Podcasts about i jesus

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Best podcasts about i jesus

Latest podcast episodes about i jesus

Predikningar Ryttargårdskyrkan
På Majestätets högra sida i höjden

Predikningar Ryttargårdskyrkan

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 23:18


Fredrik LignellFristående predikningarhttps://www.ryttargardskyrkan.se/app/undervisning/pa-majestatets-hogra-sida-i-hojden-arafdHebr 1:1-4Nya Testamentet har en gränslöst hög syn på Jesus. Allt i hela historien, också den bibliska, har pekat fram emot Jesus, och allt i hela världen förändras i och med Jesus. Förr, säger Hebreerbrevets okände författare, talade Gud genom profeterna. Men nu, vid denna tidens slut, har han talat genom sin Son. Jesus är Guds tilltal till världen. Här får vi syn på Guds natur, på Guds syn på människan, på Guds barmhärtighet och på Guds plan med världen. Allt har sitt epicentrum i berättelsen om Jesus från Nasaret. Notera att Hebreerbrevets författare menar att i och med Jesu liv, död, uppståndelse och himmelsfärd är den yttersta tiden inledd. Här börjar den nya skapelsen, även om det inte syns än. Gud har skapat världen genom sin Son. Paulus uttrycker samma sak så här: "Allt är skapat genom Honom och till Honom." (Kol 1) Jesus är skapelsens ursprung, den ur vilken allt detta kommit till, och han är också dess mål. Allt är skapat för att ära Jesus. På det sättet är han början – ursprunget och upphovet till allt – och slutet – den för vars skull allting existerar. Han är utstrålningen av Guds härlighet och en avbild av Hans väsen. I Jesus blev Fadern synlig. Ingen annanstans kan man se Gud som i snickarsonen från Galileens landsbygd. Han bär upp allt i kraften av sitt ord. Världen finns för att Gud vill det, och den bärs upp av Jesu ord. Han har renat oss från synden. Vi sa det härom veckan: Du behöver inte bära din egen skuld, din egen skam, din egen synd. Jesus har renat dig! Nu sitter han på Majestätets högra sida i höjden. Detta är supertungt i urkyrkan! Gång på gång påminner de om att Jesus trätt in i himlen. Innan Jesus lämnar lärjungarna säger han till dem:”Åt mig har getts all makt i himlen och på jorden.” Gå därför ut… (Matt. 28:18) Han, som är både Gud och människa, och som besegrat all ondska, djävulskap och död, sitter från den stunden på hela universums kungatron. Inte så att han ska bli kung en dag, utan är det redan nu. Deras insikt: Jesus är i himlen och regerar hela världen, och en dag ska han komma åter och fullborda det. Lyssna till hur centralt detta är i texterna: Rom 14:9Ef 1:21Fil 2:8-9 1 Petr 3:21b-22Upp 1:4-6Men är Jesus alltså frånvarande? När Han träder in i himlen är Han därmed närvarande överallt. Den som är i himlen kan samtidigt vara närvarande överallt på jorden. Missionsbefallningen i Matt 28 fortsätter: ”…jag är med er alla dagar…” Jesu himmelsfärd visar att Guds rum och vårt rum inte är långt ifrån varandra. Det två är separata och med olika identiteter, men de berör varandra och möts på massor av sätt redan nu. Och ändå: Jesus är närvarande och frånvarande på samma gång. Blir det inte mer än det här? Jo, det kan du ge dig på! En dag ska Guds och vår värld smältas samman, då Jesus kommer tillbaks och hela skapelsen, hela den skapade tillvaron, ska bli ny. Så vad spelar detta för roll? Genom hela Hebreerbrevet, som vi inledde med, löper uppmaningen: Håll dig till Jesus. Lita på att ingen hjälper bättre. Lita på att inget hopp är större och starkare. Lita på att ingen frid är djupare. Och svär inga trohetseder mot några politiska partier, höger eller vänster, -ismer, nationer (varken din hemnation eller någon annan), svär ingen trohet mot några flaggor eller någon nationalism. Ingen annan är herre. Ingen annan är värd vår blinda lydnad och tillbedjan. Allt kretsar kring Jesus. Allt handlar om Jesus. Allt ska sammanfattas i Jesus. -------------------...

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach
Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 1:00


Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”            MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.". These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Come Holy Spirit” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Come Holy Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Special Introduction – The Spiritual Discipline of Giving: We are challenged by God to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse (church) because God tells us that we cannot out give Him. After all, everything we have is from God. Our gifts to God should be from our first fruits and not our last fruits. Developing the discipline of returning our first fruits to God breaks the hold of materialism on our lives. Today's Message – Come Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a presence of God in the Trinity of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us, as our counselor, always pointing to Jesus in truth. People are not convicted and converted in their hearts and minds to become followers of Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, not much will be accomplished. It is impossible to be a Christian and to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The character of Jesus' followers is manifested through their lives bringing forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as presented in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control . . .”. Otherwise, our lives will only reflect the fruit of the flesh as presented in Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these . . .". The Holy Spirit seeks to work through us in a way that those around us see the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of the flesh. What do people see when they look at Your life? As followers of Jesus, we need to live through God's gift to us of the power inherent in the Holy Spirit.     TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 23:5; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 1:39; Acts 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16; Acts 2:42; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:6-7; John 3:4-8; John 14:16; John 16:7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Video Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Come Holy Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Special Introduction – The Spiritual Discipline of Giving: We are challenged by God to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse (church) because God tells us that we cannot out give Him. After all, everything we have is from God. Our gifts to God should be from our first fruits and not our last fruits. Developing the discipline of returning our first fruits to God breaks the hold of materialism on our lives. Today's Message – Come Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a presence of God in the Trinity of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us, as our counselor, always pointing to Jesus in truth. People are not convicted and converted in their hearts and minds to become followers of Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, not much will be accomplished. It is impossible to be a Christian and to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The character of Jesus' followers is manifested through their lives bringing forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as presented in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control . . .”. Otherwise, our lives will only reflect the fruit of the flesh as presented in Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these . . .". The Holy Spirit seeks to work through us in a way that those around us see the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of the flesh. What do people see when they look at Your life? As followers of Jesus, we need to live through God's gift to us of the power inherent in the Holy Spirit.     TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 23:5; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 1:39; Acts 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16; Acts 2:42; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:6-7; John 3:4-8; John 14:16; John 16:7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, the Light of the World

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 33:17


The post iJesus – Jesus, the Light of the World appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 33:03


The post iJesus – Jesus, The Way, the Truth, and the Life appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, The Bread of Life

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 34:11


The post iJesus – Jesus, The Bread of Life appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, The Resurrection and the Life

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 34:16


The post iJesus – Jesus, The Resurrection and the Life appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, The Son of God

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 27:08


The post iJesus – Jesus, The Son of God appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Morgonandakten
Jesu bönbok – Britta Hermansson

Morgonandakten

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 7:08


Vi är mitt inne i Stilla veckan och idag möter vi Britta Hermansson, pastor i Equmeniakyrkan, som tar sin utgångspunkt i Jesu bönbok. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Ur andakten:Jag längtar alltid efter ett språk som är begripligt. Särskilt för en så stor kristen högtid som påsken. Det är en allvarstyngd vecka och inte minst lever vi med en stor oro i världen. När oron slår till eller kryper inpå i ens eget liv, så är det svårt att tänka på annat. Jag läser ur Psaltaren, den bok Jesus ofta återvände till som sin bönbok. I Jesus egen bönebok finns ett språk som hjälper mig i Stilla veckans dramatik. Språket överraskar lite i den här översättningen av Eugene Peterson. Gud, nu är det dags! Svara, Gud, med kärlek! Svara och lova mig frälsning! Rädda mig ur träsket; låt mig inte gå under för gott…Vad finns nu i ditt liv som oroar? Kanske en utflugen mening som du nu tror eller vet har sårat någon. En behandling som kanske inte botar, en konflikt i din närhet, relationer som inte hittar fram eller världens hårda ordväxlingar och ett klimat som inte går att känna igen.Nu finns tid att följa Jesus och att be om hjälp med det som behöver få ett språk. Vad är det i ditt eget liv och i vår värld som du just nu vill ta med in i påskens stora drama?Text:Psaltaren 69 ur Bibeln: The Message av Eugene Peterson i svensk översättning och bearbetning av Felix Larsson och Maria StoreMusik:Elegi för violoncell & piano Op 24 c-moll av Gabriel Fauré med Sheku Kanneh-Mason i en version för violoncell & celloensemble av Simon ParkinProducent: Susanna Némethliv@sverigesradio.se

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, the True Vine

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 35:36


The post iJesus – Jesus, the True Vine appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Nelson Christian Church
iJesus – Jesus, the Good Shepherd

Nelson Christian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 32:59


The post iJesus – Jesus, the Good Shepherd appeared first on Nelson Christian Church.

Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
How do I get to heaven? (hint: He'll find you) S28e106 Jn14:1

Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 7:25 Transcription Available


Everybody wants to know How Do I Get To Heaven? Even more practically, how do I even FIND the place?Today's passage tells us precisely: I (Jesus)will find you. I will take you there. I will take you to a place prepared. I will take you to the place where God lives.Who gets to go on this amazing journey? Those who are found faithful in Him. This is worth 7 minutes of your time. Tomorrow probably is too, so subscribe: https://youtu.be/nTl0alrzVwU

Sermon Audio – Cross of Grace
Widows, Lepers, and Foreigners, Oh My

Sermon Audio – Cross of Grace

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025


Luke 4:21-30Then he began to say to them, "Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!" And you will say, "Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum."And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet, Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. If you heard last Sunday's sermon, it was full of good news, but I warned you that things were going to change. Back in Nazareth, Jesus' hometown – his friends, family, and neighbors had heard what he'd been up to – preaching and teaching his way around Galilee, and when he showed up in the synagogue, where we find him, still, today – he had that good news for them, which he has been anointed by God to share: “good news for the poor, release for the captives, recovery of sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord's favor.”And they were all over it. Their home-town boy made good. A local hero. An anointed prophet, filled with spirit and good news and so many gracious words falling from his lips.And Jesus knows they'd like more than just to hear about these things. They'd like to see some of his best work, too, which is why he kind of teases them with that old proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself.” “Show us a trick.” “Give us a show.” “Let's see just how ‘anointed' you really are.”He knows what else they're thinking, too: “Jesus, do something for us – your family, friends, and neighbors – like we've heard you've been doing out there in the world. Release some captives, here. Heal some of us who are sick. Give some of the Lord's favor to those of us who know you best, now that you're home. If you're doing it for them, surely you can do it for us, too.”But Jesus reminds them – not so subtly – that this “Lord's favor” the prophets spoke of wasn't about playing favorites, or taking sides, or “us and them.”He reminds them about how – during a famine once, way back in the day – when all of Israel – the nation of God's chosen ones – could have used a little release and recovery and a dose of the Lord's favor, the prophet Elijah was sent outside the fold, to help some widow at Zarephath in Sidon. And he reminds them about how, during the good ol' days of the prophet Elisha, there were plenty of Hebrew lepers who could have used a cleansing, but that God sent the prophet to an outsider – some foreigner named Naaman, from Syria.And when they hear it, Jesus' newly minted fans lose their minds. They turn on a dime. They turn on Jesus. And they run him out of the synagogue, and straight out of town.“You mean this grace and favor and this recovery and release stuff isn't just for us?!” “You mean we aren't supposed to look out for number one?!?!” “You mean we don't take care of our own, first, and then pick and choose who we think might be worthy?!?!?” “You mean this ‘recovery' and ‘release' and ‘freedom' and ‘favor' is for them, just as much as it is for us?”And, to begin to grasp what was so upsetting and unsettling to Jesus' hometown crowd, we need to be reminded about the insignificance of these widows and these lepers and these foreigners about whom he was telling them. They were at the bottom of the barrel as far as social standing was concerned. They were outcasts. They were outsiders. They were unclean, unworthy, unloveable, and unwanted by the rest of the world. (They were probably undocumented, too, if you know what I mean.)Because, not only was Jesus talking about the outcast, the sinner, the shamed, and the shameful, he was talking about people outside of the Jewish circle. Jesus was saying that, just like the prophets Elijah and Elisha had shown … foreigners to Israel were welcome to the grace of God, too. Not only was God's grace for losers – like lepers and widows – but it was even for Gentile widows and Gentile lepers, too. Which seems to imply that there wasn't anyone beyond the reach of God's love, or beyond the reach of Jesus' own ministry, as a result.Could this be a more hard, holy, timely lesson for us, these days? If Jesus walked into the midst of his people this morning – Christian churches on Sunday morning, filled with those of us who call ourselves, friends and family and brothers and sisters and siblings in Christ – what would HE find, and what would WE do, if he reminded us about the likes of Naaman, the Syrian, or about that widow from Zarephath in Sidon – outsiders and outcasts and foreigners, too?It reminds me of how Bishop Mariann Budde, from the National Cathedral simply, humbly, faithfully, graciously, kindly asked our President to show mercy to immigrants who are afraid of what border policies and deportation practices could mean for them and their families – and about how at least one US Congressman proposed she be deported for it; the 21st Century, American version of being hurled off a cliff, you might say.It makes me think of the rabbit hole of reels and Tik Toks I found myself in, just this week, where Christian-flavored people spend a lot of time explaining why women can't be and shouldn't be allowed to be priests and pastors in the Church. These were men and women, young and old, red and yellow, black and white followers of Jesus – in the year of our Lord, 2025 – who are blind to the fact that, other than Jesus, the very first person EVER to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, was Mary Magdalene on that first Easter morning.It makes me think, too, of a conversation at the Wellness Center, right around the corner – and quite recently – where someone made note of how, as more people of color find their way there that “the quality of the clientele seems to be going downhill.” I couldn't help but wonder where she might be worshiping Jesus this morning.And did you know that just this past Monday, the Idaho House of Representatives passed a memorial suggesting the US Supreme Court reconsider – and undo – the legalization and protection of same-sex marriage in our country? Heather Scott, the Idaho state representative behind it all, blamed it on Jesus, suggesting that Christians across the nation are being targeted by having to welcome the idea of marriage equality.The sad truth is, too many Christians are still too busy looking for cliffs whenever the message of God's grace and love and mercy and favor gets too wide and too mighty and too scary and too uncomfortable and asks too much of us. And Naaman, the Syrian, and that widow at Zarephath, in Sidon – and those knuckleheads in Nazareth – are all just First Century examples of our 21st Century reality.So today, “this Scripture that is fulfilled in our hearing,” convicts us to ask, who are the 21st Century “widows” and “lepers” among us – because none of this is about widow and lepers anymore. Who are the unloved, the unloveable, the unworthy, or the unwanted as we sit here this morning? Even more, who do we pretend is outside the circle of God's grace as far as Christians in the Church and our community are concerned?We can try to limit God's grace or draw lines in the sand and keep it for ourselves. We can even vote for politicians and policies that do our bidding one way or another. And we can pretend that Jesus' preaching and teaching has nothing to do with those politicians or those policies.We could even try to silence the truth by running the messenger out of town or by hurling him off a cliff or by nailing him to a cross – but we have been there and we've done that and we know how that story ends.Or, rather, we know how that story begins, thanks be to God.Because it is the resurrection that reminds us that God's grace will be shared – no matter what. It will bring good news to the poor. It will release the captive. It will restore sight to the blind. It will let the oppressed go free. The Lord's favor will be proclaimed – whether you and I – Jesus' friends, family, and neighbors are on board or not.And what always gets me when I hear about Jesus' near-death experience that day in Nazareth, is the invitation to get with the program. What I hear is a call to the Church – our congregation at Cross of Grace and the larger Church as God's people in the world – to not be left standing on the cliff like the people of Nazareth, only to find that Jesus has passed through the midst of us – untouched.What I don't want any of us to find is that he's continued on his way sharing grace, doing justice, and offering God's blessings to a world so desperate for it, but that we were too busy or too angry, too self-absorbed or too blind, too partisan or too proud, too selfish or too scared, to join him in that work.Amen

Days of Praise Podcast
The Bright and Morning Star

Days of Praise Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025


“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” (Revelation 22:16) The epilogue of... More...

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach
Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 1:00


Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.".   These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Beginnings in Prayer – Part 1: How is Your Prayer Life; Is Anything in Your Life More Important than Prayer?” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach
Beginnings in Prayer – Part 1: How is Your Prayer Life; Is Anything in Your Life More Important than Prayer?

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 25:00


Beginnings in Prayer – Part 1: How is Your Prayer Life; Is Anything in Your Life More Important than Prayer? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Part I: Be ready for the Lord and pay attention to and for His second coming. “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” We, as believers, should be aware of God's signs as they arise. Part II: Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God's presence in all our lives' activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don't we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." Relationships, especially your personal relationship with God, are two-way -- listening and speaking. Sometimes, in our prayers, it is more important to listen for and to God than to speak and ask. Spending time with God, in sweet fellowship and in conversation, happens when we make prayer an important priority in a life filled with faith, repentance, and trust. God wants us to “pray without ceasing” and as a part of all our life activities. If prayer is so essential to a Christian way of life, why is our Prayer Life so insufficient? We don't have a sufficient Prayer Life because: 1) we don't know that prayer is important -- ignorance; 2) we don't know how to pray -- knowledge; 3) we are too busy to pray -- priority; 4) we don't really believe prayer will help or prayer will be effective -- faith; 5) we don't want to face the sin in our lives – repentance; 6) we may be afraid to pray – trust; and 7) our past history with prayer – experience,. To recharge our Prayer Life this week, perform this exercise: for five minutes each day, pray about a – 1) situation, 2) circumstance, and a 3) person or relationship. Imagine what our lives and the lives of our community and country would be like if we were a people of prayer with a sufficient Prayer Life!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 2:1-6; James 4:2-3; Matthew 7:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-17. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE LINK: www.awordfromthelord.org DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Video Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach
Beginnings in Prayer – Part 1: How is Your Prayer Life; Is Anything in Your Life More Important than Prayer?

Video Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 25:00


Beginnings in Prayer – Part 1: How is Your Prayer Life; Is Anything in Your Life More Important than Prayer? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Part I: Be ready for the Lord and pay attention to and for His second coming. “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” We, as believers, should be aware of God's signs as they arise. Part II: Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God's presence in all our lives' activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don't we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." Relationships, especially your personal relationship with God, are two-way -- listening and speaking. Sometimes, in our prayers, it is more important to listen for and to God than to speak and ask. Spending time with God, in sweet fellowship and in conversation, happens when we make prayer an important priority in a life filled with faith, repentance, and trust. God wants us to “pray without ceasing” and as a part of all our life activities. If prayer is so essential to a Christian way of life, why is our Prayer Life so insufficient? We don't have a sufficient Prayer Life because: 1) we don't know that prayer is important -- ignorance; 2) we don't know how to pray -- knowledge; 3) we are too busy to pray -- priority; 4) we don't really believe prayer will help or prayer will be effective -- faith; 5) we don't want to face the sin in our lives – repentance; 6) we may be afraid to pray – trust; and 7) our past history with prayer – experience,. To recharge our Prayer Life this week, perform this exercise: for five minutes each day, pray about a – 1) situation, 2) circumstance, and a 3) person or relationship. Imagine what our lives and the lives of our community and country would be like if we were a people of prayer with a sufficient Prayer Life!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 2:1-6; James 4:2-3; Matthew 7:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-17. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE LINK: www.awordfromthelord.org DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Table Talks
Søndagsteksten Luk 2:25-35 (2018)

Table Talks

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 30:07


Vi republiserer denne innspillingen fra 2018 av teksten til Romjulssøndag. Simeon, en mann som levde nær Ånden, ventet på Israels trøst. Og han fikk se den når Josef og Maria kom til Jerusalem med sitt barn, Jesus. I Jesus-barnet fikk Simeon se Guds frelse for alle folk, og det var nok for ham.Table talks: Søndagsteksten produseres av foross.no. Hver mandag kan du høre en samtale om kommende søndags tekst mellom tre personer. Denne ukens deltakere er Vegard Svendsen og Øivind Ruud Kringstad.

For All The Saints
MIT Professor: A.I, Algorithms & The Atonement Of Jesus Christ - Rosalind Picard | 56

For All The Saints

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 62:59


Dr Rosalind W Picard is an American scholar and inventor who is Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab, and co-founder of the startups Affectiva and Empatica. She has received many recognitions for her research and inventions.I wanted to speak to Dr Picard about her conversion from self-professed proud atheist to powerful Christian tech pioneer. Some highlights from this episode include Dr Picard's thoughts on an A.I Jesus, how complex computing taught Dr Picard about our journey to understand God, and what it takes for Dr Picard to teach a computer to recognise emotion.--You can find more of Dr Picard's work at the following links:- https://web.media.mit.edu/~picard/- https://x.com/RosalindPicardFollow For All The Saints on social media for updates and inspiring content:www.instagram.com/forallthesaintspodhttps://www.facebook.com/forallthesaintspod/For All The Saints episodes are released every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVDUQg_qZIU&list=UULFFf7vzrJ2LNWmp1Kl-c6K9Qhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3j64txm9qbGVVZOM48P4HS?si=bb31d048e05141f2https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/for-all-the-saints/id1703815271If you have feedback or any suggestions for topics or guests, connect with Ben & Sean via hello@forallthesaints.org or DM on InstagramConversations to Refresh Your Faith.For All The Saints podcast was established in 2023 by Ben Hancock to express his passion and desire for more dialogue around faith, religious belief, and believers' perspectives on the topics of our day. Tune into For All The Saints every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.Follow For All The Saints on social media for daily inspiration.

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach
Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 1:00


Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.". These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach
Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 21:22


Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-32): Rejoicing in Heaven As Christians, we tend to easily walk away from Jesus, but He rejoices when we return. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Young Son: The younger son, firstly, took his inheritance, for which he was not yet entitled, and abandoned his father and family to move to a “distant country”. These were the actions of someone who abandoned his responsibilities, disrespected his father, broke off his relationship with his father, and then treated his father as being dead. In the “distant country”, the younger son quickly squandered his inheritance through sinful living. Being destitute in the “distant country” that was experiencing a severe famine, the younger son hired himself out to tend pigs (NOTE: For a Jewish person of that period, it was an abomination to work with pigs.). Also, he was starving; therefore, the son ate the food rejected by the pigs. However, in the desperate situation in the “distant country”, the young son “came to his senses” – he had an inner awakening. As a part of coming to his senses, the son, as described in Luke 15:17-20a, remembered and returned to his father: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father.”. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Father: As requested by the younger son, the father gave the younger son his unentitled inheritance; and, without resistance, the father let his young son leave. When the young son “came to his senses” and returned to his father from a “distant country”, the father saw his son returning; and the father ran, thereby disgracing himself, to meet the young son while the son was still a great distance away. The father's heart was filled with compassion and love upon the return of the young son – the father was expressing unmerited and unsolicited love for his returning son. The young son had disgraced and disrespected his father, and the young son deserved to be punished. However, the father took all the hurt, disrespect, and punishment merited by his young son on himself. The father expressed this punishment merited by the young son when the father ran to his son; accepted and restored the son back into his family without question; and celebrated the return of the young son. The father, in this parable, demonstrates God's love that God gives to us when we return to Him from a “distant country” of sin and broken fellowship. When we return to God, we see His love for us, but not for our sins and our actions that broke our personal relationship with Him. We and the young son must face the consequences of our sin when we walk away from God: but through Jesus' acceptance of the cost of our sins on the cross and through our repentance, we can return to the love and fellowship offered by God. Summary: When we return from walking away from God, He rejoices; and there is rejoicing in heaven. God's perspective, regarding someone who has walked away from Him, is expressed, in Luke 15:31-32, when the father is explaining to his older son why he is accepting and celebrating the return of his young son from a “distant country”: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”. This parable clearly reflects that God wants intimacy and a personal relationship with us, and it hurts God when we walk away from His relationship with us. However, God and Heaven rejoice when we repent and return! As we consider those around us who have rejected and walked away from God, what should we do for them? We should: 1) pray, asking God to invade their life and circumstances to the point they will want to return to Him; 2) love them where they are – we can't rescue them; 3) “let them go” – they have intentionally rejected God (as the young son rejected his father), and our chasing after them may harden their heart to God; and 4) like the father in the parable, “be looking and expecting” their return – when they return, we need to embrace the one returning, with the love of God, like the father embracing and accepting his young son in the parable.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Luke 15:11-32; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Psalms 45:1-17. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Just A Voice KJV
Revelation 22

Just A Voice KJV

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 3:58


I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/james-balson/support

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach
Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2024 1:00


Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.".   These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f  SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Come Holy Spirit” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Come Holy Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Special Introduction – The Spiritual Discipline of Giving: We are challenged by God to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse (church) because God tells us that we cannot out give Him. After all, everything we have is from God. Our gifts to God should be from our first fruits and not our last fruits. Developing the discipline of returning our first fruits to God breaks the hold of materialism on our lives. Today's Message – Come Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a presence of God in the Trinity of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us, as our counselor, always pointing to Jesus in truth. People are not convicted and converted in their hearts and minds to become followers of Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, not much will be accomplished. It is impossible to be a Christian and to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The character of Jesus' followers is manifested through their lives bringing forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as presented in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control . . .”. Otherwise, our lives will only reflect the fruit of the flesh as presented in Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these . . .". The Holy Spirit seeks to work through us in a way that those around us see the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of the flesh. What do people see when they look at our lives? As followers of Jesus, we need to live through God's gift to us of the power inherent in the Holy Spirit.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 23:5; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 1:39; Acts 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16; Acts 2:42; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:6-7; John 3:4-8; John 14:16; John 16:7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Boys' Bible Study
A Wave of Kindness (2023) TEASER

Boys' Bible Study

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 5:05


Subscribe today for access to our full catalog of bonus episodes, including 2+ new episodes every month! www.patreon.com/boysbiblestudy A random act of kindness can make someone's day… but what if I really didn't need my day to be made? In A WAVE OF KINDNESS, a man named Ernesto shows kindness to strangers by waving at them from the side of the road every day while wearing a hat that says “I ❤️ JESUS”. No one can really explain why this is kind or helpful, but Ernesto does it nonetheless, and attracts a local reputation for his efforts. When Ernesto fails to show up to his usual spot for a few days, a young journalist named Lance (played by Braeden Sorbo, son of Kevin) decides to try to locate and profile him, after his boss at the local paper (Kevin Sorbo) threatens to fire Lance if he can't come up with a happy, inspiring news story by the end of the week. Working on the story about Ernesto has a healing effect on Lance, who has buried himself in his work ever since the death of his mother in a texting and driving accident, a tragedy that fractured his family. Lance's father drinks and Lance's younger sister stays out late partying and smoking cigarettes, but when Lance finds Ernesto in the hospital, the whole family unites to help him the way that he helped them. A WAVE OF KINDNESS would be a heartwarming movie except for the fact that it is completely incoherent from start to finish, and it never proves its claim that Ernesto's actions have any effect on the world around him. It's a common Christian pop cultural trope that symbolic actions can have real world power, but A WAVE OF KINDNESS still manages to be one of the least believable faith-based films ever made, despite its very simple premise. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

Jesus in My Life Podcast
84. Zach: Never Suffering Alone!

Jesus in My Life Podcast

Play Episode Play 57 sec Highlight Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 50:09


We hardly declare John 16:33 as God's promise but it is a promise. It reads, "I (Jesus) have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”Suffering is something we ignore and reject in our journey with Jesus. Often, we get confused and filled with doubt in seasons of suffering. In this compelling and encouraging episode, Zack shares his story in a very authentic and real way. It has been in the greatest trials, loss, deep grief and suffering that has brought him closer to the cross and peace of Jesus. The greatest promise Jesus wants to show and give you in suffering is that He is with you and will never leave you alone. Are you suffering? Be encouraged by listening to Zack's 'Jesus In My Life' story! Support the showWant to support Jesus in My Life Podcast, please consider supporting us with a small monthly contribution, details at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2004457/supporters/newContact us at: jesusinmylifepodcast@gmail.comFollow us Online on: TikTok@jesusinmylifepodcastFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/jesusinmylifepodcast

New Song Students OKC
As It Is In Heaven - What Needs To Shift

New Song Students OKC

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 47:19


3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules” ….17 “Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”Daniel 9:3-5, 17-19 (ESV)2 “When you pray, say:'Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come,Your will be done,On earth as it is in heaven.'”Luke 11:2 (NKJV)“What needs to shift?”We have a role to play in living in God's kingdom, doing God's will, and making earth as it is in heaven…and that happens  “when we pray” (Luke 11:2)“There are many other things Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I suppose the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.”John 21:25 (NCV)Jesus begins his instructions on prayer by issuing an expectation for us to pray“He (Jesus) said, ‘When you pray,' which means you learn how to pray by praying…prayer is on the job training, and you grow by doing it…When it comes to prayer, I always tell people to start, and the Holy Spirit will begin to teach them as they pray.“Corey Russell“Have felt led to pray for others this winter like never before. I never before knew what it was to work all day and then pray all night before God for another. In college, or at parties at home, I used to keep such hours for myself, or pleasures, and can I not do as much for God and for souls?“John Hyde“the effect was felt throughout all India, and the breath of Heaven sweeping over the land could be traced to the kneeling figure of 'Praying Hyde”“Give me souls, or I die.“John “Praying” Hyde“True prayer is the trading of the heart with God.“Charles Spurgeon“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”Ezekiel 36:26-27 (KJV)1)Prayer shifts our source.“I believe in the truthfulness of this instinct (when man calls out to God in moments of distress), and I believe that man prays because there is something in prayer. When the creator gives His creature the power of thirst, it is because water exists to meet that thirst. When He creates hunger, there is food to correspond to appetite. Even so, when He inclines man to pray, it is because prayer has a corresponding blessing connected with it.“Charles Spurgeon2) Prayer shifts our perspective.“Jesus allowed His disciples to watch him pray because He wanted them to watch Him engage with the Father in Heaven.”Corey Russell“When you think prayer, you think list, but I (Jesus) think person. I want to introduce you to a person, a place, and the person's name. It's our Father in heaven, by the way…”Corey Russell3) Prayer shifts our will.Intercession is the action of intervening (through prayer) on behalf of another“19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”Daniel 9:19 (ESV)“2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”Daniel 10:2-3 (ESV)4)Prayer shifts what we occupy (position of persistence)James 5:16-17 (NKJV) says “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”“4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightening, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 12 Then he said to me, 'Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the king of Persia, and 14 came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days.'”Daniel 10:4-6,12-14 (ESV)“the word prince has the idea of a ruler or authority. This fits well with the New Testament idea that angelic ranks are organized and have a hierarchy. These angelic ranks seem to include both faithful angels and fallen angels (demons). Apparently, this (prince of Persia) was a demon of high rank that opposed the answer to prayer.”David Guzik“The correlation between Daniel's time of self-denial and prayer and the duration of the battle between the angels and the prince of Persia establishes a link between Daniel's prayer and the angelic victory.”David Guzik5) Prayer shifts us to engage in spiritual warfare (As it is in heaven, or as it is in hell?)“There be hindering factors of which a praying Christian knows nothing as he wonders why the answers to his requests are delayed. Nevertheless, he is to keep on praying. It may be that he will not receive an answer because he has given up on the twentieth day when he should have persisted to the twenty-first day.”Archer“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV) says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”“Prayer is the great exposer of reality”Corey RussellIf we want our reality to be as it is in heaven, then...

Truelife Church Podcast
Episode 102: Pillars of the Heart 01

Truelife Church Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2024 98:41


To be a pillar you must be an overcomer- "He who overcomes I (Jesus) will make a pillar in the temple of God"

Keys For Kids Ministries
Will Shovel for Brownies

Keys For Kids Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023


Bible Reading: Colossians 3:17-24Skye scooped the last bit of heavy, wet snow from his driveway and heaved it to the side. As he leaned on the shovel to catch his breath, his gaze fell on Mrs. Barans' driveway next door. The snow lay in deep drifts, and her windows still had the curtains drawn. Mrs. Barans must still be asleep, he thought. She can barely get around anymore. How's she going to clear her driveway? With renewed energy, Skye walked over and shoveled Mrs. Barans' driveway too. She's going to be so happy when she sees that I shoveled her driveway! he thought as he put the shovel away in the garage. Maybe she'll bake me a batch of her famous double chocolate brownies as a thank-you!As Skye headed out with his sled later that day, he saw Mrs. Barans at her mailbox. She was moving very slowly, and he was glad he had helped her. "Hi, Mrs. Barans!" he called out. She smiled and waved back. "Hi, Skye. Can you believe this weather? Thankfully my nephew comes and clears my driveway when we get a heavy snow. I don't know what I'd do without him!""But it wasn't--" Skye began, but Mrs. Barans had already headed back in and didn't hear him. "Great," Skye mumbled to himself. "I do the work, and someone else gets the credit for it!"Skye was still stewing that evening. "Mom, next time you see Mrs. Barans, could you mention that I was the one who shoveled her driveway this morning? She thinks her nephew did it!""Did you shovel her driveway just so she would thank you?" asked Mom."No--I could see she needed help. But it's not fair! She'll probably bake her nephew a batch of her double chocolate brownies to thank him, and he didn't even do anything!""People don't always get credit for the good things they do," said Mom. "But God knows what you did, and He's very glad you were so thoughtful and kind. He knows all the good deeds His children do out of love and gratitude for the gift of eternal life He's given us, and someday He'll reward them." She smiled. "And rewards from Him are far better than anything Mrs. Barans could give you--even double chocolate brownies!" –Deborah S. MarettHow About You?Do you ever feel like no one notices when you're kind and helpful? Does it seem like people don't appreciate the good things you do for them? God does. He sees all the good things you do out of gratitude for all He's done for you, and someday He'll reward you. Keep showing others His love by being kind and helpful, knowing that God sees and appreciates everything you do for Him.Today's Key Verse:Listen, I [Jesus] am coming soon! I will bring rewards with me. I will repay everyone for what they have done. (ERV) (Revelation 22:12)Today's Key Thought:God rewards His children

god mom devotional brownies shovel i jesus cbh keys for kids keys for kids ministries childrens bible hour
Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach
Why We Do Christmas

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 25:00


Why We Do Christmas MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction: We are still in the season of Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival”. The Church begins this season of “arrival” or Advent as the time we recognize and celebrate the “arrival” of Jesus – both Jesus' “first coming” and His “second coming”. We celebrate Jesus' “first coming” on Christmas Eve. The season of Advent is, also, a season of hope; and Advent is the beginning of our Church's “New Year”. Message:  What does Christmas mean to you? “Could we be missing the point of what Christmas is all about”? Irrespective of all the personal, social and cultural noise we encounter around the Christmas season, we must not lose sight of the fact that Christmas is all and only about Jesus. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the most important person that ever lived – the God and man Jesus. Is this birth and life of the Incarnate and unique Son of God, as both the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of humankind, true? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” because Jesus birth and life are based upon historical evidence. Also, the birth of Jesus is God coming among us in a desire to have a personal relationship with us and with all people. If God is so desirous of a personal relationship with us, why did God go to so much trouble to bring Jesus to us? Because, every time we sin, we are building a barrier between us and God – God is Holy, and He cannot relate to sin. Therefore, God's Grace provided Jesus as both the means of our Salvation and as an intermediary (i.e. Jesus is both God and a human without sin) from which we can have God's desired personal relationship with us. However, when Jesus died on the cross, He took on all sin and became the required and once offered sacrificial payment for all sin. Jesus birth, life, death and Resurrection became the doorway for our personal relationship with God. As Jesus tells us in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man {Jesus}came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”. “God loves us because of who God is.” Why do so few of us accept God's offered gift of Salvation through His Grace? When those not yet believing look at the lives of those of us that believe, they, often, they see us living by the fruit of the flesh rather than by the fruit of the Spirit – our hypocrisy. Also, God's offer is rejected because He may require us to give up some sin that we enjoy. Additionally, some believe that the cost of becoming a Christian is too great; however, the cost of not becoming a Christian is far greater than the cost of becoming a Christian and accepting God's offer. Many refuse God's gift because they believe that they are not worthy or good enough for God and His gift. They are correct; none of us are worthy of God's gift, but that is the point – Jesus' birth, life, death and Resurrection provide us with the means a path to be worthy of God's gift. Is Jesus your Savior? God has given you the greatest Christmas gift that you will ever receive. Have you accepted His Gift and opened His gift into your life? If not, then why not? With your hands open, you can accept God's Christmas gift by saying: “I am sorry; thank you; and please”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 10:45; John 15:13; John 3:16-17; Galatians 5:18-25. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE LINK: www.awordfromthelord.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
Peace and Prosperity Is For the Bride - David Eells - UBBS 12.3.2023

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 121:17


Peace and Prosperity IS For the Bride  (audio)  David Eells – 12/3/23  My Army, It Is Time We Are Moving Out   The Messenger – 444prophecynews.com  Endtimepropheticmessengers144k 11/25/23 (David's notes in red)  https://youtu.be/CjVmNxM6axM    (These two revelations are about the Man-child reformer ministry and the Bride who is raised up by them. They will be anointed to pick up the pieces after the Church and Babylon are judged.) My son, take these short words down for My Worthy First Fruits Harvesters to hear. My Worthy ones who are ready I am sending My SON, Jesus the Christ to come get you. You are more ready than most, and all of you have a working relationship with Me Your Father, The Creator, Your Abba, Jesus the Christ, My Anointed SON and My Holy Spirit.   Each in My Army, My Holy Spiritual marines are ready to go and do what I have called you to do. It is time it is go time, time to go.  My Worthy, you either know your assignments or will know very shortly, for each of you, I have had long talks with about many things. My Worthy, you have made yourselves ready says, Me, Your Father, Your Creator.  So I just wanted to say, get ready, gird yourselves, get into your posts for My Army, My Holy, ready Spiritual Army of My People My First Fruits are moving out. Get ready, training starts for most in a twinkling of an eye to learn what you will be required and need for the battlefield. Then I Your Father, Your Creator will turn you loose to bring My Wheat into My Barn. I love all of you, much peace love and joy to you, My Worthy, Your Holy Father, Your Creator.       Warning To The Bride  Endtimepropheticmessengers144k - 11/26/23 (David's notes in red)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlqpKyfaWNU    My daughter share this warning with those who have ears to hear. Catastrophic events warned of by many of My messengers are coming to your once great nation and world soon. Not one will be shielded from seeing the destruction. Destruction will come from the elements, fire and water primarily, but you will also experience earthquakes and volcanoes throughout your earth.  However, space will begin colliding with your once great nation and the world, like nothing you've ever witnessed in the past. Things will never go back to what you perceive as normal. Once these things start, the end of the earth as you've known it will begin. Disasters that have taken place in the past and recent past will not hold a candle to what is coming on your earth, My children. You will only have your memories of what once was.   There will be three days of darkness where My bride will be transformed into her new incorruptible body. During this time, she will be visible to others but they will clearly see the changes taking place in My bride. People will look on and off as My Bride puts on the new and discards the old. She will be given a new flesh that is not flesh as you would recognize flesh, an incorruptible flesh. She will be given heightened awareness into the spiritual realm. She will be one in thought with the entirety of My Bride and they will come together to receive their garments and their duties.  There are many to remain here on this earth whom My Bride will be in charge of turning toward their Creator. There will be evil and good hearts, and the good hearts will truly know their Father and will be able to see that My Bride is of Me and that the others are imposters.  My Bride are Spirit-filled believers that have emptied their flesh of this world and surrendered fully to Me. They are My warriors for this time and they will be warring for the hearts and minds of those left on this earth, to either eventually turn to Me or to take the mark of the beast. My Bride is very important and will lead many home to Me. When they see the imposters, when people see the imposters, they will think that they are part of My Bride. But people with Me in their hearts will quickly figure out the truth.  Warn people, the people of light (As they call themselves –  the New agers prophesying peace and safety. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.) The people of light are truly dark and they are put on this earth to do nothing but deceive. There are very many believers who have never received My Holy Spirit or who have received My Holy Spirit but have quelled Him to where He has never been able to bring them along on their journey towards Me.  There are many who believe in Me but who have become entangled in false teachings and doctrines of men. They will not want to believe that this is the end. My Bride will have to educate them. There are millions and millions of people who know of Me but are seeking to know Me. My Bride will introduce her Groom. The job of the Bride will not be easy but she will be equipped with her new and glorious body filled with My supernatural light and love.   The imposters, though, children of light, will be children of darkness sent to confuse and mislead humans to choosing Satan as their father instead of their actual Father and Creator. These imposters will be arriving on the scene soon. Most of the people of the world are completely unaware of all that is to come and will be totally taken by surprise. Just remember, My children, that there is no man good. Do not be deceived. Come to Me in prayer for answers to all of your questions. The deceivers will try to place an imposter in front of you that is so real, if you did not know My Word, you would be fooled, but many will be fooled. This is why I must use My Bride to convince those that know of Me and just don't know Me or My Word, not to fall for this great deception. My children, I love you so.   My Bride must know she will remain protected until she reveals herself and her new incorruptible body. My Bride needs to be aware of what is coming. I have chosen some very unlikely vessels to be My Bride. Do not doubt your worthiness, My Bride, because no one is worthy but by the blood of the Lamb.   Prepare for battle My Bride. The Man-Child body of 144,000 mature men believers are the First Fruits of the Bride of Christ who will repeat the Life of Christ spiritually on Earth during the first half of the 7-year Tribulation. The disciples will reap the last harvest of souls during the second half.  (We also have had many Impostor Bride dreams.)      Judgment on the Apostate Church and DS Babylon Together David Eells – A day of the Lord is coming to judge those who have persecuted the Bride who are members of the dragon body of Satan who are from both the political and religious backgrounds. The Dragon was also the god of Babylon. We just received by faith at random two texts about the Judgment of the apostate Church leadership by Babylon DS in our morning prayer meeting as we have many times before in different texts: Jer 21:1-7 ASV  The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when king Zedekiah sent unto him …  2  Inquire, I pray thee, of Jehovah for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us: peradventure Jehovah will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.  3  Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:  4  Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans that besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city. (Babylon judged Apostate Jerusalem representing the apostate church leadership now to be judged. This also paves the way for the people to follow the reformers into the wilderness.)  5  And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation.  6  And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.  7  And afterward, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, even such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy. Jer 32:26-35  Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying,  27  Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?  28  Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will give this city (The apostate leadership) into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:  29  and the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal (The false Jesus), and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.  30  For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith Jehovah.  31  For this city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,  32  because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  33  And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.  34  But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.  35  And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. And I also received the Judgment of Babylon through Cyrus the Persian who was a type of Trump bringing down the DS. It is a Day of the Lord upon those who persecuted the Bride and those who ignored God's Word to do their own thing. Isa 13:1 ASV  The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see…6-19  Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.  7  Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt:  8  and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame.  9  Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.  10  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine.  11  And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.  12  I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir.  13  Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.  14  And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land.  15  Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is taken shall fall by the sword.  16  Their infants also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be rifled, and their wives ravished.  17  Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. (Cyrus and the Medo-Persians conquered Babylon as Trump will but at a terrible cost.) 18  And their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.  19  And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Also, forget the peace and prosperity for the world forever thing coming through the New Agers, Revelation, which they do not believe in, is coming now.  The Emergency Broadcast System is reported to activate to declass criminals when the Mainstream Media, Internet, Phones, ATMs shut down for Ten Days of Darkness while mass arrests of the criminal leaders goes on. These people have DEW weapons and weather warfare and earthquake weapons, plus invasions of Chinese and other anarchists across the border. (David - I believe this EBS will start soon. After the 10 days of media darkness, or more if necessary, I believe Trump will officially return and the Man-child ministry will spiritually resurrect and be restored and the out-resurrection will resurrect. The Man-child reformer ministry in whom Jesus lives by Word and Spirit, will come to power. God's recompence on the wicked is happening now, as we have seen, and continues. He will reward his Man-child and Bride bodies when He comes. Isa 62:11 ASV Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth (This is world-wide), Say ye to the daughter of Zion (The Bride of our day), Behold, thy salvation cometh (Jesus means salvation); behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  Isa 40:9-11 ASV O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one (In the Man-child reformer ministries with signs and wonders), and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young. The Man-child ministry and Bride will lead God's people into the wilderness tribulation as Moses did. Cyrus was a type of Trump who will supply the needs for rebuilding of the Kingdom for those who escape Babylon.)  (Remember God's promises in times of lack. Mar 11:23-24 ASV  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.  24  Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. He also multiplies necessities for His people in the wilderness as Jesus did.)  It is reported that Project Odin Begins shortly with the new Starlink satellite system which will air the Emergency Broadcast System doing the declass movie during 10 Days of media darkness, X, The New (QFS) Financial System will be running. Then they say Trump officially returns.  It is reported that the Emergency Broadcast System will play an eight hour declass video three times a day for the ten days of darkness. Seven EBS text messages will be sent to all phones alerting the people to tune into TVs. The videos will detail Mass Arrests, Tribunals, Government Fraud & Corruption, plus pedophilia by Elites across the World. Satanists are running the trafficking of women and children. The people must see what they have been pledging allegiance to.)  During those ten days our Internet and phones will only work for 911 calls and Signal App. (They are telling everyone to get this.) ATM's will not work. After the ten days they say we will be connected to the new Quantum Internet. (Which can be accessed by new Q phones and computers being mass produced.)  QFS and Q Phone Set to Take Over! | Alternative | Before It's News (beforeitsnews.com) The DS Kazarian Mafia has worked so hard to stop all of this because it will put an end to their ability to plunder the world with their worthless dollar and crooked banking that is designed to be easy for them to manipulate. Expect war.)  Operation Disclosure Reports that: Around 1 Jan. all gold/asset-backed currencies across the Globe would be on par 1:1 with each other; in the US Social Security benefits will be much higher and the SS restitution and reparation fund payments (Which are considerable) would start on a monthly basis. (Ultimately only digital currency will be allowed, to make it easy for the mark of the beast when Christians will have to opt out or be a member of the beast.)  As of Mon. 20 Nov. US Government Bonds were now worthless, the Federal Reserve literally had no monies, any bank not ISO20022 compliant (Gold backed) was out of business and Banks were failing Worldwide.  Benjamin Fulford Trump to Declare Martial Law For Mass Arrests of Satanists (Video) | Alternative | Before It's News (beforeitsnews.com)  There must be a TEST and then a review of all OCCURRENCES and ACTIVITIES. The possible implications on a NATIONAL and GLOBAL level can be quite COMPLICATED so things must be in ALIGNMENT to the PROTOCOLS. Yes there are many consequences if things aren't done with PRECISION and perfection. This is the PRACTICE run before the REAL ONE to see responses and accuracy to what is FORTHCOMING which changes HUMANITY. (?) People are urged to stock up on at least a month of food and water, toilet paper, generators etc. After EBS and the 8 hours long 24 7, movies all will change. The life support attached to the old and EVIL systems will be pulled. Humanity and Planet Earth simultaneously move to QUANTUM reality consciousness system [PEACE and PROSPERITY]. (see note below) It's the end of financial and human consciousness enslavement. (Is this going to be like people who are honest will love AI control until some new leadership comes along, like the beast? So it's only as good as the people who program it?)  Old systems of GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION, FINANCE, HEALTH, TRADE and COMMERCE etc., will all be DISMANTLED and REPLACED.  We will have new currency called the USN US NOTE and GOLD backed.  It's all a great idea but there is just one problem. The wicked and the self-righteous moralizers need God and He says they never find Him in peace and prosperity so that would put us out of work. Isa 26:10-11 ASV Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah. 11 Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall see thy zeal for the people, and be put to shame; yea, fire shall devour thine adversaries. I.e., “Ye must be born again.” z   Jet Crash Catastrophe  Lana Galchenko 11/15/23 (David's notes in red)  In a dream, stood facing a large pasture that had a typical wooden cross fence around it. I saw a huge Boeing passenger plane coming toward me, it was taking off. (Representing the new economy and government taking over the (3) main factions of the US.) As the jet approached the fence, it started to lift its nose in order to clear the fence but couldn't do it and had to lift its nose straight up into the air. (The fence represents the things the elite satanists have erected to stop this QFS and declass from ruining them.) This made the Jet stand up like a shuttle and it stalled.  The jet started to fall backwards and split into two (lengthwise). (The two are the right and the left) Passengers began falling out onto the ground, screaming in terror. These same passengers then looked up in horror as the jet then split into three sections (lengthwise) and continued to slowly fall over backwards, directly onto them. (This will ruin what started out to be more than a survival of the economy spending all the DS's loot. The third separation is the Christians who were headed towards the wilderness without the other two sects.)  In the next scene about a dozen men, dressed in black suits with white dress shirts (The third separation? 12 is the number of the elect. 12 patriarch's, 12 tribes, 12 apostles, etc. Black suits could represent the church going Christians.) They were sitting around small tables. They seemed shaken and dazed, I understood they were rescued from the plane wreckage. So will this new economy and government last?  I think the interpretation is, the new economy and government will just clear the ground long enough for the kingdom people to get their share of the funds to rebuild the kingdom, which Cyrus' conquering of Babylon supplied. Then the other two factions of the right and the left world-wide and will separate and go to war as Rev 6 indicates. Rev 6:2-4 ASV  And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. (Jesus in the world wide Man-child reformer ministries.)  3  And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.  4  And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. After the Man-child ministry arrives the third group go into the wilderness tribulation where a place is prepared for them to escape the Dragon/serpent and learn from the Man-child reformers in Rev 12. Remember in Moses' case Egypt was destroyed.  This is what I have been feeling before this dream. The alliance has been hijacked by New Age people who have pushed their heaven on earth because they don't believe the book of Revelation, which warns of catastrophe and depopulation. They are claiming 1000 years of peace. Isa 57:21 ASV There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. Many Christians will repent and will come out from among them and according to scripture will seek out the bride.  Isa 59:8-21 The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace. 9 Therefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind; yea, we grope as they that have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among them that are lusty we are as dead men.   11 We roar all like bears, and moan sore like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them: 13 transgressing and denying Jehovah, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And Jehovah saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.  16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him (Jesus is the arm of the Lord in Isaiah 53 and will come in a body of the spiritual son of David, the Man-child bodies.); and his righteousness, it upheld him. 17 And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. 18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense. 19 So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth. 20 And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah.   21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them (The Bride, Zion), saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and forever.  Isa 60:1-22 ASV Arise, shine (Bride); for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. 5 Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee.  (The Bride) 6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah. 7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar; and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.   10 And foreigners shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee. 11 Thy gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive. 12 For that nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.   14 And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breast of kings; and thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron. I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.   18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time.  Once again we see Jesus in the Man-childs message. Isa 61:1-11 ASV The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.   4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers.  6 But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8 For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.   9 And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth bringeth forth its bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.  Isa 62:1-12 ASV For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah-bah, and thy land Beulah; for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.   Once again we see Jesus in the Man-childs message. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee; and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that are Jehovah's remembrancers, take ye no rest, 7 and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 8 Jehovah hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy grain to be food for thine enemies; and foreigners shall not drink thy new wine, for which thou hast labored:   9 but they that have garnered it shall eat it, and praise Jehovah; and they that have gathered it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary. 10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up an ensign for the peoples. 11 Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, (Once again we see Jesus in the Man-childs message world-wide.) Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 12 And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken.  Once again we see Jesus in the Man-childs message. Isa 63:1-6 ASV Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? (The Edomite sheepfold who hated their chosen brother.) this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm (Jesus in the Man-child body by Word and Spirit)  brought salvation unto me; and my wrath, it upheld me. 6 And I trod down the peoples in mine anger, and made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.   Isa 64:1-4 ASV Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, (Jesus) that the mountains might quake at thy presence, 2 as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! 3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. 4 For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.  Isa 9:1-21 But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish.(the Bride) In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased their joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as in the day of Midian. 5 For all the armor of the armed man in the tumult, and the garments rolled in blood, shall be for burning, for fuel of fire.  6 For unto us a child is born, (The birth of Jesus as a type of Jesus in the Man-child ministry) unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this…   14 Therefore Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day. 15 The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is profane and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still…   Isa 66:5-24 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hate you, that cast you out for my name's sake, have said, Let Jehovah be glorified, that we may see your joy; but it is they that shall be put to shame. 6 A voice of tumult from the city (Jerusalem the Bride), a voice from the temple, a voice of Jehovah that rendereth recompense to his enemies. 7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.   9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah: shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God. 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; 11 that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.   14 And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies. 15 For, behold, Jehovah will come with fire, and his chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire will Jehovah execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be many. 17 They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go unto the gardens, behind one in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together, saith Jehovah.   18 For I know their works and their thoughts: the time cometh, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and shall see my glory. 19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations for an oblation unto Jehovah, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, as the children of Israel bring their oblation in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah. 21 And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah…   (This is a text I received by faith at random. It is the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus as a type of Trump destroying the DS Babylon.) Isa 13:1-22 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. 2 Set ye up an ensign upon the bare mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones. 4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people! the noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! Jehovah of hosts is mustering the host for the battle. 5 They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. 6 Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 7 Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt: 8 and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame. 9 Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.   10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil (DS Babylon was over the whole world.), and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.   14 And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land. 15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is taken shall fall by the sword. 16 Their infants also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be rifled, and their wives ravished. 17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. 18 And their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.   19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and wild goats shall dance there. 22 And wolves shall cry in their castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.  Isa 40:1-5 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem (the Bride); and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins. 3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain: 5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.   9-11 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.  Zec 9:9-17 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Typeing Jesus first coming to our day.) 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I have set free thy prisoners from the pit wherein is no water.  12 Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. 13 For I have bent Judah for me, I have filled the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece (The Alexander Beast follows Media-Persia of Cyrus but shall fall also.), and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man. 14 And Jehovah shall be seen over them; and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south. 15 Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar. 16 And Jehovah their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over his land. 17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.  Isa 35:1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (Fruit will be born in the wilderness tribulation) 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of Jehovah, the excellency of our God. 3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you.  5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7 And the glowing sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where they lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein.  9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.  Mal 4:1-6 For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts.   The Spiritual City of God Restored  Vision given to Cheri Watson - 07/06/2005  (David's notes in red)     I had a vision of a castle, with a city surrounding it, suspended just above a mountain in a layer of clouds. The mountain and the city were enshrouded/surrounded by darkness (the mountain and city were black in color in the vision...but it feels more like a presence than a color). I had the feeling that the city would soon touch down onto the mountain...its resting place.  This vision was fulfilled in Jesus' day before God's spiritual city was destroyed and the people taken captive to Babylonish religion and now it is about to be restored as promised. This city and mountain are "heavenly", not physical, for they cannot "be touched". (Heb.12:18} For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them; (20) for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; (21) and so fearful was the appearance, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,  As in Jesus' day spiritual Zion was the firstborn church, meaning "called out ones", so in our day will God call out of Babylon a firstborn. "The things that have been are the things that shall be". The coming "castle" of David's dominion, which is Christ in the body of his "firstborn”, or first-fruits, will soon be established in God's capitol city on the mountain representing His kingdom on earth (see also "Throne on Mt. Zion" below). As in Jesus' day, it will be shrouded in darkness to the world and seen by few of God's people who have only earthly eyes to see. This is a place of safety from the invading beast kingdom.   (Eze.34:22) therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. (23) And I will set up one (corporate) shepherd (the man-child) over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. (24) And I, Jehovah, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it. (25) And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness (tribulation), and sleep in the woods.   (26) And I will make them and the places round about my hill (of Zion) a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing. (27) And the tree of the field (God's people) shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have broken the bars of their yoke (free from bondage to the flesh), and have delivered them out of the hand of those that made bondmen of them (their carnal man). (28) And they shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the beasts of the earth devour them (safe from the beast); but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.  In my quiet time I felt impressed of the Spirit to read Isaiah 62:11 which says, "Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him". I had the whole passage underlined so I read the whole passage...10-12 which reads... "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up an ensign for the peoples. Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken".  Just as Jesus did in His day, He will do through the first-fruits in our day. He will make the path to the spiritual City of God, called "the spirits of just men made perfect", plain and the stones of stumbling will be removed through the teaching of the pure unleavened bread of the Word. Then many more will travel the holy road from spiritual Babylon to the "daughter of Zion". She is called the "daughter" because she is the firstborn of original New Testament Zion in Jesus' day.  I felt the need to agree with my Father to walk through the gate so in my mind I imagined a gate in front of me that was opened. It was dark on the other side and I was a little afraid of the darkness but I determined to walk through the gate anyway.  We cannot walk by sight for we have never been this way before. The way is enshrouded in darkness to the natural man. Jesus said, "I am the way". After two millennia of apostasy, to walk in His steps is to be the first-fruits who will show the multitudes "the way" to enter Zion. Through the faith of "Praise" we must enter the "gates" of the fullness of "Salvation" where we will find safety and peace. (Isa.60:18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Notice that when we walk in the City of God our light is no longer to be the light of the natural man but the light of God, which only the spiritual man knows.  As I stepped through the gate I went into a free fall. I was not afraid at all...I had given myself completely over to my Father. As I fell I felt peace and I felt a fullness that I can't explain. I extended out my arms and as I did they turned into wings and I became an eagle.   To enter that city through faith is to overcome the earthly, natural forces, which cause man to gravitate towards the world and its ways.  I flew to the top portion of a mountain and there I found a nest with eggs in it. I was told to 'sit and nurture the eggs', so I sat. I felt unqualified to do so, but I was completely satisfied in knowing that it was all about Him, NOT me. He was in control. I think the best way to explain how I felt was that it was probably kind of how Moses felt when the Lord told him he was to speak to and lead the Israelites through the desert...  To be an overcomer by God's grace of all that is earthly now is to be prepared to birth others into Zion in the time to come.    Throne on Mount Zion  David Eells   Jeremiah tells us of a spiritual capital city and throne for spiritual Israel, the church. (Jer.3:12) Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel... In this text God is commanding His backslidden people to come out of Babylon in the north. For God's people to live in Babylon instead of Zion was a type of the backslidden state of bondage to the harlot that the church has been in for almost 2000 years. Jeremiah cries for God's people to come out from among them. (14) Return, O backsliding children, saith Jehovah; for I am a husband unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. Notice that at first only a first-fruits bride is taken from among the backslidden multitudes and joined with her "husband" on His throne in Zion. When this happens all of the New Jerusalem is the throne for the Bride to sit in. (17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. Notice that after the bride sits in her throne "all the nations" (Hebrew: Gentiles) of the elect church will be gathered out of Babylon to submit to their true spiritual capitol city, the New Jerusalem.  The mountain of Zion represents the true kingdom of God, the true church, whereas the New Jerusalem Bride sits on top of Mt. Zion because she is over the rest of the church in the throne. It was revealed to Pastor Shelley that "The Throne of God, the Throne Room, His true Presence is on top of Mt. Zion". As spiritual Jews, the Church, is called to grow up out of the "falsehood" of religion and enter into the Mt. Zion of "a pure heart", "truth", and holiness. (Ps.24:3) Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in his holy place? (4) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood... (15:1) Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart... Notice that the church enters "into" the hill of Zion, however the King, His Bride and His throne are "upon" the hill of Zion. (Ps.2:6) Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.  This spiritual Mt. Zion and its city are not physical and cannot be touched by carnal man. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched... When the church was full of apostolic teaching and the Holy Spirit they submitted to the spiritual city of God. (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Notice that "mount Zion" and "heavenly Jerusalem" are called the "church of the firstborn". Church is from the Greek word "ekklesia" meaning "called out ones". "The firstborn" in Paul's day were being called out of Babylonish religion to this holy mountain and city as we are today. Shortly after this verse was written the church was taken captive to Babylon, having been led astray by the wolves into all sorts of sectarian, religious bondages. A first fruits company is coming back to Zion in these days.  The church's position on earth is in the spiritual, heavenly, New Jerusalem. However, our position is what is given to us at the cross and not necessarily what we have attained to on earth. For instance; "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ" but we are told "this is the will of God, even your sanctification...that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor". What we are given at the cross is ours to manifest by faith or to reject. Like the early church, we are born at the foot of Mt. Zion but are quickly led away captive by the lies of Babylonish religion.   (Ps.58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Instead of climbing the mountain and entering the throne room of the authority of God we go astray. (Isa.53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way...  The reason we are hesitant to climb the mountain is because it is holy and represents death to the flesh. (Ex.19:12)... Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death. Moses as the man-child climbed the mountain and heard the Word directly from God, which spiritually put him to death. (Ex.20:19) And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.   God was weak to the weak in that He put His Word in flesh. Moses as the man-child climbed the mountain and became a pure vessel to bring the Word of God to His people. If we humbly turn and submit to the pure Word from the mountain we will have His throne authority. (Rev.3:21) He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne...  Notice once again what Paul said. (Heb.12:22,23) ye are come unto... the heavenly Jerusalem... the spirits of just men made perfect. Clearly, while we are in the old body on earth only our spiritual man is being perfected into "the heavenly Jerusalem". We manifest the "New Jerusalem" here as our spirit and soul are born of the Spirit. John said that the city "cometh down out of heaven" in his day as the saints overcame sin. (Rev.3:12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. The word "cometh" here is spoken to the church in John's day. It is present tense in the ancient manuscripts, the Received Text, and the numeric pattern.   Only the King James falsely translates it "shall come". The New Jerusalem bride "cometh down out of heaven" now in spirit and soul as it becomes born of the bread of the Word. Jesus said: (Jn.6:33) For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world... Notice that both the "New Jerusalem" and the "bread of God" "cometh down out of heaven". (51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. As each saint is being born out of heaven by consuming Jesus, the Word, the holy city is coming down. (Jn.3:3) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew (Greek: "from above"), he cannot see the kingdom of God.  As long as the "New Jerusalem" is only manifested in spirit and soul it is invisible to the creation, which only sees the outer man. (Rom.8:19)... the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. "Revealing" here in the Greek means the "uncovering". This means the New Jerusalem sons are here but hidden. The full revealing of the sons is seen at "the redemption of our body" (23). We are now being born from above, first spirit, then soul, and then body at the end.   The bride with her new body will be seen by the creation as they are "coming down out of heaven" with Jesus at the end of the day of the Lord. (Rev.21:9) Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. The bride will manifestly be the "holy city Jerusalem", which the whole church was given by position in Christ when He was resurrected. Sadly, many are selling their birthright by walking after the flesh.  Rev 21:2-8 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband… 5 And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true… 7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.   Rev 22:12-21 Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 14 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15 Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.   17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. 20 He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen.     

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Christian Natural Health
Why Bad Things Happen, from a Biblical Perspective

Christian Natural Health

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 19:21


The biggest obstacle to faith for a lot of people is this: “If God is all powerful, then why does He cause (or allow) bad things to happen?” There's something fundamental that we must establish before we ever address this question directly: God is good, all the time (James 1:16-17).   We know this, at least in part, by what Jesus did. Jesus said that he who has seen him has seen the Father (John 14:8-9), and Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38, Matt 15:30, Matt 4:23-24, Matt 8:16, Matt 9:35, Matt 10:1, Matt 12:15, Matt 15:30, Luke 4:40, Luke 10:9).  He never refused healing to anyone who came to Him. He never harmed anyone "for their own good," or put a disease on anyone "to teach them something" or "to discipline them." Not once. In fact, He actively worked against all sickness and disease, to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8). He is the same today as He was when He was on earth (Hebrews 13:8). God the Father doesn't change either (Malachi 3:6). We know of God's character from His names in the Old Testament. He is Jehovah Nissi (The Lord my Banner - Ex 17:15). He is Jehovah-Raah (The Lord my Shepherd, or My Friend - Gen 48:15, Psalm 23:1, 80:1, Ez 34:11-15). He is Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals, Ex 15:26). He is Jehovah Shammah (The Lord is There - He has not abandoned you: Eze 48:35). He is Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness, Jer 23:6, 33:16). He is Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord who Sanctifies You: Ex 31:13, Lev 20:8). He is Jehovah Jireh (The Lord will Provide, Gen 22:14). He is Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is Peace, Judges 6:24). He is Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts, 1 Sam 1:3, Ps 24:9-10, 84:3, Isa 6:5). Many other scriptures establish His goodness. He is ONLY good. (1 John 1:5, Psalm 84:11-12; Psalm 146:6-10; Psalm 107:9, Psalm 31:19, 1 Tim 4:4-5, Eph 1:3, Romans 8:28, Ps 103:2-5, Ps 145:16-19). God doesn't do bad things to His children. Yet He's powerful enough that for those who trust in Him, He can take even terrible circumstances that were not part of His plan, and bring good out of them.“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Those who know their scriptures well may point out Old Testament passages that sound like God, in fact, did do evil things. One example is in 2 Sam 24:1, when it says the Lord moved David (in pride) to count the number of his subjects... and then condemned David's sin in having done so (2 Sam 24:10) and punished him severely for it. Yet the exact same story appears in 1 Chron 21:1, where it says Satan moved David to number Israel. This is a very rare glimpse into what was happening in the spiritual realm in the Old Testament, where there is almost no doctrine of Satan. The primary exception to this is at the beginning of the book of Job; otherwise Satan is only mentioned by name here, and in Zechariah 3:1-2. (He is mentioned in Genesis 3 as "the serpent," of course, and also as Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28 as well.) The Old Testament had almost no doctrine of Satan because the people had no authority over him under the Mosaic covenant. What good would it do to learn that you have a bloodthirsty enemy, but there is nothing you can do to protect yourself from him? Because of this, in the Old Testament, anything supernatural, good or bad, was attributed to God, whether God was the instigator or not. The New Testament (and the revelation in Job 1:6-12) shows that this is not the case; there is a spiritual war going on, and we have an adversary who hates us. (For more on how God's dealings with man changed with different covenants, see my Blood Covenant biblical retellings duology: Blood Covenant Origins and Blood Covenant Fulfilled.) So if God doesn't cause bad things to happen, why do they happen? Evil comes about as a result of one of or a combination of three things -- 1) Satan, the enemy of God and therefore of us, who would like nothing better than to see us destroyed:“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).1 Peter 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 2) A fallen world that will be redeemed one day, but isn't yet: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8:20-21). and 3) people who are sinners, and either aren't yet saved or aren't yet perfected:“There is no one righteous [apart from God], not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Rom 3:10-11). But if God is truly sovereign, or all-powerful, even if He doesn't cause bad things to happen, doesn't He at least allow them, for His own purposes--which largely boils down to the same thing? I thought this way for a very long time--that He was like a great General of an army, who sometimes had to make sacrifices for a greater good. Sometimes (sorry), that sacrifice turned out to be you. On one particular night, sitting in front of my fire alone and in the midst of a major life crisis, the Lord disabused me of this mistaken belief about Him. At the time it was an emotional, intuitive understanding, and the fruit of it--renewed joy, hope, faith, and trust in Him--was one layer of evidence that it was true. It was only later that I studied why this definition of God's sovereignty is also biblically inaccurate. God is sovereign in the sense that He is all-powerful, all-loving, and all-knowing, but He is not all-controlling. God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; they did anyway. Was that God's will? Certainly not! He did everything He could to keep them from doing it, short of making them automatons, when He told them, don't do it. Likewise, any sovereign can set laws that his citizens may not necessarily obey. The US is a sovereign nation and in 1974 the administration set the "National Maximum Speed Law" of 55mph. But many drivers exceeded that speed limit regularly.  The New English Translation has the word “sovereign” appear more than any other biblical translation (368 times). Not one of the original Hebrew or Greek words connotes the idea that He controls everything that happens. Most of the time it's just the way they render God's names.The word sovereign is often translated from Shaddai (meaning Almighty) when it's part of God's name (48 times in the OT). Other times it's translated from ‘elohiym: supreme God, as a superlative, or ‘elyown, meaning High or Most High. Sometimes it's thrown in as part of the transition of ‘Adonay: an emphatic form of the Lord. Sometimes it's translated from tsaba', also translated the Lord of Hosts, meaning one who commands an army. In some cases the word sovereign is used to describe God's characteristics, but in context, it doesn't mean what we typically mean by the word (that His will always happens). The NET version of 1 Chronicles 29:11 says, "O LORD, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all." Only this translation uses the word sovereign; the others , translate it Head. This word connotes the idea of a supreme ruler, but not of one who always gets His way.  Psalm 84:11 is one of my favorites. It says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield (magen: shield, buckler, protector).” The same verse is translated in NET: "For the LORD God is our sovereign protector." Clearly this doesn't say anything about His will always being done, either. Sovereign power is also translated as holiness from qadash: "to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate." This word is used in Ezekiel 28:25: "'This is what the sovereign LORD says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power (or holiness) over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob." Micah 5:4 says, "He will assume his post and shepherd the people by the LORD's strength, by the sovereign authority of the LORD his God. They will live securely, for at that time he will be honored even in the distant regions of the earth.” Sovereign authority is ga'own (exaltation, majesty, pride) shem (name, reputation, fame, glory): thus, better translated “in the majesty of the name” of the Lord.  Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For recognition of the LORD's sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea." Sovereign majesty here is yada (to know, to perceive, to make known) kabowd (glory, honour, glorious, abundance), also translated “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Of course God's will does not always come to pass. The classic example of this is 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance,” and 1 Timothy 2:4: “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Matthew 18:14 also says, “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world, not just those who are saved. 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world”, and 1 Tim 4:10 says, "That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” But not everybody will be saved, clearly. God gave us free will; He doesn't force us to choose Him, nor does He make any of our other decisions for us, either. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." God wills it; He paid for it; but He won't get everyone as He would like. There are other verses that imply the concept of sovereignty (in the sense that when God decides to do something, He does it, and no one can stop Him).  But this refers to God's right and His power, and says nothing about potential restrictions He places on His right and power one way or the other. Here are a few of those verses: Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Isaiah 46:10: “I declare the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” (i.e. He can use bad and work it for good.) So what restrictions did God place on His own power, and why are they there? God gave dominion of earth to men in the Garden of Eden (Gen 1:26-29)--like the lease on a property, the earth lease. When Adam obeyed Satan instead of God, he gave the earth to Satan, and Satan became the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, but the earth lease has yet to run out. Even the demons whom Jesus cast out knew that there was a set time when they would be evicted--but it was not yet (Matt 8:29). Once God had given His word, He had to abide by it. Everything in the universe is upheld by the integrity of His word (Hebrews 1:3). And yet, He still wanted to save us--but we'd locked Him outside of His own world by our choices. He had to find a way to "legally" get back on the inside. He'd given dominion of the earth to men (Psalm 115:16), so He had to become a man, to buy it back--our kinsman redeemer (see the book of Ruth for a true story that is also a parable of this). Jesus did buy it back, but even though He now has the rights to it, He won't take possession of it until He returns. He has delayed only so that all who would will be saved (2 Peter 3:9). Revelation 5 depicts the moment when the earth lease is finally up. Jesus begins to take possession of it, and to "evict" the evil from the world. Even then, He won't do it all at once, but in progressive steps, because part of the purpose of the Tribulation is to redeem His chosen people, Israel. Indeed, their turning to Him and asking Him to return is a prerequisite for His second coming (Matt 23:39). Until then, though, God has made "legal" provision for those who follow Him through successive covenants with men on earth who could agree to give Him permission. Prior to Abraham, God had no "legal" right to protect His favorites, which is why the book of Job played out the way it did. But once the Mosaic law came, it laid out blessings for those who followed God, and cursings for those who disobeyed Him (Deut 28)--because sin still had to be punished. The story of the Old Testament shows repeated episodes of disobedience, because the Jews could not follow the Law. God always knew this, of course--Paul's treatise in Romans demonstrates that the point of the Law was to show that all people are incapable of following it. Even so, there were those even in the Old Testament who figured out that what God really wanted was a changed heart (Psalm 51:10, Micah 6:8), not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). Those few, like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and David, got to enjoy a real relationship with God, even before Christ. Aside from spiritual blessings from obedience in the Old Covenant, God wanted good things for His people so much that He built in multiple paths to receive it. He designed the body such that it heals itself. In the law, He also instructed His people on how to work with the natural laws so that their bodies would be healthy. He told them to rest one day per week (the Sabbath). The Old Covenant is full of dietary rules, to eat certain things and not to eat others (corresponding to modern recommendations for health), to quarantine those who contracted contagious diseases, to decontaminate objects that had been in contact with mold, and many other things that would have made no medical sense to the Jews at the time. More than that, the most common command in scripture is to "fear not." We now know that stress (anxiety, fear, panic, etc) contributes to, by some estimation, up to 90% of chronic illness. From a practical standpoint for provision, scripture is filled with recommendations to be honest, generous, diligent and not lazy, to diversify our efforts, etc --to work with natural laws of sowing and reaping, so that we might prosper. I n the Old Testament, there are accounts of miraculous interventions for healing, provision, victory, etc--but God always worked through a man who cooperated with Him via the covenant in place at the time. In the New Testament, Jesus was the perfect embodiment of the will of the Father. He healed everyone who came to Him--but the method was often different. In some cases, He healed with a touch (Luke 5:13). In other cases, people touched Him (Mark 5:31), or even the hem of His garment (Matt 14:36). In other cases He merely spoke the word (Matt 8:8, John 11:43). In others He put mud on blind eyes (John 9:6). There was no formula; He met people where they were at, individually. Then in the New Covenant, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13-14), leaving us with only the blessings for those who are in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). This means that today, there are many promises for blessing, healing, provision, and victory that we can stand on and receive by faith, whether a sudden miraculous intervention or a slow blessing working with natural laws (which is more common, Mark 4:14, 26-29). God sends His word to heal us (Ps 107:20). We can receive the blessings that are now already ours in Christ (Eph 1:3) by abiding in Him (John 15:7), trusting in Him (Prov 3:5-6, Psalm 91), learning what His word says (Hosea 4:6) and renewing our minds with it (Romans 12:2), casting down all imaginations to the contrary (2 Cor 10:5), and resisting the devil when he tries to lie to us about what is truly ours (James 4:7), by speaking God's word in faith (Mark 11:23), and by forgiving others and ourselves (James 5:16). Since God's word is as a seed, it takes time for the harvest to come (Mark 4:14, 26-29) and we will reap if we do not grow weary and lose heart (Gal 6:9). What if we fail to do our part and for whatever reason, don't or can't seem to receive this way, though? The earth is still under Satan's control until the earth lease runs out, and it's also still dominated by sinful people. The world itself is still corrupted by sin (Romans 8:19-22). God made provision for us to overcome these things, but there is still much to overcome. Job (who had no covenant to protect him at all) complained to God, "Have you eyes of flesh? or do you see as a man sees?" (Job 10:4). Even in the Old Testament, God pitied us and knew that we are but dust (Psalm 103:14), but then Jesus came and walked in our shoes. He can sympathize with our weaknesses exactly (Hebrews 4:15). When Peter walked on water and then took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink, Jesus still reached out and caught him (Matt 14:28-32). When the disciples feared drowning and woke Jesus, Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves (Mark 4:35-41). If we begin to fear and take our eyes off of Him, He's there for us too, to give us mercy and grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). He also gave us the body of Christ to stand with us and bolster our faith with the prayer of agreement (Matt 18:19, James 5:14-15). We also still have all of the alternative methods to receive God's blessings, as well: all truth is His truth. He gave us principles like sowing and reaping (Gal 6:7) which includes blessing the work of our hands (Deut 28:4-8). He gave us the science of natural laws, including medicine and logic. He promises to give us wisdom for whatever we need when we ask for it (James 1:5-8)--we just have to take Him at His word. Whatever tragedy may have befallen you in your life, God was not the author of it. He wants good things for you, and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11). He is for you, and not against you (Romans 8:31). If He gave you the very best He had, Jesus, to redeem you and make you His, why would He not also freely give you everything else that is good (Romans 8:32)? He weeps with you in your tragedy (John 11:35). He never wanted this for you. But He can take even that tragedy and bring good out of it, if You will trust Him to do so (Romans 8:28). God has been much maligned, even in the church. It's convenient and even sometimes comforting, in a twisted way, to say that God must have done, or allowed, some tragedy for some greater purpose of His that we cannot see. But the truth is, the earth is still a battleground, and God is the Hero, not the villain. He is only good. All the time.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible
Are Mushrooms Aliens? And Does Fungus Know How to Code?

Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2023 24:59


If mushrooms are not plants or animals, what are they? Today we're exploring the fascinating world of fungi! We're looking at:What are mushrooms? (Are they… aliens?)What other living things are like mushrooms?How does fungus help humans, plants, and our planet?How does fungus use code like a computer?Join the Nat Theo Club!Receive a full-color digital guide to go along with every episode as they air!Resources:Video of wild orchidsVideo of fly agaric mushroomEryn's New Book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's CreationScriptures Referenced in this Episode:“But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...” Galatians 5:22-23“I (Jesus) am the vine, and you are the branches. If any remain in me and I remain in them, they produce much fruit. But without me they can do nothing.” John 15:5“How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Psalm 104:24Terms Introduced:Fungi: Category of living things including mushrooms, lichen, yeast, and mold.Mycelium: Underground network of fungi that produces mushrooms.Decomposing: Breaking down organic (natural) material. Decaying.Biocomputing: The scientific study of how living things compute or use information like computers.Discover more nature lessons rooted in the Bible at Erynlynum.comDisclaimer: Fungi can be dangerous! This guide & podcast episode are educational only and not to be used as a guide for determining whether a mushroom is safe. Never touch mushrooms without expert advice.

Bob Enyart Live
Matt Wilder of Adam's Road on Mormons

Bob Enyart Live

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2023


Bob Enyart learns more about Mormons talking again with yesterday's guest, Mark Cares, and Mark's associate, Matt Wilder, who is a son of our earlier guest, former Brigham Young University professor Lynn Wilder. If you like great music, you'll also want to check out Adam's Road, Matt's ministry with his brother Micah and their other band members.   * See Also: - Bob's interview with former BYU professor Lynn Wilder - Bob's interview with Mark Cares, Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons - Bob's interview with Matt Wilder of Adam's Road (see above) - Screenshots from the official Mormon church website listing the kids they say you can kill - The BEL program, What Romney's Mormon Relative Says The Deity of Christ: Another Approach As mentioned on today's program to Mark Cares and Matt Wilder, here is the powerful approach to demonstrating Christ's deity from the Scriptures that goes beyond that (great) traditional proof texts... What does the Bible say about the deity of Christ? For centuries, as affirmed at the Council of Nicea, Christians have used a wonderful list of verses to demonstrate from God's Word the deity of Jesus Christ. Here is another very different approach to show the same truth. (This is similar to the "Big Picture" approach used in the overview of the Bible called The Plot.) Thus Saith the Lord: If we count how many times the Old Testament prophets said, “Thus says the Lord” we find them using that phrase, in the New King James Version of the Bible, about 420 times. The New Testament on the other hand, never once records that phrase. Jesus Christ, with all the red ink devoted to recording His words, never once used that ubiquitous phrase, “Thus saith the Lord.” Rather, Jesus proclaims, “I say to you,” in the Gospels! Not a single “Thus says the Lord,” but rather, “I say to you,” 135 times. The following chart demonstrates biblically that these two phrases, Thus saith the Lord, and I say unto you, indicate the same thing, that God is speaking. For Jesus Christ made it clear that He Himself was at the heart of His teaching. Unlike the righteous priests and kings, prophets and the apostles, the Lord focused His message on Himself: Christ's Self-focus: “Follow Me” 19x Mt. 4:19; 8:22; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21; Mk. 1:17; 2:14; 8:34; 10:21; Lk. 5:27; 9:59; 18:22; Jn. 1:43; 8:12; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36; 21:19, 22 Pray and act “in My name” 18x Mt. 7:22; 18:5; 18:20; [24:5]; Mk. 9:37, 39, 41; [13:6]; Lk. 9:48; [21:8]; 24:47; Jn. 14:13?14; 15:16; 16:23?24, 26; Acts 9:15 “the Holy Spirit” comes “in My name” Jn. 14:26 “for My name's sake” leave family and property Mt. 19:29; or even be killed 5x Mt. 24:9; [Lk. 21:12, 17;] Jn. 15:21; Acts 9:16 Believe in the “name of the… Son” and “in the Son” 3x Jn.  3:18, 36; 9:35 and “in Him [Jesus]” 4x Jn. 3:18; 6:29, 40; 8:31 “believe in Me” 14x Mt. 18:6; Mk. 9:42; Jn. 3:15?16, 18; 6:35, 47; 7:38; 11:25, 26; 12:44, 46; 14:1, 12; 16:8; 17:20 You “are sanctified by faith in Me” Acts 26:18 Live “in Me” Jn. 11:26 “come after Me” Mk. 8:34; Lk. 14:27 Abide “in Me” Jn. 15:2, 4:5, 7 “abide in Me” or else Jn. 15:6 “abide in My love” Jn. 15:9?10 “where two or three are gathered,” Jesus is “there in the midst of them” Mt. 18:20 So too: “I [Jesus, will abide] in you” Jn. 15:4?5 “know that I am He” Jn. 8:28 or “if you do not believe that I am He you will die in your sins” Jn. 8:24 See the full article, The Deity of Christ: Another Approach, here at KGOV.com or you can consider listening to Bob Enyart teach through this important Bible study as the first lesson in our series on the Gospel of John titled, Is this Man God?     * Today's Resource: Check out the format and perspective that's most helpful to your desire to evaluate these issues. At our KGOV Store: we have presentations on DVD called Chosen: It's Not What You Think, onOpen Theism, on Predestination & Free Will  and a moderated P&FW Debate! Also, you can get the P&FW seminar in an audio format on a single MP3 CD). You can also call 1-800-8Enyart (836-9278) to order or to talk with us about which of our DVDs, books, or CD audio teachings may interest you! For more information, see: - Bob's classic Open Theism Debate with D. James Kennedy's professor of New Testament Dr. Samuel Lamerson. - Our heavily Bible-based article, Is God In Or Outside of Time. - A brief and fast-moving written Q&A between Will, a former BEL producer, and "Jaltus" in an Open Theism Debate with Will & Jaltus. - Bob Enyart's debates with Dr. Larry Bray: The president of The North American Reformed Seminary (TNARS), Dr. Bray, twice debates Bob Enyart, the pastor of Denver Bible Church. The topics are: Is Calvinism Biblical? and Is the Future Settled or Open? (The host for these events, reformed believer David New, removed both of these debates from his site. We've rescued the first and put it back online, and Lord-willing we'll recover the second one.  

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach
Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always”

Daily Devotional By Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 1:00


Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always” MESSAGE SUMMARY: You should fear, respect, and praise God's power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but, as a Jesus Follower, you should “fear not” in life's trials and tribulations or at your time of judgment. As David's praise tells us in Psalms 103:13: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”. David models again and again, in Psalms, how we should praise God. For example, in Psalms 146, David says: "Put not your trust in Princes; Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!". When we are wondering how to praise the Lord, we can read one of David's Psalms to God like David's praises to the Lord in Psalms 112:1-2: “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Also, we learn in Proverbs 1:7, the “fear of the Lord” and “wisdom” are closely linked: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.".   These verses from the Old Testament point to the fear, respect, and praise that God warrants and demands from His power, sovereignty, and Holiness. On the other hand, as we see when the Apostle John quotes Jesus from Revelation 1:17-18, when Jesus, in all His power and Glory, reassures us of God's Grace and His plan for working out the Salvation and Eternal Life for all those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Revelation 1:17-18; Psalms 118:1-20; Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 73a:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach
Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities

Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 25:00


Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (12:32f): Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities In Luke 12:32f, Jesus speaks to His priorities for us by declaring that He has given His followers His kingdom. Living in His Kingdom sets Jesus' priorities for us. The goal for us is to live to kingdom priorities and not our own priorities. In Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life, Rev. Warren presents five kingdom priorities: 1) worship; 2) fellowship; 3) discipleship; 4) ministry; and 5) evangelism. By being in fellowship with God, we can discern His priorities for our lives. Luke 12 speaks to two priorities for God's kingdom: 1) being ready followers, and 2) and being a responsible steward. To be a ready follower of Jesus, we must: 1) be ready to give; 2) is ready to go and serve the Lord; and 3) be ready to greet the Master. For the kingdom priority of being a ready steward, we must answer the question: “After being entrusted with God by much, are we being responsible for His gifts?”. With our trust in God, God, the Creator of the Universe trusts us – is your life worthy of God's trust? It is a deep privilege to know God's will for us and His trust for us. God will give us the tools and power to be good stewards of the trust that He has provided us if we are in fellowship with Him – God wants to bless us if we seek and follow His will for us. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17).   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:32-48; Romans 14:17; 1 John 3:1; Psalms 147:1-20. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
UBBS 7.30.2023 - Walk in Heavenly Places By Faith Pt. 2 (David Eells)

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 121:13


Walk in Heavenly Places by Faith (2)  (audio)  David Eells – 7/30/23  Calling All UBM   Vanessa Weeks 7/21/23 (David's notes in red)      I dreamed that Barry and I were at home and I was standing in the kitchen. A man's voice came on both of our cell phones, as if over a loudspeaker. It said, "Calling all UBM, Calling all UBM." I thought in the dream that this was a voice text from the leadership of UBM but the voice was not anyone I knew. Then I woke up. (Calling is a Biblical term, Kaleo, meaning an invitation to partake of the benefits of God's Kingdom. God is calling us all to walk in these benefits.)  I asked the Lord to show me what this call was about and went back to sleep and I saw a tall evergreen tree at the edge of a lake. This reminds me of Psa. 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  (The water is the word, the gospel, the promises, the benefit. Let us partake to the fullest.) Later in the night, I heard "Luke 14." I did not remember what this chapter was about. Most of it is about the Lord calling people to the marriage feast.  (This feast of seven day/years the Bride and those invited will be feasting on the Word that is the life of Jesus, the body and blood of Christ.) Luke 14:1 And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. 2 And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?  4 But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go.  (It is not lawful to do man's works on the sabbath, only God's works. Jesus is Lord of the sabbath.  Those who follow and walk with Him are keeping the sabbath every day not just one.) 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer again unto these things. (Their legalism only suited them when it was put on someone else.) 7 And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden (invited), when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him,  (They who humble themselves will be exalted.) 9 and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee. 11 For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Like the preachers who claim for themselves exalted titles and positions.)  12 And he said to him also that had bidden him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.   13 But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.  (What we do should not be because of advantage but for glory from God who sees all.) 15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:   17 and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden (Kaleo: Invited to partake of the benefits of the kingdom), Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (The majority of God's people love the world and the things of the world more than the things of the Kingdom. The tribulation will wake them up to know their wasted time.) 21 And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame. (Those who were needy of the benefits of the Kingdom replaced those who were full of the world. Jas 2:5  Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? 1Jn 2:15-16  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.)  22 And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper. (Those who turn up their nose to the Kingdom for the lusts of the flesh will miss out.) 25 Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Meaning to hate their fleshly soulish life enough to follow Jesus to life eternal.) 27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it?  (The cost is to give up the old life.) 29 Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, 30 saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. (In the parable of the sower 3 of 4 did not bear fruit because we must give up the old life to have the new. 2Co 4:16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. 33 So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  (Rev 3:15-17 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  16  So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.  17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked.) Father, Let us answer your call and come in Jesus' name amen.      Childlike Faith  Anonymous 4/24/23   Our young son was purposely free falling and jumping backwards without any fear, or doubt and unbelief. He doesn't even know where he will fall and what he will land on, he has no worry but just trusts God that he will be fine. He was also doing forward jumps and falls, and he had much joy and enjoyed it very much. I love that childlike faith that he can jump or fall without any worry and without any complaint, and I love how he has no fear or doubt.  I love that I can pick him up whenever I want, no matter what he is doing, and he doesn't complain about me interrupting his plans or activity but is calm and content. Whereas when God interrupts my plans for His, or when things don't go the way I planned, I battle complaining and battle my own will. But I hope and desire to have that same childlike faith that God knows best, and His way is best always, and I should be content no matter what situation God puts me in and be without complaint.  I love how our son doesn't worry about what he will eat and what he will wear and he doesn't worry about the past or future, but lives in the moment and he appreciates all the little, tiny things as well as the big, and he is grateful.  I love how he wakes up with extreme joy and energy in spirit and the physical, and he doesn't complain or worry about the day, but he always starts it with much joy. I love how he doesn't hold onto anything negative even when he doesn't get his own way. He is quick to let go of it and he doesn't hold a grudge or unforgiveness. I need all these things and I need God's grace to allow it to manifest. But I love so much his child like faith, and I want it.  Mat 18:2-5 And he called to him a little child, and set it in their midst, 3 and said, Amen I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as the little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of the heavens. 4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greater in the kingdom of the heavens. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:  Father, Holy Sovereign God, please give us all grace and faith to believe and to manifest childlike faith in ALL things. Allow us and let our will be to truly appreciate You for all things and to not want what you haven't given us. Allow us to not worry about what we will eat or what we will wear or anything else. Allow us to praise You and thank You with our spirit, soul and body every second, no matter what circumstance we are in. Let us be always grateful and let us live for each moment and allow us to let go of all the past and not worry about the future but to stand strong in Your Word and Promises and Spirit. Allow us to trust You with all of our existence and allow us to fall back into Your arms having no doubt, fear or worry and allow us to always rest in You and Your Word every moment. Thank You Father for Blessing us all with childlike faith! All Glory to You forever and ever, thank You Lord that everything will worship you now and for eternity! AMEN.      Cardboard Skateboard  Andrew Slojewski 9/12/22 (David's notes in red)  I dreamed about a house I had in a small town called Plantagenet. (Webster:  of or relating to a royal house ruling England from 1154 to 1485.  A nickname of the family adopted as surname. Possibly just pointing to a house of royalty in this dream.) There were three rooms, empty of furniture, on the first level. It had a living room, a passageway into the dining room and a small landing two stairs up. Then down into the kitchen and a doorway back into the living room; three rooms in a circle.  David Eells was there and two other grown-ups and perhaps Michael Hare. We were all watching David make a cardboard skateboard. He even stuck on two cardboard rectangles for wheels, without glue or anything. I was looking on and I thought, ‘that's not going to work', as one would be puzzled in a dream. (Pointing to the creation of an imagination of faith. In itself nothing is possible but when faith is added all things are possible.) David then got on the skateboard and went the width of the living room, through the length of the dining room and somehow, I didn't see this part, but he went up the two stairs onto the landing, and a white door closed behind him. There was a big enough gap under the door to see the cardboard go onward. (An imagination of faith that enabled him to go higher in the house of royalty. Here is an imagination that will do this. 2Co 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.)  So, I went around to the living room and kitchen entrance, where I saw David come in on the board. I was looking really hard to see how this was working, bending low to see. He was showing some style, going back and forth around the living room.  (Being carried without the effort of the flesh being involved; an entering into the rest of faith; a sabbath of sorts.) So, I went to the other end of the living room where the others were. David then threw the cardboard skateboard to me and said, “Your turn.” I caught it and all that was left of it was the top, like a thin, brown piece of card paper, shaped like a skateboard. I took it and put it in the place where David started, got on it and went the same way David did, the width of living room, and the length of dining room. (Representing imagination and faith will bring the spiritual life and nourishment for the spiritual man.) The weird thing is where I didn't see David skate on the landing and in the kitchen, I was somehow moved or transported, and then found myself in the living room, where I saw David skate. I went the length of the room to a stop and said, “It works!” To my surprise all the grown-ups were gone, and a child about 12 years old said, “Of course it works.” I don't know if that was David as a child. (The Man-child/David's showing others how to use the imagination to create and go in child-like faith, trusting and believing Father, that it will work.)  Then I went to the dining room window to look outside and said, “Is it not supposed to be cold, after all its wintertime?” For I saw three children out there, two boys and a girl in summer shorts and shirts. (This means by imagination and faith we can live above the worldly elements. We must be sure to have only good imaginations.  The flood came because Mans imagination was only evil continually.  The faction are taken over by satan this way.)  The dream ended.      Keeping Your Focus On The Light   Anonymous 10/20/22 (David's notes in red)  I was in the shower speaking with the Lord and then the devil came along and gave me a thought comparing myself to another person. I have been casting down criticizing, judgmental, comparing thoughts a lot the past week.     I went and cast it down and then heard the Lord say, “Look not to the left or to the right”.  (I.e. Stay on and keep your eyes on the straight and narrow path of the Word. Jos 1:7-8 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.  8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.) Then I saw Jesus standing up ahead. He was wearing a glowing white light outfit and had His arms open. It felt as if He was waiting for me to continue walking (in this way) to get closer and closer to Him.   He was constantly watching me, not taking His eyes off of me. His presence was so patient, gentle, kind, understanding, loving, so peaceful and there really aren't enough words to describe His presence.   Behind Him was this giant bright light shining and the closer I got to Him, the brighter and bigger the light was. (Coming into the Sun/Son glory of God.)  Behind me was complete darkness and it kept lessening. It looked kind of like a tunnel of light with darkness all around and an opening of light up ahead with Jesus standing in front of it. The closer I got to Jesus, the more light and peace there was. (And this is the way it is.) I felt this meant about keeping our eyes completely focused on Jesus and our own walk/race to Him and not looking at other brethren to compare our walk with them. Not looking back to the darkness or looking around but only looking to Him. (2Co 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Proverbs 4:25-27 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.  2 Corinthians 10:12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.  Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.      Discerning Every Thought  Anonymous 10/18/22 (David's notes in red)  I was sitting on the couch and suddenly I got thoughts and feelings that were normal to the carnal man but contrary to God's Holy Spirit. I was wondering why it came so suddenly, and then I saw a fallen angel/demon standing next to me whispering in my ear. (It was giving me thoughts and trying to make me think it's my own thoughts.)   I felt the Lord was showing me that when we get thoughts or physical feelings that are not the fruit of the Spirit or the Word that it is just demons giving us thoughts and feelings. Knowing it is a demon speaking to us makes it easier to quickly recognize it and cast it down and to hate it. Just as I wrote this up, I remembered the verse: Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.  Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.  2Co 10:4-5 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.      Hugging Jesus Vision  Anonymous 10/18/22 (David's notes in red) I had been battling rejection for a long time and I recently decided that I really want to come 100% out of agreement with it by God's grace and Spirit. The Lord has been helping me along more and more with it.  All of a sudden, I felt the Lord's presence strong and I knew it wasn't me but Jesus through me looking at my husband with compassion, mercy and love. I could see him manifesting rejection. Father said to me that I should go over and hug him as if he is Jesus. (I am rarely affectionate which the Lord showed me recently is because of a spirit of rejection that I had since in mother's womb, because my parents wanted to abort me.)  I felt the Lord only through me, and no demons in me putting up walls to not hug, which they usually do. I just felt Father's peace, joy, calm, gentle love. I (Jesus in me) went over to my husband and hugged him thinking of him as Jesus through his flesh hugging me back and Jesus in me. I felt God's presence really intense while in this long hug. Although it was as if I couldn't feel time, just Father's presence.  All of a sudden, I saw as third person, me hugging Jesus and the ground underneath us shattered and split apart like an earthquake. (Imagination can bring safety) It kept moving apart and the ground under us formed into this big deep dark hole so deep that I couldn't see the bottom of it. If I saw this in the natural I would have had fear and been terrified. Also battling fear of heights, however fear didn't even try and come on me, I just felt Father's peace which surpasses understanding and love and joy in hugging Jesus. Jesus and I hugging were just like floating in the air, not having moved even an inch even though the ground we were standing on had broken and split and we were above a hole.  Just as I am writing this these verses came to my mind- Psalm 62:1 My soul waiteth in silence for God only: From him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my high tower; I shall not be greatly moved.  Psalm 16:8 I have set Jehovah always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall dwell in safety. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  It was amazing seeing us in the exact position floating when everything else underneath was completely shaken and changed. I witnessed (in third person) the destruction that happened to the ground, but me hugging Jesus in the vision wasn't fazed by what was happening, not even taking my eyes off Jesus to look at what was going on. I just stayed hugging Jesus in His peace, trusting in Him knowing that He has me in His arms, and He will never let me go. I am not sure how long we were hugging but I just felt Father's presence intensely the whole time and when we stopped hugging, I could feel Father's presence on my husband also.  PRAISE GOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY MANIFESTING IN THE PHYSICAL COMPLETE DELIVERANCE FROM REJECTION AND ALL UNCLEAN THINGS! PRAISE YOU FATHER, ALL GLORY TO YOU!   Just as I am writing this my husband is dancing in praise to the Lord. Praise God!   2Co 5:16-17 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. (We should believe this for ourselves and others.) Col 1:26-27 even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  Phm 1:6  that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ.     Exposure Of Hidden Dross  Anonymous 6/27/23 (David's notes in red)  Word from the Lord: “The recent trials and events coming upon you all are to expose hidden things that are in your heart. These trials are My mercy and Grace to bring darkness and lies into the light. Without these trials you wouldn't see what is hiding within you. When you see the evil that has been hiding, you can recognize it, but you have to come out of agreement with it.  The recent factions had hidden evils in their heart, and it was brought into the light and they chose their sin, their demon, rather than choosing My Spirit and the way of complete Holiness. My eternal Bride is glorious and is perfect just as My Son. If you are content with only having a distant friend relationship with Me then you will have that. There are many here with Me even now who are not as close to Me as they could have been or be, though they are as close to Me as they want to be.   To be closer to Me you need to let go of ALL subtle idols. What would you rather be doing than be in My Presence? Or what are you doing without My presence with you? If you aren't constantly communing with Me now, how will you commune with Me every moment for all eternity?   Choose wisely as your decisions now affect your eternity. Count these trials as joy and a Blessing that you are worthy to suffer for My Names sake that you will be Holy without spot or blemish and be able to stand in My Presence.   To My chosen I will keep destroying every idol you have that isn't Me, I Am jealous for you and I will do what it takes for you to choose me in everything. I will show you that there is no answer or satisfaction in anything other than Me. (I felt this meant He will do whatever it takes for us to let go of idols. This will hurt if our heart is with the idol, but ultimately it is for our own good.)  Rest in My Promises and they will manifest.   Submit to me and the devil will flee. Seek Me on My purpose in this trial and what I Am trying to teach you. Learning this lesson quickly helps the trial pass quicker but do so without doubt and complaint. I Am for you and not against you. Everything I do is to perfect you, but I can only do My work when you allow Me to.   Allow your eyes to be opened to see in which areas you are out of My will. Allow Me to help you get rid of all earthly mindset and carnal reasoning.   Remember I Am in control no matter what happens. Get deep into My presence, meditate and seek Me with all your mind, soul and spirit and you will see clearly in the light, the Truth of what is going on and why. In My presence you will discern the evil and good and see the things that are really in your heart. Give the sin to Me, I want to take it away from you, but I won't force it from you.   Look at those that fell away, you are a witness to what happens to those that won't give up their "hidden sins". The path they take is a dangerous one that only a few return back from.”  (I felt God is shaking everything that can be shaken inside of us, to bring secret things in us to light so we can come out of agreement with them and in exchange we will be closer to Him.)      Allow The Lord Control  Samuel Fire 4/24/23 (David's notes in red)  In prayer I heard:  “Only I can lift you up. Not self, not anything else. Learn and appreciate what I Am and what I have done for you. You are either with Me or against Me. (If you are against me, which is futile, will end in weeping and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness forever.)  I have supplied ALL your needs. Remember, My Son, The One and Only, He wants you in My Presence forever. He did ALL and nothing was left out. Go and learn what ‘receive' is. Find out the ways you can receive everything that I Am.  Stand in the Faith. Be vigilant and aggressive against the lies. You have been chosen. Finish the test strong, and believe the results outweigh the trials. Remember who you are to Me. I Am near and need you more than you acknowledge. Read. Pray. Praise. And keep focused.   There are so many people deep in need for Me. Be the light and example for them to follow. Stop reacting, and act accordingly as My Son. Be the image and character which is adored and sought after. Everything is against the Christ in you, yet you have not a measure to be compared to the victory already done.   Be mindful of the thoughts of freedom and eternity. Nothing can separate you from the family in Me. Be alert as the enemy is prowling to harm and take what I bless you with.” (I felt we need to consider everything as though the enemy is trying to sneak in, like a virus in a computer file.)  Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.  Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.      Dancing With The Lord  Marie Kelton 4/17/23 (David's notes in red)  During the meeting, I had an open vision. When I looked down at my legs, I saw that I had my old leg braces on. Then Jesus came and knelt down and loosened the straps and took my braces off. I then saw myself in a white dress dancing in a ballroom with the Lord, who was also wearing all white.  (The leg braces are an external man-made device that supports, stabilizes, compresses or simply protects the leg, helping one to stand and to walk. There is no longer a need for the leg braces because the Lord has healed her and He is her strength and stability; He causes her to walk in righteousness, and she walks uprightly in her heart in Truth by faith in His grace. Dancing with the Lord represents being close to Him, moving freely with Him, and following in His steps as He leads the Bride and they move together as One.)  Psa 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart;  Pro 2:7-8 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity; 8 That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.  Rev 3:4-5 But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  2Sa 6:14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.   Jer 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.  Psa 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;  Psa 149:1-3 Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp.  Son 6:13 Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?      The Warmth Of His Love  Samuel Fire 5/19/23   I was in prayer and heard:  “Know that you are chosen and paid for, fought for, and very important to Me. The importance of declaring this over and over in every way possible makes the ground you hold, clean and new. It's after these things are continually worked on, that My love will be established and grow through who you are and the things and people around you.  Fire will burn. There is plenty to keep it going. Are you warm? How about the people around you? Spiritually this hunger and desire is filled but it takes the removal of the old flesh to accept and move with the sensation of a life set apart for a purpose. The flame is not all about the heat and burning. Look at the glow. It moves, it spreads. I Am in you and now you are exactly where I want you to be, and each aspect is for a good reason.  Be ye happy with Me. If there is an evil thing manifesting, it has taken a position more important to you than the love of My Son. If you want to be free of something, remove the things that cause the sin. The absence of evil allows goodness to grow. Substitute the reactions and ill feelings with the power and love of Christ. Just hold onto this truth, nothing can outlast or overwhelm Me.   Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  I saw a pot of water boiling. It made steam. I was shown the water will keep evaporating if the fire kept boiling the pot. It just needs to be boiling, so the fire had to remain and never get too low. Soon the water goes lower, and the fire was more than enough for the water to keep boiling and had a greater power to keep making steam. Eventually the water boiled off completely and the pot was getting so hot, it was changing color.  I was then told the water is the evil stuff that accumulated in life. The fire is now getting those things to come up and eventually leave as steam. The steam are the times things got too excessive but never remained. The fire is Me and the Word being applied, thinking and living the way of Christ. The pot is the vessel the life and timeline lived.  Mat 3:11-12 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire: 12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.  These trials are nothing compared to those who have not used their faith or trust in Me. You will overcome and be glad. Hold and frame the picture of the end. See yourself and what you are clothed in and who you're next to and where you are. I am very pleased!”      Heaven Vision  Samuel Fire 3/25/23  In this vision, I had been filled with weightlessness and I rose up higher. I keep being lifted up, until I saw that I was above what I could describe as a floor of completely white clouds, which led to an area with golden gates as an entrance. I approached the gates, although I was hesitant to, as I was uncertain if I was welcome and worthy. The closer I came to the gates, I was filled with excitement and thrills, but in calm and peace, I wish I had better words to describe this. It kept getting more intense, but it never felt overwhelming or fake.  Then, I looked ahead into the depth of Heaven beyond the gates and there was an intense bright, white light which reached all around. While I looked, I heard amazing and beautiful singing. I felt such joy and bliss, and where I was, I was happy and delighted not wanting to return to the physical place anymore. It was the peak level of happiness I have not had before, and totally genuine.  I then was erupting with excitement and praise to our Father. As I did this, the very moment, I felt The Great Father of All, calling me but I didn't hear it as my name. He allowed me to come closer and enter through the entrance gates area towards Him. The golden gates were opened but I didn't realize they had opened up, I didn't see an action for them opening, they just were open.  This part I really want to describe as best I can. I would have been super pleased for all eternity being in that one spot. What I saw, looking in one spot at one part of the walls was a crystal rainbow but clear and golden glowing light, which looked so beautiful. I was content and delighted if I were to stare at this forever. Then to move my eyes, even to move my head to look around, I was then filled more and more with delight and joy. I was so filled up with amazing emotions beyond anything I could say I have experienced in the physical. Then, obeying the call of the Father and my attempt to move, I made the action to take a step closer, I was beyond ecstasy again, but in a clean and pure form. Each step I took, I was giving a massive thank You God Almighty Father and was so joyful!  I then saw all the Saints, beyond number of a packed city, all excitedly running around and doing various tasks, all for our Father, in complete joy. There was a specific and special purpose for everyone, and everyone were all delighted to do anything possible for Father. I saw a little girl making what seemed to be a drawing on paper and folding it to a shape I don't recognize and then excitedly running off toward the Father to gift it to Him. I saw another, an older male, working on a very intricate device what seemed electronic but had so many moving parts and things, and he kept wanting to add more and more to the design so it could please the Father. Each person was doing something to please the Father.   I then saw millions in a group, all praying and praising in song and dance. I looked to another area and saw another million were on their knees and lying flat in prayer and worship. I didn't see much more than this as I was drawn closer.  I then had what I think was an Angel next to me which I didn't see before. Very tall, like 15feet or so, translucent but super tough and strong looking. I couldn't look up at the face and I heard a male voice spoke softly. I was instructed to go back to the physical, but I didn't want to go back. I just wanted to be closer to the Father, and to be there is all my desire.  I then learned that my physical time, is a one-time opportunity to be all and do all and manifest for Him and His Glory. That I need to do everything I can to honor and serve Him in this physical, for time is short and my opportunity to give all I can.  I was then brought out of the vision and felt that I really need to press into the Lord, and ask for prayer, and pray for anything for all. I was convicted to truly do my duty and seek His Kingdom. It was just as I was thinking this, I felt a wave of love and encouragement, as though He, our awesome Lord Jesus gave me a ‘nod' of approval.  My dearest Brothers and Sisters, truly I mean this; He delights in us and loves us, He is with us and wants us to try and believe always. Bless you!      At the Time Of The Lord  Samuel Fire – 2022    I was in prayer and desiring to know who will be alive at the coming of The Lord. I then was taken into a vision where I heard all these surnames of some Brethren in local and outreach UBM being called out.   After each name, I saw those who I knew of that surname in UBM, walk out in a group with others who I think were their children. I looked over and saw them standing in brilliant white glowing amazing clothing and the area was a big green grassy field with giant trees and a river flowing nearby.   More of the names read out and each of these families were walking around into this area, meeting up together. I heard so many names and of people I didn't really remember and some I only had heard of online or in conversation.   Then I felt God draw my attention, as though His Holy Hand gently turned my head from seeing this, and to focus my attention on Him. I felt He meant for me to look only to Him as the time is yet to come.       Endure In Your Faith To The End David Eells Have you ever received promises from God that you really desired but lost faith in because much time passed and there was much failure on your part to live up to your expectations and you think that is the reason that the promises won't be fulfilled?  We have received many times by faith at random - Psa 102:13 Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come. (We are on the verge of many promises being fulfilled at this time and also to people who have failed to live up to what they thought they should have been. In all of your failure continue to be Justified by Faith and also forgive your fellow man their failures and believe now so the promises can come to pass.)  We are entering a season of fulfillment! We also received these verses by faith at random about NOW is the time. Isa 33:10 Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; now will I lift up myself; now will I be exalted. Psa 12:5 Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith Jehovah; I will set him in the safety he panteth for.  It is now that we have no time for double mindedness because of past failures or sin. Forget the failures and inability of the past with its condemnation, be justified by faith, repent and believe.  Here is a perfect example of a man receiving an important promise but then went through much unbelief and failure and self-works in his uncircumcised heart but when the time came God reminded him of the promise and brought it to pass through his renewed faith.  Rom 4:1-10 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. (Like many of us, Abraham's faith and works failed him for many years but when the set time was come it was impossible for him to bring it to pass by works of man. He and Sarah were too old and double minded. Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. It was then that God reminded him of the promise and renewed his faith.) 3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. And then the promise was fulfilled.  4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. (The answer can only come by Grace, which is unmerited and unearned by man's works. Pray for mercy and grace by which faith will come.) 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. (Up to this point Abraham was ungodly in his works to bring to pass the promises. Only the works of faith are considered righteous.)  6 Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works (of man), 7 saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. (This grace through faith was given to a man who did not deserve it by his works.) 9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (The promise was given when Abraham was sowing a seed of uncircumcised flesh. What can that get you? Ishmael. Abraham wanted God to accept him as the promised seed but God refused because his work was of the flesh of man.)  …17-25 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. (Abraham and Sarah were dead to any ability to bring forth the promised seed. We also are dead to any ability to bring forth the promised seed of Christ in you the hope of glory. Here is where we can receive the unmerited unearned favor of God. We cannot pick ourselves up by our bootstraps.)  18 Who in hope believed against hope (of man), to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. (Within the year of the fulfillment of the promise Abraham began to believe God by His grace; while ignoring his inability.) 19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; 20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.  22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. (Since it was impossible for them to do this, there was only one other choice, believe God and be counted as righteous so he could have the promise. Rom 3:3-4 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? 4 God forbid: (It was in this state of unfaithfulness to God's promise that Abraham and Sarah were to confess the promise and be justified in their words.) yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified (Accounted as righteous) in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. We prevail or overcome in Judgment when we confess the Lord's promises with our Words. When we are accounted righteous, we are entitled to Faith, which is the victory that overcomes the world.  Back to Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; 24 but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. When Jesus died, we died; when he was resurrected, we received resurrection life.  Have you failed? Ask for faith through grace and confess the promises! Confess in Greek is Homo-Logeo, meaning to “speak the same as”. I.e. Say what God says about you and others.  Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus; 4:14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  Jesus as our Hight Priest must have a sacrifice from us to give to the Father. Mat 10:32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. Luk 12:8 And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: When we confess in agreement with God's promises, the angels are given authority of Father and Son to fulfill our confession. Psa 103:20 Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word.  Heb 10:23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: 13:15 Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.  Speak life into every situation. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  (Mar.11:23) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. “Whosoever” shows that He wasn't only talking to His disciples and apostles at that time, but that He was talking to all disciples because disciples are the only ones who will take Him seriously and recognize this authority as a gift of faith.   Again, Jesus was not only speaking to the apostles and disciples back in His time, but to anyone, from them to us, who believes he can have this authority. Is this just a silly statement that no one will ever really take Him up on? No! There have been many people who have commanded their personal mountains and giants out of the way. Multitudes of people have exercised this authority over Satan, over the flesh, over their circumstances and over the curse.  God is faithful to stand by His Word, not because we deserve it, but due to His mercy and grace. He has said, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29) and Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee (Mat.8:13). “Whosoever” includes you and me and any other believer, so this authority has been put in our hands as sons of the last Adam, and not only given to those disciples in Jesus' day, as some say.  (Mar.16:14) And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. (15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. (16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. Jesus is referring to the disciples of the disciples. “Disciples” (Greek: mathetes, meaning “learner and follower”) are learners and followers of the Lord. He is our Master, our Lord, our Example, and He is the One Who does the works through us.  (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Now we see that these signs will accompany those who simply believe and not only great apostles. That is authority! Jesus is giving authority to the people who believe these first disciples, or forefathers of Christianity, who wrote these pages to us. He has given us this authority to do good in the name of the Lord.  All principalities and powers have been put under Jesus (Matthew 28:18), even “his feet” and we are “his body” (Ephesians 1:20-23). We have this authority but it can be negative or positive. For example, when the Lord brought His people out of Egypt and into the wilderness, they continued to speak negatively and exercise their faith in a negative way. Faith is just what you believe. You can believe what God has spoken to you or you can believe the things which you see in the world, but Jesus said, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29). Faith is both negative and positive. Even fear is faith; however, it's faith in the curse, or faith in reverse – I.e. having faith in adverse circumstances and in the devil. The absolute proof in the world is that what people believe happens to them.  Doctors say that approximately 90% and higher of sicknesses are psychosomatic (Greek: psuche, meaning “soul” and soma, meaning “body”). This implies “soul over body” and your soul is your mind, will and emotions. Therefore, your mind, will and emotions are making your body sick. The doctors are wrong in stating that 90% and higher of sicknesses are psychosomatic. That number is 100%. What makes people sick is what they believe. In fact, what you believe can kill you. As we saw in Matthew 18:18, you are the one who binds and who loose, and you are the one who creates your own future. You are the one who gives authority to the devil or gives authority unto God. Jesus needed authority but when He went to His hometown, he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Mat.13:58).  They had authority to say no to God and they did; they did not believe in Jesus and His Gospel. They believed in the sickness and the curse and they spoke it. We can believe in the blessings of God and speak the blessings or we can believe in the curse and speak the curse. We will have what we believe because that's the Word of God. (Num.14:28) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: (29) your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me. They complained to the Lord that they were brought out into the wilderness to die and the Lord heard this too many times. The Lord basically gave them what they said. The Lord still does this today and the Bible declares that He does.  One of the fruits of a believer is that they believe in their heart and confess with their mouth (Romans 10:10). There are many people who profess to be believers, yet don't confess their benefits in Christ, so God says what you say is what you will receive. (Num.21:5) And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. What is “against God”? It's when God has spoken these awesome promises and we think we know better and continue to agree with the curse.  For example, the 10 spies who spoke and agreed with the curse and brought the bad report led to the threats made by God to those who believed those spies. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who brought the good report, in agreement with God's promises. So, speaking against God can be more subtle than what people might think. When God says you're healed and you say you're not, then you will remain sick. When God says He's taken away your sins but you confess what you see and feel in the world, you are speaking against God.  (Num.21:6) And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Once again, what they spoke is what they got. I believe the fiery serpents represent the curse. The cure for this was that God commanded Moses to make a “fiery serpent” out of brass and put it on a pole, and as people got their eyes on the serpent on the pole, they were healed (verse 8). As we know, the cure was Jesus Christ, since He was the One who was made sin and was crucified on a cross. So, we have a cure from the curse but we must confess God to receive this cure.  Those who profess Christianity but do not confess the benefits of the Kingdom, so that the curse, which was put upon Jesus, doesn't come on them. We cannot gain the promises in Scripture without faith in those promises. Or, in other words, what we profess must be mixed with faith. (Num.21:7) And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. When people pray, God is merciful, especially if they believe their prayers. But do you have to continue to live under the curse? Is it necessary, when you can agree with God, to have the “fiery serpents” bite you? These serpents are the curse manifested in so many ways. The serpent is, obviously, also the devil, who is a vessel of dishonor that administers the curse on God's people, especially when they don't believe the benefits of God.  Jesus told us, According to your faith be it done unto you (Mat.9:29) and Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee (Mat.8:13). You can speak things into coming to pass. If you speak life, you receive life; if you speak death, you receive death. It depends on what you have your faith in. If your faith is in agreement with God's benefits, then you receive those benefits. If you agree with what is in the world, then you don't receive God's benefits and have loosed the devil; you have loosed emissaries to continue to administer the curse on you. Many people are learning this and experiencing what I'm saying.  This is nothing new but is the same Gospel which is from the beginning. We have to have a renewed mind so that we understand what to believe and what we should speak. Faith can be both positive and negative. (Pro.18:20) A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied. Would you like your needs to be met because of what you say? We would like our lips to come into agreement with the Word of God and learn more and more to walk in His benefits by confessing Him before men.  (Pro.18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. I remember back in Louisiana, where I came from, there was a church which had a visiting minister who was preaching about death and how it was not to be feared. I know the church and its circumstances and have been there. The minister was actually going to show them how simple it was to die. He pulled up a chair, sat down and said it was as simple as going to sleep. Then he nodded his head for an example. He stayed like that for a while, until the pastor, whom I know, got nervous and went up and touched him on his shoulder, and then shook him. He was gone. He talked himself right off of this earth. What was God showing with this example?  There are some people who talk themselves right into the grave. Many people die before their time because their faith is to die; their faith is to be cursed and to receive the things that are around them. Their faith is not in what the Lord Jesus has given to them freely. Truly, “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” This is God's Word and nothing is being taken away or being added to it. We need to agree with God's benefits to have them and God will supply your every need to do His will, if you learn to agree with Him.  The tongue doesn't speak on its own. It gets its direction from your thoughts and the words that are in your mind. We need to watch our tongue so we can correct our mind. That's one reason the Lord is telling us to be careful with what we say because when we are careful, we are correcting our thoughts. He tells us to be quick to hear and slow to speak. That's why we have one tongue and two ears. (Mat.12:34) Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. If we want to speak good things, we need to put good things in our hearts and reject the other things that are there.  I am sure that your mouth has spoken things that have slipped out, that you wish you hadn't said. It's an automatic thing with some people, but we need to slow down and give the Lord time to correct our thinking. Good people speak good things and bad people speak bad things. In some ways, we are both since we are both son of man and son of God, but we also have authority over that part of us which is still man. The Son of God in us has authority over that man. As the outer man decays, the inner man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).  That spiritual man is taking over as we walk by faith and believe more and more of the Word of God and, as we do, more and more of Jesus Himself is being manifested in us and He is taking more and more ground from the enemy. (Mat.12:35) The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Those who get this revelation about the tongue spend much time talking about the tongue, but we must really begin with the heart. We have to repent – change our mind – and believe what the Bible says. Changing your mind and repenting is renewing your mind with what the Word says and agreeing with what it says, but we must do it enough so that it overcomes our natural thinking. Our natural thinking is what kills us and all those whose tongues are connected to their natural man.  (Mat.12:36) And I say unto you, that every idle (Greek: argos, meaning “unfruitful, barren”) word that men shall speak, they shall give account of in the day of judgment. The Lord obviously wants His Word to bear fruit in us, but there are many words that are unfruitful and don't bear the fruit of Christ in us. Every idle word will bring judgment upon you. The day of judgment is not that day down the road, the corporate judgment, but it is the day of judgment that you come into. Your idle words, unfruitful or vain, will bring you into judgment.  Many people have spoken the curse upon themselves, like the Israelites did. They confessed continuously that they would die in the wilderness and it happened. (Mat.12:37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. The words that justify are those words spoken in agreement with God. They are words confessing Jesus before God and men, saying what He said and agreeing with what He has taught us in the Word and also by what He put in the disciples to teach us in the Word.  We are accounted righteous, or justified, if we agree with God. But if we don't agree, we fall under judgment, for “by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” If you disagree with God's Word, it's like calling Him a liar. God told the Israelites that He was going to bring them to the Promised Land and they basically claimed that God was a liar and that He brought them to the wilderness to die. They spoke it from their mouth and He finally said, “as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you.” There are a lot of people who don't make it through the wilderness – what we call the “world” today. (Hos.4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…. They agree with the curse and they receive the curse. It's what they believe; it is their faith.  See Jesus in the mirror, all that he is is yours. 2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. 

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries
UBBS 7.23.2023 Walk in Heavenly Places by Faith (David Eells)

UBM Unleavened Bread Ministries

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2023 120:17


Walk in Heavenly Places by Faith   (audio) David Eells – 7/23/23  Endure in Your Faith  Vanessa Weeks - December 2022 (David's notes in red)  In a dream David and I were standing in a spacious and nice bathroom. We were cleaning different parts of the bathroom and David was cleaning the large, white bathtub. (Representing preparing cleansing for corruption and for sanctification.) Then David was standing in the large bathtub fully dressed. He said to me, "You have to endure in your faith to receive healing for what you have not received." (This may also be spiritual healing.) (Healing is already accomplished and believers should stand in faith and believe they have received and speak what is theirs. 1Pe 2:24  who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. Mar 11:23-24 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.  24  Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. After he said this, I saw to my right, an enclosed shower with glass doors. (This reminds me of 1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.) (Believers should cleanse themselves of all false doctrines of men that would keep them from health of mind and body. 2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. I had been listening to "Receiving your Healing" from the UBM site when I had this dream.  I asked the Lord for a word about this and received by faith at random, Phi. 1:30. vs. 27-30 in context. Php 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God; 29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf: 30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.     Our Rights in Christ  Isaac Payne 1/24/22 (David's notes in red)  In this dream I was in third person viewing an oil tanker in the middle of the ocean. The oil tanker was far from land as I could only see the boundaries of water. (I believe the rough waters are the judgements that are here and are coming upon the world. Also, I think that this sea also represents the masses of people. (As they do in Revelations) Sort of a two-fold meaning of judgment upon the masses.) Gen 6:17 And, behold, I do bring the flood of the waters upon this earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breadth of life, from under heaven; everything that is in earth shall die.   2Pe 3:5-7 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out for water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished: but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men.   The oil tanker resembled an old navy oil tanker from the World War II era. On this old oil tanker was a captain that was a burley fella. (Strength in the flesh will not save in the days to come but “righteousness delivereth from death”.) He was average sized, stocky, had a dark beard, and was wearing a seaman jacket with the hood over his head.  This burley captain's crew consisted of his mother and his wife. The wife and mother both had blonde hair.   They were fighting the waves and trying to obtain more oil. This oil tanker was equipped with a hose that ran deep into the ocean depths suctioning the oil into the tanker. (The tanker wasn't a drilling rig, but it was collecting oil from the depths of the sea.) The burley captain did not have enough hose to reach the depths of the sea. The captain was only a few feet short of reaching this oil well. However, he performed a maneuver with the throttle of the oil tanker. He threw the throttle forward maxing forward speed then suddenly reversed the throttle in the opposite direction maxing the speed of the tanker in reverse. He was attempting to elevate the bow of the oil tanker and use the momentum while the bow was elevated and then reversing the throttle allowing the stern of the oil tanker to dip into the water a bit.   The point of this maneuver was to gain those few feet the hose could not reach in hopes of dipping the hose into the oil located at the depths of the sea and then suction the contents of oil into the tanker. (The works of man will not give results but faith in God will.) Suddenly, the oil tanker flipped over. The captain overdid the maneuver and caused the oil tanker to flip belly up in the sea. The captain dipped the stern of the oil tanker too much into the water and the bow of the tanker flipped backwards.   Immediately at this point I was now in the dream but standing on the deck of our doublewide trailer. (A mobile tabernacle for the wilderness.)  The trailer was elevated above the waters and had a center block foundation that reached from the depths of the sea and elevated the house quite high off the waters. The oil tanker was underneath my house and sinking. I watched the contents empty out of the oil tanker and float to the top of the water while being carried away with the waves. The contents were mainly plywood sheets. Isaiah 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that carry the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. (The plywood represents the captain's own self-works to suction the oil. The oil represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which is a gift from God Who gives us power and He does the work in us and for us.)  1Co 3:9-15 For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;   13 each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.  The captain popped out of the water and swam to the deck of the house where I was standing on. He was frantic and worried about his wife and mother. Humbled and remorseful he said a prayer, “Oh Lord please help me find my family.” (I remember the captain was not wearing the hood over his head at this time.)(No longer shielded or resisting the Sun/Son.) After saying that prayer the burley captain looked down and said, “I wish I knew my rights with the Lord.” (This will be most important to save our families from the devastation coming on the world. Revelation shows a huge depopulation just ahead. Many have family members dying now because they put the Word last.) Right after he said that I became super excited. It was like a light bulb went off and I knew the answer. I smacked him in the arm with a brotherly affection and stoked with excitement saying, “You have Rights in Christ! I know your rights in Christ!!!!”  (A valuable person to know in the days ahead.) I looked at the burley captain and told him to command his family to surface in Jesus's name. The burley captain did just that, commanding in the name of Jesus that his family surface from the depths of the sea. Suddenly, the wife and mother came bolting out of the water as the tanker continued to sink. Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.  The tanker was pulling all the debris within close proximity under the water as it was sinking. (All of man's works will be destroyed.) However, the wife and mother were able to swim past the sinking tanker and come to safety at the deck of the double wide with the center block foundation that the burley captain and I were standing on. Isaiah 28:16 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste.   Matthew 7:24 Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:  Then I woke up.  Family With God  Tianna Fire 5/29/23 (David's notes in red)  I had a thought from the enemy about my physical family because they aren't following Jesus yet, and the thought was, “I haven't prayed for them recently or enough.” (Mat_6:7  And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Mar 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive [in the Greek this is past tense, received] them, and ye shall have them. If you believe you received the answer to your prayer do you have to pray again? Only if you fell away from that faith.) I saw it was the enemy, and then I turned to the Father in Spirit, and I saw Him as if He was holding His hand out and as holding something. Then I saw my old physical family appear and He looked at me and said to me "They will be here, and they are already". I then saw Him move His hand all around Him and I saw all the UBM brethren's physical families there. Not just children, but the whole extended family all standing there with Him. As He did this He said, "They will all be here and are already". (Because we believe we have received and this IS faith.)(I felt this meant all of our UBM brethren's families are already with God in eternity [by our faith], and it will manifest in the physical.) (1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ) Rom 8:29-30 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  Eph 1:11-12 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:  Joh 6:37-40 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  (We can just rest regarding our families, knowing they are in God's Hands through our prayer of faith.)    Wedding Dress  Marie Kelton 5/1/23 (David's notes in red) During the night meeting, I had an open vision. The Lord was sitting next to me, and He tapped me on my shoulder to turn and look at something that He was going to show me. I guess I wasn't paying attention, because He tapped me on my shoulder a second time and pointed and told me to look. As I looked, I saw that I was in heaven and an angel was bringing me a wedding dress. The Lord then spoke to me and said, "This is yours, make sure you keep it." (The Bride has been given this wedding dress by faith and we need to keep it by enduring in our faith to the end.)  Rev 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  Rev 3:11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.      Come As You Are  Samuel Fire 7/4/23 (David's notes in red) I heard in prayer and felt this is to encourage the Brethren to share their blessings and gifts with the Body, even if the gift or blessing seems small in the natural, but that sharing it, blesses all more than they know. God uses even tiny things for His Glory and can multiply infinitely to everyone.  “Bring what you have and give it to Me. The boy who had the bread and fishes that took with him to My sermon on the mount, what little he had and it benefited the entire group. What little you see, may be well enough or plenty more for yourself or your family, but to the whole body seems tiny and pale to help, if at all. By natural means it cannot, but bring it all before Me and I will distribute it perfectly, with plenty leftover. Mat 14:20 And all ate, and were filled: and they took up what remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.  Come to Me all of you. Bring who you are. (Don't think you need to be someone else or have something you think is worthy to offer.)   Carry with you the things I blessed you with. (These are the qualities and uniqueness He made us.) Psa 139:15 My frame was not hidden from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Don't be shy. Don't lag behind. Don't worry about it, even if you think you really need what you have now. (He wants us to jump up and eagerly run to Him, willingly giving all despite having a desperate need in the current moment.) (Luk 6:30 ASV  Give to everyone that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.  31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise… 38  give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. ) Come and be merry. Share it all as though the whole world desperately needs it. Bring it because I give you My all. (Considering the things you can share as something critically required by others. Sharing it with joy, knowing it will bless others better than self.) 2Co 9:6-12  But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.   7  Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  8  And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:  9  as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth forever.   10  And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:  11  ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God.  12  For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God. A sweet word, a song, a tiny portion of food, a memory, a smile. Life, when given entirely to Me, has infinite and eternal blessings to everyone.   You are immensely rewarded, and I can continue to do these things countless times.  Do not think or remember a moment that such is your doings. (Luk 17:10 ASV  Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.)  When you give, it's complete. (Do not expect a transaction, let go and gift it without any further attachment.)   I then work with this, for only I can create life and recall that action with a Power source to spread and multiply, not even self could recreate it properly a second time.  So come and bring what you can. Sit with Me. Share and be merry, and receive the blessings I give abundantly.   Look at My river, it flows endlessly. Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb  Let it spring forth from within, pouring out to others. I Am the True Life, the Resurrection. Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: who believeth unto me shall live, even if he die.  I have a want and reason to give everything overflowing. (He is Love Eternal – John 3:16-17), just come to Me as you are.   Bring to the table what you have, and we all can share together without any lack. (Normal dining experience is sharing all different plates, talking and sharing in discussion, eating together as one group.)   Holding it to self is buried and lifeless. Trying to grow on your own is like you adding extra height to stature.   Ask of Me, give to Me all. From problems to blessings, we can be one through it all. (You have not because you ask not. Luk 6:38 give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you again.)”  I then heard this is about the evil-one:  “Steer clear of the one who lurks near.  He will steal and kill, just for a thrill,   Destroying all that be, and can see.   His price cannot be bought, do not fall for it.   His lies, seem to tantalize,   Catching by surprise,  When you realize, what lies, behind the fear”.    Let's Huddle  Samuel Fire 7/3/23 (David's notes in red) I saw many different groups and types of animals, including the insects. I saw how many types would huddle together for various reasons. I saw penguins huddling and rotating the ones in the center to the outer edge to maintain warmth. I saw honeybees doing the same thing during the winter. I then saw a flock of sheep keeping the young lambs in the center to shelter from predators.  Each reason was to benefit them all. Some for warmth, others protection from predators. I saw how they were spiritually blessed with this knowledge to ensure survival. (We should always apply this technique for our UBM Brethren.) Stick together, don't wander off. No pride can keep from falling away. We listen to His instructions and loving guidance and we will make it together.  I asked for word by faith at random and landed on: ‘Comforted', Eze 14:22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings; and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.  One Body in Christ  Anonymous 2/26/23 (David's notes in red)  When a sister was praying on the Outreach Zoom for lost brethren in apostate Christianity, I saw the sister as a gold bright shining light praying, and then I saw some devils try to come up to her to interrupt or distract the prayer. (Witchcraft curses sent from the factious and witches to distract and stop our praying and interceding.) But I saw myself standing in front of the enemy with my back to it with my arms stretched out pushing them back behind me, so they couldn't get to the sister praying, like bodyguards do. But my arms could only reach so far to push them away from her, so the devils tried to get around another way. (1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 9 whom withstand stedfast in your faith, …  Lev 26:8 And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.   Deu 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, And Jehovah had delivered them up?)  Then I saw our other brethren that were present, as gold bright shining lights, and they all came around the praying sister, with their arms stretched out wide to push the enemy back and to block the enemy from trying to hinder the prayer. Then all the brethren held hands in a circle around the sister, blocking out the enemy entirely because they came together in unity of faith, which defeated the enemy and all the darkness from hindering the prayers. (The Body coming together and using our authority in Christ, actively in offensive warfare against the factious, and witches. When we are all in complete unity with Jesus, there is nothing the enemy can do; he is bound.)   NENT Mat 18:18-20 Amen I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, Amen, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in the heavens. 20 For where two or three are gathered unto my name, there am I in their midst.)    Redeemed  Debbie Fenske 4/4/23  I would like to confess that I did not give something forth that I heard the Lord saying to me last night, It was toward the end of our worship time after a song that Barry continued with worshipful strumming on his guitar. After a minute or so, Barry's strumming became more powerful. There was a strong anointing in it. And what kept coming to me, I felt was Father speaking it to me. When the time ended, I knew I had failed Him. I told Him I was sorry, last night. But my heart was not truly repentant.   Today, Father brought it back to me, strongly, with such conviction, and I truly repented before Him, and I ask my brothers and sisters forgiveness also. And, He let me know that it is still important to say today. There were not many words to the word He was saying, and, I know that doesn't matter. Literally, it was one word, “Redeemed,” that came to me, three times. So, I was thinking it was not important enough, and so I did not speak. Had I opened my mouth, He would have spoken the rest, which He did speak to me today, as He was working on, and correcting my heart. Here is the powerful word the Lord spoke.   “Redeemed. Redeemed. Redeemed! My children, you are redeemed! So, rejoice in that I, your God and Savior, have redeemed you. You are Mine!”  Yes, Father! I truly thank you, with a heart full of thanksgiving and gratitude, that you have redeemed me from my sin, and I am yours. We praise you, our God and Savior, for your merciful and glorious plan of redemption. We love you Jesus. And we thank you with our very lives that you have redeemed us, and made us your own, individually, and corporately. Help us, Father, to give our praises and our thanksgiving unto you every day. Lord, you, our powerful God, deserves all the honor and glory. Amen!  I am reminded of Isaiah 43:1-7 But now thus saith Jehovah that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead. 4 Since thou hast been precious in my sight, and honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy life.   5 Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; 7 every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yea, whom I have made.  Barry: Thank you so much, Debbie, for your sensitive heart in this. I believe it was “You Have Redeemed My Soul”. We appreciate so much the gift of God in you that has so often blessed our body here!    All in All  Anonymous 4/25/23 (David's notes in red) I was in the half-awake half-asleep state, and I saw so clearly and so real how the Spirit of God is literally in everything, and through everything in the physical and spiritual and so clearly how He is behind every single vessel of honor and dishonor and only by His will can anything or anyone do anything. Only by His will can a vessel of dishonor do something, and only by His will could I be even allowed to know or understand this. I saw so clearly how there is nothing I can do except trust Him and hope and believe in His Grace and Promises and hope for Him to only let me be a vessel of honor. (Sovereign God.)  I had been wondering why the Lord had some of the enemy using someone to hurt me, and I saw how God was behind it and His ways are higher than mine and I can't even comprehend or truly understand His plans and the extent of His Grace and how everything He does is for my own good. I saw that I can't even judge anyone or anything for what they do or how they are because He is behind all of it, and when I judge something, anything, I am judging God. So, all I can do is think, speak, believe, be and live His Word. I cannot criticize anything or anyone, not even physical things because that's how God created that specific thing to be and He wanted it that way, and me criticizing or thinking that thing or way would be better is criticizing God.  (Rom 9:21-22 ASV  Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?  22  What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction.) Being ungrateful for literally anything is an offence to God, because He has blessed me with way more than I really need whether I see or understand it or not. I saw how literally every tiny and big thing is connected, physically and spiritually. Every tiny little detail, from the wind to the ant, to even the trash man, is God's perfectly created intrinsic or intricate design. And there is literally nothing I can do to change God or change His mind or plan, because everything is His will and great design. (Even when we change things through prayer; the change is His. He just ordained us to change it.)   This honestly gives me such great fear of God to know He is sovereign over all vessels, and He is sovereign over my mind, will, thoughts, life; and the only thing I can grab on to that I know, is real, true, eternal is Him, His Word, His Spirit and His Life, Jesus.  In this experience it literally felt like it was just God and I (Jesus in me) alone in all existence and everything is Him, in and through all and it is only Him now and forever and it's Him. Jesus in us that is real and eternal. It brings me much peace that He is and is behind everything.  Son - Sun  Anonymous - January 2023   I am not creative but I made a picture on paint that kind of looks like what I saw. I'm sorry, in the picture forgot to change it to "Jesus in me" not "me."  I was standing in the kitchen and all of a sudden, I saw the principality over the area I was in and he knew that I could see him and was aware of him.   I saw everything was darkness but I saw this light inside of me. The light in me looked small compared to all the darkness that was around me.   Then I saw this giant ray of light appear from above and the light in me was connected to this ray which led above to this giant light that was endless light.   The darkness then looked completely small compared to the giant endless light and although my light seemed small at first the light around me was actually bigger than I know because it is connected to this eternal light that is above, around, all around everywhere and is greater than the greatest darkness.   Vision of Heaven  Samuel Fire - 2019       A couple of months after I came to Christ, I heard a testimony of God showing Heaven to a person. I          was intrigued and I also desired this. However, I doubted the Lord would talk to me or show me                  Heaven. That evening before sleep, I prayed and asked the Lord if He would show me Heaven                  as well. I got ready for sleep not thinking about it much more.    I lay in bed close to the sleep and dreaming state, I don't know what this is called. Then I saw the most amazing and exhilarating vision ever. Something I hope that I never forget and sadly I confess at times it has escaped me, yet when I do remember; it has been so encouraging and uplifting, that I pray that each and every one would have this comfort and treasure too.   I was seeing as I was in the room laying down for sleep. From my own perspective, I saw around me as though no roof or ceiling was there anymore, and it was open to the sky. I saw a clear night sky but shining above all this was as if the sun was distant and brighter. I didn't notice but I was being lifted up, gently. As with caring hands like a parent to a baby child. Slowly and gracefully, I rose up; closer to the bright light and I felt such peace and calm. All around me were clouds, white and clean and there was a wonderful sound like singing and music, but better than anything that is on earth. Perhaps this sound was like birds in the morning and a choir and symphony orchestra all in tune. How can I judge or know for sure – except that it was indeed the most beautiful ever.   As I looked around there were amazing buildings, constructed to dimensions I couldn't understand. Very large and with smoothness and finishes too fine and precise, nothing could be finer. The walls were golden, but almost transparent and glowing or shining at the same time. There were colors that I have never seen and don't think are in the earthly. Though I never saw any other being or angels or anything other than these amazing buildings on the clouds, I was astounded and wanted to see more. Then I knew I was getting lowered gently and back into the bed, this whole time I wanted to stay and didn't want to go back. I even cried out ‘I don't want to leave! I want to stay!'  In bed, I could not stop thinking about it. I slept and when I woke, I remembered this vision still. I was thinking about it so intensely I even made mistakes at the job I worked that day. I told a fellow believer in Christ about it and over time I did start to forget this vision. But when I recall, it has brought me such encouragement to keep on the path of Christ. I felt the Lord has blessed me to this so I do not doubt the eternal prize – even though all I want is to pursue the Lord Jesus 100%.   May the Lord and King bless you and know this too, He has a great and wonderful plan and place for you! All glory to FATHER GOD!       Gate of Heaven  Anna Stewart 6/1/23 (David's notes in red)  Last night Obi had the following dream, and I wrote down his narration of it:  Obi: The dream started where I was praying that the Lord would remove any spiritual uncleanness from my heart, because I knew if I didn't do that, that I wouldn't make it into heaven.  Then I was at Fio and Lana's with all the other kids. We were playing in Fio and Max's room with the light off. Then Victoria came and opened the door. (Anna: We were in the dark, but the light of the truth brings victory over sin and death.)  Then I saw the gate to go into heaven. There was no hell at their house, but just heaven. And I went to heaven. The gates to go to heaven were locked when I got inside, so all the devils that I could see, trying so hard to get in, couldn't get in. It was so hard to get in that they couldn't even get in.  (Mat 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.)  I was the only kid that was in heaven. (Eph 4:7-10 But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)  And I saw God and Jesus and a few other people. I couldn't tell if they were angels or not, but none of them had wings. God and Jesus looked really similar. God had a mad face; I think it was because God was sad because not all people made it into heaven. (David: Or maybe it was because wicked people were working to make others miss heaven.) I was so happy because I had made it into heaven and I was so happy because I was able to get there and I had made it.  Let The River Of Life Flow  Samuel Fire 5/8/23  I saw a vision: There was water flowing as a river through a valley, and gold was revealed on the floor as the water flowed over the riverbed. I then saw the river stop. Without any flowing water, no gold can be exposed. If the water stayed still, it became stagnant, which makes it useless, stale and bad. With the water flowing constantly, it will bring out all the gold and precious jewels. (The water is the Word. The gold and jewels are the prize God wants to cherish. Our lives are the process of the whole thing.   Joh 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (This is moving or flowing water unlike a well.) 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?   13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.  And Rev 7:16-17 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: 17 for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.  And Rev 21:6-8 And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.  And Rev 22:1-2 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.)  Returned Attack  Marie Kelton 5-6-23 (David's notes in red)  During pot blessing, I had another open vision of a huge demon with an axe. It threw the axe at me, and I knew it was aiming for my head. Then I saw the Lord and He intercepted it. He caught the axe and threw it back at the demon and destroyed it. The Lord then turned to me and smiled. (Praise God He is always faithful to protect us.)      Canon Blast  Tianna Fire 1/1/22  An evil thought came to my mind that I didn't agree with. I asked Father for the Holy Angels to take away the demon that gave me the thought.   I then saw a Holy Angel grab the demon and put it inside a cannon and it fired, and the demon got shot or flew so far away I couldn't see where it landed. Praise our God!       King Jesus Expels The Darkness  Marie Kelton 7/10/23 (David's notes in red)    During the meeting, I had an open vision.   I was looking at the sky, it was pitch black. The land was also pitch black where I couldn't tell the difference between the sky and the land. I saw the Lord dressed as King in the sky, He was in a white light sitting on a throne.   As I was looking at the darkness all around me, I noticed that the Lord and the light He was in got smaller and smaller. I then turned my head to the left to look at the Lord and He started getting bigger and bigger, to where the Lord and His light expelled the darkness totally. And all I could see was the white light.  (Keep your eyes on the Lord and the darkness loses ground and power. He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.) Joh 9:5 When I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness. 1Jn 1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  Exhortations in Philippians  David Eells  Php 1:27-4:21 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul …(Jesus prayed Father I pray that they may be one as we are one. And ever since wolves have come in to scatter the flock for their own aggrandizement. But even this works for the unity of the flock for in Pro 17:4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. (So we see that this cleanses the spots in our love feasts so that we can be all white and all one. This is God's test to remove the leaven.) Deu 13:1-5 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, (I.e. another Jesus by twisting or ignoring the scriptures.) 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. 4 Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.   5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, (The faction promotes another Jesus who does not believe the Bible and has no conscience.) because he hath spoken rebellion against Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside out of the way which Jehovah thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.  And Paul continued saying …striving for the faith of the gospel.(Our faith must be rooted and grounded in the Good News. The wicked always concentrate on the bad news for they are among the flock to tear down and not build up or edify.) Rom 16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. (Although the wicked always have much to criticize they criticize others because they feel it builds them up in the eyes of others. As we have seen in the political and Church realm these factious people blame others for what they are doing and this always catches up to them for the righteous see their motives.)  Continuing: 28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God; (The adversaries in our midst will always become known because they always persecute the righteous. In this way you will know “who is who.” They spend all of their time persecuting others and no time getting the good news out. This is a sign of their “perdition” meaning, coming destruction.)  Continuing: 29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf: 30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. (The righteous should know and resign themselves to this persecution because they know it is their cross to bear. The wicked are offended and put to shame by Christ in the righteous because they love their sins of unforgiveness, bitterness, pride and selfish ego. As it was with Paul so it should be in us. If the wicked do not repent and fail to denigrate the righteous they are seen for what they are, they will ultimately flee their righteous presence.)  Continuing: 2:1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; (We must always bend the knee to the exhortations of Christ through His Apostles and Word or we will be bundled with the tares, while the righteous shine forth in the Kingdom of our Father. Notice that we are to have “the same mind” as these exhortations of love, mercy, and compassion. Those who take the low road will soon be gone and will not pass through the righteous to test them any longer.)  Continuing: 3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, (Faction is for the purpose of “vain glory.” The wolves use their tongue and teeth to faction the weak from the flock in order to devour them for their “vain glory.” Most often the wolves have rejection and try to appease its pain by factioning others unto themselves to gain their respect. They lust for position and respect even if it's over the reprobates. Rather than being a little fish in a big pond they would rather be a big fish in a little pond and are a danger then to the little fish.)  Continuing: but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; (These humble people belong to Christ and He gives them grace to grow and prosper.) 4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. (As in keeping with the demonstration of the life of Christ to sacrifice self for others.) 5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (The wicked always seek to take the place of God in judging and teaching others but they do not judge and teach themselves and therefore are not qualified.)  Continuing: 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (We are called to be servants, empty of self, prepared of God to build His Kingdom.) 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. (If we humble ourselves and our will to our cross, which is obeying God's Word, we will be exalted by God. Yes, the Word is our cross and if you can't obey it you are not on it.)  Continuing: 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; (Notice that God exalts the obedient cross bearers by giving them the highest name, meaning in Greek: nature, character, and authority, of our Lord. This is the manifestation of Christ, the Word, in our “mortal flesh.”)  2Co 4:7-11 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (The treasure is the seed of Christ's Word in our hearts, which grows only in the tilled earth of our flesh.) that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; (Gods power is available to the obediant cross bearers.)  8 we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; (Those who love truth more than flesh are pressed into the Golden Mold of Jesus Christ to be like Him. Those who are malleable, that is humbley conformed to the mold of His Word through crucifying circumstances around them will be like Him.) 9 pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, (There is the condition. Here is the result for meeting it.) that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, (There is the condition. Here is the result for meeting it.) that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  Continuing: 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, (“In the name” is not “at the name”. In the name, means to abide IN in the nature, character, and authority, of our Lord.) 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Jesus is Lord of every situation if we confess Him. If we don't confess, meaning “speak the same as” He said He would not confess us before our Father or the angels, which means we do without His benefits.)   Continuing: 12 So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, (Wow, they always obeyed and even in Paul's absence. The wickedness today is that they disobey behind your back. The Church has fallen a long way!) work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (Oh, here is what's missing. Working out your salvation by faith and obedience. And the fear of the Lord!) 13 for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. (Ah, the key: We believe and confess, and He works in us by His power in a weak vessel.)   Continuing: 14 Do all things without murmurings and questionings: (I.e. Don't speak against the Lord or He will give you what you say.) Num 14:27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As I live, saith Jehovah, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me. So if you are old enough in the Lord to know better you are held responsible. Continuing: 15 that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, (We don't have the Light if we do not confess agreement with the Word.) 16 holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain. (If we do not confess the Word, we run in vain.) 17 Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: 18 and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.   19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state. 21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. (You mean those who heard the Word of Paul sought their own things instead of Jesus, just like today?) 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the gospel. (Some serve the gospel and the factious criticize them and never preach the gospel or see miracles, healings, etc.) 23 Him therefore I hope to send forthwith, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me: 24 but I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly. 25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need.   26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick: 27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor: 30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me. (Epaphroditus was a true servant and brother to put the needs of Paul ahead of his own.)  3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. (Amen!, rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice.) To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe. (Notice he was tired of giving the same warnings, saying the same thing, but he had to just like me.) 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:   3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh: 4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: (Pride is confidence in ones own flesh even while they have no conscience to obey the Word. Paul was in faction against the Christian Jews but God was merciful and stopped him in his tracks on the Damascus Road. When one continues in this way God usually turns them over to a reprobate mind to be a witness to the congregation.)  if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. (But God showed Paul a solution to this self-righteousness.)  7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, (He had to give up all of his pride of religion, all of his self-righteousness, all of his unforgiveness and faction against the Christians, all of his factious friends, all of the respect he had from his friends, all of his possessions to be a steward of Christ.)  9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: (He had to be justified by faith alone to be saved.) 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; (He had to suffer like Jesus the giving up his carnal life.) 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. (Those who do not give up their life will not gain their life as our Lord said.)  12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. (Notice: He was laid hold on by Christ in order to manifest perfection.) 13 Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. (Paul had to Forget his past sins and his past unforgiveness or he would not be forgiven and would fall under judgment. And today these kind will miss the Bride and Man-child and the Kingdom.)   14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, (by faith) be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you: (When God points out what more He expects of you, will you listen and act or will you delay and forget.) 16 only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk. (So, don't fall back, you haven't time for that now.) 17 Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. (Jesus and Paul are examples for us disciples to follow in their steps by obeying their Words.)  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: (Because they cherish their old life and sins.) 19 whose end is perdition, (sons of destruction) whose god is the belly, (their flesh) and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. (Many glory in their shame that others can see but they cannot.)   20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, (When the Lord comes, He will give only a new body to those who are sanctified with a new soul. Some think He will give a new soul after death but here is where we are sanctified.) according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. (Just as He gave us a new spirit, he has given us a new soul by faith. These will have a new body.)   4:1 Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I exhort Euodia (meaning the successful), and I exhort Syntyche (meaning the failure), to be of the same mind in the Lord. (All must have faith to get the same results :o) 3 Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (God is sovereign and even our failures work to humble us.)  4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your forbearance be known unto all men. (Forbearance is tolerance and restraint in the face of provocation; it is patience with others.) The Lord is at hand. 6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (I.e dont worry about a thing just ask and give thanks for the answer.) 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (This gives peace; pray and believe you have received.)  8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Negative thoughts destroy souls, yours and those who are around you. Thoughts become emotions which become words and actions, and a falling away, so repent quickly.) 9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Be a disciple, meaning a learner and follower, of Jesus, and Paul.)  10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. 12 I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. (Believe in the sovereignty of God to work all things for your good. This gives rest. Believe you have received. This gives rest.)   13 I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. (What a promise! Remember this, God will strengthen you to do all that is His will and many times in your permissive will and whatsoever you can believe and confess for.) 14 Howbeit ye did well that ye had fellowship with my affliction. 15 And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only; 16 for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need. 17 Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. (I feel the same way toward our supporters. Father, bless those with righteousness and every supply who have suffered to help us get the Word out in many forms. And help the missionaries bring the gospel to their people, as your Word says.)   2Co 9:6-13 But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Continuing: 18 But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. (This is true also of the saints who have helped to shoulder the burden of the missionaries who hazard their lives to get the gospel out to hungry souls. To those who help print the books they cry for. To those who supply their food in their famine and lack. THANK YOU) 19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren that are with me salute you. 

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
Our Relationship with God Lasts

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 4:43


One thing I've learned is that the people who are in our lives at one point in time may not be around later on. As we go through life, we lose some of the people who mean the most to us. We also meet new people and let them into our lives. Sometimes, we bond with friends or family members or mentors who eventually leave our lives or even abandon us. Other times our loved ones pass away, and our hearts are left aching as we long to be with them again..The relationships we have are constantly changing, and we're going to lose some of the people who mean a lot to us. But, as Christians, the relationship we have with God will remain. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave for us, everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is God's child and His friend, forever. We will never be abandoned by God. He is never going to pass away. We will have God's presence with us no matter what we go through (Matthew 1:23)..I know what it's like to be close to someone and then have that relationship destroyed, and I know what it's like to lose family members. Through everything I've faced, God has only drawn closer to me, not fallen further away. He has been my constant. He will be the constant in your life too, even through all the changes you experience in your human relationships. • Emily Acker.• Has there ever been a relationship in your life that you thought would last forever but eventually fell apart? Have you ever had someone close to you pass away? Consider taking a moment to bring these hurts to Jesus..• God sees all our hurts, and He cares. In His great compassion, He comforts us in every loss and grieves alongside us through every heartache. And when Jesus returns, all God's people will live in perfect harmony with Him and with each other, and our hearts will never be broken again (Revelation 21:1-5). How could these truths give us hope when we experience the loss of a human relationship?.“And surely I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b (NIV)

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Several years ago, I came down with the flu. Throughout the day I could feel all the classic symptoms coming on—fever, body aches, headache, cough—but I sure didn't want to believe it. I commanded my body, “Thou shalt not be sick!” And after work I decided to climb a mountain (a small one) to sweat that sickness right out of my system. I forced my body up the trail with a heavy backpack and even ankle weights strapped on. Sweat poured off me, my head pounded, and I finally collapsed against a boulder with my vision swimming. I could not make it to the top of that mountain, and I could not pretend that I wasn't sick. Somehow, by God's grace, I made it back down to the trailhead and drove home, where I staggered into bed and promptly fell asleep. I wasn't fit to go out again for a week!.This experience reminds me of the apostle Paul in the Bible. The harder Paul tried to prove he was a good and worthy person by keeping the strict religious laws, the more obvious his failures became. His insecurity and jealousy grew, turning into judgment and even murder of others. But when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul realized that all his pretending would never make him perfect in the eyes of God. He was “sick” with sin, just like everyone else, and he couldn't cure himself. To be well, he needed to receive the grace of Jesus..When we see our own shortcomings, we might be tempted to try to power through and make ourselves better. But our failures are symptoms of the underlying problem, which is disconnection from God. Jesus came to reconnect us by dying on the cross and rising from the grave. Instead of trying to make ourselves worthy of God's love, we can rest in the truth that He already loves us, and through Jesus He made the way for us to be healed from our sin sickness. When Jesus returns and makes all things new, we won't struggle with sin anymore. In the meantime, He has given Christians His Holy Spirit, who helps us recognize sin, turn away from it, and rely on His grace to live according to God's good ways. And even when we fail, we can know that Jesus has already forgiven us and made us blameless in God's sight (Colossians 1:22). • Andrew and Lydia Huntress.• Have you ever tried to pretend you were okay when you really weren't? How might it be freeing to rest in what Jesus has done for us, instead of striving to make ourselves perfect?.“Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do... I [Jesus] have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 (NLT)

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Shepherds were not held in high regard in ancient Israel. They spent most of their time outdoors, the sheep didn't smell great, and the job could be pretty dull... until it wasn't. One part of a shepherd's job was to defend the flock against wild animals looking for a meal. Shepherds had to protect the sheep and guide them to safe pastures..In the Old Testament, David was a shepherd before he was Israel's king. When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons, David had to be called in from the field because he was watching the sheep. As the youngest son, he wasn't even around when Samuel first arrived to see Jesse's family and anoint the future king. After all, someone had to watch and defend the sheep, and that job fell to the youngest son, David..In the New Testament, Jesus is frequently called a shepherd. Hefulfilled Old Testament prophecies of a Messiah who would shepherd God's people, including a poem/song written by David: Psalm 23. Like David guided sheep, Jesus guides us. In fact, Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. While every human leader fails, Jesus is the perfect and trustworthy leader. He shows us what it looks like to walk in “paths of righteousness” in our lives, and He walks with us (Psalm 23:3-4)..Like David protected his sheep—even fending off a lion and a bear—Jesus protects His people. Jesus performed the ultimate act of sacrifice a shepherd could do. When we were trapped in the jaws of sin, Jesus laid down His life for us. But even death couldn't stop the Good Shepherd. He rose from the dead, and then He shared the victory over death with His flock in the resurrection so that we can be with our Shepherd in the new creation forever. • Naomi Zylstra.• In what ways is Jesus like a shepherd? .• Jesus often associates with outcasts. In Luke 2:8-20, why do you think God chose to announce Jesus's birth to a group of shepherds? .• If you want to dig deeper, read 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 17:34-36; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15, 22; Mark 6:34..“I [Jesus] am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 (WEB)

ReconstructHER Podcast
22. Abundance - What Seeds Are You Sowing?

ReconstructHER Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 39:33


Are you someone who views life from an ABUNDANT mindset or a SCARCITY mindset? On today's episode of the ReconstructHER podcast, I am speaking about Abundance and how the seeds that we sow today, will be the abundance of fruit that we get to reap in our lives later! God's word says that, "I (Jesus) have come that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly." And I pray that today's episode will leave you feeling encouraged to allow God to help you sow seeds of ABUNDANCE in your life! Be sure to LIKE and SHARE this episode with another woman in your life. Also SUBSCRIBE to the podcast so that you don't miss out on any future episodes and follow me on Instagram @ReconstructhHER! Definition: Abundance (noun) - the situation in which there is more than enough of something. (Cambridge Dictionary) Biblical References: Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) - "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." John 10:10 (NKJV) - "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV) - "Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever. Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/reconstructher/support

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Merrick lifted the candle as he clutched his tunic. He felt the sand underfoot as shadows danced on the cave walls. “Beautiful, yes?” Father's voice comforted him and pushed him to ignore the darkness. Yes, it was breathtaking—like a hidden world. “All this time,” Merrick said, fixing his eyes on the glittering ceiling, “the cave went farther than we imagined.”.“How about going farther now?” Father asked. Merrick took a deep breath and continued forward. Now was not the time to fear. The candle was near, as was Father. Besides, exploring was fun. He kept the candle outstretched and stepped after Father's form. Suddenly, the flame flickered and with a whoosh, the candle went out. “Father!”.“I'm here, son. Stay calm.” He heard Father's voice but could feel the panic seeping inside and eating his breath. Merrick reached Father and threw himself against him..“Are we to die in here?” With the ink of night polluting his vision?.Father wrapped his arm around Merrick. “Tell me, what blew your candle out?” .“What?” Merrick's breathing slowed..“Listen, wind is whistling around us.” Yes, Merrick could hear the whisper. Then he could feel it. “And if you train your ears, you may hear a crashing.” Merrick lifted his head from Father's tunic. Could it be the ocean? “I suppose if we move toward that sound we shall find light and escape this darkness. Place your hand on the wall and trace the rock as we walk.” Eager to see light, Merrick obeyed, his heart still shaking. Together they let the wind guide them. Soon, a faint light erupted into their line of sight..“The darkness never lasts. Remember who our Light is.” Father's words lit Merrick's heart with courage. Now, he could see blue etched around the white haze..Darkness would not last..Merrick ran into the first wave that lapped into the cave and let it soak his shoes. He lifted his face to the sky, which shone a vibrant hue that melded with a gathering gray. He turned to see Father splashing behind him and laughed with relief. “The darkness is gone.” • Payton Tilley.• Today's story is an allegory. Even when life feels dark and confusing, Jesus is the Light of the world. One day, Jesus will return to get rid of all fear and darkness, and in the meantime, He lovingly guides us through everything we face. What are some ways we can we encourage each other with the hope we have in Jesus?.“I [Jesus] am the light of the world.” John 9:5b (CSB)

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST
God Wants You Well… Or Does He? A Closer Look at the “Health and Wellness” Gospel

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 62:04


Does God want everybody to be well? By the power of your faith can you abolish all sickness from your life and your loved ones'? In this midweek podcast episode, Jorge and John take a close look at the "Health and Wellness Gospel" and how it fails to embrace the whole council of Scripture. At its best, this idea has some basis in the Bible, but stretches the text beyond recognition. And at its worse, it sets people up for disappointment, disillusionment, and even deconversion. To be clear, God wants all of us well (eventually), but in the mean time, we live in a fallen world marked by sickness, death, and disease. Miraculous healing does happen (sometimes), but that's God's prerogative and not in our power to control. We're left to minister in this war torn landscape, through the sickness and suffering. There we find perhaps the greatest testimony to the truth of Christ is when we suffer well. In that way, Jesus' words still shine through as a ray of hope: "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I [Jesus] have overcome the world." (John 16:33). To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST, join our CrossExamined private community. It's the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while providing financial support for our ministry.  

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

How could He just storm the gates like that?” “Do we have a plan?” “Is the war over?” Hundreds of questions attacked from all sides as we stared at the broken gate. “This was a fortress—no one should have been able to break through.” “Today we were supposed to revel in our victory!” “Didn't we all hear the Savior cry out for the last time? Didn't we see Him take His last breath? He was dead.” “So, how could He have broken through the gate and stolen the key?” “Not only that, but He stared us in the face and declared victory—over death itself!”.“ENOUGH! Not another word,” the Great Darkness ordered. Then the voice dropped dangerously quiet. The Great Darkness was not in the mood for questions. “Today, the Chosen One from above thinks He has won, but we will wreak havoc on all His land until the end. If we cannot defeat Him personally, we will attack that which is most precious to Him... His people.”.As we prepare for war, we can't help but shudder. The gates were breached, and the so-called Savior took the keys. The Great Darkness declared there are more battles to fight. Yet today, there is another who is more worthy of our fear. This Chosen One who defeated death and darkness certainly isn't afraid of us..Yes, there may be more battles to fight, but the war is over. The Savior has stolen the victory. Nothing we do now could ever change that. And the Great Darkness knows it. • Kayla Miller.• Today's story is an allegory, showing Jesus's victory over sin, death, and all the forces of evil and darkness. Once we've put our trust in Jesus, we get to celebrate that our Savior holds “the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). Now, even though we will experience suffering as the forces of darkness wage war on God's people, we can know that nothing will ever “be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). How could pondering these truths help us rest in Jesus's undefeatable love for us?.• As Christians, we don't need to be afraid of death or evil. Instead, God calls us to come to Him with all our worries, and He empowers us to resist the enemy and stand firm in His true grace, which He has given us in Jesus (1 Peter 5:6-12). When you're facing hard things, who are trusted Christians in your life who can pray with you and help you follow our Lord? How can you be this kind of friend to others? .“I [Jesus] am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Mary Magdalene pressed a hand against her aching heart. "How do I still have tears left in me?" She had been mourning for three days, along with others who were Jesus's friends, followers, and family, but the realization was still sinking in: he was actually gone. It was dawn on the third day, and Mary couldn't wrap her mind around it—her heart was empty, and so was the tomb. She couldn't even anoint his body for burial; someone had taken it away.."I don't understand," Mary wept, "You were strong enough to cast the seven demons out of me—you set me free. Why did you have to die? Why didn't you put a stop to that crucifixion? Where are you now?" Mary clutched at the cold stone of the tomb to steady her shaking knees. She bent to peer into its emptiness once more..Mary gasped. The tomb wasn't empty! Two angels dressed in brilliant white were sitting where Jesus's body had been, one of them perched by the cloth that had been wrapped around her Lord's head. This angel was swinging his feet and smiling, the other was gazing at Mary with compassion. His voice carried over to her, soft and musical. “Why are you crying?”.“They have taken my Lord!” A sob stuck in Mary's throat. “I don't know where he is...” The unspoken words echoed in her heart, "Everything is empty without Him.".Exhausted with grief, she turned back to the tomb's opening to take a deep breath, and there was a man standing before her. His eyes radiated warmth and kindness, which only made Mary cry harder. Then he asked, “Who are you looking for?”."This must be the gardener," Mary thought. "Maybe he knows where my Jesus is!" “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where, and I will get him!”.“Mary.” That one word—her name—spoken soft as a spring rain falling on hard ground... Mary knew only one voice could speak her name in such a way. She looked up at him. “Teacher!”.Sorrow fled from her soul like the breaking of dawn—her Lord, her Jesus, was alive! He had driven the seven demons out of her tortured body, and now He had conquered death itself. All that once ached empty inside her was now full—full to overflowing. • Savannah Coleman.• This story is how one author imagined what it was like for Mary Magdalene on Easter morning. Read John 20:1-18. What sticks out to you about Mary's encounter with Jesus? .• Today, Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus's resurrection from the dead! Why can remembering the empty tomb fill us with joy? .Jesus willingly died for us so that we could be God's people and have life “to the full” (John 10:10)—a life of freedom and forgiveness. Jesus shed His own blood on the cross for us, covering our sins and making the way for us to have a restored relationship with the living God (Romans 10:9-10). This is what makes our story different from every other religion: we serve a God who gave up His own life for ours, and He is alive! If you've already put your trust in Jesus, who is someone you could share this good news with? Consider taking a moment to pray for this person now, asking God to help them know the truth of His love for them. If you're not sure about trusting in Jesus, that's okay—God doesn't rush us, and He invites us to ask questions and wrestle with Him. What questions do you have about Jesus? Who is a trusted Christian you'd feel comfortable bringing these questions to? (You can also read more about Jesus on our "Know Jesus" page.).“I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:10b-11 (NIV)

Ad Jesum per Mariam
The Wisdom of the Cross: Mission Day 1: One Cannot Know Jesus Without Understanding The Cross

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023 56:20


The Wisdom of the Cross Lenten Mission: Day 1: One Cannot Know Jesus Without Understanding The Cross After the opening prayer and the reading of the Gospel, the Reflection begins with the topic Why and How Do We Bless Ourselves Before the Gospel is Read. Listen more to the homily. Who does the world say I am? We hear this in the Gospel that is read as Jesus asks the question to His disciples. You who know me, what does the world say about me? There are many answers. Jesus then asks the disciples Who do you say I am? While many disciples do not answer or say anything, Peter answers and says Jesus is the Christ. Only Peter answers the Lord. The Lord then says do not tell everyone. Why? Because knowledge of Jesus does not come from us. Jesus then tells His disciples who He is! Hear more within the Mission's Reflection. Jesus tells His disciples who He is . . . Jesus will be rejected, He will be condemned, He will be made to suffer, He will be put to death and He will rise again on the third day. This is exactly who I (Jesus) am! This was not the answer anyone was ready to hear from the Lord. Hear more within the Mission Reflection. Jesus again tells His disciples; He is the Christ. But you (His disciples) do not know what those words mean. That is why He says do not share this fact. You have the right words, but you lack an understanding. But you are missing the right spirit. You do not think as God does. We (all of us) need more than the right words. We also need the right spirit. The key to knowing the Lord, is The Cross. Without that understanding, one cannot know Jesus. You cannot understand me without understanding The Cross. The Spirit of Jesus Christ is one of self-denial and self-sacrifice.

Ad Jesum per Mariam
The Story of the Disciples James' and John's Ambitious Petition to Jesus & Its Lesson for Us!

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2023 25:57


The Story of the Disciples James' and John's Ambitious Petition to Jesus . . . and The Lesson for Our Spiritual Life In today's readings we have a number of complex messages. In the first reading (not included within this audio) we hear from the prophet Jeremiah, who will be like the Lord and persecuted and made to suffer. Like Jesus, the opponents of Jeremiah are interested in writing down everything he says. They do so not to learn from him, but rather so they may persecute him. Hear more within the Homily. The community had hardened hearts. They picked and chose what to listen to, and even rid themselves of difficult prophets, because there was always another prophet more to their liking. Hear more in the Homily. Jesus came to save the world, but the world largely rejects Him. What a remarkable parallel story that we hear. Listen more within the Homily and why it is important, especially during this Lenten Season. Today's Gospel is very challenging, especially for those who call themselves Christians and disciples of Jesus. The setting of this reading is very important. The Gospel speaks about one of the last things that happen before Jesus enters The Holy City on Psalm Sunday. It is a time, similar to now, where we are moving toward the Holy Days. As the Lord moves toward the Holy City, Jesus stops and calls His disciples aside. Not everyone. Just His disciples. As they are about to enter the Holy City, the Lord wants His disciples to be well formed and well prepared for what is about to happen. Jesus tells His disciples where they are going, and when they get there, certain things will take place. Jesus will be arrested, condemned, handed over and put to death. And then I (Jesus) will rise. He gives His disciples a final instruction in the Word of The Cross. The Word that is the key to understanding who the Lord is . . . without The Cross there is no understanding of Jesus Christ. Then something happens. It's what all of us in this present age must pay attention. Jesus, in a sense, is giving a retreat or private conference to His disciples. He is opening their hearts to what is about to happen, so they can understand fully these events. But just like what often happens in our own spiritual life, our prayer gets hijacked. In this case, the mother of James and John shows up. She was not invited. The mother is the uninvited guest. She falls to her knees and has a petition. On the face of it . . . this looks like prayer. Listen to the story of James' and John's request (through their mother). At the very time Jesus is speaking about the Word of The Cross, there is a request that implies what do I get out of it . . . from the mother. The Lord has to do damage control, as He looks at the mother and her two sons. Hear the story of James' and John's Ambitious Petition to Jesus . . . and Its Lesson for Our Spiritual Life.

Bob Enyart Live
Bob's Meeting with a Jehovah's Witness

Bob Enyart Live

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023


What does the Bible say about the deity of Christ? For centuries, as affirmed at the Council of Nicea, Christians have used a wonderful list of verses to demonstrate from God's Word the deity of Jesus Christ. Here is another very different approach to show the same truth. (This is similar to the "Big Picture" approach used in the overview of the Bible called The Plot.) Thus Saith the Lord: If we count how many times the Old Testament prophets said, "Thus says the Lord" we find them using that phrase, in the New King James Version of the Bible, about 420 times. The New Testament on the other hand, never once records that phrase. Jesus Christ, with all the red ink devoted to recording His words, never once used that ubiquitous phrase, "Thus saith the Lord." Rather, Jesus proclaims, "I say to you," in the Gospels! Not a single "Thus says the Lord," but rather, "I say to you," 135 times. The following chart demonstrates biblically that these two phrases, Thus saith the Lord, and I say unto you, indicate the same thing, that God is speaking. For Jesus Christ made it clear that He Himself was at the heart of His message. Unlike the righteous priests and kings, prophets and the apostles, the Lord came to teach us about Himself: Christ's Self-focus: "Follow Me" 19x Mt. 4:19; 8:22; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21; Mk. 1:17; 2:14; 8:34; 10:21; Lk. 5:27; 9:59; 18:22; Jn. 1:43; 8:12; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36; 21:19, 22 Pray and act "in My name" 18x Mt. 7:22; 18:5; 18:20; [24:5]; Mk. 9:37, 39, 41; [13:6]; Lk. 9:48; [21:8]; 24:47; Jn. 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26; Acts 9:15 "the Holy Spirit" comes "in My name" Jn. 14:26 "for My name's sake" leave family and property Mt. 19:29; or even be killed 5x Mt. 24:9; [Lk. 21:12, 17;] Jn. 15:21; Acts 9:16 Believe in the "name of the… Son" and "in the Son" 3x Jn.  3:18, 36; 9:35 and "in Him [Jesus]" 4x Jn. 3:18; 6:29, 40; 8:31 "believe in Me" 14x Mt. 18:6; Mk. 9:42; Jn. 3:15-16, 18; 6:35, 47; 7:38; 11:25, 26; 12:44, 46; 14:1, 12; 16:8; 17:20 You "are sanctified by faith in Me" Acts 26:18 Live "in Me" Jn. 11:26 "come after Me" Mk. 8:34; Lk. 14:27 Abide "in Me" Jn. 15:2, 4:5, 7 "abide in Me" or else Jn. 15:6 "abide in My love" Jn. 15:9-10 "where two or three are gathered" Jesus is "there in the midst of them" Mt. 18:20 So too: "I [Jesus, will abide] in you" Jn. 15:4-5 "know that I am He" Jn. 8:28 or "if you do not believe that I am He you will die in your sins" Jn. 8:24 Do things "for My sake" Mt. 10:22, 39; even lose your life "for My sake" 4x Mt. 16:25; Mk. 8:35; 10:29; Lk. 6:22 "I never knew you, depart from Me" Mt. 7:23 "I am willing; be cleansed" Mt. 8:3; Mk.. 1:41 "confess Me" Mt. 10:32; Lk. 12:8 Do not deny "Me" 7x Mt. 10:33; 26:34; Mk. 14:30, 72; Lk. 12:9; 22:34; Jn. 13:38 Do not be "ashamed of Me" Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26 nor "My words" "love Me" 5x Jn. 14:15, 21, 23-24, 28 Do not reject "Me" Lk. 10:16; Jn. 12:48 "He who is not with Me is against Me" Lk. 11:23 Love Me "more than" your family members Mt. 10:37; [Lk. 14:26] Bob Enyart presents this material on a BEL radio program, in a secretly recorded meeting with Jehovah's Witnesses, and in his Gospel of John Bible Study which is downloadable or available on MP3 CD. "I… have loved you" Jn. 15:9, 12 Be "worthy of Me" Mt. 10:37-38 "Come to Me" 5x Mt. 11:28; Lk. 6:47; Jn. 5:40; 6:35; 7:37 "I will give you rest" Mt. 11:28 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" Mt. 11:30 I am "greater than the temple" "than Jonah" "than Solomon" Mt. 12:6, 41-42 I am "Lord even of the Sabbath" Mt. 12:8; Mk. 2:28; Lk. 6:5 [Lord of God's Ten Commandments] Thus He says keep "My commandments" 4x Jn. 14:15, 21; 15:10, 12 "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" Jn. 15:14 "keep My word" Jn. 14:23-24 "He who is not with Me is against Me" Mt. 12:30 The angels are "His angels" Mt. 13:41; 16:27 and He commands "His angels" Mt. 24:31; Mk. 13:27 The kingdom is "His kingdom" Mt. 13:41 and He calls it "My kingdom" Lk. 22:30 Jesus called it "My church" Mt. 16:18 and believers are "My sheep" Jn. 10:14, 27 and they are "His elect" Mt. 24:31; Mk. 13:27 Paul is a "vessel of Mine to bear My name" Acts 9:15 "all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine" Jn. 17:10 "My peace I give" Jn. 14:27 "in Me you may have peace" Jn. 16:33 "My joy" should fill you Jn. 15:11 "Who do men say that I am?" Mt. 16:13; Mk. 8:27 "who do you say that I am?" Mt. 16:15 Receive "Me" Mt. 18:5; Mk. 9:37; Lk. 9:48 Heaven and earth will pass away but "My words" will never Mt. [5:18] 24:35; Mk. 13:31; Lk. 21:33 Tell others about Jesus Mk. 5:19 "you belong to Christ" Mk. 9:41 Hear "My sayings" and do them Lk. 6:47 Jesus has "His own glory" Lk. 9:26; [Jn. 2:11; 16:14] The Son is "glorified" 8x Jn. 11:4; 12:23; 13:31-32; [17:1, 5, 10 24] "He who hears you hears Me" Lk. 10:16 Jesus expects praise, from stones if necessary Lk. 19:37-40 Return "to Me" Lk. 22:32 Be "My disciple" Lk. 14:27; Jn. 8:31; 15:8 Forsake all to "be My disciple" Lk. 14:33 "you are My disciples" Jn. 13:35 "I shall send… the [Holy] Spirit" Jn. 15:26; 16:7 The Holy Spirit "will testify of Me" Jn. 15:26 We read in John 5 and Luke 24 that "the Scriptures… testify of Me" Jn. 5:39; [Lk. 24:44] "You [Apostles] also will bear witness [of Me] because you have been with Me" Jn. 15:27 Paul gives "testimony concerning Me" Acts 22:18; 23:11 "the Son gives life to whom He will" Jn. 5:21 "seek Me" Jn. 6:26 Serve "Me" Jn. 12:26 "all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father" Jn. 5:23 "I am the bread of life," "of heaven," "of God" Jn. 6: 32-33, 35, 41, [48,] 51 Just seeing Christ is reason enough to believe in Him Jn. 6:36 [56] Drink "My blood" and eat "My flesh" Jn. 6:53-54, 56 "I will raise him up at the last day" Jn. 6:40 for He is the resurrection "The world… hates Me" Jn. 7:7 "I am the light of the world" Jn. 8:12; 9:5; 12:46 "I bear witness of Myself" Jn. 8:13-14, 18 "know… Jesus Christ" for "eternal life" Jn. 17:3; [8:19; 10:10, 14] "the Son makes you free" Jn. 8:36 "Abraham rejoiced to see My day" Jn. 8:56; "Before Abraham was, I AM" Jn. 8:58 Of believers, Christ said, "I know them" Jn. 10:27 "I give them eternal life" Jn. 10:28 "I am the resurrection and the life" Jn. 11:25 I "will draw all peoples to Myself" Jn. 12:32 "I will… receive you to Myself" Jn. 14:3 Be "Mine" Jn. 14:24 "I am the vine" Jn. 15:5 "without Me you can do nothing" Jn. 15:5 "Because I live, you will live also." Jn. 14:19 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you" Jn. 15:16 Those who oppress Christians are "persecuting Me" Acts 9:4-5; 22:7-8; 26:14-15 "because they have not known… Me" Jn. 16:3 The Spirit "will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it" Jn. 16:14 "All things that the Father has are Mine" Jn. 16:15 "Whatever He [the Father] does, the Son does" Jn. 5:19 "the Father… loves you, because you have loved Me" Jn. 16:27 "If I will that he remain" Jn. 21:22 "I have overcome the world" Jn. 16:33 "I am the way" Jn. 14:6 "I am… the truth" Jn. 14:6 "I am… the life" Jn. 14:6 "I will… manifest Myself" Jn. 14:21 Scores of times Jesus uses the personal pronoun My with words like commandments, sake, words, lambs, sheep, peace, love, joy, voice, name, sayings, kingdom, angels, and church. Three examples powerfully illustrate the point. First, "Abraham rejoiced to see My day..." Secondly, "I know My sheep, and am known by My own." And thirdly, "Assuredly, I say to you... Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." The prophets and John were the messengers; Jesus is the Message, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and put Himself at the center of His message, because He is God. Hear all this on a BEL program, in a secretly recorded meeting with Jehovah's Witnesses, and in Bob Enyart's Gospel of John Bible Study which is downloadable or available on MP3 CD. The Forest for the Trees: A simple overview of Christ's message shows overwhelmingly that He is the Message. To paraphrase Greg Koukl from The John 10:10 Project, "You can take Buddha out and still have Buddhism, or take the prophet out and still have Allah, but if you take Jesus out you don't have Christianity any more." Jesus is either a blasphemer or God Himself. The above list comes from His words. We could make a similar list of Christ as the message using the remainder of the New Testament. And additionally, strong individual verses also show the Deity of Christ. The powerful and traditional proof texts show His deity even more effectively when presented alongside the big picture above of the ministry and message of Jesus Christ. The Traditional Passages Showing Christ's Deity: Most of the primary verses with a sampling of the many others showing that, like the Father, Jesus is... - Called God: John 1:1 with v. 14; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:1; Luke 1:16-17 - From Everlasting: Ps. 90:2 with Micah 5:2 - Receiving worship: Mat. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9; John 9:38; Heb. 1:6 (etc., 10x) with Ex. 34:14; Acts 10:25-26 & Rev. 19:10 - Forgiving/Delegating Power to Forgive: Mat. 6:9, 12 with Jn. 20:23; Luke 5:20; Mark 2:5-11 & 1 Jn. 1:7-9 - Omniscient: John 10:15; 2:24-25 21:17 - Omnipresent: Ps. 139:7-10 with Mat. 18:20 & 28:20 - Omnipotent: Rev. 1:8 with 11-13, 17; 2:8; 5:11-6:1, 21:22-23; & 22:13 - Immutable: Mal. 3:6 with Hebrews 13:8 - The exact equivalent     in nature: Heb. 1:3; Phil 2:6 doesn't rob the Father to see Christ as His equal     in fullness: Col. 2:9 (in Christ "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead")     in glory: Isa. 45:25 with Gal. 6:14 and John 1:14; etc.     to whom every knee shalll bow: Isa. 45:23 with Phil. 2:10     to whom every tongue shall confess: Isa. 45:23 with Phil. 2:11 and Rom. 14:10-11     as the Almighty: Rev. 1:8 with 11-13, 17; 2:8; 5:11-6:1, 21:22-23; & 22:13     as Creator: Isa. 45:5-7, 18 with John 1:3 and Col. 1:16-17     as Savior: Isa. 45:21 and Luke 1:47 with Titus 3:6; 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:11; 1 John 4:14     as searcher of hearts: Ps. 139:23-24 with John 2:24-25 & Rev. 2:18-19, 23     as possessor of the everlasting kingdom: Dan. 7:13-14     as King of Kings: Rev. 19:16 with Dan. 2:47 and Isa. 33:22     as Lawgiver: James 4:12     as Judge: Ps. 9:7-8; 50:6 & 75:7; Isa. 33:22; 66:16; Heb. 12:23 with John 5:22; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8     as Jehovah: Isa. 40:3 with Mat. 3:3; and Isa. 8:13-14 with 1 Pet. 2:7-8; Mat. 21:42; Mk. 12:10. The Deity of Christ and Eternal Separation: Two doctrines, the afterlife of eternal separation from God in hell, and that of the deity of Christ, are inextricably linked. Therefore many of those who deny the deity of Christ, including Jehovah's Witnesses, Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, Ronald Hubbard's Scientology, and Christian Science, also deny an afterlife of eternal separation from God. Why? God put eternity in our hearts (Eccl. 3:11; Ps. 148:5-6) and so only a payment of infinite worth, something greater than the eternal futures of billions of human beings, could suffice to pay the price for our combined sin. When false teachers dismiss eternal punishment in Hades, they then fail to see the necessity of a Sacrifice of infinite worth. Jesus Is God: The dramatic contrast in the above chart shows Christ's self-presentation compared to the angels and prophets who present God to the world. These other messengers elevated not themselves, but God. They focused attention not on themselves but on Him. Godly priests, kings, and apostles presented God as their motivating message, of course, and not themselves. Jesus, on the other hand, came speaking about Himself. His most oft used, favorite title for Himself, undoubtedly selected also to communicate His mission, is not the "Son of God", but the "Son of Man". For, eternally He was the Son of God, but being the Son of Man was new to Him and uniquely cherished. God the Son submits Himself to the Father, willingly, not as a sign of a lesser God, but of His greatness. For as He lowers Himself, He is exalted to the central truth of Creation! (See the above chart.) Thus His "I say unto you" is the Scripture's "Thus Saith the Lord"! Three in the Bible: God exists as three persons in one Godhead, whom we refer to as the Trinity. Thus human beings made in His image also have a triune nature, and the cosmos itself is understood in threes, in the most fantastic ways. Before considering this, first see the Bible's extraordinary use of this number. Christ was three days in the tomb, which Jonah's three days foreshadowed, as did Abraham's three days of thinking that he would sacrifice his son Isaac on that same hill called Golgotha and Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:14; 2 Chron. 3:1). Israel's three patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The priestly tribe of Levi is from Jacob's third child (Gen. 29:34), as Leviticus is the third book of the Bible. And the day the law was given, the sons of Levi killed "about three thousand men" (Ex. 32:28), whereas the day the Spirit was given, "that day about three thousand souls were [saved]" (Acts 2:41; and see 2 Cor. 3:6). The Hebrew Scriptures comprise three sections, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (Luke 24:44), and God created three archangels. The most noteworthy women are Eve, Sarah, and Mary. The magi brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Three persons (one being the Son) started their public service at thirty years of age: Joseph (Gen. 41:46), a deliverer of his people; David (2 Sam. 5:4) seated on the messianic throne (2 Sam. 7:12-13); and "Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age" (Luke 3:23). God could have led Esther to fast for two days, or four; and He could have kept Jonah in the whale for one day, or a week, but three days and three nights prefigures God's plan of salvation for Christ's time in the grave. For Jesus "rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:4). And thus, the triune Christian God, the mystery of the Trinity, Three Persons in One God, is the one God whose testimony we can trust (answering both the philosophical problem of the origin of the one and the many, and Euthyphro's Dilemma by Socrates), having imprinted our world and even ourselves with His triune nature. Threes Everywhere: The number three manifested in Scripture turns the Christian's attention outward to see space existing in three dimensions, height, width, and length, as does time in past, present and future. The electromagnetic force operates in positive, negative, and neutral, and in pigment the three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue whereas in light they are red, green, and blue which three blend into the hues of the rainbow. We human beings on this third planet from the Sun experience matter primarily in three states, solid, liquid, and gas. The strongest shape for building is the triangle. Writers often give three examples and artists group in threes as in interior design, sculpting, and even movie directors, as they have the word trilogy (1, 2, 3) but no word for any other number of films. Photographers use the rule of thirds and the language of DNA uses only three-letter words. Everything reinforces the triune aspect of all of existence, a reflection of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. See more at kgov.com/3. Tripartite Man: And so we humans are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thes. 5:23). For God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…" (Gen. 1:26). So mankind is made in God's image and likeness, image referring to our form, and likeness to our essence as sentient, morally-responsible persons. And unlike animals which look to the ground, men and women stand upright with a heavenly gaze. God's Image: God created a form, that is, an image, for the eternal Son to indwell. The verses Jehovah's Witnesses assume undermine Christ's deity are actually verses describing this aspect of Him at the creation. For the very first thing that God created was this form for His Son to indwell! (See Gen. 1:26 along with Col. 1:15; Rev. 3:14: Heb. 1:3; 5:5; 10:5; 2 Cor. 4:4; John 1:14; Phil. 2:5-6; 1 Tim. 2:5; and Rev. 1:13-18. When a son is "born" isn't the beginning of his existence anymore than when by taking up an image the Son became the "firstborn" of creation, was the beginning of His existence.) And in that image, "He made man" (Gen. 9:6), and not in the image of apes. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Gen. 1:27). The Plurality in God: The very first verse of Genesis presents the plurality of God, with Genesis 1:1 using a plural subject and a singular verb, that is, In the beginning gods He created the heavens and the earth. Elohim is the plural of the typical Hebrew word for God, which is El (cherub and seraph for example become plural as cherubim and seraphim, with Elah likely being the dual form, and Elohim being a plurality, in this case, three for the triune God). So, did Moses make a grammatical error in the first sentence of the first book of Scripture, in what has become not only the world's best-selling book, but in the most well-known sentence in the history of the world by using a singular verb with a plural subject? Of course not. For this was intentional. The Hebrew Scriptures in the most solemn texts presents God as a unified plurality. What grammarians refer to as the "royal we" comes from God's references to Himself using the plural: "Let Us make man in Our image," (Gen. 1:26). The solemn Hebrew prayer, called the Shema Yisroel, to the "one God" uses another plurality. For "The Lord our God, the Lord is One (of plurality)" at Deuteronomy 6:4 uses neither of the expected terms, yachad or even bad, words meaning a singularity, but God's Word uses the word echad, which is one in plurality as used by God at the Tower of Babel, "the people are one," and by Joseph "the dreams of Pharaoh are one," and by Moses, "the people answered with one voice," and back again to the beginning of Genesis at the institution of marriage when God says, "and they shall become one flesh." So this foundation prayer to God does not the use the Hebrew words for one, which mean a singularity (which words are never used in the Bible referring to God), but God describes Himself in the Bible using the One of plurality. So the Shema says: the Jehovah (who is the one God) our Elohim (plural) Jehovah is a Plural Unity! And Deuteronomy 6:4 is the central passage to all theology of God. Then the Scriptures go on to teach that the three Persons of the Trinity are God the Father (Isa. 63:16; Mal. 2:10), God the Son (Ps. 2:12; Zech. 12:10 and as in the chart above), and God the Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Isa. 48:16; Isa. 6:3; Rom. 5:5). See also Mat. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4, 9; 2 Cor. 13:14, and Psalm 110:1 with Matthew 22:41-46, and verses that show the personhood of the Spirit including Heb. 10:15-17. The Mystery in the Godhead: How can one God exist in three persons? Christian theologians have long described this as a mystery, but it is an expected mystery. Virtually everything, deep down, is a mystery. What is light (with its wave-particle duality)? What is life (with modern biology unable to agree on a definition)? What is matter (that it leaves modern physics bewildered)? What is space? What is energy? What is time? What is movement? (Is it a series of discrete stationary states?) How can the Creator bring the universe into existence from nothing? How can your non-physical spirit be attached to your physical body? How can God exist from the beginningless past? How can creatures procreate and bring everlasting beings into existence? In humility we acknowledge that virtually everything in the creation is a deep, almost unfathomable mystery. How much more mysterious would be the God who made us? If Christianity taught that there are three Gods in One God, that would be a contradiction, and by the laws of logic, therefore false. For 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 and each 1 would be 1/3rd of the whole, which is anathema to trinitarian theology. But by analogizing God with math we see that the number line lacks sufficient multidimensionality and points us to the 3-dimensionality of space and an appropriate anaology wherein 1 x 1 x 1 = 1. And likewise, if Christianity taught that there are three Persons in One Person, that also would be false. But Christianity teaches that there are three Persons in One God, and while being a deep mystery (what isn't?), that is no contradiction. And finally, denial of Christ's deity is a central teaching of many of today's cults, including for example the Jehovah's Witnesses. This denial goes hand-in-glove with the rejection of eternality of hell. Also, not understanding the plurality of the Godhead creates philosophical dilemmas such as the problem of the one and the many. And Socrates' pre-Christian argument against God called Euthyphro's Dilemma is resolved by none of the world's religions except for the Christian Answer to Euthyphro in the eternal corroborating testimony of the three Witnesses of the Trinity. -Bob Enyart, KGOV.com Pastor, Denver Bible Church Bible Resources: If you enjoyed the above study and you would like to learn more from the wealth of biblical resources available from Bob Enyart Live, then please consider getting our series on the Gospel of John, or at least starting with Volume I, titled, Is this Man God? And for more fun and to enrich yourself spiritually, consider reading The Plot, an overview of the Bible which is Pastor Bob's life's work. Also, we invite you to browse the Bible Study Department at our KGOV store. And you can call us at 1-800-8Enyart (836-9278) to tell Bob or a BEL staffer which topics of study you are most interested in, and we'll figure out which of our resources, if any, address your area of concern. Postscript -- Is the Father-Son Relationship Eternal? The Scriptures help us see the errors in two claims about the Son that are held by a minority of believers, many of whom, thankfully, do assent to the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ. One false teaching is against the eternality of the Trinity (immediately below, The Claim: No Past Trinity) and the other acknowledges the eternal Trinity but denies that ithe Second Person was always the "Son" (below, The Claim: No Past Son). The Claim: No Past Trinity: The first claim, that no triunity existed in God until He decided to express Himself in that way, is offered to defend monotheism, that there is only one God. Christianity teaches that there is one God in three persons.  can be falsified in three ways. 1) Because the "Father" is eternal His "Son" must also have been eternal. For by positing "no Trinity" through an eternity prior to the manifestation of such, a Christian is claiming the existence of a non-relational "Being". Theoretically, if such a Being could exist, it could not be a "Father" and may be non-binary. We estimate however that more than a thousand Bible verses present God as relational. Thus we teach that the five primary biblical attributes of our eternal God are that, "He is living, personal, relational, good, and loving." Not being "relational" has serious consequences including Euthyphro's, as linked to just below. And for those who may claim that "Father" could have been merely an eternal figure of speech, please see below on metaphor. 2) The Scripture asserts the existence of "the eternal Spirit" (Heb. 9:14). The Holy Spirit did not come to exist. If a defense of monotheism requires that mankind needs to know that God in the past was a unitarian Being who only later manifest Himself into three persons, it is surprising that the Bible would not teach this. Further, if there were a logical contradiction in three persons being One God, positing that One God manifest Himself into three persons does not make that apparent contradiction go away. That is not the answer to such a challenge. Rather, as shown above in The Mystery in the Godhead section, one God existing in three persons is not and never has been a contradiction. But like mostly everything else, it is a deep mystery. (Some claim that John 15:26 teaches an origin for the Holy Spirit, who "proceeds from the Father". However, context is king. If that was the Lord's teaching, it would have been quite a jump out of His context. You can wreak havoc anywhere and especially in John 15 by ignoring the contextual. Jesus there assures His disciples that "the world hates you... because you are not of the world." The disciples were not extraterrestrials and were not eternal aliens at that, even though Jesus said, "you have been with Me from the beginning." And about unbelievers, the Lord said, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin". By taking that out of context one would assume unbelievers were sinless until just three years earlier. And "when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." Context is king. Jesus did not bounce out of His context to drop a theological bomb. Rather, He was assuring them that although in "a little while" He will be with them no longer, He is sending the Holy Spirit who comes not from this world, but from the Father in heaven.) 3) Above, this article mentions our Christian Answer to Euthyphro's Dilemma. That writing makes a defense of the eternal corroborating testimony of the Trinity's three Witnesses. This also rebuts the first claim here that no Trinity existed in eternity past. The Claim: No Past Son: The second related erroneous claim, as written about by Zeller and Showers, admits that the Persons of the Trinity have existed eternally, but that the Second Person did not become the "Son" until the Incarnation. This teaching at least has a proof text, which however appears to have been misapplied. One form of this second error is that through eternity past the second Person of the Trinity was the "Word" but not the "Son". This position claims that it was not until the Incarnation, or thereabouts, when the Father's prophecy was fulfilled, "This day have I begotten Thee", that the Word became the Son. The claim here is that the First Person of the Trinity sent the Second Person, the Word, to the world, who thereby became the Son. Let's look at four rebuttals to this claim. First, the Bible never says that God sent the Word to the Earth who then became the Son. Among His many titles (the Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace, the Son of Man, the Bridegroom, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, etc.), the Second Person of the Trinity is also referred to as the Word (John 1:1, 14) and He was of course sent to the Earth. However, when the Bible addresses the topic of WHO was sent to Earth, WHO came, WHO was given to the world, we don't read that the Word was sent and He became the Son, but rather, each time we read that: - "He loved us and sent His Son" (1 John 4:10) - "the Son of God has come" (1 John 5:20) - "God gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16; and 3:17) - "Unto us a Son is given" (Isaiah 9:6) - "God sent forth His Son, born of a woman" (Gal. 4:4) - "the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world" (1 John 4:14) - "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world" (1 John 4:9). Again, God did not send the Word into the world who became the Son through the Incarnation when He got here. Rather, God sent His "Son into the world". Even in the parable, "Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son'" (Mat. 21:37), "having one son, his beloved, he also sent him" (Mark 12:6). A second way of recognizing from Scripture that the Son is eternal is that the "Father" is eternal. Without a Son, the First Person of the Trinity would not have been the Father. Further, with all the Old Testament passages referring to God as Father notwithstanding, He would not have become the Father until about 2,000 years ago with the Incarnation. However, while the famous messianic prophecy of Isaiah 9 raises the deep mystery of the separateness within, yet also the oneness of, God, its description of Him as "Everlasting Father" has long been held by Christians to teach that throughout eternity past, the Father has been the Father. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things" (1 Cor. 8:6), such that everything that has flowed from Him has flowed from Him as "the Father". Likewise, to the Ephesians, the Hebrew poetry places in proximity the "one Spirit" with the "Father of all", reinforcing that as the Holy Spirit has been eternally the Spirit, so too with the Father, as likewise when Luke recorded, "Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, 'I thank You, Father'" (Luke 10:21) and Matthew, "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mat. 28:19). Of course also, in the Hebrew Scriptures, prior to the Incarnation, God was referred to as Father. "Have we not all one Father? Has not God created us?" (Mal. 2:10; see also Deut. 32:6; Ps. 68:5; Isa. 63:16; 64:8; [43:10]; John 8:41; 5:21 [evidently referring to the three Old Testament resurrections]). Yes, of course, "Father" could be used as a metaphor, like the Father of our Country or the Father of Creation. However, that metaphor does not hang on nothing. It is "Our Father who art in heaven" that gives rise to the use of the Father metaphor. Also, the parallel passages to those above, regarding that the "Son" was sent, are those that teach us that the "Father" is the one who sent Him, such as Jesus' own frequently repeated statements about "the Father who sent Me" (John 5:30, 36-37; 6:39, 44, 57; 8:16, 18, 29, 42; 12:49; 14:24) and "I have come in My Father's name" (John 5:43). That is, the First Person who sent the Second Person to Earth, at the time of the sending, was already the Father. So to be the everlasting Father, of necessity, eternally, He has had a Son. Thirdly, the burden of proof for such a new doctrine is on the person claiming that the Godhead's relationships were different prior to the creation, or prior to the Incarnation, than they are today. However, with its one proof text, the scriptural evidence will fail to make the case if that passage is not making a claim about the past relationship of the First and Second persons, but rather, is referencing the future Incarnation when God the Son will be begotten to become the Son of Man. For Psalm 2:7 is a messianic Incarnation prophecy. "You are My Son, today I have begotten You." The immediate context, and the three times that this passage is quoted, shows that this relates to the messianic plan for the Second Person rather than to the First Person's past relationship with the Second Person. In context, this is about Jesus as God's "King on My holy hill of Zion" [i.e., Jerusalem] (Ps. 2:6). That description applies because of and sometime after the Holy Spirit overshadows Mary, for "that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit" (Mat. 1:20). So too, each of the three quotes of Psalm 2:7 refer explicitly to its fulfillment in the First Advent of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5). "And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm..." (Acts 13:32-33). Thus while some see Psalm 2 as claiming no past Father-Son relationship, the alternative traditional understanding is that it is referring to when God the Son becomes the Son of Man taking upon Himself the messianic role, with the Godhead as the Progenitor, so to speak, begetting Jesus' earthly existence. The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 2 and then explicitly connects it to a prophecy of the Incarnation, for Mary, Jesus' true earthly mother, descended from the line of David. "I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom... I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son" (1 Sam. 7:12-14). This messianic Incarnation prophecy is then quoted in Hebrews 1:5, again reinforcing that Psalm 2:7 refers to the Incarnation. Likewise, when quoted in Hebrews 5, the passage is associated with the prophecy that Christ would "become High Priest", another reference to His role through the Incarnation. Thus, the New Testament interprets Psalm 2:7 not as referring to some past spiritual begetting of the Son by the Father, but to God's begetting of His eternal Son through the virgin Mary whereby He became "the Son of Man", His favorite title for Himself. Finally, Scripture teaches about the Second Person of the Trinity that, "All things were created through Him" (Col. 1:16) and "without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:3). If these are literal and comprehensive, that means that the Second Person of the Trinity is the one who actually created everything. The things created explicitly include all the created positions of authority, "whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers" (Col. 1:16). That leaves this false teaching in the awkward position of claiming that while the Second Person was eternally existing, the "Sonship" was a created position. Yet, if it were, one would expect that the Son Himself would have created that position, which seems untenable. The Son wouldn't create His own "Sonship". Yet He indeed created every position of authority. That again suggests, as with the above three extensive observations and natural readings from Scripture, that the Father-Son relationship was not brought into existence but that it eternally emanated from the Godhead and that therefore God the Son is eternally the only begotten Son of the Father.