God never changes. So the question is, "Can I trust the Bible?" We've been talking about the fact that God gave His word, He revealed Himself in Scripture, and he inspired the very words of Scripture to be written down by men. He used men to convey his truth to men, but he did it in such a way that we hold in our hands the perfect word of the living God. Can you trust it? There are so many proofs that the word of God can be trusted.  Historical and Scientific Proofs of the Bible For example, there's historical proof. Think of all the fulfilled prophecy in scripture. Did you know that about 30% of your Bible is prophecy? Think of that. There's no real prophecy in any of the other what are referred to as holy books outside the Bible. All of these religions have their holy books, but read them carefully, and you'll find that one of the vastween them and scripture is that the word of the living God is full of very exact differences bet prophecies. Andcies have already been fulfilled exactly as scores of those specific prophe God said. It's an accurate book. The Bible lines up perfectly with proven historical records. As a matter of fact, even archeology has begun to prove the Bible's claims. For years, historians said there was no such group as the Hittites, for example, no such group as the Hittites that was given in scripture. That was a myth. And yet archeology has now proven the Bible's claims of a group known as the Hittite. It's proven the historical existence of David and a united kingdom (Israel). 100% of the time, after all the evidence was in the Bible, it was vindicated. Now, I'm not saying that to say that we vindicate the Bible with external things. Remember that we accept the word of God by faith. We come to God by faith that he can be trusted. I'm simply saying that the word of God is accurate in every way. Scientifically, for example, the Bible revealed truth beyond its years. Leviticus 17:11 talks about the life of the flesh being in the blood. We've only really discovered that in the last few hundred years - this use of blood. Job 26:7 tells us that the earth is suspended in space. Isaiah 40:22 that tells us the Earth is round. Luke 17 tells us that the earth revolves on its axis. Genesis 22:17 tells us that the stars are more than can be counted. Genesis 1 tells us that plants and animals reproduce after their own kind or species. Hebrews 1:2 tells us that there are other worlds or planets. Job 28 25 tells us the air has weight. Psalm 8:8 tells us the ocean has currents. I'm saying to you that the God of all truth can be trusted.  What is the Preservation of Scripture? And so we've come today to another thing that must be discussed when you're studying what the Bible says about the word of God. We've talked about revelation, we've talked about inspiration. Let's talk today about preservation. What does preservation mean? It literally means that God Almighty, who was powerful enough to give his word, is powerful enough to preserve his word to every generation. Now I wanna give you a number of scriptures that may help with this in your own mind.  Scriptural Evidence of Preservation Listen to the words of Psalm 12:6-7. "The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times." Now listen to this. "Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever." I hear people say I believe God may have given his word perfectly the first time, but after all of these years. Certainly it's been tainted by man, wait a minute. The same God who gave his word is powerful enough to preserve His word to every generation. That includes our generation. How about Psalm 33:11, "The council of the Lord standeth forever. The thoughts of his heart to all generations." We're in the all generations. How about Psalm 100:5? And by the way, for every verse I'm showing you today there are a dozen more just like it. I'm just giving you a little sample here. Psalm 100:5 says, "For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations." I want to remind you that the character of the word is tied to the character of the God of the Word. So if you want to agree that the Lord is good, if you want to agree that His mercy is everlasting, then you must agree that His truth endured to all generations. Psalm 105:8 says this, "He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations."  In other words, it's hyperbole. There's no end to God's truth. There's no end to his word to us.  God's Word Is Eternal I go back to Psalm 119, this great psalm of the scriptures. I told you it's full of the word of God. Listen to Psalm 119:152, "Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou has founded them," and here's the word that just keeps popping up over and over again, "forever." We believe that our God is the eternal God, and because of that, we believe that His word is the eternal word. Nothing and no one will ever change that. I remember reading the story years ago of a man who hated the word of God, and he made it his mission to stamp out as many copies of the scripture in his lifetime in his country as he possibly could. And so he spent great sums of money gathering copies of the word of God and burning them and destroying them. When he died, one of the Bible societies purchased his home and made it a center for Bible distribution in that part of the world. Don't tell me that God doesn't have a sense of humor. Men are gonna pass away. The ideas of men are going to pass away. The word the Lord stands forever. How about Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withereth. The flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand." You know the word forever. He is a forever God. Let's let the Lord Jesus speak to this. Go to the New Testament, Matthew 24:35. Listen to the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." If you come to the end of the New Testament and let Peter, one of the first disciples testify. He says in 1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." All through scripture, you see the word of God being preserved. Examples of Preservation in Scripture For example, in Deuteronomy, the scroll of Moses was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant under the cherub's wings. What a beautiful picture In Joshua 24:26 Joshua's written additions to what God gave him to write down were placed in a safeguarded place. First Samuel 10:25, the words of Samuel were placed in the Holy of Holies. The Lord made sure that Moses had a handwritten copy of the scriptures given a second time. You remember that the priest were given the responsibility in Deuteronomy 17:18 to make copies of the scriptures, and later scribes were appointed for that job. That's what Ezra was with a scribe. Why would God take such care of preserving his word? Because he wanted us to have it Preservation. Is God extending his truth perfectly to every generation? We believe that those scribes took care of the Old Testament Scriptures. The apostles took care of the New Testament scriptures, but God took care of it all. And here's the amazing thing, did you know the Bible speaks more of preservation than it does inspiration? It's not a lesser doctrine. So if you're gonna believe that God gave his word, you have to also believe that God has preserved his word to every generation. Would you stop today and just thank God that you have the preserved word of the living God, perfectly given to us in our generation, just as God gave it and rejoice today that you're serving the God of eternal truth? Outro and Resources Repeating what other people have said about the Bible is not enough. We must know the biblical reason behind what we believe. We hope you will visit us at etj.bible to access our Library of Bible teaching resources, including book-by-book studies of Scripture. You'll also find studies to watch, listen to, or read. We are so grateful for those who pray for us, who share the biblical content, and for those who invest to help us advance this ministry worldwide. Again, thank you for listening and we hope you'll join us next time on Enjoying the Journey. 

(2:53) Bible Study: Jeremiah 7:23-28 What does it mean to believe? Luke 11:14-23 Father talks about the need for a sign from heaven. (22:57) Break 1 (24:24) Letters: Father talks about how worship works and what God’s love has to do with worship. Father gives his thoughts on the episode of the Chosen about Lazarus. Father answers these and other questions. Send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (36:03) Break 2 (36:41) Word of the Day: Beelzebul (38:54) Phones: Steve - The name of God is not spoken. It's only spoken by the High Priest or whoever would go into the Holy of Holies. They would tie a rope around the ankle of who was elected to go in. Could you explain? Todd - On The Chosen, my opinion is Jesus relationship w/the Apostles is way too casual. Pat - A priest told me I'm going too much to confession, once a week. What do you think? Henry - What 'haste makes waste' means and where in the Bible?

One of the sages presents an interpretation, describing the beauty of a vision of a plentiful river surrounded by delightful growing things that emerges from the Holy of Holies. Others congratulate him on his teaching -- and one of those congratulations is criticized as coming from bystander who wasn't in a position to judge, and therefore was disrespectful. Except that - in contrast with a truly disrespectful response - it really wasn't. Also, the book of the Wisdom of Ben Sira -- and the phenomenon of books that were left out of the canon. Plus, some of the content of Ben Shira as part of the assessment of what is allowed.

Welcome to Journey Church! Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!

The Door is connected to the Garden. The Door is connected to the Holy of Holies. And now Jesus says "I Am The Door". What does this mean? How should it shape our lives? We have to dive in a little deeper to fully understand what Jesus is telling us in John 10. Come with us on a journey into what Jesus means when He say... "I Am..... To support the work and worship of Redeemer, subscribe to our channel and consider supporting us by giving a tax deductible gift at the link below. https://pushpay.com/g/redeemerchurchrockwall

Pastor David Morrison Hebrews 4:12-16 (NLT)- There was a pattern in the Old Testament where God rescues His people, and they say that they would return to their past of worshipping other gods, and then they would be separated from God. It was a continuous cycle.- It seems ridiculous. The author of Hebrews says not to make the same mistake. Hebrews 3:12 (NLT)- When things get hard, who or what is the authority that we allow to shape our lives?- What God has healed me from I no longer am.- Here is why we don't turn back. It matters where we find our source and who is holding us accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)- To those tempted to turn back to something, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that only one can judge and see clearly.- If you are trying to return to a form of legalism, only one thing can expose your innermost thoughts and motivations—Jesus. It's not Moses, it's not the law, it's nothing else! Hebrews 4:14 (NLT)- Another translation says, Stand Firm.- What does it mean when it says that Jesus is the high priest?- We no longer need a high priest to offer sacrifice, instead we have a perfect one, Jesus who faced all the temptations of this world and never faltered.- So, the thing that influences your life and that you would normally look back on…stands the call to STAND FIRM.- Stand firm means no retreating. God is calling you to let the good things remain in the past, so that you can experience greater things. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)- Come boldly to the throne.- This place held the ark of the covenant, called the holy of holies.- It was past the outer courts, and there was a place called the Holy Place, where offerings were given, a lamp with seven candles (a menorah), and a Holy of Holies…separated by a veil.- When Christ died, the veil that kept people from God's presence was torn. We no longer needed a human high priest because Jesus was the great high priest now! He would intercede with the Father on our behalf…and now we have an invitation to come boldly before the throne of God.Here is an invitation to press into God's presence in His most holy place, where the only light needed is His presence. This is a place where grace and mercy are found. But here is where I feel tension. It's like we know we can step into God's presence, but to do that, I need to let go of things in my life.

Our mission is simple: We exist to make Jesus accessible to anyone. We want to connect with you throughout the week! Download our Journey Church app here: https://www.journeyorl.com/app If this is your first time checking out Journey online go to https://www.journeyorl.com/connect and tell us a little about yourself! To learn more about church and discover your God given purpose, we encourage you to take next steps! Visit https://www.journeyorl.com/nextsteps Community isn't found, it's created. We believe God didn't call us to live life alone; we're better together! The way we do community here is through small groups. For more information on small groups visit https://www.journeyorl.com/groups to find a group that best fits you. If you have a need, or know of a need in your community, go to https://www.journeyorl.com/help and complete our Community Need Form. If you would like to financially support this ministry and help us continue reaching people all over the world with the message of Jesus, you can go to https://www.journeyorl.com/give. Thank you for partnering with us through generosity!6. Checkmark categories (on right hand side of the screen): Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, Motivational

Ever wondered about the nature of divine prayer? Discover the intriguing teachings from Tractate Berachot 7a of the Talmud, where we unravel Rabbi Yochanan's profound insights into God's daily prayer. With Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe as our guide, we venture into the Holy of Holies, where Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha's sacred encounter with God reveals the divine request for a blessing. This episode peels back the layers of this mystical dialogue, exploring the essential dynamic between mercy and judgment, and the insightful lessons it offers about our own lives.But that's not all—this discussion takes a deeper dive into the interplay of anger and mercy through the lens of biblical stories like those of Moses and Balaam. How does one navigate the tempestuous sea of divine anger? Rabbi Yochanan offers timeless advice on the importance of timing and influence, emphasizing the potential impact of leaders in media and technology today. Join us as we explore the fleeting nature of God's anger, the power of positive influence, and the call for spreading divine light in the modern world. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking journey through the wisdom of the Talmud._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud.This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on February 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 12, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Talmud, #Berachos, #Prayer, #Divine, #Technology, #Forgiveness, #Influence ★ Support this podcast ★

The Rama writes in siman 695 that it is a good practice to learn Torah on Purim before the seuda, as it says in the pasuk, "ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה – First they had אורה, which is Torah, and then שמחה , which is rejoicing. Chazal tell us when our ancestors were saved from the decree of Haman, they reaccepted upon themselves the Torah and mitzvot. At Har Sinai they accepted it out of fear and then, on Purim, they accepted it out of love. The Shem M'Shmuel in parashat Tetzaveh writes that already from three days before Purim, a special Divine light of Torah emanates from Shamayim like during the three days of hagbala before Matan Torah on Har Sinai . The Chida writes one of the reasons we wear Shabbat clothing on Purim is because it is likened to the holiday of Simchat Torah. I saw brought down, just like when we received the Torah on Har Sinai, the people were healed from any physical or spiritual ailments. That power comes back during Purim, as well, which is like the day of Matan Torah . Besides for the kedusha that is imbued in us each time we learn Torah and besides for the eternal rewards we receive for learning it, learning Torah also has side physical benefits as well. Rabbi Menashe Reizman told that the Taz wrote a kameya (amulet) 400 years ago and, with it, dozens of people became healed from illnesses and dozens of couples who couldn't have children merited to have children. A hundred years ago in Yerushalayim , an adam chashuv had an inclination to open up that kameya to see what's written inside of it. He wanted to copy it and make many more of them so more people could be helped. He knew the rule that once a kameya is opened, it loses its power, but he was willing to take the risk to help others. So he opened it up and he saw written inside, "I, David ben Shmuel HaLevy, in the merit that I toiled to understand the depths of Tosafot in Masechet Chulin, daf 96a, please Hashem, help all those who are barren and help all those who are sick." That was the whole kameya. The merit of the Taz toiling on one Tosafot brought yeshuot to so many people. Our learning of Torah is so precious to Hashem. The pasuk says in Mishleh, "יקרה היא מפנינים – It is more valuable than precious stones." The Gemara in Masechet Horayot explains the pasuk to be saying that the Torah is more precious even than the Kohen Gadol going לפני ולפנים – entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. The sefer Ki Ata Imadi puts this into perspective for us. He wrote, imagine we were able to witness the Kohen Gadol entering the Kodesh Kodeshim on Yom Kippur. Chazal say when he entered, nobody else was allowed in, not even the holiest angels. It was an exclusive meeting between the Kohen Gadol and Hashem. He would dip in the mikveh right before and then put on his special white garments. An old sage with a white beard, wearing all white, he looked like a malach . In one hand he was carrying a spoonful of coals and in the other a spoonful of ketoret . As he is about to perform the holiest avodah , in the holiest place, on the holiest day, imagine a Kohen Gadol called to someone and said, "You told me your father is sick, please tell me his name so I could ask Hashem now to heal him." What a golden opportunity to have the Kohen Gadol himself pray for a refuah shelemah for someone at that time. What could possibly be a better opportunity than that? Chazal are teaching us in Masechet Horayot , based on the pasuk , it is an even greater opportunity to ask for a refuah shelemah after a person just finished learning a piece of Torah. The learning of Torah is more precious to Hashem even than the Kohen Gadol entering the Kodesh Kodeshim on Yom Kippur. How fortunate we are! We have the opportunity to learn Torah any time we want. Hashem shared this precious gift with us. Let us take advantage and learn it as much as we can.

Ever wondered about the nature of divine prayer? Discover the intriguing teachings from Tractate Berachot 7a of the Talmud, where we unravel Rabbi Yochanan's profound insights into God's daily prayer. With Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe as our guide, we venture into the Holy of Holies, where Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha's sacred encounter with God reveals the divine request for a blessing. This episode peels back the layers of this mystical dialogue, exploring the essential dynamic between mercy and judgment, and the insightful lessons it offers about our own lives.But that's not all—this discussion takes a deeper dive into the interplay of anger and mercy through the lens of biblical stories like those of Moses and Balaam. How does one navigate the tempestuous sea of divine anger? Rabbi Yochanan offers timeless advice on the importance of timing and influence, emphasizing the potential impact of leaders in media and technology today. Join us as we explore the fleeting nature of God's anger, the power of positive influence, and the call for spreading divine light in the modern world. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking journey through the wisdom of the Talmud._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud.This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on February 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 12, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Talmud, #Berachos, #Prayer, #Divine, #Technology, #Forgiveness, #Influence ★ Support this podcast ★

Follow the new podcast here: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | All platforms ----------------------» For the Neville Goddard listener: Get the 30-Day Unlock God Mode Program «  Unlock God Mode is a 30-day program designed to elevate your manifestation skills and and align you with your deepest desires. Join this tranformative course designed to help you connect deeply with life and achieve your goals with clarity and purpose. Claim the early bird sale (limited-time) at unlockgodmode.org * * * In this lecture, Neville Goddard reaffirms that the only subject he ever truly discusses is the power of imagination—which he equates with God and Jesus Christ. He asserts that man's imagination is vast enough to contain all possibilities, and that no one can experience anything unless they have first walked there in imagination.The Central Teaching: Imagination is GodNeville identifies the eternal body of man as imagination, which Scripture refers to as Jesus. He challenges traditional religious interpretations that limit Jesus to a historical figure, instead presenting him as the personification of divine creative power within every individual.He explains that nothing happens without first being imagined—consciously or unconsciously. Every event in life, from personal circumstances to world affairs, is the outpicturing of imaginal activity. Whether or not one recognizes this truth, imagination is the driving force behind all events.The Power of an Imaginal ActTo illustrate this principle, Neville shares an example of how a lawyer's imaginal act led to a significant real-world event. The lawyer passionately imagined a future scenario while defending a case, and years later, events unfolded exactly as he had foreseen. This highlights Neville's key point:The interval between the imaginal act and its realization may be longer than we remember, leading us to deny our own harvest.He warns that people often fail to recognize the connection between what they once imagined and what later manifests, leading them to dismiss imagination as the cause.Faith is Response to RevelationNeville emphasizes that faith is not about acquiring new knowledge through external means but is instead a response to revelation. The greatest revelation, he asserts, is the realization that imagination is Jesus Christ, the creative power of God.This means:Prayer is simply imagining with feeling and intensity.The Bible is a psychological drama happening within the individual, not a historical record.Accepting this truth allows one to walk "the new and living way" into the Holy of Holies—the realization of divine identity.The Inner Path to GodNeville references the Book of Hebrews (Chapter 10) to describe this new and living way, explaining that:Entry into the Holy of Holies (divine realization) is through the "blood of Jesus."The curtain that separates man from God is the "flesh of Jesus"—one's own sense of self.Upon spiritual awakening, the individual experiences a profound inner event where the body is metaphorically "torn" and they ascend into divine realization.He describes this moment as a lightning bolt splitting the body, revealing a living, liquid gold substance—the true blood of Jesus—which then carries the individual into the Holy of Holies, their own skull, where they merge with God.The Ultimate AwakeningNeville teaches that this journey is about awakening to one's true nature as God. He states that:Everyone will eventually experience this unveiling.It happens in stages—first through the practical use of imagination (the "law") and later through mystical experiences (the "promise").One's ability to experience divine awakening depends on how far they are willing to "walk in imagination."Key TakeawaysYour imagination is God. Everything in your world is a reflection of what you have imagined.You cannot experience what you have not first imagined. Everything unfolds from within.Faith is responding to revelation. Accepting imagination as the creative power of God leads to transformation.The "Holy of Holies" is within you. Entry into divine realization is an inner experience, not an external event.All will ultimately awaken to their divine identity. The journey may be long, but it is inevitable.Final MessageNeville urges his listeners to fully accept the power of imagination, for it is the only true path to transformation and awakening. The moment one truly understands this, they begin walking "the new and living way"—the path of realizing their own divinity. ***Download the free Neville Goddard PDF Guide at manifestwithneville.com - Discover the transformative power of Neville Goddard's wisdom with this FREE 60-page guide on his 12 timeless principles of manifestation and reality creation.★ Follow the podcast for daily lectures from the mystic Neville Goddard ★FREE RESOURCES:• Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter• Join the FREE Telegram Channel• Feeling is the Secret • Full Audiobook* * *The James Xander Trip Podcast:• Listen on Spotify• Listen on Apple Podcasts• Listen on YouTubeDIVE DEEPER:• The Unlock God Mode Course• The Infinite Wealth Guided Meditation* * *ABOUT NEVILLE GODDARD:Neville Goddard (1905-1972), was an English writer, speaker and mystic. He grew up in Barbados and moved to the United States of America as a young adult. Neville Goddard was perhaps the last century's most intellectually substantive and charismatic purveyor of the philosophy generally called New Thought. He wrote more than ten books under the solitary pen name Neville, and was a popular speaker on metaphysical themes from the late 1930s until his death in 1972.Possessed of a self-educated and uncommonly sharp intellect, Neville espoused a spiritual vision that was bold and total: Everything you see and experience, including other people, is the result of your own thoughts and emotional states. Each of us dr...

4:15 We Approach God On His Terms 8:02 The Church Within The Tabernacle 13:23 The Outer Court 18:53 Pull The Lever Kronk! 26:03 The Holy Place 29:54 Zach's Challenge 32:26 The Holy of Holies 36:18 The Ark of the Covenant

Welcome to Episode 232 of The Thinklings Podcast! This is a TALQ episode, where we answer listeners' questions! Some of these questions were emailed in and some were submitted by Thinkling Stearns & Thinkling Carter's Christian Experience students. Thanks for listening to this week's episode! Books & Business Stearns - Deacons Little - The Destruction of Christianity Boyd - Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom Carter - Brothers Karamazov Main Content Here are a list of the questions we interact with on this episode: Is it helpful and edifying for Christians to be involved in sports? - 19:02 What is the best way to protect sexual purity? - 26:39 Why is drinking alcohol, typically, looked down upon in Christian circles? - 29:31 Do we as Christians believe that places can be haunted/how would we define haunted? - 35:43 If the High Priest wore a hat in the Holy of Holies, why is it wrong to wear a hat in the church? - 41:38 If I sometimes doubt the Bible and the existence of God, does this make me an unbeliever? - 45:02 What does the Bible teach about free will, and how do we reconcile that with the doctrine of "irresistible grace?" - 47:15 Speed RUN - a few questions about prayer! - 52:45 How do I focus on others rather than myself and my own feelings? - 56:06 Can you be friends with Christians who are continually rebelling? - 57:42 Final Meditation Since many of our questions interact with Scripture, there is no final meditation.

Psalm 124 (ESV)Andrew and Edwin discuss relying on the Lord as we travel with the pilgrim psalmist from Meshech and Kedar to the Holy of Holies with God.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.  Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=20597The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Leviticus 23 – The Feasts of the Lord: Biblical and Historical Context Leviticus 23 outlines the seven major festivals (appointed times) of Israel, which were central to their worship and communal life. These feasts served as both religious observances and historical commemorations, reinforcing Israel's identity and relationship with God. Understanding the historical and cultural context of these feasts provides insight into their significance in biblical history and how they compare to similar practices in the ancient Near East. 1. The Sabbath (Leviticus 23:1-3) The chapter begins with the Sabbath, a weekly day of rest and worship. The Israelites were commanded to cease from labor on the seventh day, a concept unique among ancient civilizations, where work was often continuous. Historical Context: •The Babylonians had some form of a seven-day cycle, but their “holy days” were often considered unlucky, unlike the Israelites' joyful Sabbath rest. •In contrast to other cultures where rest was mainly for the elite, the Sabbath was a universal command, applying to all people, including servants and foreigners. •The Sabbath foreshadowed the eternal rest believers would have in God, a theme later expanded in Christian theology (Hebrews 4:9-10). 2. The Feasts of Israel The remaining festivals were divided into spring feasts and fall feasts. These were agricultural and historical in nature, marking both harvest cycles and key moments in Israel's history. Spring Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost) These feasts coincided with the barley and wheat harvests, emphasizing God's provision. A. Passover (Leviticus 23:4-5) •Celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan (first month of the Hebrew calendar). •Commemorated Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12), when God spared the Israelites who placed lamb's blood on their doorposts. Historical Context: •Other ancient cultures had spring renewal festivals, but Israel's Passover was unique because it celebrated deliverance by God rather than nature gods. •The sacrificial lamb was central, later becoming a powerful symbol of Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29). B. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8) •Lasted seven days after Passover. •No leaven (yeast) was to be eaten, symbolizing purity and separation from Egypt's influence. Historical Context: •Yeast often symbolized corruption in the ancient world. •This feast reminded Israelites of their haste in leaving Egypt and their call to live set apart from pagan nations. C. Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14) •Took place the day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread. •Marked the beginning of the barley harvest by offering a sheaf of the first grain. Historical Context: •Many ancient cultures had firstfruit offerings to their gods, but Israel's offering was unique—it was a thanksgiving act to Yahweh, not a way to manipulate the gods for a better harvest. •This feast foreshadowed Jesus' resurrection, as He is called the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). D. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Leviticus 23:15-22) •Celebrated 50 days (7 weeks) after Firstfruits. •Marked the wheat harvest and included special grain offerings. Historical Context: •Other nations, such as the Egyptians and Canaanites, had harvest celebrations, but Israel's Pentecost was different because it also commemorated God's giving of the Law at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). •In the New Testament, Pentecost became the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2), marking the birth of the church. Fall Feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles) These feasts occurred during the fruit and olive harvests and had prophetic significance. E. Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) (Leviticus 23:23-25) •Celebrated on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri). •Involved blowing trumpets (shofars) as a call to repentance. Historical Context: •Trumpet blasts in the ancient Near East signified royal announcements or military alerts. •This feast prepared Israel for the upcoming Day of Atonement, much like New Year's celebrations in other cultures signified a time of renewal. F. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) (Leviticus 23:26-32) •Occurred on Tishri 10, the most solemn day of the year. •The high priest entered the Holy of Holies to atone for Israel's sins. •Included fasting, confession, and the scapegoat ritual, where one goat was sacrificed and another sent into the wilderness (Leviticus 16). Historical Context: •No other nation had a national day of atonement. •The scapegoat symbolized sin being removed from the community, a concept later fulfilled in Jesus' atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12-14). G. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) (Leviticus 23:33-44) •Lasted seven days from Tishri 15-22. •Israelites lived in booths (temporary shelters) to remember their time in the wilderness after the Exodus. •A joyful feast of thanksgiving. Historical Context: •Similar harvest festivals existed in Canaanite and Mesopotamian cultures, but Israel's Tabernacles focused on God's provision in history, not fertility gods. •In the New Testament, Jesus referred to Himself as the Living Water during this feast (John 7:37-38), linking it to spiritual refreshment. Key Lessons from Leviticus 23 in Historical Context 1.God's Order in Worship – The festivals were structured and timed to teach Israel about God's sovereignty, history, and future plans. 2.Holiness and Separation – Unlike pagan festivals that often involved immorality and idol worship, Israel's feasts were holy convocations focused on God. 3.Agricultural and Spiritual Meaning – The feasts aligned with harvest seasons but also symbolized redemption, judgment, and restoration. 4.Messianic Foreshadowing – Many feasts were prophetic, pointing to Jesus' death, resurrection, and second coming. Leviticus 23 is one of the most significant chapters in the Old Testament because it outlines God's appointed times for Israel, blending history, prophecy, and practical worship. These feasts not only shaped Israel's national identity but also provided a foundation for Christian theology, as many were fulfilled in Christ.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

Leviticus 23 – The Feasts of the Lord: Biblical and Historical Context Leviticus 23 outlines the seven major festivals (appointed times) of Israel, which were central to their worship and communal life. These feasts served as both religious observances and historical commemorations, reinforcing Israel's identity and relationship with God. Understanding the historical and cultural context of these feasts provides insight into their significance in biblical history and how they compare to similar practices in the ancient Near East. 1. The Sabbath (Leviticus 23:1-3) The chapter begins with the Sabbath, a weekly day of rest and worship. The Israelites were commanded to cease from labor on the seventh day, a concept unique among ancient civilizations, where work was often continuous. Historical Context: •The Babylonians had some form of a seven-day cycle, but their “holy days” were often considered unlucky, unlike the Israelites' joyful Sabbath rest. •In contrast to other cultures where rest was mainly for the elite, the Sabbath was a universal command, applying to all people, including servants and foreigners. •The Sabbath foreshadowed the eternal rest believers would have in God, a theme later expanded in Christian theology (Hebrews 4:9-10). 2. The Feasts of Israel The remaining festivals were divided into spring feasts and fall feasts. These were agricultural and historical in nature, marking both harvest cycles and key moments in Israel's history. Spring Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost) These feasts coincided with the barley and wheat harvests, emphasizing God's provision. A. Passover (Leviticus 23:4-5) •Celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan (first month of the Hebrew calendar). •Commemorated Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12), when God spared the Israelites who placed lamb's blood on their doorposts. Historical Context: •Other ancient cultures had spring renewal festivals, but Israel's Passover was unique because it celebrated deliverance by God rather than nature gods. •The sacrificial lamb was central, later becoming a powerful symbol of Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29). B. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8) •Lasted seven days after Passover. •No leaven (yeast) was to be eaten, symbolizing purity and separation from Egypt's influence. Historical Context: •Yeast often symbolized corruption in the ancient world. •This feast reminded Israelites of their haste in leaving Egypt and their call to live set apart from pagan nations. C. Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14) •Took place the day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread. •Marked the beginning of the barley harvest by offering a sheaf of the first grain. Historical Context: •Many ancient cultures had firstfruit offerings to their gods, but Israel's offering was unique—it was a thanksgiving act to Yahweh, not a way to manipulate the gods for a better harvest. •This feast foreshadowed Jesus' resurrection, as He is called the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). D. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Leviticus 23:15-22) •Celebrated 50 days (7 weeks) after Firstfruits. •Marked the wheat harvest and included special grain offerings. Historical Context: •Other nations, such as the Egyptians and Canaanites, had harvest celebrations, but Israel's Pentecost was different because it also commemorated God's giving of the Law at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). •In the New Testament, Pentecost became the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2), marking the birth of the church. Fall Feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles) These feasts occurred during the fruit and olive harvests and had prophetic significance. E. Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) (Leviticus 23:23-25) •Celebrated on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri). •Involved blowing trumpets (shofars) as a call to repentance. Historical Context: •Trumpet blasts in the ancient Near East signified royal announcements or military alerts. •This feast prepared Israel for the upcoming Day of Atonement, much like New Year's celebrations in other cultures signified a time of renewal. F. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) (Leviticus 23:26-32) •Occurred on Tishri 10, the most solemn day of the year. •The high priest entered the Holy of Holies to atone for Israel's sins. •Included fasting, confession, and the scapegoat ritual, where one goat was sacrificed and another sent into the wilderness (Leviticus 16). Historical Context: •No other nation had a national day of atonement. •The scapegoat symbolized sin being removed from the community, a concept later fulfilled in Jesus' atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12-14). G. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) (Leviticus 23:33-44) •Lasted seven days from Tishri 15-22. •Israelites lived in booths (temporary shelters) to remember their time in the wilderness after the Exodus. •A joyful feast of thanksgiving. Historical Context: •Similar harvest festivals existed in Canaanite and Mesopotamian cultures, but Israel's Tabernacles focused on God's provision in history, not fertility gods. •In the New Testament, Jesus referred to Himself as the Living Water during this feast (John 7:37-38), linking it to spiritual refreshment. Key Lessons from Leviticus 23 in Historical Context 1.God's Order in Worship – The festivals were structured and timed to teach Israel about God's sovereignty, history, and future plans. 2.Holiness and Separation – Unlike pagan festivals that often involved immorality and idol worship, Israel's feasts were holy convocations focused on God. 3.Agricultural and Spiritual Meaning – The feasts aligned with harvest seasons but also symbolized redemption, judgment, and restoration. 4.Messianic Foreshadowing – Many feasts were prophetic, pointing to Jesus' death, resurrection, and second coming. Leviticus 23 is one of the most significant chapters in the Old Testament because it outlines God's appointed times for Israel, blending history, prophecy, and practical worship. These feasts not only shaped Israel's national identity but also provided a foundation for Christian theology, as many were fulfilled in Christ.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

God's purpose is for us to be Temples of God, revealed through His earthly Temples, patterned after His heavenly Temple (Dwelling Place), all pictures of His ultimate eternal Temple (redeemed man in Christ). All Temples (earthly & heavenly) reveal different aspects of His ultimate Temple, revealing how we are to function to His glory. Jesus was the 1st functioning human Temple, indwelt by the Holy Spirit (John 1:14, 2:19-21, 4:21-24). Although man was made to be God's Temple, sin resulted in his spiritual death, so God couldn't indwell him. But Christ made it possible for our spirit to be born again & His Spirit to indwell us, making us His temples. God's earthly Temples are built according to a heavenly blueprint (Heb 8:5), so God's Heavenly Temple, the Father's House, the New Jerusalem gives the clearest revelation about the shape of His ultimate Temple. When God shows John where He'll dwell with His People (Bride) for all eternity (His heavenly Temple), He showed him the New Jerusalem, shaped like a great Mountain, Mt Zion, shining with His glory (Rev 21:2-3,9-11). The peak is the holiest place, the holy of holies, His Throne Room, the centre of all authority, down from which flows the river of life alongside its golden streets (Rev 22:1,2). Its 4-square design means the river divides & flows in 4 main directions to water the city (holy place), and then flows out the gates to the land beyond (outer court). Height represents holiness, so holy places are built on high ground to signify their closeness to God. Thus, God's Throne is at the peak of his holy Mount (Rev 22:1-2). Mountain signifies Kingdom. The river flows downhill from the throne, so the throne must be at the peak (Rev 22:1). This describes us as temples of God. Our highest place is our spirit (Eph 2:6), like a mountain peak. It's where God's authority, glory & presence dwells in the Holy Spirit (the holy of holies), the throne room where Christ is enthroned in us, if we've received Him as Lord. God, the Fountain of living waters, lives in our spirit (Jer 2:13, John 4:14), and desires His river of life to flow out of our spirit (John 7:38), down into our soul, imparting life, authority, power, wisdom, love, health to it, so it can express His life & nature to God's glory. The fact the New Jerusalem, the heavenly City & Temple of God is shaped like a pyramid Mountain is confirmed by Heb 12:22-24. As the daughter of the heavenly Zion (Zech 9:9, Gal 4:26), earthly Zion is made after the image of its mother, so earthly Mt Zion is named after the heavenly Mt Zion (Temple Mount), so if the image of the heavenly Mt Zion is a mountain, so too the heavenly Temple. God's original template for His Dwelling Place (Temple) design is a pyramid mountain City. The whole heavenly Temple (the 3rd Heaven) is also described as ‘Eden, the Garden of God' = Paradise (Ezek 28:12-13, 2Cor 12:4), so earthly Eden was its image. Both have a garden, tree of life (Gen 2:9, Rev 2:7, 22:2,14), river of life (Gen 2:10-14, Rev 22:1-2) & cherubim, who often appear in temples as guardians of the throne (Gen 3:24, Rev 4:6-8, Ezek 28:14). Thus, Eden was God's 1st earthly Temple. Lucifer was originally a cherub in Eden, on the holy heavenly Mountain of God, before he was cast down to earth (Ezek 28:12-14,16-17, Isa 14:12-15, Rev 12:4, Luke 10:18). So, the centre of Eden (God's heavenly Temple) is the holy Mountain, Mt Zion, the New Jerusalem, a Garden City, shaped like a Pyramid. As a cherub, Lucifer lived in this Mount and ministered in the throne room, but in pride tried to ascend within Heaven and establish his own throne above all the angels in God's Throne Room (Holy of Holies), to sit enthroned on the Mount alongside the Most High, but was cast down to the earth (Isa 14:13-15). This confirms God's Throne is at the highest point of this Mount, for he tried to ascend & exalt his throne to the highest place in Heaven, when God was enthroned, to be like (equal in authority to) the Most High. As Eden is a name for the whole Heavenly Temple, centred on a Mountain, so it's the name for the whole original earthly Temple, centred on a Mountain, with (1) its Peak on the west side of Eden (holy of holies), where an underground spring was the source of a great river flowing down into (2) the Garden (holy place) on a plateau on the mountain's east side, with the tree of life, where man lived & walked with God, where it divided into 4 rivers, which watered the whole earth (Gen 2:8-14). So, Eden was on higher ground than the rest of the earth (water flows downhill), signifying its holiness as God's temple. After the fall, man was cast out of the Garden, and (3) went further east (3:24-25), onto lower ground at the base of the Mount, but still within Eden (the outer court), a place of God's Presence (4:16), with an ordained place of sacrifice (4:4), for Cain was cast out of Eden into another land, east of Eden, away from God's special Temple Presence (4:16).

God's purpose is for us to be Temples of God, revealed through His earthly Temples, patterned after His heavenly Temple (Dwelling Place), all pictures of His ultimate eternal Temple (redeemed man in Christ). All Temples (earthly & heavenly) reveal different aspects of His ultimate Temple, revealing how we are to function to His glory. Jesus was the 1st functioning human Temple, indwelt by the Holy Spirit (John 1:14, 2:19-21, 4:21-24). Although man was made to be God's Temple, sin resulted in his spiritual death, so God couldn't indwell him. But Christ made it possible for our spirit to be born again & His Spirit to indwell us, making us His temples. God's earthly Temples are built according to a heavenly blueprint (Heb 8:5), so God's Heavenly Temple, the Father's House, the New Jerusalem gives the clearest revelation about the shape of His ultimate Temple. When God shows John where He'll dwell with His People (Bride) for all eternity (His heavenly Temple), He showed him the New Jerusalem, shaped like a great Mountain, Mt Zion, shining with His glory (Rev 21:2-3,9-11). The peak is the holiest place, the holy of holies, His Throne Room, the centre of all authority, down from which flows the river of life alongside its golden streets (Rev 22:1,2). Its 4-square design means the river divides & flows in 4 main directions to water the city (holy place), and then flows out the gates to the land beyond (outer court). Height represents holiness, so holy places are built on high ground to signify their closeness to God. Thus, God's Throne is at the peak of his holy Mount (Rev 22:1-2). Mountain signifies Kingdom. The river flows downhill from the throne, so the throne must be at the peak (Rev 22:1). This describes us as temples of God. Our highest place is our spirit (Eph 2:6), like a mountain peak. It's where God's authority, glory & presence dwells in the Holy Spirit (the holy of holies), the throne room where Christ is enthroned in us, if we've received Him as Lord. God, the Fountain of living waters, lives in our spirit (Jer 2:13, John 4:14), and desires His river of life to flow out of our spirit (John 7:38), down into our soul, imparting life, authority, power, wisdom, love, health to it, so it can express His life & nature to God's glory. The fact the New Jerusalem, the heavenly City & Temple of God is shaped like a pyramid Mountain is confirmed by Heb 12:22-24. As the daughter of the heavenly Zion (Zech 9:9, Gal 4:26), earthly Zion is made after the image of its mother, so earthly Mt Zion is named after the heavenly Mt Zion (Temple Mount), so if the image of the heavenly Mt Zion is a mountain, so too the heavenly Temple. God's original template for His Dwelling Place (Temple) design is a pyramid mountain City. The whole heavenly Temple (the 3rd Heaven) is also described as ‘Eden, the Garden of God' = Paradise (Ezek 28:12-13, 2Cor 12:4), so earthly Eden was its image. Both have a garden, tree of life (Gen 2:9, Rev 2:7, 22:2,14), river of life (Gen 2:10-14, Rev 22:1-2) & cherubim, who often appear in temples as guardians of the throne (Gen 3:24, Rev 4:6-8, Ezek 28:14). Thus, Eden was God's 1st earthly Temple. Lucifer was originally a cherub in Eden, on the holy heavenly Mountain of God, before he was cast down to earth (Ezek 28:12-14,16-17, Isa 14:12-15, Rev 12:4, Luke 10:18). So, the centre of Eden (God's heavenly Temple) is the holy Mountain, Mt Zion, the New Jerusalem, a Garden City, shaped like a Pyramid. As a cherub, Lucifer lived in this Mount and ministered in the throne room, but in pride tried to ascend within Heaven and establish his own throne above all the angels in God's Throne Room (Holy of Holies), to sit enthroned on the Mount alongside the Most High, but was cast down to the earth (Isa 14:13-15). This confirms God's Throne is at the highest point of this Mount, for he tried to ascend & exalt his throne to the highest place in Heaven, when God was enthroned, to be like (equal in authority to) the Most High. As Eden is a name for the whole Heavenly Temple, centred on a Mountain, so it's the name for the whole original earthly Temple, centred on a Mountain, with (1) its Peak on the west side of Eden (holy of holies), where an underground spring was the source of a great river flowing down into (2) the Garden (holy place) on a plateau on the mountain's east side, with the tree of life, where man lived & walked with God, where it divided into 4 rivers, which watered the whole earth (Gen 2:8-14). So, Eden was on higher ground than the rest of the earth (water flows downhill), signifying its holiness as God's temple. After the fall, man was cast out of the Garden, and (3) went further east (3:24-25), onto lower ground at the base of the Mount, but still within Eden (the outer court), a place of God's Presence (4:16), with an ordained place of sacrifice (4:4), for Cain was cast out of Eden into another land, east of Eden, away from God's special Temple Presence (4:16).

This teaching is from Matthew 27:49-28:4 We pick up the story from last week on the evening of Passover.  Jesus is on the cross, it's three in the afternoon. Jesus cries out, “it is finished” and dies just as the sacrifice is being offered in the Temple. At that very moment the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. That curtain separated the Holy Place of the Sanctuary from the Holy of Holies in the rear of the Sanctuary. The curtain was a massive curtain approximately 60' by 30' and about 8 inches thick. Symbolically - this is a sign that everything has changed. The entry way to the Holy of Holies which had been only for a chief priest to enter once a year for atonement was now wide open - a physical representation that the way to the Heavenly Father is now opened for all.  No longer through multiple sacrifices, it is now through the blood of the Son of the Living God. That entry gives us direct access to the Father through the Son. There was darkness from 12-3pm and when Christ died, there was a massive earth quake and a Centurian exclaimed, “Surely, this was the Son of God!” Jesus' burial - Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilot to ask for Jesus' body and it was given to him.  God's command in Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.”  The Jewish people followed this command from God and so Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross at His death and didn't allow it to stay on the “pole.” Joseph wrapped the body in cloth and placed Jesus in the tomb that he had recently purchased for himself. Pastor shares archeological and historical evidence of the site of Jesus' burial site under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After Jesus is placed in the tomb the chief priests and pharisees - who do not normally agree with each other - went together to Pilate to remind him that Jesus had said, “After three days I will rise again.”  So Pilate tells them to secure the tomb so that Jesus' disciples could not come steal the body and claim Jesus had risen from the dead. The tomb was secured by sealing it with wax around the stone at the opening of the tomb and a guard was posted. We move into Matthew chapter 28 where we read the story of Jesus resurrection. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb early the next morning when again there is another violent earthquake at the time of Jesus' resurrection. An angel comes down from heaven, rolls the stone of the tomb away from the opening and sits on it, frightening the guard. All the plans of man to do away with Jesus have come to an end. And now God is intervening in a remarkable and powerful and awesome way. Join us next week for the rest of Jesus' amazing resurrection story that is also ours! Visit our website here https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/matthew-discipling Watch the video from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOxHZDaamNk9DaM7h7LejJj7 Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app. We invite you to join us for our Sunday service every Sunday at 9:30am CT (live or on demand) here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

The narrative presented in this episode intricately weaves together the theological significance of Pentecost with the historical legacy of Israel's covenant relationship with God. It posits that the event of Pentecost is not merely an isolated occurrence but is deeply rooted in the Old Testament's rich tapestry of divine communication. The teachings of Glenn Bleakney are pivotal in this discussion, as they illuminate how God has consistently sought to foster a direct relationship with humanity. The episode articulates that the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost serves as a fulfillment of God's long-standing desire for communion, echoing the initial interactions between God and the Israelites at Sinai, where He spoke directly to His people.Listeners are invited to contemplate the implications of the Israelites' decision to distance themselves from God's immediate presence due to fear, leading to a reliance on intermediaries such as Moses. This reliance on human mediators is contrasted with the transformative access to God granted through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The discourse emphasizes that Jesus' ministry was a preparatory phase, equipping His disciples to receive the Holy Spirit, thereby restoring the possibility of direct engagement with the Divine. Ultimately, the episode encourages a re-evaluation of the traditional understanding of spiritual gifts and the role of the Holy Spirit, advocating for a perspective that sees the Spirit as integral to every aspect of life, fostering empowerment, purpose, and connection to God's overarching plan.Takeaways: In this episode, we explore the profound teachings of Glenn Bleakney regarding Pentecost, emphasizing its significance in the broader narrative of divine communication. Bleakney articulates that Pentecost represents not merely a New Testament phenomenon but rather the culmination of God's enduring plan for direct communion with humanity. The discussion reveals that the Holy Spirit serves as the essential conduit for believers to access the intimate presence of God, akin to the experiences of the high priests in the Holy of Holies. We examine how John the Baptist's role was pivotal in preparing the way for Jesus, highlighting the necessity of repentance for aligning with God's divine will and intention. Bleakney provides an enlightening perspective that suggests the Holy Spirit's presence today enables believers to experience a transformative relationship with God, transcending mere intellectual understanding. The episode concludes with an invitation to delve deeper into these themes through the Kingdom Reformation community, fostering a collective journey towards greater spiritual intimacy and empowerment. Links referenced in this episode:kingdomreformation.orgCompanies mentioned in this episode: Kingdom Reformation

God's ultimate purpose for man is that we should be TEMPLES of the LIVING GOD, with God living in us and shining His glory through us. God introduced the concept of Temples (places where God chooses to dwell among men) to the human race from the beginning, which is why temples are in every ancient culture & religion. All EARTHLY TEMPLES of God were patterned according to a heavenly blueprint, the HEAVENLY TEMPLE (Heb 8:5). The Bible describes a sequence of earthly Temples, and all these earthly & heavenly Temples are pictures, encoding revelation of God's ultimate eternal Temple – redeemed Man in Christ. We need to put together all the clues provided by all the different temples, to see how they all harmonise together, to give a complete picture of who we're called to be as His ultimate Temple. All Temples of God have a tripartite structure: (1) HOLY of HOLIES, (2) HOLY PLACE & (3) OUTER COURT. Likewise, we (1) ARE a SPIRIT, (2) HAVE a SOUL, and (3) LIVE in a BODY. Gen 2:7: “The Lord formed man (1) of the dust of the ground (man's BODY), and (2) BREATHED into his nostrils the BREATH of LIFE (man's SPIRIT); and (3) man became a living SOUL.” The fusion of man's SPIRIT (created by God's breath) & BODY (made from the earth) formed his SOUL. We're not just individually Temples of God, but are designed to be part of one great corporate TEMPLE of God consisting of all believers. We're LIVING STONES that fit together into a far greater Temple of God. Each has a unique place in that greater Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are all (1) living stones in the TEMPLE of God the Spirit, (2) members of the FAMILY of God the Father, and (3) members of the BODY of Christ the Son. So, we need to think corporately as well as individually. In Matthew 16, Peter is used as an example of a believer, who comes into and becomes part of God's Temple by faith in Christ (v15-17). Jesus said in v18: “you are Peter (petros, small stone), and ON this ROCK (petra, massive foundation stone) I will build My CHURCH.” The FOUNDATION STONE or ROCK for the Church is CHRIST Himself (1Cor 3:11, 10:4). Peter, an example & picture of all believers, is a small LIVING STONE, that becomes part of the Church, the Temple of God, built on the FOUNDATION ROCK - CHRIST. As living stones built on Christ, we partake of His life & nature (made of the same stuff). He then predicted His death & resurrection (v21). By laying His life down and then rising from the dead, he established Himself as the FOUNDATION STONE for the CHURCH, the TEMPLE of God. The CHURCH only came into existence as the new TEMPLE of God after He laid Himself down as its FOUNDATION STONE in His death & resurrection. In v18, Jesus declared He will BUILD His CHURCH on HIMSELF as the ROCK FOUNDATION. But first, He had to lay Himself down as the Foundation Stone (v21). He's saying in v18-21: “I am the foundation ROCK & foundation SACRIFICE of my new Temple, the Church.” So, thru His death & resurrection, His Temple has a firm FOUNDATION, consecrated to God - the risen CHRIST, who upholds the whole Building before God. Having declared Himself the ROCK-FOUNDATION of His CHURCH, He said: “I first have to die as the foundation Blood Sacrifice, to make this a reality” (v21). He died and was buried as the Foundation Sacrifice, dedicating Himself to God as the FOUNDATION for God's Temple. On the basis of His shed Blood, He was resurrected & established & consecrated to God as the Foundation Stone for God's eternal Temple (Heb 13:20). To be in the Kingdom (Temple) of God, we must enter in through Christ, our Threshold Stone, through faith in His sacrificial death & resurrection for us. To reject His Blood Sacrifice, counting it as something of no value, is to trample on Him & His precious Blood, resulting in eternal punishment (Heb 10:29). CHRIST Himself is the FOUNDATION STONE or ROCK (1Cor 3:11). He completed the laying down of this FOUNDATION of HIMSELF in His death, burial & resurrection. So, He's now our living FOUNDATION. 1Peter 2:4: “COMING to HIM (the risen CHRIST) as to a LIVING STONE (the FOUNDATION STONE), rejected indeed by men (His death), but chosen by God & precious (His resurrection & exaltation).” 1Peter 2:5: “You also, as LIVING STONES, are being BUILT UP (together) as a spiritual HOUSE (upon Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit), a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Thru our union with CHRIST, the LIVING FOUNDATION STONE, we are blessed with His life & nature, and so become LIVING STONES, built together into the Temple of God upon Christ, our Foundation. So, Christ told Peter he was a LIVING STONE, BLESSED with eternal life, part of God's Temple, built on the ROCK of CHRIST, the LIVING FOUNDATION STONE in Matthew 16, and Peter applies this to all believers in 1Peter 2:5. This House is the HOLY TEMPLE of God, the DWELLING PLACE of God (1Cor 3:16-17, Eph 2:21-22).

God's ultimate purpose for man is that we should be TEMPLES of the LIVING GOD, with God living in us and shining His glory through us. God introduced the concept of Temples (places where God chooses to dwell among men) to the human race from the beginning, which is why temples are in every ancient culture & religion. All EARTHLY TEMPLES of God were patterned according to a heavenly blueprint, the HEAVENLY TEMPLE (Heb 8:5). The Bible describes a sequence of earthly Temples, and all these earthly & heavenly Temples are pictures, encoding revelation of God's ultimate eternal Temple – redeemed Man in Christ. We need to put together all the clues provided by all the different temples, to see how they all harmonise together, to give a complete picture of who we're called to be as His ultimate Temple. All Temples of God have a tripartite structure: (1) HOLY of HOLIES, (2) HOLY PLACE & (3) OUTER COURT. Likewise, we (1) ARE a SPIRIT, (2) HAVE a SOUL, and (3) LIVE in a BODY. Gen 2:7: “The Lord formed man (1) of the dust of the ground (man's BODY), and (2) BREATHED into his nostrils the BREATH of LIFE (man's SPIRIT); and (3) man became a living SOUL.” The fusion of man's SPIRIT (created by God's breath) & BODY (made from the earth) formed his SOUL. We're not just individually Temples of God, but are designed to be part of one great corporate TEMPLE of God consisting of all believers. We're LIVING STONES that fit together into a far greater Temple of God. Each has a unique place in that greater Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are all (1) living stones in the TEMPLE of God the Spirit, (2) members of the FAMILY of God the Father, and (3) members of the BODY of Christ the Son. So, we need to think corporately as well as individually. In Matthew 16, Peter is used as an example of a believer, who comes into and becomes part of God's Temple by faith in Christ (v15-17). Jesus said in v18: “you are Peter (petros, small stone), and ON this ROCK (petra, massive foundation stone) I will build My CHURCH.” The FOUNDATION STONE or ROCK for the Church is CHRIST Himself (1Cor 3:11, 10:4). Peter, an example & picture of all believers, is a small LIVING STONE, that becomes part of the Church, the Temple of God, built on the FOUNDATION ROCK - CHRIST. As living stones built on Christ, we partake of His life & nature (made of the same stuff). He then predicted His death & resurrection (v21). By laying His life down and then rising from the dead, he established Himself as the FOUNDATION STONE for the CHURCH, the TEMPLE of God. The CHURCH only came into existence as the new TEMPLE of God after He laid Himself down as its FOUNDATION STONE in His death & resurrection. In v18, Jesus declared He will BUILD His CHURCH on HIMSELF as the ROCK FOUNDATION. But first, He had to lay Himself down as the Foundation Stone (v21). He's saying in v18-21: “I am the foundation ROCK & foundation SACRIFICE of my new Temple, the Church.” So, thru His death & resurrection, His Temple has a firm FOUNDATION, consecrated to God - the risen CHRIST, who upholds the whole Building before God. Having declared Himself the ROCK-FOUNDATION of His CHURCH, He said: “I first have to die as the foundation Blood Sacrifice, to make this a reality” (v21). He died and was buried as the Foundation Sacrifice, dedicating Himself to God as the FOUNDATION for God's Temple. On the basis of His shed Blood, He was resurrected & established & consecrated to God as the Foundation Stone for God's eternal Temple (Heb 13:20). To be in the Kingdom (Temple) of God, we must enter in through Christ, our Threshold Stone, through faith in His sacrificial death & resurrection for us. To reject His Blood Sacrifice, counting it as something of no value, is to trample on Him & His precious Blood, resulting in eternal punishment (Heb 10:29). CHRIST Himself is the FOUNDATION STONE or ROCK (1Cor 3:11). He completed the laying down of this FOUNDATION of HIMSELF in His death, burial & resurrection. So, He's now our living FOUNDATION. 1Peter 2:4: “COMING to HIM (the risen CHRIST) as to a LIVING STONE (the FOUNDATION STONE), rejected indeed by men (His death), but chosen by God & precious (His resurrection & exaltation).” 1Peter 2:5: “You also, as LIVING STONES, are being BUILT UP (together) as a spiritual HOUSE (upon Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit), a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Thru our union with CHRIST, the LIVING FOUNDATION STONE, we are blessed with His life & nature, and so become LIVING STONES, built together into the Temple of God upon Christ, our Foundation. So, Christ told Peter he was a LIVING STONE, BLESSED with eternal life, part of God's Temple, built on the ROCK of CHRIST, the LIVING FOUNDATION STONE in Matthew 16, and Peter applies this to all believers in 1Peter 2:5. This House is the HOLY TEMPLE of God, the DWELLING PLACE of God (1Cor 3:16-17, Eph 2:21-22).

I Am Confident (Identity Series)1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”This is one of the verses that was covered in my class last night.  In case I didn't mention this before, I have enrolled in a two-year program with the Encounter School of Ministry. This school was designed and established from the heart of Encounter Ministries.  This school draws from the richness of our Catholic heritage as we seek to teach, equip, and activate disciples to demonstrate the love of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in their spheres of influence. In conformity with the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church, we offer students a dynamic  2-year training program designed to take them to the next level in their ministry.  I am really loving the class so far.  I truly believe that Jesus gave us all the authority to do signs and wonders here on earth when He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  I am sure I will be using a lot of the Bible verses from class in the podcast so that everyone can see how powerful the Holy Spirit is. This first quarter is all about Identity and Transformation.  Last night, I heard something, and I knew I wanted to share that with all of you.  Our teacher asked us a question.  What is the devil most afraid of?  Do you want to take a guess?  Maybe you already know, but I don't think I did.  The enemy is most afraid of confident sons and daughters of Christ.  Did you know that already?  What does that mean?  What she meant by confident sons and daughters is that we are confident in who we are as sons and daughters of Christ.  We have talked before about how the enemy loves to steal our joy with half-truths.  He takes a kernel of truth and then twists it into a lie that we believe hook, line, and sinker.  Why do we believe it?  Because we are insecure in who we are, and He knows that.  Remember when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and then the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and He went into the wilderness for 40 days?  This can be found in Matthew 3 & 4.  In Matthew 3:16-17 it says, “And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Immediately after this, Jesus went into the desert for 40 days. In Matthew 4:1-3 it says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  Do you see how the devil was trying to get Jesus to question His identity?  God had just said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”  Now the devil is coming in 40 days later when Jesus is hungry and trying to get Him to question His identity.  The devil says, “If you are the Son of God.”  Luckily, God had just affirmed who Jesus was, and Jesus was confident in who He is.  He was not tempted by the devil.  I wonder if we can say the same?Are we confident children of Christ?  Do we let the enemy get in and twist the truth of who we are?  Let's look at this verse and see who we actually are.  The verse says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  It starts out by saying we are a chosen race.  Did you know you were chosen?  God chose you, yes you, to be one of His children.  It says so right here in this verse.  If this is something you struggle to believe, post it somewhere you can read it multiple times a day.  We are a chosen race. You are His chosen child.  Next, it says we are a royal priesthood.  I was not sure exactly how to explain this, so I looked it up and found the answer on lavendervines.com.  “We are a royal priesthood, which means we have direct access and fellowship with God like a priest but are also called to expand the Kingdom of God and influence the world like a king.”  I will post a link to her article as she goes into a lot more detail in her article.  Basically, we have direct access to God; there is nothing in between us like there was in the Old Testament.  The moment Jesus died on our cross, the veil at the temple was torn in two. (Matthew 27:51)  This veil in the temple was meant to keep the Holy of Holies apart from the people.  Only Priests were allowed to go in there.  However, when Jesus died on the cross, that veil was torn in two, and we were granted direct access to the Lord.  That is another thing I learned somewhat recently and something that still amazes me.  We now have direct contact with the Lord. We don't have anything standing between us.  Next, the verse says, “A holy nation, God's own people.”  We are holy, which means to be set apart or different.  We are not the same as everyone else.  We belong to God, and that makes us different.  We don't have to do things on our own or rely on our own strength.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit on our side to help us do what we need to do.  Also, Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  We have a loving father who has set us apart from the ways of the world, and He gives us the power to resist the ways of the world if we call upon it.   Do you believe this?  Do you believe that God has set you apart and that we are called to live differently?  The last part of the verse is one I think we forget often and maybe even the thing we have the most trouble believing or remembering.  It says, “That you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  Do you struggle to believe you've been called out of the darkness and into His marvelous light?  Right now, it may feel like you are stuck in the darkness.  That is a lie the enemy wants you to believe.  Yes, things may seem pretty bleak right now, but you have already been called into the light, and you are not stuck in the darkness.  God is shining His light into that darkness you feel. Can you see it?  Are you looking for it?  Or are you just falling for the lies of the enemy?  If you struggle to believe who you are in Christ, you are not alone.  We all struggle sometimes.  However, the reason I wanted to share this with you today is because we are so much more powerful when we can believe these things, and we can be confident in who we are.  When we know who we are, when we are confident in who we are and whose we are, the enemy can't touch us.  Being confident in who you are doesn't mean you will never be tempted by the enemy; you will.  He will do all he can to get you to doubt who you are.  However, when you are confident, you don't fall for his lies.  He still tries, but you don't give him the time of day.  You don't even listen to His lies because you know he is a liar.  If you go back and read Matthew 4, you will see Jesus didn't get upset at the devil, He didn't get flustered, He just answered the questions of the devil with scripture.  This is one reason why it is so great to get familiar with the Scripture.  If we truly know what the Bible says, it is a lot harder for the devil to use it against us.  It is hard for him to twist it into something it is not if we know what it says.  However, even if you don't know scripture, you can still ignore the enemy if you just remember this one verse.  This verse above says all you need to know.  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Write this somewhere you will see it often.  Memorize this one scripture if it helps you to believe more in your identity as a child of Christ.  Know who you are and whose you are, and the enemy won't be able to get into your heart.  He won't be able to make you doubt.  He will be afraid of you because he knows how much power a confident child of God has.  He knows how powerful we become when we step into our identities.  He knows that when we fully step into our true identity, we are lost to him forever.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we love you, and we accept our place as your sons and daughters.  Lord, please help us to step into this identity fully and not to believe the lies of the enemy.  Help protect us against these lies.  We want to be confident children, Lord; please show us how.  Give us the strength we need to do this.  We are so grateful you have adopted us, Lord; we are thankful you have chosen us and set us apart.  Help us to live in this glorified state.  You are the almighty one. You are Lord of Lords and  Kings of kings.  We are so very grateful for all you do for us, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name. Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I.  Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in August 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “When you look at anyone, see me. They would not exist if I were not giving them life, giving them breath at that very moment. When you look in the mirror, see me. I give you breath. I give you life. I give you food. I give you a kiss.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, February 9, 2025 Knowing all things that were coming upon Him pastor@lbible.org Joh 18:1-4 "These words" refers to all that Jesus said and taught in chapters 14, 15, 16, & 17. Joh 18-20 is the Holy of Holies. These are the events that secured our salvation. 1Co 15:1-4 The apostle John was an eyewitness to these events. Joh 19:34-35 He witnessed first-hand these greatest events in human history. Joh 21:24 Jesus knew His destiny from the outset of His public ministry. John makes that clear. Each chapter has at least one reference to the death and/or resurrection of Christ. Joh 1:29 Joh 2:18-22 Joh 3:14-15 Joh 4:41-42 Joh 5:15-18 Joh 6:51 Joh 7:30 There are 7 references to... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1724

As we've been studying the Tabernacle, we're seeing just how amazing this was and how it pointed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, in our study of Exodus 27 & 28, we'll even see how these details show us the kind of attitude we should have when we approach our Lord. So, join us in another rich study in God's Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    What was the size of the Tabernacle complex that is given in verses 11 & 12? This is smaller than a football field. Are you surprised by this? 2.    According to verse 1, what was the first thing you'd come to in the Tabernacle complex? Generally speaking, what would this have looked like? What was it for?  3.    What was sacrificed on the bronze altar every morning and every evening? Why? How would the sacrificial system show the people of the glory of God and the severity of His wrath towards sin? 4.    Hebrews 9:22 reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Why did mercy first require a substitutionary sacrifice? How does our sin link us with the world's rebellion? How does a sacrifice link us with God's forgiveness?  5.    What were the “horns” of this altar that are mentioned in verse 2? What might these have been used for? What did these horns come to represent in passages such as 1st Kings 2:28? 6.    How many gates led into the Tabernacle complex? How wide was this gate? What did the width of this gate suggest? 7.    Verse 20 & 21 talk about the oil needed to keep the lamp burning. According to Exodus 27:21, how long was it to be kept burning? Where was the oil to come from in verse 20? What does this show us about the contributions of the people and their collective worship of God? 8.    The podcast also touched upon the High Priest's garments in Chapter 28. What was an ephod and what was it for? In Exodus 28:30, what did it contain?  9.    Likewise, in verse 35, the High Priest wore bells. Sometimes people mistakenly suggest this was in case he died on the Day of Atonement while he was in the Holiest of Holies. However, what place is being spoken of in Exodus 35:28? What is the difference between the “Holy Place” and the “Holiest of Holies”? According to Leviticus 16:4, what was the High Priest supposed to wear on the Day of Atonement, when he went into the Holiest of Holies? Therefore, when would these bells be worn and what do you think they were for? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

As we continue in our study of the Tabernacle, today in Exodus 26, we find that the details of this passage are not that daunting, in fact, they're even inspiring as we see that the Lord seeks our simple worship and fellowship; rather than some grand, complex form of worship. Join us as we talk about a place and a people that honor the Lord.  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    What were the dimensions of the Tabernacle? What are some things that the podcast compared these dimensions too? What does this tell us about what should be the focus of worship? If we need a beautiful place to worship God, what might that tell us about the health of our worship?  2.    What were the four layers of curtains that were in the Tabernacle? 3.    When the priest would look up, what would he see? What do you think this reminded him of?  4.    What did the podcast suggest the goat hair blanket signified? How about the layer of ram's skin dyed red? What was the purpose of the final covering that was probably made from the skins of a marine animal? 5.    What were the walls mounted into on the sides and beneath? What suggestion was given in the podcast as to why the Lord designed the Tabernacle this way? 6.    How many rooms was the Tabernacle comprised of? What were their names? What were their dimensions? What separated the two rooms?  7.    What were the three items in the Holy Place? 8.    Who was the only person who could go into the room called “The Holiest of Holies”? When?  9.    What was the shape of this room? What two other places in the Bible have this same shape? Therefore, what was this room pointing to?  10.    The podcast mentions that one of the key purposes of the Tabernacle was to show our separation from the Lord. Why was this necessary? This about the non-believers you know, do they feel separated from God? How might this principle of separation help them understand their true condition before the Lord? 11.    When the veil was torn from top to bottom in Matthew 27:51, what does this show us about how Jesus opened access to God? How should this change our worship of God today?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

The Ark of the Covenant was the holiest and most iconic vessels of the Tabernacle, and subsequently the Temple. It was placed in the Holy of Holies and visited only once a year by the holiest person, the High Priest, on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Inside the Ark were the Tablets […]

The Ark of the Covenant was the holiest and most iconic vessels of the Tabernacle, and subsequently the Temple. It was placed in the Holy of Holies and visited only once a year by the holiest person, the High Priest, on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Inside the Ark were the Tablets of Testimony upon which God inscribed the Ten Commandments. The Ark had a long and storied history. At some point, the Ark was hidden away. For the last 2,500 years, its whereabouts have been mostly unknown. In this Jewish History podcast, can we tell the rich story of the Ark and share what we know about its current whereabouts.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

I have officiated dozens of funerals over the years as a pastor, which means that I was involved in the planning of the service, the delivery of a sermon, and some form of committal service involving the burial of the deceaseds body or placement of the ashes of those bodies that were cremated. The first funeral I officiated was that of my 47-year-old father and since I have been responsible for burying people of all ages as young as grade school to the oldest who was 101 years old. I have been asked to memorialize people from all walks of life, many of whom loved and walked with Jesus as fellow Christians and some who were not Christian. The one thing that every one of the funerals and memorial services I officiated have in common is that every family and friend of the diseased who asked me to officiate the service of their loved one believed and articulated their belief that he/she was in a better place. Just as the old spiritual is true: Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. So, it is true that we will grope for reasons to believe that our loved ones are in a better place regardless of what they believed or even how they lived. Most people do not want death for anyone they love, and when death does come, we want heaven for those we love. After officiating so many funerals, I had come to the place in my experience as a pastor that I believed that I had experienced just about everything there was to experience related to funerals and grieving family member. I am old enough and have seen enough to know better. I remember Ian Whites family who reached out to Northwest Baptist Church (the first church I served as the Lead Pastor in Colorado). Ian was not a Christian, nor was his family; he was found dead on the front steps of his apartment and was 34 years old. I remember their response when I sat down with them to plan Ians memorial service and their request after I asked if they would like a song or two for those present to sing in honor of Ians life. I expected something like Amazing Grace, but Ians family wanted everyone to sing Free Birdby Lynyrd Skynyrd. I remember a woman who started attending the church I planted in Colorado and the grief she carried with her with the death of her husband. I still remember the Sunday she wanted me to know that her dead husband was with her. In that moment I thought she meant his spirit or memory, but no... I discovered what she meant when she opened her purse to show me the urn that contained the ashes of her deceased husband. She brought the urn with her every Sunday she came, and I believe that she even sat her husbands urn on the chair next to her. I guess for this woman, the better place for her husband was in her purse. How do you know if a person who has died is really in a better place? What evidence does one have to make such a claim? What Happens After We Die? One of the things I say at every funeral is that when we die, we will experience the immediate judgment we are warned about throughout the Bible. In Hebrews 9:27-28, we have one such warning: And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. But what kind of judgment are we destined to face? To begin, you need to know that there are two types of judgment every human will face, the first has to do with where our disembodied soul must go, which is temporary. The second judgment we will all face is permanent. For the Christian, the day that you die will be the moment you will be in the presence of Jesus just as we are promised in the Bible: Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lordfor we walk by faith, not by sightbut we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6-8). Jesus told a parable in the Gospel of Luke about a rich man who lived a life of luxury while ignoring the poor man by the name of Lazarus (not to be confused with Jesus friend who Jesus raised to life in John 11:1ff.). In Jesus parable, both men died; Lazarus soul went to where Abrahams soul dwelled while the rich mans soul went to Hades where he suffered torment. Of Hades, the rich man begged for a drop of water to ease his torment because, his words: I am in agony in this flame (see Luke 16:19-31). Before Jesus told His parable about the rich man and Lazarus, He said this about money: No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Luke 16:13). The rich man was not in hell because he ignored Lazarus, he was in hell because he loved his money more than God. Had he loved God, he would not have been able to ignore Lazarus. Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about love or heaven, and he did so for a reason. He spoke so much about hell because he came, to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). The reason why Jesus described the distance between the rich man in hell and Lazarus in heaven as a great chasm is because hell is the place where those are sent who, will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thess. 1:9). Jesus described the place the rich man went to immediately after he died in the following ways: A place of torture (Matt. 18:34), a place where the wicked are cut to pieces (Matt. 24:51), and a place of scourging (Luke 12:47-48), a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 13:42; 24:51; Luke 13:20), and a place of outer darkness (Matt. 22:13; 25:30). Just as there is a new heaven and earth that is promised to the Christian, at the same time there will exist the lake of fire where the devil and his demons will be cast into forever. The lake of fire is described as a place where, ...their worm will not die and their fire will not be extinguished; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind (Isa. 66:24b). In Revelation 20:11-15 we are told of a second judgment that we all will face: Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.... Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. There are only one of two outcomes every person will face the moment of death: eternal life with Jesus that will eventually include a physical resurrection and life on a new and resurrected earth, or eternal death apart from Jesus that will eventually result in eternity in the lake of fire. Neither the lake of fire nor a resurrected life with Jesus on a new earth are temporary, but eternal. So, the question we need to answer is if it is true that every person who dies is in a better place? Jesus Is the Hope of a Better Place There are scores of Bible passages we could have looked at today to discover whether it is true or not that all people eventually go to a better place after they die, but I thought we could settle on Revelation 1:12-18. For me, this is one of the most hopeful and encouraging passages in all the Bible! In verses 12-16, we are given certain details about Jesus to clue us into who He really is. There is a lot packed into these verses that we simply do not have the time to examine, but there are some things that I must show you in order to address the topic of this sermon. Jesus is a Better High Priest First, Jesus is a better priest. Every year, on the Day of Atonement, a high priest would go into the temple in Jerusalem to enter a place called the Holies of Holies to bring a sin offering into the presence of God on behalf of Israel. The high priest would do it with a rope around him just in case he died, and his corpse had to be pulled out due to any sin not yet addressed in his own life before entering. The High Priest wore a long robe and was fitted with a type of belt or sash that was laced with gold. Once a year, every year, the High Priest would act as a representative and advocate for all of Israel. As you know, Jesus died on a cross as the Lamb of God for our sins; when John turned to see the voice that was speaking, He saw Jesus dressed as a High Priest because the sacrifice He made was sufficient to cover all our sins for all time, once and for all. For this reason, Hebrews describes Jesus in the following way: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-12). Jesus is the Only Sufficient Savior What follows in verses 14-17 are characteristics which reveal why Jesus is sufficient to redeem and save sinners such as us. First, His hair is white like wool and as bright as snow because He is profoundly and divinely wise. Yes, Jesus is fully man, but He is also fully God; Jesus is the Son and at the same time He is the ancient of Days with all the wisdom of eternity (see Dan. 7:9-14). Second, Jesus eyes were like a flame of fire which speak of His ability to see and know all things as God can only do. Third, His feet were like burnished bronze to symbolize His omnipotent strength to judge the nations, crush Satan, and triumph over death as the author and giver of life. Forth, Jesus holds the seven stars that serve as the seven messengers to the churches of which He holds in the palm of His hand; the point is that Jesus is also divinely sovereign. Fifth, out of the mouth of the Savior comes a sharp two-edged sword symbolizing His right to Judge as King of kings and Lord of lords. Sixth, the face of Jesus shines like a powerful sun because of His holiness, majesty, and absolute beauty as One worthy of our worship because He is God. Jesus is presented in Revelation 1:14-16 in the way that He is because of what Adam lost in the garden due to his sin and rebellion; Jesus is the only One qualified to redeem what was lost, for He is the second and greater Adam who is fully man and fully God in one Person. Simply put, because of Adams sin, we are sinners under a curse that God alone is able to sufficiently and completely reverse; Jesus was qualified to do just that! Jesus is the Great I AM The One titled the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2), and the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), is the first and the last. Where else have we seen that kind of language: I am the first and the last? I will tell you! We see it in a host of passages, but Isaiah 44:6 will suffice: This is what the Lord says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. Because He is the first and the last He conquered death because, as the Living One, ...it was impossible for Him to be held in its power (Acts 2:24). When John saw Jesus, he fell at His feet like a dead man, but Jesus declared to him: Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore... John had no reason to fear because Jesus stood as a greater High Priest on Johns behalf, He was the sufficient savior John spent a lifetime following, and Jesus was the only One qualified to pay the penalty for Johns sin by becoming a curse in his place. John not only believed this, but trusted that Jesus was all that he needed, and that is why he had not need to fear. Conclusion This Jesus is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). He is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4) and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of our Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), and He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! If all who die eventually go to a better place when there exists a very real hell designed by God for the punishment of sinners, then why did Jesus who is the first and the last willingly take on flesh to become like us for the purpose of dying for us to redeem sinners like us? If some dont go to a better place, but most morally good people do, then why did Jesus say in conclusion to His sermon on the mount: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:13-14). If religious people end up going to a better place, then why did Jesus warn us of the following possibility? Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matt. 7:22-23). If there is another way to a better place other than through and with Jesus, then why in the world did He so confidently and boldly declare the following: If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26) There is a judgment we must all face. The verdict from the moment of conception is this: ...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), and judgment for our guilt: The wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord.

I have officiated dozens of funerals over the years as a pastor, which means that I was involved in the planning of the service, the delivery of a sermon, and some form of committal service involving the burial of the deceaseds body or placement of the ashes of those bodies that were cremated. The first funeral I officiated was that of my 47-year-old father and since I have been responsible for burying people of all ages as young as grade school to the oldest who was 101 years old. I have been asked to memorialize people from all walks of life, many of whom loved and walked with Jesus as fellow Christians and some who were not Christian. The one thing that every one of the funerals and memorial services I officiated have in common is that every family and friend of the diseased who asked me to officiate the service of their loved one believed and articulated their belief that he/she was in a better place. Just as the old spiritual is true: Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. So, it is true that we will grope for reasons to believe that our loved ones are in a better place regardless of what they believed or even how they lived. Most people do not want death for anyone they love, and when death does come, we want heaven for those we love. After officiating so many funerals, I had come to the place in my experience as a pastor that I believed that I had experienced just about everything there was to experience related to funerals and grieving family member. I am old enough and have seen enough to know better. I remember Ian Whites family who reached out to Northwest Baptist Church (the first church I served as the Lead Pastor in Colorado). Ian was not a Christian, nor was his family; he was found dead on the front steps of his apartment and was 34 years old. I remember their response when I sat down with them to plan Ians memorial service and their request after I asked if they would like a song or two for those present to sing in honor of Ians life. I expected something like Amazing Grace, but Ians family wanted everyone to sing Free Birdby Lynyrd Skynyrd. I remember a woman who started attending the church I planted in Colorado and the grief she carried with her with the death of her husband. I still remember the Sunday she wanted me to know that her dead husband was with her. In that moment I thought she meant his spirit or memory, but no... I discovered what she meant when she opened her purse to show me the urn that contained the ashes of her deceased husband. She brought the urn with her every Sunday she came, and I believe that she even sat her husbands urn on the chair next to her. I guess for this woman, the better place for her husband was in her purse. How do you know if a person who has died is really in a better place? What evidence does one have to make such a claim? What Happens After We Die? One of the things I say at every funeral is that when we die, we will experience the immediate judgment we are warned about throughout the Bible. In Hebrews 9:27-28, we have one such warning: And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. But what kind of judgment are we destined to face? To begin, you need to know that there are two types of judgment every human will face, the first has to do with where our disembodied soul must go, which is temporary. The second judgment we will all face is permanent. For the Christian, the day that you die will be the moment you will be in the presence of Jesus just as we are promised in the Bible: Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lordfor we walk by faith, not by sightbut we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6-8). Jesus told a parable in the Gospel of Luke about a rich man who lived a life of luxury while ignoring the poor man by the name of Lazarus (not to be confused with Jesus friend who Jesus raised to life in John 11:1ff.). In Jesus parable, both men died; Lazarus soul went to where Abrahams soul dwelled while the rich mans soul went to Hades where he suffered torment. Of Hades, the rich man begged for a drop of water to ease his torment because, his words: I am in agony in this flame (see Luke 16:19-31). Before Jesus told His parable about the rich man and Lazarus, He said this about money: No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Luke 16:13). The rich man was not in hell because he ignored Lazarus, he was in hell because he loved his money more than God. Had he loved God, he would not have been able to ignore Lazarus. Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about love or heaven, and he did so for a reason. He spoke so much about hell because he came, to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). The reason why Jesus described the distance between the rich man in hell and Lazarus in heaven as a great chasm is because hell is the place where those are sent who, will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thess. 1:9). Jesus described the place the rich man went to immediately after he died in the following ways: A place of torture (Matt. 18:34), a place where the wicked are cut to pieces (Matt. 24:51), and a place of scourging (Luke 12:47-48), a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 13:42; 24:51; Luke 13:20), and a place of outer darkness (Matt. 22:13; 25:30). Just as there is a new heaven and earth that is promised to the Christian, at the same time there will exist the lake of fire where the devil and his demons will be cast into forever. The lake of fire is described as a place where, ...their worm will not die and their fire will not be extinguished; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind (Isa. 66:24b). In Revelation 20:11-15 we are told of a second judgment that we all will face: Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.... Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. There are only one of two outcomes every person will face the moment of death: eternal life with Jesus that will eventually include a physical resurrection and life on a new and resurrected earth, or eternal death apart from Jesus that will eventually result in eternity in the lake of fire. Neither the lake of fire nor a resurrected life with Jesus on a new earth are temporary, but eternal. So, the question we need to answer is if it is true that every person who dies is in a better place? Jesus Is the Hope of a Better Place There are scores of Bible passages we could have looked at today to discover whether it is true or not that all people eventually go to a better place after they die, but I thought we could settle on Revelation 1:12-18. For me, this is one of the most hopeful and encouraging passages in all the Bible! In verses 12-16, we are given certain details about Jesus to clue us into who He really is. There is a lot packed into these verses that we simply do not have the time to examine, but there are some things that I must show you in order to address the topic of this sermon. Jesus is a Better High Priest First, Jesus is a better priest. Every year, on the Day of Atonement, a high priest would go into the temple in Jerusalem to enter a place called the Holies of Holies to bring a sin offering into the presence of God on behalf of Israel. The high priest would do it with a rope around him just in case he died, and his corpse had to be pulled out due to any sin not yet addressed in his own life before entering. The High Priest wore a long robe and was fitted with a type of belt or sash that was laced with gold. Once a year, every year, the High Priest would act as a representative and advocate for all of Israel. As you know, Jesus died on a cross as the Lamb of God for our sins; when John turned to see the voice that was speaking, He saw Jesus dressed as a High Priest because the sacrifice He made was sufficient to cover all our sins for all time, once and for all. For this reason, Hebrews describes Jesus in the following way: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:11-12). Jesus is the Only Sufficient Savior What follows in verses 14-17 are characteristics which reveal why Jesus is sufficient to redeem and save sinners such as us. First, His hair is white like wool and as bright as snow because He is profoundly and divinely wise. Yes, Jesus is fully man, but He is also fully God; Jesus is the Son and at the same time He is the ancient of Days with all the wisdom of eternity (see Dan. 7:9-14). Second, Jesus eyes were like a flame of fire which speak of His ability to see and know all things as God can only do. Third, His feet were like burnished bronze to symbolize His omnipotent strength to judge the nations, crush Satan, and triumph over death as the author and giver of life. Forth, Jesus holds the seven stars that serve as the seven messengers to the churches of which He holds in the palm of His hand; the point is that Jesus is also divinely sovereign. Fifth, out of the mouth of the Savior comes a sharp two-edged sword symbolizing His right to Judge as King of kings and Lord of lords. Sixth, the face of Jesus shines like a powerful sun because of His holiness, majesty, and absolute beauty as One worthy of our worship because He is God. Jesus is presented in Revelation 1:14-16 in the way that He is because of what Adam lost in the garden due to his sin and rebellion; Jesus is the only One qualified to redeem what was lost, for He is the second and greater Adam who is fully man and fully God in one Person. Simply put, because of Adams sin, we are sinners under a curse that God alone is able to sufficiently and completely reverse; Jesus was qualified to do just that! Jesus is the Great I AM The One titled the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2), and the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), is the first and the last. Where else have we seen that kind of language: I am the first and the last? I will tell you! We see it in a host of passages, but Isaiah 44:6 will suffice: This is what the Lord says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. Because He is the first and the last He conquered death because, as the Living One, ...it was impossible for Him to be held in its power (Acts 2:24). When John saw Jesus, he fell at His feet like a dead man, but Jesus declared to him: Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore... John had no reason to fear because Jesus stood as a greater High Priest on Johns behalf, He was the sufficient savior John spent a lifetime following, and Jesus was the only One qualified to pay the penalty for Johns sin by becoming a curse in his place. John not only believed this, but trusted that Jesus was all that he needed, and that is why he had not need to fear. Conclusion This Jesus is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). He is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4) and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of our Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), and He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! If all who die eventually go to a better place when there exists a very real hell designed by God for the punishment of sinners, then why did Jesus who is the first and the last willingly take on flesh to become like us for the purpose of dying for us to redeem sinners like us? If some dont go to a better place, but most morally good people do, then why did Jesus say in conclusion to His sermon on the mount: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:13-14). If religious people end up going to a better place, then why did Jesus warn us of the following possibility? Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matt. 7:22-23). If there is another way to a better place other than through and with Jesus, then why in the world did He so confidently and boldly declare the following: If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26) There is a judgment we must all face. The verdict from the moment of conception is this: ...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), and judgment for our guilt: The wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord.

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/ye6GWXH564A?feature=shareWhy did God want Ezekiel to see this future Millennial Temple of Jesus' thousand-year kingdom?Why does it go into such painstakingly precise (and often “boring') detail?And how was Antiochus Epiphanes able to charge into God's Holy of Holies without dying all those years ago?AND- what does any of this stuff about Ezekiel's vision of a future temple have to do with our lives today? You'll find out the answers to all those questions today on the Cross References podcast!If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to crossreferencespodcast@gmail.comIf you're looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel's visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I'm glad you're here, and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

There are many ways to pray, but praying the will of God never fails. Come discover the journey priests had to make to enter into the Holy of Holies as Judy presents part 2 of this exciting mini-series on Prayer. Visit: https://www.kamtraining4u.com/kam-mentorship-membership - to get access to the courses Judy referred to in this episode.  --- Visit http://www.epicwin4u.com for links  - and for show notes go to https://www.epicwin4u.com/blog/prayer-part-2  - and join in on the conversation @EpicConqerors on Facebook.  - If you enjoy our bi-weekly podcasts and videocasts then simply buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KingJesus

"15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.”"

Read OnlineImmediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.  Luke 1:64This line reveals the happy conclusion to Zechariah's initial failure to believe in what God revealed to him. Recall that nine months earlier, as Zechariah was fulfilling his priestly duty of offering sacrifice within the Holy of Holies in the Temple, he received a visit from the glorious Archangel Gabriel, who stands before God. Gabriel revealed to Zechariah the good news that his wife would conceive in her old age and that this child would be the one to prepare the people of Israel for the coming Messiah. What an incredible privilege that would have been! But Zechariah disbelieved. And as a result, the Archangel struck him mute for the nine months of his wife's pregnancy.The punishments of the Lord are always gifts of His grace. Zechariah was not punished out of spite, or for punitive reasons. Instead, this punishment was more like a penance. He was given the humbling penance of losing his ability to speak for nine months for a good reason. It appears as if God knew that Zechariah needed nine months to silently reflect upon what the Archangel had said. He needed nine months to ponder his wife's miraculous pregnancy. And he needed nine months to ponder who this child would be. And those nine months produced the desired effect of a full conversion of heart.After the child was born, it was expected that this firstborn son would be named after the father, Zechariah. But the Archangel had told Zechariah that the child was to be named John. Therefore, on the eighth day, the day of his son's circumcision when he was presented to the Lord, Zechariah wrote on a tablet that the baby's name was John. This was an act of faith and a sign that he had fully turned from disbelief to belief. And it was this act of faith that undid his prior doubt.Every one of our lives will be marked by failures to believe on the deepest level of faith. For that reason, Zechariah is a model for us of how we are to deal with our failures. We deal with them by allowing the consequences of past failures to change us for the good. We learn from our mistakes and move forward with new resolutions. This is what Zechariah did, and this is what we must do if we wish to learn from his good example.Reflect, today, upon any sin you have committed that has had painful consequences in your life. As you ponder that sin, the real question is where you go from here. Do you allow that past sin, or lack of faith, to dominate and control your life? Or do you use your past failures to make new resolutions and decisions for the future so as to learn from your mistakes? It takes courage, humility and strength to imitate the example of Zechariah. Seek to bring these virtues into your life this day.Lord, I know I lack faith in my life.  I fail to believe all that You speak to me.  As a result, I often fail to put Your words into action.  Dear Lord, when I suffer as a result of my weakness, help me to know that this and all suffering can result in giving glory to You if I renew my faith.  Help me, like Zechariah, to return to You always, and use me as an instrument of Your manifest glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Birth and Naming of St John the Baptist by Barent Fabritius, via Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main