Podcasts about in isaac

"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Romans 9:1-13

Chaplain Don Moldstad was preacher for this service. Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Order of Service: - Prelude - The Confession of Sin (p. 120) - Hymn 360 - Triumphant From the Grave: vv. 1 - 4 - The Versicles (pp. 120-121) - Psalm 122: I was glad when they said to me We will go to the house of God, O Jerusalem, we are standing, standing within thy walls, O Jerusalem! O pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee, Peace be within thy walls, Prosperity within thy palaces. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and forever. Amen. (setting by Fernand de la Tombelle) - Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Hymn 344 - Christ the Lord is Ris'n Again - The Kyrie (p. 124) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 125) - Hymn 584 - Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy, Lord - The Collect (pp. 125-127) - The Benedicamus and Benediction (p. 127) - Hymn 360 - Triumphant From the Grave: vv. 5, 6 - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Organist)

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

Salvation of the Chosen (audio) David Eells, 2/16/25 I have declared the former things from old; yea, they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them: suddenly I did them, and they came to pass (Isa.48:3). Predict means to tell the future in advance. What the world calls predictions rarely come to pass. It seems they have a warped idea of what a prediction is. When God predicts the future, He declares it and then does it. Not only does God's Word show the future but also it brings it to pass. The worlds (Greek: “ages”) have been framed by the word of God (Heb.11:3). The word “framed” in this verse means “to make complete.” The history (or His-story) of all ages was completed before the beginning. (Isa.48:4) Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; (5) therefore I have declared it to thee from of old; before it came to pass I showed it thee; lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. He is a jealous God (Exo.20:5). He will not share His glory with the idol of self or an idol of man's creation (Isa.42:8). God receives glory from telling of His works hundreds or thousands of years beforehand. His works were finished from the foundation of the world (Heb.4:3). Because His works were finished from the foundation of the world, no one can say, “My might, my power, my god has done this.” It is important to God that we know He is sovereign. Our God has done something that no other “god” has done; He accurately tells the future long before it comes to pass. It is hard to live the Christian life without knowing that God is sovereign. Without this knowledge, we will not have the peace, rest, and the fear of God that we need in the midst of trials. We will always be wrestling with people and circumstances and trusting in our own strength, instead of seeing God's hand and trusting in His strength. (Hos.4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… (Isa.46:8) Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. (9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I [am] God, and there is none like me; (10) declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not [yet] done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. God does all of His pleasure so that only His counsel comes to pass. The proof, that God is the only God, is that He declares the end from the beginning. All the prognosticators, psychics, seers, and stargazers of the devil have only come up with slightly better than random accuracy on the future because their lord is not sovereign. The devil does have an edge. He knows the prophetic Word better than we do, and he predicts what he plans to do, but God is sovereign and often overrules him. (Isa.46:11)… I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. God is very self-willed. He has a right to be. His self is not corrupt, but ours is. He brings to pass what He desires because it is right. In the text, God is speaking of Cyrus, the pagan king of the Media-Persian Empire. God raised up Cyrus to destroy Babylon in order to set His people free from bondage. At that time, Cyrus had no idea that the Lord had put the desire in him to do exactly what He wanted. (Isa.44:28) That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. How can God be so sure that a man who has been a pagan all his life will do everything that will please Him? We see here that nothing or no one can resist God's good purpose for His people. God is sovereign over the future of the great empires of the world in order to deliver and prepare His people. (Isa.45:1) Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut: (2) I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth; I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; (3) and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that it is I, the Lord, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel. (4) For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. The Euphrates River passed through the city of Babylon. One of the gates spoken of here crossed in the Euphrates River to keep the enemy out. Cyrus by the help of God performed a monumental feat in diverting the Euphrates so that his army could enter the city beneath this gate. After they had entered the city, they discovered that the gates on either bank leading into the city had been left unlocked (by God, verses 1 and 2), which was strange, considering that the Babylonians were at war. After Cyrus conquered Babylon, the high priest showed him these prophecies and more that were written about him hundreds of years before he was born. The Jews say Cyrus was very impressed to see his name and works written in prophecy before the fact and became a believer in the God of Israel. God stated clearly that He was going to open those gates for Cyrus to do His Will. After hearing these revelations, Cyrus knew that God had empowered, planned, and made his way. Christian leaders have turned God into a mere prophet, claiming God sees into the future and then reveals it. Every type and shadow in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament to prove that God sits on the throne and One Mind rules over time and the future. One loose canon, would change everything. According to the law of geometric progression, one change at the beginning makes an immense change at the end. Chance or more than one in control could not possibly bring to pass what we see. The Armenian thinkers teach that God predestines and predicts by seeing into the future then tells us how the dice rolled. “Predestine” means “to determine destiny before it happens.” “Foreordain,” which is the same Greek word, means “to ordain an event before it takes place.” (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. You who are manifesting sonship by bearing fruit have been chosen and are being drawn by God. (Rom.8:29) For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained (predestined) [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. God foreknew and decreed all who come to the likeness of Jesus, but not the apostate. “Foreknew” here does not mean He looked into the future and saw what would be. “Foreknew” here means, “to know before” and is not connected with actions or events, but persons. God knew these people before the foundation of the world because He does not dwell in time. God knows what He creates before He speaks it into existence just as we conceive and design something first in our mind before we make it. “Knew” speaks of intimate knowledge, for instance, Adam knew Eve. Jesus will say to those who called Him Lord but do not do the Will of the Father, (Mat.7:23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you (meaning, from the foundation of the world): depart from me, ye that work iniquity. To the foolish virgins without the oil of the Spirit, Jesus said, “I know you not.” The ones that God intimately knew He “foreordained” before the creation to be conformed to the image of Jesus. God creates us through His gift of faith and the Word in us; His people who are on the narrow road. This is grace. (Rom.8:30) And whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. This says all who are foreordained will be called, justified, and glorified. They will not fall away but will bear the fruit of Christ. Are there others who are called but not foreordained? (2Ti.1:9) Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling… Notice that only the saved are called. Called is from the Greek word kaleo, which means, “to invite.” Called is an invitation given only to God's people (more proof: Heb.3:1; Hos.11:1; 1Ti.6:11-12; Mat.25:14; Rom.1:6-7) to partake of his heavenly benefits in Christ in order to bear fruit. Those who bear fruit 30, 60, or 100-fold will be proven to be the chosen or picked. If at harvest time you have no fruit, rotten fruit, or unripe fruit, you will not be picked. The called are the vineyard of God (Isa.5:7). The chosen are the smaller percentage who bear fruit (Isa.5:10). (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen (Greek: eklektos, “elect”). The called can fall, but the elect or chosen will not. (Hos.11:1) When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (2) The more [the prophets] called them, the more they went from them…The Lord saved those that ate the lamb and were baptized in the Red Sea. He then tried them in the wilderness to see who would be a believer in the midst of trials, and only those entered the Promised Land. Jude warned the called of this very thing. (Jud.1:1) Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called… (5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Notice that the called were saved, but some did not continue in faith and were destroyed. Friends, God is not looking for what we loosely call “Christians,” but believers or disciples, as they were called. Jesus gave us very clear examples of His servants who are called but do not come and partake in order to bear fruit. Jesus shared a parable in which a king made a marriage feast for His son. (Mat.22:3) And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden (Greek: “called”) to the marriage feast: and they would not come. They were full of excuses (a farm, merchandise, etc.). (Mat.22:8) Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Even one who appeared to come did not have on a wedding garment which implies putting on Christ (Rom.13:14) or putting on righteousness (Rev.19:8). (Mat.22:13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. A few of the called are chosen or elect because they bear fruit. (Mat.25:14) For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants (Greek: “bondservants”), and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. Obviously, the man who went away was the Lord, and His bondservants are His people. Two of these example servants brought forth fruit of the talent given them (Mat.25:20-22), but one buried his in the earth (used his talent for the earthly, Mat.25:24-25). When our Lord returns, He will say, And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth (Mat.25:30). The apostle Paul, who said of himself that he was called in Galatians 1:15, also said, But I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected (Greek: “reprobated”) (1Co.9:27). There is much more proof that the saved and the called can fall (2Pe.1:9-11; 1Ti.6:11-12; Heb.3:1,6,12,14; Rom.11:1-7,19-23). Friend, you probably know if you are called, but are you chosen? You must be diligent in your walk of faith to prove this. (2Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election (choosing) sure: for if ye do these things (the attributes of Christ, verses 5-7), ye shall never stumble: (11) for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. God at the cross has already given us everything that we need to bear fruit through faith. (2Pe.1:3) seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue. Faith in the promises in the midst of trials will give us the fruit. (2Pe.1:4) Whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. The called have the power and the opportunity. The called and the chosen, or foreordained, use the power by faith and take the opportunity. The only ones who will ultimately be with the Lord are identified in this verse. (Rev.17:14) These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they [also shall overcome] that arewith him, called and chosen and faithful. Notice that the called that are chosen will be faithful. I did not make these verses up; they are the Word of God. Those who have eyes and ears will see and understand, but the rest will justify their religion and ignore the Scriptures. Before time and the future, God sovereignly spoke the end from the beginning, bringing these things into existence in time. Some would argue, “How could God make a promise to all of His called and then not keep it for those who do not bear fruit?” Every promise in the Bible is useless until someone walks by faith in it. Our part of the covenant is faith; God's part is power and salvation. We can break the covenant through unbelief. (Num.14:11) And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? (12) I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. Notice that God is saying to His own people who did not believe that He would disinherit them. Lest any believe that God cannot make a promise and then take it back when they do not walk in faith, pay attention to this: (Num.14:23) Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it. (30) surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (34)… and ye shall know my alienation (Hebrew: “revoking of my promise”). Unless we mix faith with God's promises, they are void. (Heb.4:2) For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they (God's people): but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. The Israelites who walked in sin were disinherited and blotted out of God's book. (Exo.32:33) And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. The same is true of the Christians who do not overcome sin. Notice what the Lord said to the Church. (Rev.3:5) 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…Those who do not overcome will be rejected from the body of Christ. (Rev.3:16) So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. God's people Israel were broken off because of unbelief, and Christians who were grafted in but do not walk by faith will be, too. (Rom.11:20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Those who are still grafted in at the end are called “all Israel.” (Rom.11:26) and so all Israel shall be saved… Those who are still in the book of life, still grafted in, are the elect (Greek: “chosen”). (Rom.11:2) God did not cast off his people which he foreknew… (5) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election (chosen) of grace. A remnant is those who are left. Notice they are foreknown and chosen. Sovereign God will have those who are truly His. Abiding in Christ is where salvation is. Some say God gave us the gift of eternal life so He cannot take it back. In Galatians 3:16, we are told, To Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. So the promises were given to Christ, not to us individually. The only way the promises are ours is if we abide in Christ. Abiding in Christ is bearing fruit (Joh.15:1-6), walking as He walked (1Jn.2:3-6), believing the same teachings given by Jesus and the apostles (1Jn.2:24; Jud.1:3; Mat.28:20), not adding to or subtracting from the Word (Rev.22:18-19), not walking in sin (1Jn.3:5-6), and keeping His commandments (1Jn.3:24). In Christ is the only place we can claim the gift of eternal life. (1Jn.5:11)… God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. God does not have to take His gift back; His people walk out of it. (1Co.6:18)… Every sin that a man doeth is without the body…When you walk in willful sin, you are not abiding in His body for in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: (1Jn.3:5-6). For instance, fornication, spiritual or physical, takes away the members of Christ and makes them members of a harlot (1Co.6:15,18). Only Christ and those abiding in Him are chosen. (Eph. 1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world… Only Christ and those abiding in Him are going to heaven. (Joh.3:13) And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven…The manna from heaven, the Word Jesus Christ, who takes up residence in those who love Him, is the fruit that God is coming to choose. By this time, I am sure some are thinking that they do not measure up. We must first abide in Christ by faith accepting the Gospel report that I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me (Gal.2:20). Those who walk by faith that they are dead to sin and Christ now lives in them are accounted as righteous until God uses that faith to manifest righteousness in them. (Gal. 3:6) Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. God does not dwell in time, but eternity. He sees the beginning and the end at the same time, therefore, He can answer a prayer before we pray. We do not have to worry that we have waited too late to pray because He can have the answer coming long before we ask. (Isa.65:24) And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. I had a friend, who went to the local trade school, offer to take my broken washer for the students to work on. It was only going to cost me for parts. By faith, I told him to go ahead. He called back in a couple of days to say that he would be bringing it back and the cost was $90. My wife and I accounted that we only had $40. In a moment of inspiration, I pointed my finger at the mailbox and said, “$50 is coming in that box today.” In the mail that day was a letter from a brother in Maryland. (I had absolutely no foreknowledge of this incident.) He wrote, “It is after midnight, and I just cannot get to sleep until I obey God and write this check for $50.” I looked at the post date on the letter and discovered it had been lost in the mail for a whole month! Obviously, God had it found at just the right moment. He had it coming a month before I spoke those words of faith. He merely used me to bring to pass what He had already planned. I asked God to do something that I believe He may have changed time to accomplish. Many years ago, this very young girl made a mistake and tested pregnant. As I prayed about her situation, a thought came into my head and right out of my mouth. I asked the Lord to make this girl as though she were never pregnant. I believe that this did not come from my mind, but God's Spirit. Because of the way this prayer came, I received it as a confirmation from the Lord that it was the Will of God. Later, tests proved that she was not pregnant. I do not know what God did with the baby, but I am sure He is taking better care of it than that girl would have. Nothing is beyond God's ability to help us, unless it is beyond our faith. How can God change His mind when He knows and speaks the end in the beginning? Then changing your mind makes you a liar. (Isa.46:10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not [yet] done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. If He sees all from the beginning, why would He ever need to change His mind? God will not change what is written in His Word. (Psa.119:89) For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. His Word is likened unto a rock, immovable and unchangeable. However, God can change or delay what He speaks to you personally as a warning through prophets, dreams, visions, or His Spirit. When the Word ultimately comes to pass, it will be fulfilled as the Bible says it will. God gave us an example of this in the book of Jonah. Jonah cried and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown (Jon.3:4). God told Jonah to preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee (Jon.3:2), so he did. He was not a false prophet. God spared Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, because they repented. This angered Jonah because Assyria was the mortal enemy of Israel and the prophets had already been prophesying that Assyria would conquer rebellious Israel. He wanted them to be destroyed for what he perceived was Israel's sake. Jonah knew that if he preached to Nineveh and they repented, God would not destroy them, so he fled. (Jon.4:1) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. (2) And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil. God spared Nineveh around 752 B.C. so that Assyria could conquer the northern ten tribes of Israel around 720 B.C. and then Judah around 701 B.C. Nineveh ultimately did fall around 612 B.C. God knew before He threatened Nineveh that He was going to spare them for the purpose of using them to chasten Israel. From Nineveh's perspective, they changed God's mind by repenting, but from God's perspective, He changed Nineveh's mind and fulfilled His plan from the beginning for them, which was to chasten Israel! Jonah's Hebrew word for “repentest” here is nacham meaning “to sigh” and by implication “to be sorry.” In itself, nacham does not admit evil doing, or even a change of mind, only sorrow. As Father, God must do many things that He sorrows over. When the Scriptures speak of God repenting, it is for our perspective because it appears to us that He changed His mind and did not do what He threatened. As a parent five times over, I have done this many times. The difference between God and us is, He plans and sees the delays and repentances from the beginning. (Num.23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent. (1Sa.15:29) And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. Here is another thing that proves the sovereignty of God in time and the future, and that God plans delays or “repentances” beforehand. Israel and the United States share a unique identity. Each was entrusted with the Gospel in their respective time. From 887 B.C., Israel was at war every seventeen years for a period of fifteen cycles until 631 B.C. The United States also has been in a war every seventeen years for a period of fifteen cycles from the forming of the thirteen original states to Grenada in l983-l984. For both nations, in the sixth and tenth cycle there was no war. The only possible exceptions to the parallel are that Israel appears to have had a devastating famine in the forth cycle instead of a war and there seems to be no record for a war in their thirteenth cycle. The cycles could be more exact than our knowledge, but no sane person could think that this is chance. The repetitions of history clearly show that one mind is in control of past and future. Stay with me because I would like to encourage you about your family and loved ones who may be running after worldly desires and not yet saved. No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day (Joh.6:44). Some parents feel very guilty that, though they did the best they could, their children seem to be going the wrong way. The following teaching is not against those who have faithfully served the Lord from their youth but rather for those who feel that the Lord has passed them or their children by. Walk by faith for those wayward children, not sight. Believe in your prayers, expect miracles, but be patient. God has a plan that starts for them long before their salvation. Give some deep thought to this. It will free you from worry, strife, condemnation and self-effort to bring about God's will in them. They will have to be saved after tribulation and failure of their worldly expectations, as we were. Children who are raised knowing about the Lord are sometimes very self-righteous. They think they deserve what they have and do not understand grace. They will also have to see themselves as sinners in order to be the dirt that can receive the Word and bear the fruit of Jesus. God only saves sinners. We have all been one. This is a necessary revelation in order to appreciate the great value of salvation and to be saved by unmerited favor. I remember my oldest daughter when she was three years old going around our lost friends and relatives saying, “God does not like that.” She was quickly deflecting what we had taught her. We thought, “You little Pharisee.” Our heavenly Father has had many prodigal sons just as Jesus' parable shows, but that does not make Him a bad Father (Luk.15:11-32). In this parable, the “good” son who never left home was self-righteous, judgmental, and merciless. On the other hand, the younger son, who spent his inheritance on riotous living, realized his low estate and came to his father very humbly saying, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. (Luk.15:21). The once rebellious son now understood mercy and grace and was a much better man for it. Prophetically, the firstborn son who never left the Father was the righteous among Israel, but they did not understand grace. The younger, second son of the Father who fell away through the dark ages for 2,000 years is the Church, who is returning in these days to understand the grace of God. The Father said to these, Bring forth quickly the best robe (the robe of righteousness [Isa.61:10]), and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand (symbol of authority and of the Bride), and shoes on his feet (the walk of separation from the world) (Luk.15:22). The prodigal son will have more of everything than the first son. Those who have been sinners know their need of God, but many times, those who are raised as God's people do not. (Mat.21:28) But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard. (29) And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. (30) And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I [go], sir: and went not. (31) Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. (32) For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him. Many times, it is not the son who says he will go to work in the Father's vineyard who actually goes, but the son whose first inclination is to rebel. This rebel who comes to see himself as a sinner goes while the other son who feigns righteousness does not. Many career Christians are bored with the work of God and are distracted by the allure of the world. The publicans and harlots are so appreciative of a place in the kingdom that they throw their whole heart into it, willing to be servants rather than be served. They understand the great value of the gift of grace that is given them and their own unworthiness. In the last days of the Gentiles, it will be the same as it was in the last days of the Jews. There are many self-righteous “Christians” today who are not the creation that the Father desires. Those who have been raised in the church should humble themselves to the Word of God and not religion so that no man takes their crown (Rev.3:11). It appears Jesus had this in mind when He shared this parable. (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: (10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. (13) But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful to me a sinner. (14) I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified (Greek: “accounted righteous”) rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The self-righteous child who kept all the religious traditions was not accounted righteous while the poor sinner who was repenting of his unworthiness was. Jesus told the Pharisees that He had not come to call the righteous but the sinners. He was after those who knew they had been sinners to be His children. Look at the following verse carefully. (Rom.11:32) For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all. God has designed that forgiven sinners become His sons. Those who have been disobedient have a great appreciation for mercy and grace and do not offend God quickly. God has subjected us to this fallen creation for the purpose of a higher creation. (Rom.8:20) For the creation was subjected to vanity (the fall and corruption), not of its own will, but by reason of him (God) who subjected it, in hope (Greek: “firm expectation”) (21) that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. He wants those who have been corrupt, as good soil is, to be delivered to appreciate Him. The children of God can only be created from the fallen creation, and God is the one who subjected them to it to humble them. The Scriptures show us our unfaithfulness and unworthiness so that we might have a reason to truly repent. (Gal.3:22) But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. God chose us to be saved in Christ before Adam even fell. (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love. He knew we would need a savior before the world was made and Adam fell. He knew the fall would happen, and He went ahead with the creation anyway. From this you can see that the fall was in His plan. Children who are raised with Christ many times take Him for granted and do not really understand grace as unmerited favor. God has a plan for them that may involve the temporary lifting of His grace that has been taken for granted. Do not fear this, or walk by sight, but continue to believe God for them. Peter was Jesus' little one whom He raised up to be a disciple. He self-confidently declared to the Lord that he would never be offended and deny Him but would go with Him to death in (Mat.26:33-35). God hates self-confidence but loves God-confidence. So how does God deal with this sin? (1Co.10:12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Failure is the best treatment for self-confidence. (Luk.22:31) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: (32) but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren. (33) And he said unto him, Lord, with thee I am ready to go both to prison and to death. (34) And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. Jesus prophesied failure for this proud man. Jesus, who had authority over Satan, did not forbid him from sifting Peter. Satan sifts to get what belongs to him. In this case, it was Peter's pride, self-righteousness, and self-confidence. What fell through the sieve was what God wanted, the humbled Peter. The sifted Peter who had “turned again” or been converted, could now establish the brethren. Before this failure, he would have been a good Pharisee. (Luk.7:40) And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon (the Pharisee, not Peter), I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. (41) A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. (42) When they had not [wherewith] to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? (43) Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. (44) And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. (45) Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. (46) My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment. (47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. Big sinners make big saints, for they know the value of grace. According to the previous verses, God wants people who are forgiven of their many sins and saved by grace so that they love and appreciate Him much. This is the creation that He wants, not Adam before the fall. The creation that springs from the last Adam, Jesus Christ, is the ones who have fallen and then are saved by grace through faith. We need not worry about our children or loved ones becoming sinners, just “hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised.” We must gracefully sow seeds of truth, as we can, without frustrating them. They cannot be convinced without grace. God “worketh all things after the counsel of His will” and “a man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven,” and “no one comes unto the Son except the Father draw him.” God will do it when the time is right, and He will use our faith because “faith is the substance of things hoped for” (KJV). We can see why sometimes God does not save people until they are a little older and have tried the world and found it wanting. However, if you have faithfully served the Lord from your youth, you have a great reward. God can save anyone anytime He desires. It is important that we not try with our own works to save the lost but first honor God's sovereignty with our faith for Him to do it. (Joh.6:37) All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me… (44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him… Father will draw everyone that He chooses to Christ. God chooses us and gives us a desire to come to Him and only then do we choose Him. (Psa.65:4) Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee], That he may dwell in thy courts… God sometimes chooses the worst in our estimation. If God can save Paul or Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons, he can save those we believe for. Do you remember the conversion of Saul who persecuted the saints with a vengeance? (Act.9:3)… And suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: (4) and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (5) And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he [said], I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. A monkey would get saved with such an experience, which was totally at the discretion of God. This same omnipotent God says, All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Mat.21:22). God uses His gift of faith in us to manifest the salvation of those He has chosen from the foundation of the world. Pray and thank God for those salvations. I can hear someone say, “Goody, we will believe God to save the devil; that will solve a lot of problems.” I do not think such faith would endure to the end since faith is a gift from God (Eph.2:8), to give or to take, and there is no precedent in the Scriptures for such a request. Besides that, the devil is needed in his job for which he would be totally unfit if he got saved. There is precedent for household salvation though (Act.11:14; 18:8). Paul and Silas offered this to the jailer. (Act.16:31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. They believed and were saved. (34)… with all his house, having believed in God. Peter preached this, too. (Act.2:39) For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. In Exodus 12:3, the lamb was slain for a household. Unbelieving family members are sanctified by our faith. (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. Some object that God would be unrighteous to choose some and not others. We are too late for He has done just that. (Psa.147:19) He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. (20) He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. God did not attempt to share His first covenant with any of the world but Israel. The New Testament He shares only with spiritual Israel. (Deu.7:6) For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. (7) The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples. God is not worried about multitudes, for He has chosen the least. He still only chooses little spiritual Israel on the narrow road. Abraham is the father of spiritual Israel, the Church: those who walk in the same gift of faith that Abraham walked in. (Gal.3:7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. Paul told the Gentile church at Rome that the people of all nations who believe the promise were Abraham's children in (Rom.4:16) For this cause [it is] of faith, that [it may be] according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law (natural Israel), but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (17) (as it is written, A father of many nations [the Gentiles] have I made thee)… True, spiritual Israel believes the promises even now. (Rom.9:6)… For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: (7) neither, because they are Abraham's seed (naturally or physically), are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (8) That is, it is not the children of the flesh (natural Israel) that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. Those who believe the promises are born again children of the promises. These are Abraham's seed. A New Testament spiritual Jew is circumcised in heart, not flesh. (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly (physical); neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly (spiritual); and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter… Notice that a Jew now is not a physical Jew. A Jew now has the flesh cut off from his heart through the new birth. (Gal.6:15) For neither is circumcision (in the flesh) anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (16) And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace [be] upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. The Israel of God are they who walk as new creatures. The unregenerate physical Jews who worship in synagogues are not Jews until they are born again through the New Testament. (Rev.2:9) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they art not, but are a synagogue of Satan (the same in Rev.3:9). We were not Jews but now are in Spirit. (Rom.9:25) As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved. (26) And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God. We were not His people but are now beloved sons of God. (Rom.9:27) And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel (natural or physical), If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved. A remnant of natural Israel will be born again mostly after the elect Gentiles have been saved. (Rom.11:25)… A hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. “In part” here means that the line between Gentiles and Jews is not a sharp demarcation. Neither was it in the book of Acts. Jews are even now being saved more than ever. This is a sign that we are nearing the end of the times of the Gentiles. Most of the physical Jews will come in after the Gentiles. We who sought not after God were given the gift of faith to be spiritual New Testament Israel when natural Israel turned her back on God. (Rom.10:20) And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. God revealed himself to the Church who on their own neither knew nor sought Him. (21) But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. (Rom.11:7)…That which Israel (physical) seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election (chosen) obtained it, and the rest were hardened: (We see here that only the few chosen among the many called of Israel accepted Christ and the New Testament. The rest were reprobated.) (8) according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day. In that day and in this, those who walk by faith are chosen from among the called to be the eternal people of the living God. Paul said “all Israel” is the physical Jews and Gentiles who are part of the olive tree by faith, not those who are broken off by unbelief (Rom.11:19-25). All have sinned and deserve destruction. Is God wrong for giving some mercy and grace and others justice? All deserve justice instead of unmerited favor.   Letter to a Prodigal Son Anonymous My Son, The Lord has chosen you as part of 3% of this world's population to be His own. I saw this in a vision I would like to tell you about. You are probably wondering, how could this be since I have been through hell? Hell is the best place to learn that you really want to live in heaven. I've loved you since you were a baby and I've known the Lord has too. Even your stubborn rebellion didn't change my mind or His. He has known you from before the foundation of the world. He has a special plan for your life that I would like to tell you about. You think, why would God love me since I have been so sinful? Jesus said, "Who loves much, he that has been forgiven of much or he that has been forgiven of little? Simon said, 'He that has been forgiven of much'". Jesus said that this answer is correct. Since you will be forgiven of much you are now capable now of loving Him the way He wants you to. You might ask, "If He loves me then why has he been so hard on me?" It is the devil who has been hard on you. He hates you and when he is through with you then you are like him, destroyed. God said, "His servants you are whom you obey". It's a simple matter to change Masters and Fathers. It happened to me when I was younger than you. I guess I wasn't quite as stubborn as you. :o) Once when you were younger you asked God to save you. You think He ignored you or forgot about that but He didn't. He was very glad and He took you very seriously but He also knew you were stubborn and would have to know the consequences of serving the devil before you would fear Him as your Father and serve Him. You are almost there. When you get there understand this about Him. He is seeking you and listening to you and if you make one step towards Him, He will be very happy to make ten towards you. You have His Word for that. Luke 15:1 Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Jesus is now seeking you out where you are.) 3 And he spake unto them this parable, saying, 4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (He is after you to save you.) 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (He will be very happy to receive you.) 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, [more] than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance. (Your heavenly Father and all of heaven will be happy at your turning to Him.) 8 Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living. (What God gave you as a child you have now wasted.) 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. (Now you are just feeding the flesh and the children of the god of this world, Satan.) 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. (Its a hard road and you are near total death.) 17 But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! (You are starving for the bread of His kingdom, the Word of God.) 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: (Just tell Him that you have sinned and you are sorry) 19 I am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of thy hired servants. (Tell Him that you know you are not worthy of Him but you will serve Him with His help.) 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (You are far from Him but He sees you when you make a step towards Him and He will run to you in love.) 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: (He will meet your needs for righteousness and authority.) 23 and bring the fatted calf, [and] kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: (He will feed you with the best.) 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. (He will give you His life.) And they began to be merry. (...And He will be very happy; more so than over those who are serving him now.) 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and [yet] thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. 32 But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive [again]; and [was] lost, and is found. Please think about this, son. Love, Dad

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. The Holy Spirit had something else to say about Abraham, which honored God above everything else he had done in his life. Abraham demonstrated his love for God by showing He loved Him more than his only son. God was a greater treasure to Abraham than Isaac or his reputation. Because God had said to Abraham, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called,” Abraham offered up Isaac to God. Do you get it? Abraham believed God's word about Isaac, so he offered him up by faith. Where did the faith come from? It came from the Holy Spirit when God promised that his descendants would come through Isaac. Since faith comes from God and Abraham believed God, he had the assurance that even if he killed Isaac, God would raise him up from the dead. This is one of those Bible stories that earth-blinded people cite as a reason not to believe in God. The story is too strange, too weird, too unthinkable. What kind of a god would ask a man to kill his only son as an act of worship? From an earthly point of view, we get it. There's no earthly explanation that makes sense because they don't understand God's purposes or supernatural faith. It's strange to them. We see Abraham's faith in two statements found in Gen. 22:5. “Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.'” And vs. 8 when Isaac asked about a lamb for the offering. “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.'” God provided the ram as a substitute for Isaac according to Abraham's faith, and Abraham received his son back, just as God received His Son back after resurrecting Him to life. We can see the type, can't we? From God's viewpoint, He purposed in eternity to glorify Himself in Abraham, Isaac, and in Jesus, His Son. God prepared a prophetic testimony to His offering up His only Son as a sacrifice for the sins of those of whom He is not ashamed to be called their God. God is not ashamed to be the God of Abraham, who, by faith and love, offered up his only son, or the God of Isaac, who willingly gave himself to be sacrificed out of honor to his father. God is also not ashamed to be called the God of Jesus, who willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice for the honor and glory of His Father. For Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus to do what God commanded them made them all strangers and exiles on the earth. They did what they did because they believed in God and believed He was a rewarder of those who love, obey, and seek Him. God has made us strangers and exiles on the earth through what He has commanded us to do. Glorify Him by giving up our lives in this world to live to love with Jesus, His Son. The only way this is possible is by faith. Walk today in love, by faith.

Hebrews 11:17-19(LSB)By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only son, to whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he also received him back. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.definedbymoments.org

In this episode, we look at the fellowship of the mystery and see how it parallels with a very familiar yet misunderstood chapter in Romans 11. Will Israel be saved entirely? Is this coming or is this accomplished in the Body of the Son of God? Paul has already defined Israel and in it defines the matter of its salvation. Romans 9:6-8  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. References:  Ephesians 3:5-13 Romans 11:1-36 John 5:24-25 1 Corinthians 4:6-7 Ephesians 3:18-21   thesatisfiedgod.com Subscribe to our YouTube page  - The Satisfied God Podcast YouTube Please like and follow our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/thesatisfiedgodpodcast Thanks for all your support in every way. Please share this podcast with your friends.  We are available on every major podcast provider including Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Spotify.  Also please subscribe to be made aware of every new episode.  Thanks for listening and feel free to contact me at rabonbyrd@gmail.com  You may help financially in the following ways: Give via PayPal by clicking this link: www.paypal.me/thesatisfiedgod  Give via Cash App - $RabonByrdTSG Give via Zelle - rabonbyrd@gmail.com You may send financial support or other communications via U.S. mail to PO Box 186 Marshall, AR 72650. Checks payable to Rabon Byrd. Memo: Satisfied God Podcast

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Blessings Follow Sanctification (5)  (audio)  David Eells (6/23/24)    We've been discussing the blessings that follow sanctification and it's been very exciting to learn how the Bride is being manifested in the earth, as a spotless and blemishless Bride, for whom the Lord has been waiting all these years! We saw that the Bride will be manifesting His glory. (Isa.62:1) For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. This is the Epiphaneia, the “shining forth from” His people of the glory of God, of the nature of Jesus Christ. During the days to come, we know that God's going to do just that; He's going to fulfill this prophecy. His city, His Heavenly New Jerusalem, is even now being manifested in the earth under our King David.  And yet, as this prophecy is being fulfilled, other things will be happening out there which are not such good news. God's people are going to have an opportunity to bear fruit and then time will run out. And not just the Bride, but the virgins, the queens, the concubines, all the different groups of God's people at the Marriage Feast, all these people have to bear fruit. However, we know there will be some people who stubbornly refuse to bear fruit. As a matter of fact, we sometimes see them around us because they love to persecute us and this next chapter in Isaiah is a parable about Jacob and Esau.  There was constant war between Jacob and Esau, and there has been constant war between their seed for the generations since then, even up to now. The Palestinians of today are basically the Edomites who are the seed of Esau, about which Isaiah 63 speaks. Both Jacob and Esau were sons of Abraham, and yet the Lord said in, (Rom.9:6) But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: (7) neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (8) That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed.   (9) For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (10) And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac— (11) for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (12) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. What do you suppose He meant by that? And does it have an application to the New Testament people of God? Of course it does. We read in (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.   This is a parable that can be applied to the Church, not that we are literally Jews; we are only spiritually Jews. God gave us the parable of the letter in order to fulfill in the spirit what was already done and we give thanks unto God for that. We know that (Act.14:22) … through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. Tribulation is necessary to bring this Bride to maturity and one of the sources of this tribulation is those people who are called “sons of Abraham” yet they persecute their brethren. It's like Jacob and Esau. Esau was a constant persecution against Jacob and even up until this day, we still have the parable before us.   So let's read (Isa.63:1) Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? “Bozrah” means “sheepfold” and Edom is the seed of Esau. This is a revelation of Jesus' coming after perfecting His Bride and what He's going to do with these people who have persecuted His Bride. You know, even though God may use certain people against His Bride in order to bring the Bride to maturity, He still holds those people accountable and this chapter is where God is about to hold some people accountable. So Bozrah is the sheepfold. Jesus came to the sheepfold in His day and He called His sheep out by name. It says in (Joh.10:1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.   (3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. How many of His sheep did He call out? He called out all of them that were His and the sheepfold He was calling them out of was apostate Judaism. Now the parable is for our day because the Lord is going to do the exact same thing through the Man-child. He's going to be calling His people out of the apostate sheepfold of religion to follow Jesus.   We received a dream that I think is very telling about this parable, in identifying to you who the Edomites are in the Church. This dream was given to G.C. in the middle of 2008. (The dream is written in non-bold italics.) G.C. said, I had a dream about us. (He was talking about Unleavened Bread Ministries.) Details were lacking, but I recall us being in a field or a park the size of a football field that was in the midst of a city. Jesus said in, (Mat.13:38) … the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil [one]. The world is full of competition, just like football, which is a competitive sport. Christians are supposed to be serving one another, not competing with one another, but the world is that way and so are their religions.   This city, I believe, represents the worldly Babylon that's in apostasy because all the world came from Babel. (Gen.11:6) And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. (7) Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (8) So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city. (9) Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.   And in (1Ch.1:19) And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. God confounded their tongue, then He broke up the continent and spread that out and separated the people, so there is a world Babylon that will fall. He's calling us out of that; He's calling us into His Kingdom and out of the kingdom of this world.   G.C. goes on, There were quite a few of us in this area, but for whatever reason, I do not know, I remember walking through this grassy area and realizing that the people with us were probably part of UBM, but a lot of them I have never seen before. That's because when God brings UBM people together, many times they have not seen each other since ours is primarily a broadcast ministry. We are very happy to have visitors who come quite regularly to see us and they may have been a part of our ministry for a long time, but we never see them until they come to visit us.   Continuing with the dream: Then I found myself on a high mountain or a cliff overlooking the field and I saw you (David Eells) and the others in the field. He's looking down from a mountain upon the field, which is the world, and so this is a perspective from the Kingdom of God. You know, we're supposed to be seeing things from a Kingdom perspective and not from a worldly perspective; that's how we are actually able to walk as sons of God. Back to the dream: As I watched this, I saw many hostile solider-type men in red uniforms parachuting down into the field. My interpretation is that this represents the apostate enemy troops who walk in sin, which is represented as the color red in the Scriptures. As it says in (Isa.1:18) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. And also the word “Edom” means “red.”   Our text in Isaiah 63 is speaking about Edom and “Edom” was the name given to Esau when he sold his birthright as a son of Abraham. Do you know that there are Christians who are selling their birthright as sons of Abraham? We'll look at that a little further on. It says in (Gen.25:30) And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red [pottage] (They added the word “pottage” there and put it in brackets, but in the original it just says “red.”); for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. So Esau got a nickname from begging for this “red.” His name became “Edom” and those people who followed him, who were his seed and who walked in his steps, are the Edomites.   We discovered in the Scriptures, (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. A person walks in the steps of their spiritual father. The Man-child will be a spiritual son of David, just like Jesus was a spiritual son of David. Going on in (Gen.35:31) And Jacob said, Sell me first thy birthright. Esau wanted this “red,” which we know is a type of sin, and Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright,” so basically Esau sold out to sin, didn't he? And that's why he was called “Red” and those who walked in his steps were called “Edomites.”   The mixture of Jacob and Esau's seed in the Promised Land was like two competing armies. (Gen.27:41) And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob. It wasn't until Jacob separated himself from Esau that the Lord caused him to bear much fruit.   As a matter of fact, Jacob bore so much fruit that when he came back into the Promised Land, his brother Esau was shocked looking at all this fruit he had borne, both in his family and in his flocks. (Gen.32:13) And he lodged there that night, and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother: (14) two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, (15) thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals. (16) And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.   (17) And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? (18) then thou shalt say [They are] thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, he also is behind us. (19) And he commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him; (20) and ye shall say, Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me. (21) So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the company. ... In the next chapter we read (Gen.33:4) And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. (5) And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are these with thee? And he said, The children whom God hath graciously given thy servant. (6) Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. (7) And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.   (8) And he said, What meanest thou by all this company which I met? And he said, To find favor in the sight of my lord. (9) And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; let that which thou hast be thine. (10) And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found favor in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. (11) Take, I pray thee, my gift that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.   The spiritual seed of Esau are the Edomites, who have sold their birthright as Christians by walking after the flesh. But the Bible tells us in (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord (As we have been studying that the word “sanctified” is the word hagiasmos and it means “separated unto God.” When Jacob was separated from Esau, in other words, when he was “sanctified,” he bore fruit.): (Heb.12:15) looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness.... Now we are getting to the problem that Esau and his seed had because the sins of the parents are passed on to the children.  (Deu.5:9) Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me. We know Paul is talking about Christians, so we have a people among us who are like Esau. He's not talking about the Jews because they are a parable for us. Again in (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. Here he is exhorting the Christians not to be like Esau: (Heb.12:15) Looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby the many be defiled.   These Esaus, these Edomites among us, spread their root of bitterness. Christians who have given in to critical spirits, who are angry and unforgiving, can have no peace with other people. They are constantly attacking their brethren because they don't obey the words of God, which will keep peace among the brethren, if they are obeyed. These are whom the Scriptures here are pointing out as Edomites. (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. Folks, we know what “meat” means: “meat” means “flesh” and because Esau walked after the flesh, he sold his birthright. He was a son of Abraham, a son of God, but still he sold his birthright.   There are many people out there who are selling their birthright. And what is our birthright? Our birthright is to walk in the steps of our father Abraham, to walk in the steps of our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, but people are selling their birthright by walking after the flesh. (Rom.8:12) So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: (13) for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Paul said that if you walk after the flesh, you must die. There is a people among us who are sons of Abraham, but they are going to die. They are going to die because they have sold their birthright and because they have no peace with their brothers, just as it is in the natural. The Edomites today have no peace with their brothers and there is no way to make peace with them; there is constant war going on there. Look again in (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person,… Why is he saying a “profane person”? What does that mean? The word there for “profane” is bebelos and, according to Vine's Expository Dictionary, it means “permitted to be trodden, accessible.” In other words, it's like somebody who doesn't have the hedge up around them, so they are not protected from the enemy. We know that Esau was that way. Esau was tormented by the tormentors because of his unforgiveness toward his brother. Jesus said the same thing: (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.   In other words, you owe a debt if you don't forgive everyone. Yes, Jesus paid our debt, but a person who gives in to the flesh has to pay that debt instead and it's usually taken out of their hide. The debt has to be paid by this profane person who is accessible to their enemies, who is permitted to be trodden down and overcome by their enemies. Vine's also says, “bebelos is that which lacks all relationship or affinity to God.” That's very interesting and I would say that the comparison in Hebrews 12 is between somebody who is sanctified, like Jacob in verse 14, and somebody who is not sanctified, like Esau in verse 16. Esau was not sanctified, not “separated from sin unto God.” “Edom” was his nickname and he was walking in “red.”   Continuing in (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind [in his father,] though he sought it diligently with tears. The word “rejected” here is apodokimazo and it means “to reject as the result of disapproval” or “to repudiate.” This is serious, folks. This is eternal life that we are dealing with here. Our inheritance, our birthright, is the eternal life of Jesus Christ, His life in you. If you walk after the flesh, do you get that life? Do you get the sanctification, which implies that you are receiving that life? No, you don't. Esau didn't value this awesome gift of the birthright that was passed on to him. He didn't value it more than following after the flesh and that's true of many Christians.   If they don't repent, they will prove themselves to walk in the steps of their spiritual father, Esau, who was a son of Abraham but was not saved. He was a son of Abraham but he became lost and he was rejected. (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind.... Some versions add “in his father,” but there is no foundation whatsoever for that in the original manuscripts. The translators put it there according to their own theology, but it doesn't belong there because the problem was that Esau needed to change his mind. “Repentance” is the word metanoia and it means “change of mind,” so I would leave out the italicized words. “Esau found no place for change of mind”; he could not help himself. He could not cease from sinning. He could not cease from hating his brother.   Does that happen today? Yes, it does. These “Edomites” cannot cease from sin. (2Pe.2:13) Suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing (In other words, he was walking after the flesh and he was reaping what he was sowing.); men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes (We know that God is looking for a spotless and blemishless Bride, but here's somebody with spots and blemishes.), revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you (Many of these people are deceivers. They have one face in front of you, but another face behind your back. They want to appear as if they are holy, but they are not sanctified.); (2Pe.2:14) having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin (There's the “red.”); enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing; (15) forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing.   What is the hire of wrong-doing? In the case of Hebrews 12, the hire of wrong-doing is following after the flesh, pleasing your flesh, pleasing your self-life, but your self-life is the very one that must die in order for the life of Christ to be manifested. In G.C.'s revelation, these “Edomites” were parachuting down into the world because they are fallen from Heavenly places in Christ. (Eph.2:4) But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), (6) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places,] in Christ Jesus. They have become earthbound, unlike an eagle. An eagle is symbolic of overcoming because it can overcome the world, it can look down on the world from its high place. And like the eagle, we are called to be overcomers (Revelation 2:11,17; 3:5,12,21; 21:7).   Not long after G.C. had this dream, Unleavened Bread Ministries was attacked by many Edomites. These false Christians are enemies of the cross and are members of the Beast army by nature. We're talking about somebody who is confessing to be a Christian, yet who walks after the mind and works of the flesh. The identification of someone who is a member of the body of the Beast has the name of the Beast in their forehead, which represents the mind of the flesh, or in their hand, which represents the works of the flesh. They have the “mark of the Beast” and God promised through Apostle Paul that these people would be rejected.   Paul said even of himself, (1Co.9:27) but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage (or “submission”): lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. So we see these men parachuting down to make war upon the saints and they are losing their positions in Heavenly places; they are being cast down to the earth. Does that sound familiar? (Rev.6:13) And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. The “stars of the heaven” are Abraham's seed (Gen.15:5) And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And this is the great falling away.   There are star glory, moon glory and sun glory Christians, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Star glory is the ones who have borne the least fruit and the ones who fall away are the ones who have lost their fruit, like a fig tree. What does the fig tree represent? The fig tree represents God's people and they fell to the earth when they were shaken by a great wind. And what does the wind represent? The wind represents great tribulation. These Edomites represent the backsliders, the ones who have fallen from their position in Heaven. They are constantly making war on God's people from within the Church, as did Judas Iscariot, who is a good example.   The most important aspect of this is that the Bride will escape this Beast army. Who is the Bride? The Bride is those who are leaving Babylon and going to Jerusalem. That's a type for us; what happened to the Jews is happening to God's people today. God's first-fruits are now on their way out of Babylon and back to Zion, and the Bride will escape this Beast army by going into the wilderness. Where is the wilderness? It's between Egypt and Zion. They had to go through the wilderness to reach Zion and Zion represents the Bride, as John said in Revelation 21. The Bride is that mature, pure, sanctified, holy people, and Jerusalem, the Bride, were the only ones to escape the Assyrian Beast.  Let's read that in (2Ki.19:30) And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. (31) For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of mount Zion they that shall escape: the zeal of the Lord shall perform this. (32) Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. (33) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, saith the Lord. (34) For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.    (35) And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. (36) So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. The Beast armies came in and conquered all of Israel and all of Judah, but they could not take Jerusalem because it represented the Bride. The Bride, as we have already seen in the teachings that have been leading up to this point, is going to escape the Beast, including the Beast in the Church.   Antichrist is in the Church, just like it is in the world. (1Jn.2:18) Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. There are carnal Christians who cannot stand Christians who walk in the Spirit, who are walking in sanctification. They will make war on them, they will criticize them, they will do anything they can to those who walk in the Spirit, just like the Edomites are doing physically to physical Israel. Even though physical Israel is doing some bad things too.  Years ago, a sister in our assembly had a dream in which she and others in this dream were fleeing from people in red uniforms, who represented Edomites. Those people in red uniforms represented Christians, who are the seed of Abraham, but who walk in sin. So the sister and the others were fleeing these people and they were going to the safety of a tower. She told us she knew that “If we could get inside that tower, we would be safe from these people.” Well, there's an army of these people whose job it is to come at us and do anything they can to tear our flesh down in a crucifixion. They don't really belong to the Kingdom of God by virtue of their very nature, which is to be critical and angry and fighting against their brethren. They belong to the Beast because they walk after the mind of the flesh and the works of the flesh.   It doesn't matter that you have a born-again Spirit; every Christian has a born-again Spirit, but not every Christian walks after that Spirit. If you don't walk after that Spirit, you are going to be what the Bible calls “twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” (Jud.12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds (not numeric or in the original Greek) that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. You can't be twice dead unless you have been twice born; you have to be born-again to be twice dead!   These people have been born-again in their spirit, but they never walked after the Spirit for their soul to be sanctified through their “obedience to the truth,” as Peter said. (1Pe.1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: (23) having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. As we've been studying, sanctification is the process of your soul becoming like your spirit. If you walk after the flesh, you will die. You will be twice dead and plucked up by the roots, but if you walk after the Spirit, you are going to live. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Paul didn't say, “As many as have the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” He said, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”   God's people in this sister's dream were fleeing from the people in the red uniforms; they were going into this tower and we know that this tower was Zion because that's what it says in Micah. (Mic.4:8) And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Flee to Zion; enter the Bride who is holy and safe. You know, Zion was a city with walls all around it and it was on top of a hill, so it looked like a tower and it was a place of safety. The people who were fleeing the Assyrian Beast fled inside that tower and the Assyrian army could not get at them. And when they tried, God sent an angel and he killed 185,000 of the soldiers in one night. The Assyrians left Zion alone after that because it was too costly for them to invade it. God said, (2Ki.19:32) … He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. He said, “I'm going to protect my Bride,” and He did!   (Pro.18:10) The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe (or, “set on high”). Did you know that when you come to Zion or Jerusalem, the Heavenly Jerusalem, you have come to the “name of the Lord”? (Jer.3:17) 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: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. The word for “name” is the word Shem in the Old Testament. Shem, of course, is the name of the chosen people, the Shemites. They were the “people of the name” (Genesis 10:1). Shem is the one who had the name. Shem is the word for “name” in the Old Testament in the New Testament it is anoma, and they both mean “nature, character and authority.”   When we take on the name of the Lord, that means we take on His nature, character and authority like the Bride. This is how you know the difference between a Jacob and an Esau. In the natural, they each have a different nature, character and authority, just as they each do in their spirit. (Pro.18:10) The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe. So we go into the name of the Lord; we abide in Jesus Christ -- in His nature, character and authority, and that is sanctification. People who are constantly attacking their brethren because they have a root of bitterness and are trying to spread it to everyone else, do not have the nature of Jesus Christ. They do not have the love of Jesus Christ. They are trying to make themselves great at other people's expense and it is a sad, sad thing.   Getting back to G.C. and his revelation: I said to myself, “This doesn't look good for David and the others,” but for some reason, I wasn't worried about myself. That's because, in this particular case, he was an observer at this point. Continuing the dream: This is when I saw David Eells and the people fleeing out of the area, but these soldiers tried to detain whomever they could. In other words, they wanted to keep people from going into the wilderness and they still want to do that today. Edomites don't want you to walk by faith in God; instead, they want you to live in Egypt. They were the “mixed multitude” who were half Egyptian and half Israelite (Exodus 12:38; Numbers 11:4).   They didn't want to leave Egypt either, did they? (Exo.16:2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness: (3) and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of God in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. And they were nothing but a stumblingblock to God's people when they got into the wilderness.   There are many people today who call themselves “Christians” but they don't want to walk in the wilderness, which is where God's power is made manifest. Remember, God told Moses to tell Pharaoh that His people could not sacrifice to Him in Egypt. (Exo.8:26) And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?   The only place they could sacrifice to Him was in the wilderness (Exodus 7:16). That's a place of weakness, that's a place where Egypt doesn't supply all your needs, that's a place where you don't put your faith in man and man's ability and efforts. You go out in that wilderness and you receive miracles of provision and protection. You get fed out of Heaven. You get water out of a rock. This is a place where God's power is made perfect in man's weakness. God wants to be our Savior; He doesn't want us to save ourselves.   So, in G.C.'s dream, the soldiers were trying to detain them, trying to keep them from going into the wilderness. Do you know what's going to happen? These Esau types are going to take the mark of the Beast so that they don't have to go into the wilderness. They can trust in Egypt, but if you don't take the mark of the Beast, you are going to have to go into the wilderness. This is God's way of forcing His people into the wilderness so that they can walk by faith because the righteous shall live from faith (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38). The rest of them are going to live by faith in the world and you can see right there the difference between the Jacobs and the Esaus. They are both among us and, even though they are both the seed of Abraham, one of them is going to be rejected, reprobated, for continuing to attack his brother. The enemies of Christ, spiritual and physical, and the Beast armies, will seek to hinder God's people who want to leave Babylon for the wilderness.   Continuing with G.C.'s dream: Then I was running through the field (representing the world) as well and they tried to detain me, too. I thought for sure that David and the others were captured, but as I ran out of the field and to the right (sheep go to the right and goats go to the left), I found myself running to a safehouse which, in fact, was David's house. That's interesting. Many people have had dreams about my house being a white house and a safehouse. This was not speaking about a house in the physical but a “house” in the spiritual, a place where we abide. Our spiritual house in which we must abide is Jesus Christ, Who is the Word of God and the house of David. Notice G.C. said he went to “David's house” and the “house of David” is Zion! We need to abide in Zion, if we want to be in the Bride and escape the Beast.   G.C. goes on to say, “And I was the last one in. David and all the others had somehow managed to get in safe and sound, which was a surprise to me. I thought David had been captured. As I walked up to the house, I saw David's wife open the door for me and let me in. I know in the natural she is approximately his age but she appeared to me as a woman in her late 20s to mid-30s. This could be speaking of my physical wife since there is a restoration coming for the Bride that many don't know about. But also this is a spiritual revelation. My spiritual “wife” are those who receive the seed of the Word that I sow and bear the fruit of Christ. As Paul said, (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. He was sowing the seed in the Woman Church, the first Church that came out of the wilderness, which was Israel, and bringing forth fruit. He wasn't sowing his seed; he was sowing Christ's seed because we have to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19).  Continuing with the dream: She had very long hair (In 1 Corinthians 11:15, long hair was a sign of submission.) and she wore old-style glasses, and it almost looked like she was living in the 1970s. These old-style glasses represent how you see things. Do we see things the way the modern Church sees things, or do we see things the way they were once given unto the saints? (Jud.3) Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.   You have to see things the way the Bible tells you to see things, not the way the modern, dead Church tells you to see things. You have to see and live the faith as it was once delivered unto the saints; some people call that old-fashioned. Back to the dream, We were all in the house, safe and sound. End of dream. That was very interesting and it gives you a good perspective of who these Edomites represent.   So let's look at these Edomites a little bit more. (Isa.63:1) Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Bozrah, as we saw, is the sheepfold. God is going to separate His people from the apostate sheepfold because history just keeps repeating, though each time it's on a larger and larger scale. Jesus said in John 16 He's coming again as a Man-child born to a woman and when you look in Revelation 12 you see that because Jesus is coming in His people. He left an individual body to come back in a corporate body, so He will be able to do worldwide what He was doing in that individual body.   Jesus said in (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. His disciples did the same works He did. And in (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.  And what's going to happen after He separates His people from the fold? What happened to the early sheepfold after the Lord took His people out? Everybody who didn't come out was cut off of the olive tree (Romans 11); they were rejected. You either came out or you were rejected, and the same thing is going to happen in our day. The Lord wants a people in His image, not in the image of these dead religions out there. (2Co.6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. You have to come out from among them and be separate and abide in (Jud.3) … the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.   After God takes His people out of the sheepfold in the tribulation, those who are left are going to be separated from the Kingdom of God. That's what happened in those early days (Romans 11). The people who didn't come out and walk by faith were separated from the Kingdom. They were shaken loose from the fig tree; they were cut off from the olive tree for their unbelief. (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. We are now coming to the place where these people are going to be separated from the Kingdom, after God's people have been separated from them.   After the Bride is perfected, after they have been purified, after they have been sanctified, He is going to deal with those people who are still in the sheepfold and some will come out in tribulation. And what is He going to do? He's going to separate the rest from the Kingdom of God. Let's read that in (Mat.13:24) Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: (25) but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. (26) But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.   (27) And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? (28) And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? (29) But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. (30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. (36) Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.   Tares look like wheat, until it comes to bearing fruit; they don't bear the fruit. You can go to Church and sit side-by-side with them, but if they don't bear the fruit of Jesus Christ 30-, 60- or 100-fold, Jesus said they are not going to be in His Kingdom (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:1-20). (Mat.13:37) And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; (38) and the field is the world (There's our parable from G.C.'s dream: “the field is the world.”); and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom (Kingdom of God); and the tares are the sons of the evil one; (39) and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. So the disciples asked, “How did these tares come up among Your wheat? Didn't You sow good seed in Your field?” And Jesus said, “Let them grow together until the harvest.”   So here we are coming to the harvest and in the midst of God's people are these Edomites. They are about to be rejected from the Kingdom of God because they have borne no fruit. Like Esau, they walked after the flesh, they sold their birthright. (Mat.13:40) As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire.... Jesus said, (Joh.15:2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away.... Notice the words “in me;” they were sons of Abraham and had the birthright. And what does He say He does with them? He burns them in the fire. (Mat.13:40) As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. (41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things.... The word “things” was not in the original manuscripts; there's no Greek word for “things” here and it should be omitted.   (Mat.13:41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity. This is not talking about geography; this is not talking about going from here to Heaven. He's talking about gathering out of the Kingdom the people in red, those who walk in red. This is rejection. What did Jesus say? (Luk.17:20 NENT) And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: (21) neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is among you.   The Kingdom of God is here! Here is where people lose the Kingdom! They have fallen from Heaven like the parachuting soldiers; they have lost their seat in Heavenly places and they are now members of the earth. Like an ostrich, they are earthbound. They may be very big in the world, but they cannot get off the ground and there are a lot of Christians out there who are big in the world, but they cannot go to Heavenly places. So “gather out of His kingdom” is talking about being removed from the Kingdom of God.   Again in (Mat.13:41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, (42) and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. People often say “the furnace of fire” is the Tribulation. No, “the furnace of fire” here is the great and terrible Day of the Lord! It comes after the Tribulation and continues in Hell. You remember God spoke to Noah, (Gen.7:4) For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the ground. After seven days was when he needed to be in the ark. After seven days was when the flood, which represents the Day of the Lord, came upon the earth.   The “flood” which is coming this time is a “flood” of fire. (2Pe.3:10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (11) Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, (12) looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?    When the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the end, He told them in (Mat.24:29) But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. In the book of Acts, Peter preached, (Act.2:20) The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable [day].     So you have a Tribulation and then you have a Day of the Lord, which comes for one purpose. The day of the Lord comes to burn up those who persecuted His people in the Tribulation. Whether it be the Beast or whether it be the Harlot and, in this case, the Harlot is the Edomites, the apostate Christians. (Mat.13:43) Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.... In other words, they are purified and perfected, but the ark has not lifted off yet. When Noah got in the ark, he was 40 days in that great and terrible Day of the Lord before the ark lifted off, and when it lifted-off, he was purified. Everybody who was in that ark was purified or they would not be lifting off; they would be staying right here on this earth to go through the great and terrible Day of the Lord.   (Let me explain something here. God is dealing with the Bride and then the Church. According to John the Man-child, Jesus, was raising up the Bride, those firstfruits disciples. Then He sent them to raise up the Church. There is a mini day of the Lord after the Bride's sanctification. And a larger day of the Lord after the Church's sanctification in the tribulation.   So, the Edomite types will go through this day of the Lord. Isaiah 63 is all about the Edomites paying for what they did to God's people in persecuting them, in criticizing them, in turning them over to the Beast to be destroyed, as the apostate Jews did to Jesus. They turned Him over to the Beast, the Roman army, to be crucified. All through history, Edomites have always sided with the Beast against God's people. Do you know who Herod was? He was an Edomite king over the people of God. Do you know who is ruling over the people of God today? Most are Edomites! Just like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who would not follow Jesus, they have sold their birthright and they are walking after the flesh.     Going back to (Isa.63:2) 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 (The “wrath” is the great and terrible Day of the Lord.); and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. We also see Jesus, in the book of Revelation, coming with His garment that was sprinkled in blood: (Rev.19:13) And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God.     However, there is something strange here and people like to point it out. Back in Isaiah, it says, (Isa.63:3) 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.... But over in Revelation, He's not alone. He's leading an army! (Rev.19:11) And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteous he doth judge and make war. (12) And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. (13) And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood (It's not only the Edomites He's coming back after. It is also the Beast, Harlot and the wicked of the world, as He goes on to say.): and his name is called The Word of God.     (Rev.19:14) And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and pure. (The ark goes up in the day of the Lord and it comes back down here at the end. If there are armies following Jesus, how is He alone? Notice, the armies don't fight; only Jesus fights and He needs no help.), (15) And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress (Notice: “alone”) of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.   So how is it that He is alone? It's because at this time, these people are in the ark, they are abiding in Jesus Christ. (1Co.15:28) And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all. We are not talking about men. He said there was no man with Him because these are all sons of God! They are not sons of men anymore. They have lost their humanity; it's been crucified down here on the earth. They have put to death the life of the old man, in order to gain the life of Christ (Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24).     They have, (Col.3:10) … put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him (This “new man” being put on is the Son of God. This is the manifestation of the sons of God.): (Col.3:11) where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. These people are Christ. (Gal.2:20) … It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me.... These are not men. These are God's sons. These are manifested sons of God! Awesome! This is just an awesome revelation here!     But, as the sons of God are being manifested, it is going to be a terrible and dangerous time that's coming for the Church because there is going to be a great falling away, as we are warned: (2Th.2:10) … Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Let's continue our Revelation 19 text. Rev 19:16  And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18  that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.   19  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth (Remember the ten kings who rule are also members of the body of the beast.), and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet (The corporate body of the false prophet is worldwide and work for the worldwide Harlot church who is in bed with the beast and has his mark. Even now some of these false prophets are saying you can take the mark of the beast because the mark of God trumps the mark of the beast. How much more they will say this when they have taken the mark and are reprobated entirely.) Back to 20. that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image (The beast had 7 heads and 10 horns for it was a corporate body with its patriots.): they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21  and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.    God bless you to endure in faith to the end.  

Kendrick Diaz discusses Romans 9:7-8—“Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.' That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”This episode is a companion to the following Daily Bible Verse post: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/the-children-of-the-promise/Verse by Verse releases every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to subscribe in your player of choice to hear each new episode as soon as it's released!

Forgiveness is Freedom David Eells – 3/27/24  (audio)    We need faith in order to receive God's benefits, faith to receive His healings, deliverances, provision, salvation and so on. There is something that's just as important as faith because unforgiveness can block you from receiving any of that.  Mat 6:15 ASV  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.   Unforgiveness brings the curse of the Bible listed in Deuteronomy 28. It is a very big problem and a major reason why people don't receive what they need from God.   How do we prove that we have forgiven and how do we show forgiveness? In other words, how is forgiveness manifested through us to others? And how do we show, or what do we show, to others to prove that we have forgiven them? I think we can see some pretty good signs from this verse: (Rom.12:14) Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. When you're persecuted by someone, your doesn't really want to forgive them. But we really don't have any choice and it's the right thing to do, since the Lord has forgiven us such a great debt its only right to forgive everybody else their debt according to Jesus in Mat 18.  The penalty there is that Father turns the unforgiving over to tormenting demons in Mat 18:34-35. Forgiveness is extremely important if you want to bear fruit so the Lord can walk in you.  You will stumble without His grace. Forgiveness is every bit as important as the faith message because God does not give grace to people who don't forgive, or to people who judge, or to people who are bitter, or to people who are “just hurt” as they say. (Jas.2:1) My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons. Are you holding the faith of Jesus Christ our Lord with respect of persons? James goes on to give the example of having more respect for the rich man than the poor man.   Then he speaks of another form of respect of persons that's also quite common. (Jas.2:8) Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: (9) but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. If you're seeking to be justified by something that you are doing, but that somebody else isn't doing, be very, very careful because there are things that you are not doing and they are doing. And so James says not to be a respecter of persons. As it was with those under the Law, it also is with us. (Jas.2:11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So if you've transgressed in anything, then you've transgressed. If you've sinned in anything, then you have sinned. And, of course, if you are not willing to give grace to someone else when they have sinned, just remember that God doesn't have to give you grace when you sin.   James warns us, (Jas.2:12) So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. In other words, if you want to be judged by a law of liberty, be sure you judge other people by a law of liberty. Judging is the first thing you do when you don't forgive someone. You are judging this person unworthy of forgiveness when Christ already forgave you and Jesus warned us about that. (Mat.6:14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The Father will turn you over to the tormenters until you pay your debt to God, since you didn't think your brother was worthy of having his debt to you cancelled by receiving forgiveness from you.  (Jas.2:12) So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. What's the “law of liberty”? Well, he's using the Law here by way of an example. If you demand the Law be used on someone else, instead of giving them the same grace and “liberty” that the Lord offered to you, but you don't want to demand the Law be used to judge you, then you need to remember that the Lord will use the Law on you. (Jas.2:13) For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment. What you sow, you reap, according to the universal law that the Lord has given us. (Gal.6:7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. If you sow mercy and forgiveness, and refuse to judge unrighteously, as Romans 14 warns against doing, then God will show grace and mercy to you.   God is the judge. When Paul turned a sinner over to Satan in 1Co 5 it was God who judged and it must be that way today. This was governmental unforgiveness. Personal judgment and personal unforgiveness is owed by us. Governmental unforgiveness coming from God through elders is important to protect others. When this happens God will confirm the judgment. But in Pro 26:2  As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.  How dangerous it is, for we can actually sever our own grace and ruin our own future by not forgiving other people. (Jas.3:14) But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. Faction, of course, is seeking to separate people from others, especially to separate followers through selfish ambition. Judgment, jealousy, faction, criticism, gossip; these are all manifestations of unforgiveness, and many forms of it, because people are tempted to “lie against the truth” when they're attempting to cause division through jealousy or selfish ambition because they want something that God has not given to them.   But we should always wait and trust in the Lord to provide and ordain things for us, and not try to gain it ourselves. Jealousy causes people to try and obtain things through their own efforts. (Jas.3:15) This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (16) For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. The reason these people are turned over to vile deeds is because of unforgiveness the Father turns them over to tormentors as Jesus said. Mat 18:34-35  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.  35  So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.    Many people have made themselves judges and think they have the right not to forgive other people but, if they are usurping this position, in other words, if they're seizing and holding this position, office, or power, etc., instead of God giving it to them, then they're going to bring a curse upon themselves. God guarantees it. (Jas.4:11) Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. (12) One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Do you see what I'm saying here? James is saying the exact same thing. Only One has the right to judge; only the Lord has the right and He chooses through whom He will judge and it will not be someone in sin.  2Co 10:6  and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.  The apostle Paul said, (Rom.2:1) Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practice the same things. If you judge others, then you judge yourself. We can't judge, be unforgiving, bitter, factious; or be attempting to bring judgment on other people. (Eph.4:29) Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth ... (Jas.3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] full of deadly poison. Of course, God can tame the tongue and sometimes we learn obedience through the things we suffer.   The Bible said that even about Jesus. (Heb.5:8) Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. When we suffer for speaking things we shouldn't, it motivates us to be very careful before the Lord. (Eph.4:29) Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying (or “building up”) as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear. It's always legal to edify, to build up, to give grace; it's not always legal to tear down and we have to be careful that it's only the Lord Who does that. He is the Judge. It is legal to give grace but it is not always legal to judge. (Eph.4:30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. (31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice. These are all manifestations of unforgiveness.  Paul is warning us here and he mentions railing in (1Co.5:11) But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, no not to eat. As a sin that is worthy of separating from people, he commands us to separate from any man who is called a brother, if he is reviling or railing. Reviling is from Loidoros, meaning abusive railing. The word for “railing” is blasphemia, which is the same word for “blaspheming,” and it means “to speak against.” Both reviling and railing are speaking against others. And as we just read in James, “Speak not one against another, brethren.” (Eph.4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice. If you don't put this away, you will pay for it and usually pretty quickly. Generally, your body will start going downhill, circumstances will start going downhill, the grace of God will be gone from you, etc. (Eph.4:32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. We see that so often in Scripture: if God forgave you, you have to forgive.   (Col.3:12) Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering. A person who judges other people illegally is a proud person. A person who is unforgiving is a proud person. This is a person who has put him or herself up on a pedestal and thinks they have the right to not forgive, that they have the right to judge instead of giving that right only to God. They are sitting in the place of God. He says that through lowliness, meekness and longsuffering, we suffer long with other people's errors and problems and weaknesses, etc. (Col.3:12) Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; (13) forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye.  Paul is talking about personal forgiveness here and we always have to give personal forgiveness every time. He's not talking about governmental unforgiveness because it would truly be a sin to forgive someone in a governmental situation. When it's the responsibility of an elder to judge and they don't do it, then they are sinning. For instance faction must be dealt with swiftly or it will spread and destroy many with “vile deeds”. However we always have to forgive any offense against us personally or we won't be forgiven, which is the foundation of our salvation. In Mat 18:15  And if thy brother sin (against thee [some ancient authorities omit this and it does not have a numeric pattern]), go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. The factious always disobey the command to go to the brother they are judging “alone” which makes them backbiters or back stabbers (Rom 1:30). They do this because their slander will be refuted by the witnesses. (Col.3:14) And above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. Of course, if you love your brother as yourself and you are not a respecter of persons, then you're going to want to afford every right and every privilege to him that you want for yourself.  This will bond you instead of divide you. If you want God to judge you according to grace and mercy, then remember you have to give that same grace and mercy to others. (Col.3:15) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. It's not possible to let the Word of Christ “dwell in you richly” unless you're going to be obedient to the golden rule. The Word will not be manifested in you if you have unforgiveness. Unforgiveness blocks so many things that God could give to you and opens up the door for so many more sins that will take over your life, so that the Word will not be manifested in you.   The Word is Jesus and He will not be manifested in you if you have unforgiveness. All of those other fruits of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, railing, and malice will be manifested instead of the Word. It doesn't matter what God has promised you; they won't come to pass because God's promises are conditional upon repentance and faith.   (Col.3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. (17) And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. So whatever we do, we are to do it in Jesus' Name; in other words, as representing Him. The meaning for the Greek word for name is nature, character, and authority. To do everything in His name is to do it like He would; that's exactly the meaning of Colossians 3:17. If we would do what Jesus would do, then the Word would be manifested in us.   What is the nature of forgiveness? I believe what Jesus is doing is He is helping us to understand those circumstances in which we find ourselves most likely to fall into unforgiveness. Those circumstances aren't the big curses that we think they are. We need to understand that wicked people who come against us and tempt us to fall into unforgiveness or bitterness or judgment, are actually a blessing. They cleanse the body of leaven. We need to understand that the Lord is sovereign and no person can come into our life without God's grace. We need to understand what He says about them.  (Luk.6:22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company,] and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for Son of man's sake. Well, we certainly don't think that we're being blessed when people do such things, but from God's point of view, we are. We shouldn't be so near-sighted to see only the circumstance and not what God says about the circumstance behind the scenes because what is being worked in us is for eternity. (23) Rejoice in that day (We sure need to remind ourselves of this because the flesh just cries out, doesn't it?), and leap [for joy] for behold, your reward is great in heaven (Can you imagine? This obnoxious person who is accosting you is actually creating a reward for you in heaven!); for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (24) But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (25) Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe [unto you,] ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (26) Woe [unto you,] when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. So we see that if these same wicked people speak well of us it is a woe to us.  Jesus said, “Woe ye that laugh now.” Yes, sometimes you weep, you mourn because of things that you go through at the hands of other people. But He said, “Woe ye that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.” If we laugh at the judgment of others it is a woe to us. Things are going to be turned around. We are about to be treated badly by the world as a trial, but God says, “leap [for joy] for behold, your reward is great in heaven.” The reward that God is giving is not just a breath that He calls this life; the reward that God gives lasts forever and ever. If we could really understand what He's saying here and what is happening here, I believe we would leap for joy. God is true to His Word.   And now Jesus is going to tell you what it really is to be a forgiving person and what the fruit of being a forgiving person is. (Luk.6:27) But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. If you let bitterness or unforgiveness rise up in your heart, it's just not possible to obey this. (Luk.6:28) Bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. (29) To him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also. The only person who can do this is a forgiving person, a person who is not judging. They are being obedient to the Lord and they have His grace working in them. Of course, you don't have the grace to do these things if you're unforgiving because then God withholds His grace. He gives grace only to the humble. (Jas.4:6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. (Luk.6:30) Give to everyone that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.  Those with faction and witchcraft stole from us whenever there was an opportunity and we have never asked it back but God always repays it multiplied when we just give it. In other words, He doesn't want you to judge these people. He tells us, (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within (meaning those within the Church)? In obedience to this, before the faction leave the Church in a rage we correct their slander, fornication, lies, lusting, etc. After they leave we have only judged them carefully when the Lord told us to. (13) But them that are without (outside of the Church or not in the Church) God judgeth. (Luk.6:31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.   Here again is that perfect law of liberty. Giving mercy when we want mercy, sowing the very seed that we need because each seed brings forth after its own kind. If you want mercy, you sow mercy; if you want forgiveness, you sow forgiveness, etc. God will bring it back to you. (Luk.6:32) And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? Oh, it's easy to love and forgive people who love and forgive you, but what about giving love and what He is telling us to do here. (Luk.6:32) And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them. There's no reward for us in loving those who are good to us. (33) And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. True; even sinners do the same, so we have to be above that. We have to be able to do it even for the wicked and the unworthy, and God will give us grace to do this. It all comes by grace from God but we forsake our own grace if we are unforgiving.   (Luk.6:34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. (35) But love your enemies, and do [them] good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. I know that you want to be a son of God, not just a child of God. The manifestation of sons is what the whole world is waiting to see. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. He's telling you here how to be a son.   If you don't want to do these things or if you give little esteem to these things that Jesus is saying, you forsake grace. And if you're unforgiving, then, of course, you won't have grace to do these things. And not only won't you have grace to do them, you won't want to do them. It will not be possible for you to do them. If we want to be sons of God, we have to be like His Son. And what did Jesus say? (Luk.23:34) Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (35) But love your enemies, and do [them] good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. (36) Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.   Be careful that if any judgment or any condemnation is coming through you, that it's coming from God and not from you. If you have any personal feelings, if you have personal bitterness or unforgiveness toward someone, then you're not neutral and God can't use you. He can't use you as a son, as He could use His Son, because His Son was truly forgiving. (Luk.6:37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released. Jesus forgave the sinners but governmentally judged the judges. When you're holding people captive to their sins or, in other words, holding them accountable to their sins against you, it says to “release and ye shall be released.” (Luk.6:38) 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. This is just so important for us to remember! However we give it out to others, however we sow it, that's what is going to come back to us.   We've seen how unforgiveness manifests itself in our thoughts and our actions. Forgiveness also manifests in our thoughts and our actions. Here's a good example: (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil ... According to the Law, you were able to demand an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You had the right to execute vengeance under the Law. But the Law could make nothing perfect, and God decided that He needed a better Covenant with better promises, so He gave us the New Covenant.  Paul in 1Co 5 told the Church to throw the fornicator and reviler out to save the Church because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Now this is definitely talking about not resisting humans because we're told in (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We are told to resist the devil and his demons but Matthew is talking about the person, the flesh and blood, with whom we are not supposed to fight. The elder must resist the wicked for the Church with governmental authority as we have seen. The angels go out to take down slander because it is an attempt to destroy souls and families with witchcraft.  Individually we fight against our real enemy, the principalities and the powers. (2Co.10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) (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.  (Mat.5:39) But I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. If you forgave a person immediately, as you should do, then you would be able to resist retaliation. If you overcome unforgiveness every time someone attacks you that's a good thing, and if you finally overcome it in your nature, you won't have any problem obeying what Jesus commanded here. The majority of the Church doesn't pay much attention to these Scriptures for they are self-crucifying. They would rather appease their flesh and retaliate in order to get out of this crucifixion to their flesh.   (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. That really comes against the flesh; we are really swimming upstream here to be obedient to Jesus. Unforgiveness is common. It's thought of as a worthy thing in the world but the Lord speaks very harshly against it. (Mat.5:41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. This also really goes against the flesh. The flesh is prideful and doesn't want to do this; and God hates pride. Unforgiving people are prideful people because they think that they have the right to judge.   (Mat.5:42) Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. This is humiliating to the old man. (43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, Love your enemies ... Of course, this is the total opposite of unforgiveness, judgment, bitterness, wrath and demanding your rights. (Mat.5:44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; (45) that ye may be sons of your Father ... Look at how many times the Lord connects sonship with this kind of humility in our lives. He connects sonship with the kind of humility that doesn't judge, the kind of humility that forgives.   (45) That ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. We wonder why God doesn't judge certain people around us; we wonder because He is so longsuffering with the wicked and vessels of dishonor so the elect among them will be saved as in Romans 9.  But He needs and uses those vessels of dishonor to try us and crucify our flesh. (46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? …(48) Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.   Brethren, some of the worst of men can be saved, Paul and Peter were but Judas was not. Pray for your families that they forgive, repent, and be among the chosen. Here is something many leave out, God's will.  Rom 9:2-5 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.  3  For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (He had great love and great faith but few were saved. Why?) 6  But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: (The same is true of the recognized “Church”.) 7  neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (The chosen lineage among Abrahams children.) 8  That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. (Only those who have faith in the promises.) 9  For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (A type of the promised seed of all nations. This was after God rejected Ishmael, a type of the rejected seed of all nations.) 10  And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac--  11  for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election (choosing) might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (Only “many are called but few are chosen”.) 12  it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.  13  Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.  (Two types of world-wide people.) Many will argue with this but God says in 14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.  15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.  16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, (The choice is not man's but Gods. Religion doesn't count.) but of God that hath mercy. 17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.  18  So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will be hardeneth.  19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?  20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?  21  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:  23  and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,  24  even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?  25  As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved.  26  And it shall be, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God.  27  And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved:  28  for the Lord will execute his word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.  29  And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah. 

Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux was preacher for this service. Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 1, 2 - The Versicles (pp. 109-110) - The Invitatory (p. 110) - The Venite Exultemus (p. 111) - Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Hymn 69 - The God of Abr'Am Praise: vv. 1 - 4 - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 7 - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Preacher), Kaleb Schmidt (Organist)

Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux was preacher for this service. Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 1, 2 - The Versicles (pp. 109-110) - The Invitatory (p. 110) - The Venite Exultemus (p. 111) - Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Hymn 69 - The God of Abr'Am Praise: vv. 1 - 4 - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 7 - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Preacher), Kaleb Schmidt (Organist)

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 1, 2 - The Versicles (pp. 109-110) - The Invitatory (p. 110) - The Venite Exultemus (p. 111) - Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Hymn 69 - The God of Abr'Am Praise: vv. 1 - 4 - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 405 - The Myst'ry Hidden From the Eyes: vv. 7 - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Preacher), Kaleb Schmidt (Organist)

I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. Romans 9–11 shows us that Paul had not expected the lack of response (or even hostile response) he received in synagogues all over his mission field. Here, he shares with us the thought process he went through trying to understand their reaction.He begins with the emphatic assertion it would not necessarily be the natural children of Abraham who are God’s children, but the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. Why is this important? Remember, Paul is thinking of his readers in mostly Jewish terms. Why? Well, because at this time most of the Christians in the world were Jews. Those who weren’t were often "God-fearers"—associated with Judaism and synagogue before they ever became Christians. To them he says:[…] I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. Not as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel: Neither, because they are the descendants of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your descendants be called. That is, They who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the descendants.Romans 9:2–8 KJ2000

--- Sermon delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6-15 pm. -----An expository sermon based on Romans 9-6-9.--This sermon explains the meaning of the phrase- they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.--Romans 9-6-9 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel- Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children- but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God- but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.---- -- -- -- ----Jimmy Fortunato is the Pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church, located at 229 W. Jere Whitson Rd. Cookeville, TN 38501.--Pilgrim Baptist Church is a bible-believing, independent Baptist church that takes a strong stance on the authority of the King James Bible and the absolute necessity of public evangelism for true New Testament churches.--For more information about Pilgrim Baptist Church, visit--- https---pilgrimbaptist.church---Pastor Fortunato's Blog---- https---fortunato.blog---Stay Connected with Pilgrim Baptist Church on Social Media---- Facebook- https---www.facebook.com-PilgrimBaptistCookeville--- Instagram- https---www.instagram.com-pilgrimbaptistcookeville---- Twitter- https---twitter.com-pbc-cookeville--- Sermon Audio- https---www.sermonaudio.com-solo-pilgrimbaptist--Donate To Pilgrim Baptist Church---- https---pilgrimbaptist.church-giving--- https---www.paypal.com-paypalme-pilgrimbaptist

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    A story of the birth of the sons of Jacob who compose the 12 tribes of Israel.     This is a story of envy, hatred, love, almost murder, bondage ... but God causes Joseph to prosper in everything he does:  First as a slave in bondage in Egypt; then as a servant in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and  captain of the guard; then when he was put in prison by false accusation of Potiphar's wife; then 2nd in power to Pharaoh in Egypt; and finally saving his family because of his position in Egypt.   God shows HIS power to cause success in the midst of terrible situations.   The great love of Jacob's life was Rachel.   Jacob worked 7 years to be able to marry Rachel.  He had bargained with Rachel's brother who deceived him.  Laban deceived him into marrying Leah the eldest daughter who was "tender eyed" but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.  Gen. 29:17  Jacob agreed with Laban to work another 7 years for Rachel.  (Men of the Old Testament often had multiple wives and concubines.)    Genesis 29:31  And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.   Leah bares 6 sons:  Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah ... and later, Issachar and Zubulun (Rachel cannot bear children so she gave her handmaid to Jacob and bare sons by her handmaid)   Bilhah bares 2 sons:  Dan, Naphtali,   (Leah then gave her handmade to Jacob.)   Zilpha bares 2 sons:  Gad, Asher   (Then God opens Rachel's womb.)   Rachel bares 2 sons:  Joseph and then the youngest of the sons, Benjamin   These are the 12 tribes of Israel for God has changed Jacob's name to "Israel".  

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    Throughout the Bible we see the Old Testament having relevance to the New Testament as we see in this passage of scripture.   Romans 9   4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;   5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.   6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:   7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.   8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.     (Ishmael is the child of the flesh by the will of humans, by Abraham and Hagar. But Isaac was the child of the promise of God to Abraham and Sarah.  Not by the will of man but by the will of God.)   9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.   (Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90.)  "Is anything too hard for God?"  Genesis 18   10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;   11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;)   12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.   13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.   14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.   15 For HE (God) saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.   16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.    

Focal Text: Romans 9: 6-9 Romans 9:6–9 KJV - "[6] Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: [7] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. [8] That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. [9] For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son." Presenters: Brother John Wilke, Senior Minister, Edgewood Church of Christ and Brother Kevin Bethea, Senior Minister, East Baltimore Church of Christ Originally Preached: 9th of September, 2016 ___________________________________________________________________ Follow EBCoC on social media! Updates Weekly! Like and Share! You: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYGjhGQlfmc1Pxir5zcBvg Face: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ebcocbelair/ Twit: https://twitter.com/EastBaltCoC Web: https://www.eastbaltimorecoc.com/ "The Body of Christ committed to reaching the world with the Gospel. We will strive to be successful in our quest to be good ambassadors for Christ. Our primary mission is to be servants to those in need and to introduce the gospel to the world, without addition, subtraction, or substitution." #coc #cofc #church #christ #sermon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ebcoc/message

More episodes: https://www.thebereancall.org/get-biblical-understandingMore about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bibleFree eBook: https://davehunt.orgDownload our app: https://www.thebereancall.org/appROMANS 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.ROMANS 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.ROMANS 9:7-8 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.ROMANS 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.1 CORINTHIANS 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.1 CORINTHIANS 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.2 CORINTHIANS 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.Our website: www.thebereancall.orgStore: store.thebereancall.org

More episodes: https://www.thebereancall.org/get-biblical-understandingMore about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bibleFree eBook: https://davehunt.orgDownload our app: https://www.thebereancall.org/appROMANS 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.ROMANS 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.ROMANS 9:7-8 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.ROMANS 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.1 CORINTHIANS 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.1 CORINTHIANS 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.2 CORINTHIANS 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.Our website: www.thebereancall.orgStore: store.thebereancall.org

Message: Paul has a passion for Israel, God's chosen people, who believe His promises are not being kept. We can perceive a God who abandoned them and we can also perceive He abandons us. In this chapter, Paul looks at the error of the Israelites, so we will not fall in their ways and restore our trust in God's promises. A review of Israel reveals a people God set aside for Himself as a model of faith and obedience to the world. They were given special instruction to live according to His will, but they got fixated on the "special", rejecting God. They were the least and not a great people, but God wanted to love them and chose them. God gave His word and would not break His covenant promise. Israel began to think they were better (Abrahams Seed, Elect of God), a veil of self righteousness and glory, operating outside of God's purpose. Paul went to correct this false thinking, showing faith by works was dead, being void of relationship with God and unable to see Christ. Paul makes 5 points to answer the question, "Who are the Israelites?" I. Those Who Are The Father's - 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - KJV II. Those Whom Christ Came For - Mark 2:17 "When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." - KKV III. It Isn't Because God's Word Isn't True - Romans 9:6 "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel " - KJV IV. It's Not By Physical Birth - Romans 9:7 "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." - KJV V. It's The Children Of The Promise - Romans 9:8b "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." - KJV God had a divine plan of love, by His reasoning, rewarding faith and obedience in the Lord, for a chosen lineage. God is not a God of hate, but that none would be lost, even in us, as in Israel the nation. God is calling us today, as in the day of Israel, by His Spirit; WE are Israelites. Scripture: Romans 9:4-8 "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. " - KJV

Sermon Title: “The LORD Will Provide” Text: Gen. 22:1-19 I.The Testing of Abrham's Faith. v. 1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, The Continued Testing of Faith. The Confusion in Testing Faith. V. 2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” The Confidence of Tested Faith. V. 3 Heb. 11:17 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. II.The Triumph of Abraham's Faith. The Triumph of Faith Provided. V. 14 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” The Triumph of Faith Pictured. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” John 8:56 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Questions for Discussion: 1. Can you identify with the continued testing of faith, the confusion of the testing of faith, and the confidence of tested faith? Perhaps, Discuss a time in your life when your faith has been tested? How did the LORD provide or how has the LORD promised to provide? 2. Are you currently experiencing a test of faith? How have we observed Abraham's growth in faith and what lessons could you learn from him from this text? 3. Jesus said “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad”. What did He mean by that? How did Abraham see Christ's day and how can that encourage us today? 4. What does the word “Jehovah-Jireh” mean? What does that teach you about God and the Gospel today? 5. Take time to be thankful for God's provision in Christ. Confess your lack of faith or areas of sin to one another and then pray for one another and trust your God will provide.

Order of Service: - Prelude - The Confession of Sin (p. 109) - The Versicles (pp. 109-110) - Hebrews 11: 1 & 17-19: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ... By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Devotion - The Te Deum Laudamus (pp. 114-116) - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Postlude Service Participants: Prof. Tom Rank (Preacher), Jake Marzinske (Organist)

Prof. Tom Rank was preacher for this service. Hebrews 11: 1 & 17-19: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ... By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Order of Service: - Prelude - The Confession of Sin (p. 109) - The Versicles (pp. 109-110) - Hebrews 11: 1 & 17-19: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ... By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. - Devotion - The Te Deum Laudamus (pp. 114-116) - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Postlude Service Participants: Prof. Tom Rank (Preacher), Jake Marzinske (Organist)

Romans 9:7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."The first example shows that God made a sovereign choice among the physical descendants of Abraham in establishing the spiritual line of promise. God was choosing which nation He would bless not individualsIshmael, born to Hagar (Gen. 16)—and the six sons of Keturah as well (Gen. 25:1–4)—were Abraham's descendants but they were not counted as Abraham's children (“born ones”) in the line of promise. Instead, as God told Abraham (Gen. 21:12), It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned (lit., “in Isaac seed will be called to you”). Paul repeated the principle for emphasis in different words: It is not the natural children (lit.,“the born ones of the flesh”) who are God's children (“born ones of God”), but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring To be a physical descendant of Abraham is not enough; one must be chosen by God (cf. “chosen” in Rom. 8:33) and must believe in Him (4:3, 22–24). God's assurance that the promise would come through Isaac, not Ishmael, was given to Abraham: At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son Gen. 18:10 from the LXX[1]He distinguishes between the seed of Abraham and children.  Children here refers to those who enter into salvation, those who enter into covenant blessing, those who enter into the promise, life eternal.  He says just because you are the seed of Abraham — that's a phrase that has to do with racial identity — just because you're Jewish, just because you descend from Abraham doesn't mean you are a child of salvation, doesn't mean you're a child of blessing, doesn't mean you're a child of promise, doesn't mean you are a child of God. Here is his illustration.  "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."  Now this is most important.  Because we know that everybody who descended from the loins of Abraham is not automatically in the covenant, everybody descending from Abraham is not automatically in the promise, everybody descending from Abraham is not automatically in salvation blessing, and the best way to prove it is to go right back to Abraham and look at his own biography.  Who was the first son born of Abraham?  Ishmael, he was a son of Abraham.  But Ishmael was excluded from the promise.  He was excluded from the covenant.  The second son and the first legitimate son born of Sarah was Isaac.  And Isaac was included.  Was Isaac better?  Did he earn it?  No, it all happened before Isaac was ever born or Ishmael.  It was the calling of God, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."Paul's argument is very simple.  Ishmael and Isaac demonstrate that God never intended all those naturally descending from Abraham to be a part of the line from which the covenant blessing came.  The point is, God is selected one nation to be the people whose line contained the promised Seed Jesus.Ishmael did not go to hell based on these script

Hebrews 11:17-22 — By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” (NKJV) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heathflanagan/message

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

The Man-child, Bride, and Revival (Audio) David Eells - 1/1/23   The Father Reveals His Son to the World Garrett Crawford - 6/21/22 (David's notes in red)   I had a dream where I saw a radiant vision of Jesus Christ emitting glory. I was made to understand that His Father wanted to reveal him to the world in all his glory, nature, and power; in the truest and purest sense. The Father truly wanted the world to see his son again, that was his plan and hearts desire. (And it will happen in the Body of the Man-child.)       The Transfiguration of the Man-child William Steenland - 3/31/22 (David's notes in red)   I dreamed I was at a burger restaurant called “5 guys” eating. I was told by the waitress that I was going to witness the transfiguration of the Man-child at Clingman's Dome. That was it!    Clingman's Dome is a place we often visited in the great smokie mountains it's one of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi. (On a clear day you can see seven states from Clingman's Dome.)   (This revelation could be in reference to the Man-child company in Rev 14:1-4  And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.  2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps:     3  and they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders: and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth.  4  These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. (These women are a reference of the sects or denominations of men.) These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb. This means these are the first fruits to come to maturity after Jesus, the Lamb.)       Revival Begins in the Kingdom Gabe Watson - 12/2022 (David's notes in red)   My mother, father, and I were in a car. My father was driving. (Representing that our Father is guiding us.)  I was in the passenger seat and my mother (the Church) was in the back. It seemed like my father was trying to say something but it didn't make any sense. (Sometimes He speaks in parables.)  I wondered if I should help him drive. (Sometimes we don't understand or like where He takes us.) I even thought, “Should I be driving?'' but out of respect for him, I did not drive. (This is good; We should respect His driving, He is wise and Sovereign.)   The next thing I knew, we were looking at this beautiful mountain. This mountain was about eight times bigger than any mountain on the earth, it was massive, with snow on different parts of it. (8 is the number of Jesus in Greek gematria 888. This mountain could represent the Kingdom of God on earth which is everyone in Jesus on earth. Daniel saw a stone that was cut out without hands, representing the Man-child, that became a "great mountain”. The Man-child's job is to sanctify the Woman, bringing her completely into the kingdom of God. So this great mountain is His people on earth. The stone struck the Beast kingdom in the feet and crumbled his whole end time kingdom.)    Dan. 2:31-35 Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible.  32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.    34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands (meaning it was not man-made but God-made like the Man-child), which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. (The great mountain that filled the whole earth was the Kingdom of God on earth. Rev. 11:15 …The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.)    ...Dan 2:44-45  And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.     It was dark out but I could still see the mountain clearly and I could see lights all around the mountain like a city. Of course the city was extremely small compared to how massive the mountain was. (The city of heavenly Jerusalem is the Bride and is much smaller than the mountain of the Kingdom people.) The mountain was right in the middle of this city and it looked very majestic. It was strange because I was looking slightly down on this mountain and city. It didn't seem strange that we were higher than the mountain and city. As I was watching the mountain I was unimpeded by any part of the car (It didn't seem like it was there). (i.e. he could see the mountain right through the car.) My mother (representing the Church) was also observing the event.    I looked up into the air and I noticed a laser beam of light diagonally, from left to right, shooting down from heaven toward the mountain. As it hit the mountain, it started to cause a fire on the mountain. (The Man-child in whom Jesus lives, by His light, will begin the fiery revival.) It was a very translucent fire and it wasn't extreme. (Representing a spiritual fire.) However, I had a sense, if the laser stayed on the mountain, it might consume it. (Heb. 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.)    As this was happening swarms of birds were leaving the mountain in droves. It seemed like they were leaving because of the fire. (This revival will cleanse the Kingdom of the Babylonish birds as in Jesus' day. Rev 18:2  And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.)   As I was watching this unfold, I was absolutely amazed. I didn't know if I was saying it out loud or thinking it, but I was saying “Wow this is so spiritual, this is something that is happening in the end time". I didn't want to miss it and I wanted to keep watching. I was saying to myself, “Do not sleep, because if you do, you're going to miss it.''       It almost seemed, when I said these words, I fell asleep, if only for a second. When I woke up, I saw nothing but darkness where the mountain had been and the sky was completely dark. (Isa. 60:2 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.)    I was now looking through the windshield of the car. The windshield was wet, but I could see clearly through the middle of the windshield, but around the edges of the windshield it was blurry from the water. (This represents the outpouring of the Latter Rain of the Spirit of God, which starts with the Man-child and begins the revival.)  I could see a few lights but they were very blurry because of the water on the windshield. I knew, I was on a road now and I remember looking up to try to find the mountain. I was level with the city because the lights were now in front of me rather than me looking down upon them. Then I woke up.    I found a picture that closely reflects what I saw.          Climbing Mt. Zion to Give Birth to the Man-child  Tiannah Fire - 12/19/22 (David's notes in red)   I dreamt that I was heavily pregnant, and in the third trimester. (Representing the woman Church who is pregnant with Jesus in the Man-child reformers.) Rev 12:4-5  And his (the dragon's) tail draweth the third of the stars of the heaven, and he cast them to the earth: (Representing the falling away of 1/3rd of Abraham's seed identified by God as the stars.) and the dragon standeth before the woman about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. 5  And she was delivered of a son, a male [or Man-child], who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.… 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time (by the Man-child), from the face of the serpent.)   I was on a river side which had a steep mountain right next to it. I was ready to give birth as contractions quickly started happening close together, but they weren't painful.   I felt strongly that the baby was about to come out very quickly but I was very calm and relaxed. After maybe 5 minutes, the contractions completely stopped. So, I decided that I had time to go get some food. I was craving food from a restaurant called "Abraham's", which was  dark green. (We must feed on the Word of Promise and have the faith of Abraham which will bring us eternal life represented by the color green. Rom. 9:6-9 For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: 7 neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. 9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.   And Gal. 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. 9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.)    Joh 6:35  Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: who cometh unto me shall in nowise hunger, and who believeth unto me shall in nowise ever thirst. (Like Jesus, Abraham was the father of a multitude.)    So, I looked up on Google maps the closest Abraham's restaurant. There was one located 6.7 miles from where I was and there was another located 11 Miles. I chose the closer one to go to, and I got in a white car. I sat in the backseat and a friend drove. We followed the maps and it led us up a very steep hill that led high up into the air. (Like the Woman was carried by the eagle representing overcoming the world in the wilderness where she is fed by the Man-child.)    My friend was driving very slowly as the road was so steep and it led onto a rocky, dirt road. The road went straight up into the air. I was so nervous because of how high up we were and I did not want to look back. (Trials and tests of faith) Rom 5:3  And not only so, but let us also rejoice in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience. (Php. 3:13 forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before.)   A man appeared high up on the road but we weren't wanting to stop because of how steep the road was. The man called out that we shouldn't be driving on this road and that we should only walk. He told us this is very dangerous and if we want to stay alive, we have to get out of the car. (Many worldly people would try to dissuade us from the Highway of Holiness.)(Worldly ways [and thinking] are contrary to faith in Christ) (Rom. 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.)   We couldn't do that because there was nowhere to park the car and we didn't want the car to go backwards. There was nowhere to even turn around. (There's no time for back-sliding when you are running a race.) We just kept driving and praying that The Lord was protecting us.    A woman later appeared on the road and warned us to not drive anymore because the road gets even steeper up ahead. (Danger is relative to those who walk by sight.) We had no other choice but to keep driving. The road started getting extremely steep and it literally looked impossible to walk up it, let alone drive up. (Mat. 19:26 And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. “Faith is the victory that overcometh the world.")   We started getting attacked with fear so the person driving started driving as fast as possible so we could get there quicker. The car started making a really loud noise. I was surprised that the car started going a little faster and how the person was able to keep the car going straight at such a high speed. (Representing perseverance in faith despite all odds.) Joh 14:27  I leave you peace; my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither be it fearful.    Jas 1:12  Blessed the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He promised to them that love him.    This went on for a while but, praise God, we finally got to the top safely. (Representing the top of Mount Zion) When I looked at the map, I didn't realize that it would be around 6.7 miles straight up into the air. I felt that the baby would come out quickly when I was at the top of the mountain. Then I woke up.     Overcoming the World to Reach the Top of Mt. Zion  Tiannah Fire - 12/8/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamt that I was living in a valley with other brethren. We were all gathered together and discussing a small village that was on a tall mountain near where we were. (The Bride is climbing Mount Zion to the presence of God.)  We were told that it was the best village to live in, the people there were very friendly and it was nice and small, peaceful and secluded.   We heard stories about many different people that had tried to get up there before, but it was too difficult for them so they just came back down to the valley. We also heard stories about others that had gotten lost on the way or died trying to get there. (We need Faith through all things and to escape the falling away.)  It sounded very difficult and dangerous to get up there, and it was hard to see where to go through all the bushes. But some of us were so eager to go to that village we had heard about, and we decided that we would all journey there.   Mat 13:44  The kingdom of the heavens is like treasure hid in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy goeth and selleth whatever he hath, and buyeth that field.  Someone suggested that we race there just for fun to help encourage each other to keep going and to stay on the right way. We all desired to get up there as quick as possible. 1Th 5:11  Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.  So, we all lined up and looked towards the part of the mountain we were going to. We didn't have anything on us except the clothes we were wearing. Luk 10:3-4  Go. Lo, I send you forth as lambs amidst wolves. Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no one on the way. A starters gun went off and we all started running towards the mountain. (Gravity is like the flesh; it pulls us down and holds us back but we must overcome it on the wings of the eagle.)  There were so many trees and bushes that we had to be careful to not get lost, or step on a snake or run into branches or rocks. (Always make sure the path you are on is the righteous way that is according to The Word.) Pro 16:9  A man's heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps. And Pro 22:5  Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.  I ran for a few minutes and I started believing for God to help me and I started being lifted up into the air about 9 feet high while running. (The number nine represents the fruits of the Spirit. These are what help us to overcome the gravity of the flesh.) The other people called out to me asking how I was starting to fly and I said, “You have to have Faith". Then they too started being lifted up a few feet off the ground. Isa 40:31  but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.   I was still lower than the trees so I had to dodge the trees and large rocks and go under branches so I wouldn't hit them as I was moving at a fast pace. I asked God to help me with my Faith and I started to believe that I could go higher and I got lifted up higher and higher.(Obstacles are overcome by faith. Eph. 2:4-9 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: 8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, that no man should glory.) I was just thinking on God and desiring His strength, faith, power, grace. And I got lifted up above all the trees so I could see the top of the mountain from a distance but clearer so I knew the right way to go. I didn't have to worry about being lost. I was up high enough that I didn't have to worry about running into branches, trees, or rocks anymore. (Obstacles are overcome through faith.)  Mat 9:29 ...According to your faith be it to you.   And Mat 17:20  And he saith to them, Because of your little faith: for Amen I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. I looked behind me and saw others a little bit off the ground, some a little more than others. The more faith we acted on, the higher up we went and the faster we moved. I started to get hit with doubt and unbelief about being able to fly and my running slowed down and I started dropping slowly to around the height of the trees. So I couldn't see clearly ahead anymore. Mar 4:40  And he said to them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?  I started fighting and rejecting the doubt and unbelief and self-works, and thinking on His Word and to rely purely on God's works and strength and Faith. (We must reject the lies and cast down the enemy). (2Co. 10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.) After overcoming the doubt and unbelief it went away and I started being lifted up higher and higher again.  Mat 21:21-22  And Jesus answered and said to them, Amen I say unto you, If ye shall have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.  And Rom 4:20-21  yet, looking unto the promise of God, he doubted not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.    I flew about two thirds of the way up the mountain and I flew over a river. (Overcoming an obstacle can bring us to pride.) I then started to get hit with thoughts of pride because I was ahead of the others and I started lowering to the ground again. (This is the law of earthly gravity or flesh taking over. The devil was once prideful because of his beauty but then God made him hideous.) I battled and resisted the pride, self-righteousness and self-works and it all went away. I was reminded that I am nothing without God and everything IS Him and for Him! (Pride and arrogance is a stumbling block. Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.)  I looked back and saw some people stuck at the rough river and they were fearful to cross. I stopped moving and turned and I called out to them with encouragement and speaking Faith that God is with them. I genuinely desired for them to get to the top of the mountain and I believed they would overcome this river. (Love and intercession for others, especially in the Spirit, emboldens their faith.)  Rom 8:26-27  And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself intercedeth mightily for us with groanings unutterable; and who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedeth for the saints according to God.   A couple of people's faith was increased and they started being lifted up over the river. A few others then walked and swam across the river and got to the other side.  I started getting lifted up high again and started running and flying in the air again all the way to the top. When at the top, I watched as a couple other brethren joined me.  Only a few that I started out with ended up making it to the top. I felt some people had turned back and others either got lost or died on the way up. Then I woke up. (Love, humility and perseverance will cause us to overcome the pull of gravity-like flesh towards the earthly and cause us to enter heavenly places in Christ.)      You Must Have Faith Glenda Lomax - Wings of Prophesy - 7/17/18 (David's notes in red)   (As we go through our wilderness experiences of a lack of man's provision from Egypt, we learn through faith that we can have a heavenly provision of water out of the Rock and Manna out of heaven. The Bride is well on her way in this, but the Church at large, is lagging far behind and need tribulation to motivate them.) “My Children, be alert for My leading. Be alert as I am leading many of you out of where you are and into new situations. These will be situations of reduced provision, as I am teaching you to rely only on me. If you will follow My leading, you will enter a wilderness and be fearful for a time, but you will leave a faith giant. As I walk with My children through the wilderness seasons in their lives, I train them to have faith. I train them until their nature is changed from unbelieving to belief. I am a great and mighty God and I am well able to provide for all of you, but this is not possible without great faith. Your provision in what is coming will be directly proportionate to your faith in Me {to provide}, so allow this training to come. Do not resist My leading as this is your only hope to avoid the coming Mark {of the Beast} and not perish in the famine.” Mat. 21:21-22  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Pro. 3:5-6 Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.   Php. 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.   Rev. 13:16-17 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.   Rev. 14:9-12 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.   Deu. 8:1-2 All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah sware unto your fathers. 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not.     Warning to Climb Mt. Zion to Escape Judgment  Tiannah Fire - 2020 (David's notes in red)   I had a similar dream to this a few times shortly after I started following Jesus.   I was in a town called the Sunshine Coast doing my daily routines. (This is a play on words sun/Sonshine coast represents the Church or all Israel who are physical and spiritual children of Abraham.) Suddenly, I had this feeling and urge to go get on top of the closest mountain. (Representing the call to sanctification in climbing Mt. Zion.) I didn't understand why, as I don't usually climb mountains, and I was currently busy doing things. (Distractions can be a potential danger to our spiritual safety.) (Obedience is Christ's mandate. We are called to reach the high and heavenly places of Mount Zion in the presence of God and heed the warning of the Lord to escape the wrath to come.) (Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.)   So, I drove to the closest mountain and climbed to the top [into the presence of God]. I then watched, from a distance, a giant tsunami with large waves rushing into the town and all the surrounding areas. This was sudden as no one saw it coming, and this had never happened before in this area. (1Th 5:2-9  For  yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: 5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.)    (If I had remained in the city, I would have been caught up in the destructive waves.) Praise God I was safe! (On Mt. Zion in the presence of the Lord. Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.)   Safety in the Presence of the Lord on Mt. Zion Marie Kelton - 12/30/22 (David's notes in red)   During our evening meeting, I had an open vision of the Lord walking with the destroyer angel on a sliver chain leash that was around its neck. A little while later, again I saw the Lord sitting next to me, on a throne He had the destroyer angel on a chain leash that He was holding. I heard, " And I will cause the destroyer angel to pass over thee".   The Lord had the destroyer angel on a leash during the time of the Passover in Exodus.    Exo. 12:23 For Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.   (How many of God's people believe in the Passover because they ate the Lamb? So, you see climbing Mt. Zion brings us into the presence of God and His Passover.)     Will You Meet Him In The Upper Room?  Claire Pienaar - 12/23/22 (David's notes in red)   I dreamed Riaan and I walked into a tiny little restaurant-lodge in a high-altitude-alpine area. (Few dwell in the high places feeding on the rare Word) (In this dream, I represent the Bride because my name means “brilliant” and the Bride's garments are bright and pure as is spoken of in Rev. 19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Riaan represents the Man-Child as his name means “little lion king”.).    As we opened the door, a Middle Eastern man in dark blue scrubs with a stethoscope round his neck was waiting for us to take us to the top level of the restaurant. (Jesus is the ultimate healer for His people.) (Dark Blue Scrubs denotes that Jesus is coming in His heavenly attire to judge those who require it. And to perform “surgery” on those who need it. The stethoscope relates to how Jesus listens to the desires and state of the heart. Riaan: God is our great healer for those who dwell on Mt. Zion and take refuge in Him and wait for Him in the upper room).    My friend Kiera was also there, but had to stay at the bottom. (This name means “little dark one”. Only those with clean hearts and white robes are going to the upper room. The dark ones stay behind.) (The dark ones stay in the shadow of the Mountain and do not climb into the light on top.) End of dream.    I received this verse by faith at random from Eze. 39:26-27 “And they shall bear their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they shall dwell securely in their land, and none shall make them afraid; when I have brought them back from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations.”   Man-child and Bride to be Wed on Mt. Zion Tiannah Fire - 12/17/22 (David's notes in red)   (Tiannah is representing the Bride in this vision.) I had a vision where I saw a large, bright, sparkling chandelier hanging from a ceiling. I looked around the room and the walls were so shiny, sparkling and bright. I saw the colors light pink, white and gold. (These colors represent the love, purity and refinement that the Bride experiences as she walks the crucified life on her journey to meet her heavenly Husband, Christ.) The presence in the room was so peaceful and joyful. (Representing the presence of the Holy Spirit)  I was in, what looked like, a ballroom that was located downstairs. To my right, on the other side of the wall, were stairs going up to the second floor, this is where I felt the master bedroom was. (Spiritually, the master bedroom on the second floor represents where Jesus will consummate the Marriage to His Bride in heavenly places. The staircase to the right on the other side of the wall represents the path of righteousness that is only found through sanctification or separation from the world represented by the wall.) This place felt like a fancy mansion. It was designed like ones in the 1700s. There was a dining table and chairs to my left. (This represents the Marriage Feast which is also a time of judgment represented by its placement on the left.)    Straight ahead of me was a man standing in the ballroom with his back to me, he was wearing a black suit and looked like he was waiting. (This man who was straight ahead represents Jesus who is the straight and narrow Way. He is waiting for His Bride.) He was looking out this large window, which had giant doors or shudders that were open. There was a beautiful view of grass in the yard and a beautiful garden, and past that was a forest that went all the way to the bottom of a mountain. (The Man-child or Jesus was waiting to dance with the Bride in the ballroom.)    We were up high on top of the mountain because I could see very far down the mountain. The sky was blue but there was a fog. (The fog represents that Mount Zion, the Bride, is still hidden and has not yet been revealed.)    It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set. (Representing the end of the 6 thousandth year day.) I then saw myself in the spirit and I was walking towards the man wearing a bright, white, sparkling wedding dress and long white gloves and a sparkling bright tiara or a crown. (The Bride's garments are bright and pure as is spoken of in Rev. 19:8)    The man then turned around as I walked to him and he smiled and greeted me with open arms. (Lord Jesus welcomes those who are counted worthy with open arms. 2Th 1:5  a manifestation of the righteous judgment of God; that ye be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.)     I felt that we would be down in the ballroom for a little while, but then we will be going upstairs to the master bedroom.      UBM: The Tip of the Spear for the Man-child Ministry Samuel Fire - 12/21/22 (David's notes in red)   I asked God what the world would look like right before the 7-year tribulation.  (A time we are now approaching.) I saw a vision:  There was a lot of unity in world markets and trade. All trading was going well on all sides with profit and expansion, and more jobs and large payouts with bonuses. Many loan applications were getting approved. Wars mostly ceased, to the extent that no armies were shooting at each other. There were many people able to travel and and enjoy a better standard of living. The cost of living became much easier for the lowest earning bracket of people. Medicine and health greatly improved and there was less disease. (This is the beginning of the wealth spread through the GCR and the re-distribution of Babylon's hidden treasures of darkness. The hidden health technologies are promised to be released. Other technologies that are far beyond what we've experienced are to be released. This prosperity cannot last for the wicked for they are under the curse but they will be able to see what they are missing.) It was as though everyone was on the verge of a man-made utopia and beginning to head into a golden age. There was a one world government (as we see forming right now), world currency and a one world religion. Everyone started to agree on merging into and being controlled in one format. (This is the one world order; their tower of Babel and you know how that ended.) As soon as I saw this, something triggered a major chaos. (Could this be a plague released and the world war that follows the coming of Jesus in the Man-child in Rev 6:1-4?) Everything was shown for what it truly was; lies and deception and it all started falling apart. It was like a thin vail covering something to disguise it, and then it had caught on fire and the whole thing is in turmoil and flames. (Hence, the refuge. Why does it have to be this way? Because "there is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord.” Isa. 26:9-11 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 10 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. The world is under a curse that will bring it all down.) There will be worldwide announcements and so-called great accomplishments in many areas. A great divide will occur between those who know of the secret things of God and those who are unable to see the truth of it all. (I.e. the Truth according to The Word.) Many are not in Christ yet, but the Lord has a calling on them during the Tribulation period. (The only people who can live above the curse are the Bride who lives in the King's palace. Since they are not in love with the world and it's lusts, they can be trusted to have abundance.) I saw a tip of a spear, but the tip was zoomed in to see on a microscopic level. (The Bride is a very small group of people.)  There were a few people marching to the very top point of the spear; their arms linked together – I felt these were the true family and brethren in UBM. (Very few people actually pursue Christ, and very few of these will manifest His Spirit.)(As we will see below, UBM has been prophesied to spearhead the Man-child Ministry to the world.) I was shocked to see how deceiving the enemy was and how deceived he is. Only those who chose to forsake the idols of the worldly desires [can be trusted to handle these things for the Lord.].  Those who listened and have a real relationship already with the Lord, who have broken away from worldly desires that are not necessary, and are content with basic living [will have God's supernatural provision.] They are the ones who lead people out of the apostate Church and the world's system to Christ.   Spearheading the Man-child Ministry David Eells - 2002 We know that God is building this ministry to spread His truths to a multitude of babies about to come looking for answers when this nation is chastened. I share this revelation for your edification and preparation, not to give any credit to myself. Jesus told us that whenever we have done all that we know to do to consider ourselves as unprofitable servants. This is because we do not earn God's grace. It is freely given through the faith that He gives.  No man should feel worthy of the great things that God is about to do through them. Furthermore, many are called to and promised the man-child ministry but few will be chosen for it. I am praying to be counted worthy. Many times when brethren have had visions of me it is because God is using my name to identify the corporate body of the son of David that Jesus will be manifested in to shepherd his flock as He said He would come to do in these last days as in Eze.34:11-31; Jer.30:6-9, 21-24. A prophet named Phillip shared this vision with us: “I have prayed for three days now for the Holy Father's will in this matter of sharing the vision I received during a meeting with David as the speaker (in Phoenix, a type of resurrection life). I am permitted to share the following: As I prayed with David at the start of the meeting, I saw the room change into a stadium filled with people and David was at the podium shouting through a microphone that was in the shape of a shofar.    He wore a silver yarmulke that glowed as he spoke, and from above it came a white goldenlight pouring down from the sky as a beam of glory growing brighter with each outpouring. From David's clothing came the same glory lights pouring though the tzit-tzit on his garment flowing like fingers through the people. They touched the forehead and were grabbed by the right hand of people who became pregnant and began shouting as they were covered in glory. This is the vision I had at the meeting. The Holy Father says that David would know its meaning, if not now very soon.”   Months after that meeting we received this from Phillip: “Holy Yahweh is forming this ministry into His Image to spearhead the Man-child Ministry Birthing and Delivery to the World! Amen! He has given this to me in a mighty vision that ran continued for three nights along with some other things that I can't say just yet.” David's interpretation: I had already received a previous prophecy that I would be teaching in stadiums. I thought that this might be spiritual because of the rows of people. The Word is passed on from person to person as each tier speaks to greater and greater circles of people in a geometric progression like a stadium is built. I have been contacted by many who have told us that they are using our broadcasts or MP3 audios for their home Bible study groups. Also multitudes are copying our materials and passing them on. A shofar turns inaudible breath, which is the same Hebrew word for Spirit, into the audible voice of the Spirit or the Word, which warns God's people and destroys the enemy as in Gideon's battle. We are all called to this ministry of being a vessel through whom the pure word of the Spirit will flow. The people being touched on the forehead by the light from heaven are those who humbly receive the Word and so receive the renewed mind of Christ. These are grabbing the light with the right hand which represents those who act on the Word and so have the renewed works of Christ. These became pregnant with the seed of Christ through the Word. "He that doeth the will of my father is my mother". When this seed bears fruit in the womb of the heart and mind that is eventually birthed to the world they will be seen as the image of Christ. In Jesus' day, Jewish men normally wore a simple tunic at work or home but when assembling in public gatherings they would cover their tunic with a large rectangular cloth called the "tallit", which is a prayer shawl that draped over the shoulders almost to the ground. The Torah commanded them to wear the tzit-tzit, which were fringes or tassels, at the four borders (Heb: corners, wings) of this tallit. This was a reminder to keep the commandments. {Deu. 22:12} Thou shalt make thee fringes (tzit-tzit) upon the four borders (Heb: "Kanaph" - corners, wings) of thy vesture (tallit), wherewith thou coverest thyself.  The tzit-tzit tassels are tied into 613 knots to constantly remind the Jews of the 613 laws of Moses. 365 of these are "thou shalt not" type laws, and 248 are "thou shall" type laws). The four tzit-tzit's also represented the name, which in Hebrew means nature, character, and authority, of God, YHWH, manifested in the life of the one who keeps the Word. The "white golden light pouring down from the sky" will flow through these people, first the Man-child and then those who receive of that light. {Num.15:37} And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, {38} Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes (tzit-tzit) in the borders (Heb: Kanaph - corners, wings) of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue: {39} and it shall be unto you for a fringe (tzit-tzit), that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye follow not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to play the harlot; {40} that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. {41} I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Jehovah your God. Like Jesus, the man-child will fulfill Malachi's prophecy concerning the tzit-tzit as the two witnesses are being manifested to the world. {Mal.4:1} 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 (tzit-tzit); 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. {4} Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. {5} Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come. {6} And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.  The Jews believed the Sun of Righteousness would be the Messiah, who would have the power to heal who ever touched the tzit-tzit (fringes) on his garment. They did not know that this would be repeated in the end time through Christ in the Man-child company. The Light from heaven poured through the tzit-tzit of Jesus' tallit to heal the sick as it will, spiritually, through the end time Man-child.  The woman who had suffered from an issue of blood for twelve years came up behind him touching the border or wings of his garment where the tzit-tzit was and was healed. She expressed her faith in Jesus as the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings (Heb: tzit-tzit). The tzit-tzit represents the Word or Jesus manifested in the Man-child in righteousness and obedience. It represents the name or nature, character, and authority manifested in the one who wore it. {Mat.9:20} And behold, a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border (wings) of his garment: {21} for she said within herself, If I do but touch his garment, I shall be made whole. {22} But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. {Mar.6:54} And when they were come out of the boat, straightway [the people] knew him, {55} and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. {56} And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border (wings) of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. To repeat for a point: {Mar.5:25} And a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, {26} and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, (The woman here represents the Church who has tried through self works to save herself from the out flowing of the blood, representing the old nature. "The life of the flesh is in the blood". Never the less the Church will be in uncleanness until the time of the number of governmental perfection symbolized by the number twelve. The corruption will begin to turn around when God raises up the new leadership that He promised in these days.  "I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness".) {27} having heard the things concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his garment. {28} For she said, If I touch but his garments, I shall be made whole. (Touching the tzit-tzit is to not be separated from righteousness or the name through faith.) {29} And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague.  Faith is imputed righteousness that will stop the life of the old man from flowing from us. {30} And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power [proceeding] from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who touched my garments? (To touch the tzit-tzit is to partake of the power of the healing light that flows from the throne.) {31} And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? {32} And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. {33} But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. {34} And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. In short brethren the "white golden light pouring down from the sky as a beam of glory" will flow through obedient servants in whom Christ is manifested through the latter rain and belief in the truth. It will flow first through the Man-child and then through the witnesses to the Church at large.   Zion's Redemption David Eells  Isa 59:20  And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah.   Isa 51:11  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.   Isa 35:8  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.   Isa 4:4  when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of justice, and by the spirit of burning. 5  And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be spread a covering. 6  And there shall be a pavilion for a shade in the day-time from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain.   Isa 41:27  I am the first that saith unto Zion, Behold, behold them; and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.    Isa 40:9  O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 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.     Isa 52:7  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8  The voice of thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah returneth to Zion.   Isa 46:13  I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.   Isa 51:16  And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.   Isa 52:1  Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2  Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit on thy throne, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.   Isa 60:14  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.   Isa 61:3  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.   Isa 62:1  For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth.   Isa 62:11  Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.     Select Language Afrikaans Albanian Amharic Arabic Armenian Assamese Aymara Azerbaijani Bambara Basque Belarusian Bengali Bhojpuri Bosnian Bulgarian Catalan Cebuano Chichewa Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Corsican Croatian Czech Danish Dhivehi Dogri Dutch Esperanto Estonian Ewe Filipino Finnish French Frisian Galician Georgian German Greek Guarani Gujarati Haitian Creole Hausa Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Igbo Ilocano Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese Javanese Kannada Kazakh Khmer Kinyarwanda Konkani Korean Krio Kurdish (Kurmanji) Kurdish (Sorani) Kyrgyz Lao Latin Latvian Lingala Lithuanian Luganda Luxembourgish Macedonian Maithili Malagasy Malay Malayalam Maltese Maori Marathi Meiteilon (Manipuri) Mizo Mongolian Myanmar (Burmese) Nepali Norwegian Odia (Oriya) Oromo Pashto Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Quechua Romanian Russian Samoan Sanskrit Scots Gaelic Sepedi Serbian Sesotho Shona Sindhi Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Somali Spanish Sundanese Swahili Swedish Tajik Tamil Tatar Telugu Thai Tigrinya Tsonga Turkish Turkmen Twi Ukrainian Urdu Uyghur Uzbek Vietnamese Welsh Xhosa Yiddish Yoruba Zulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

Romans 9:1-8 (CWSB)The People of Israel1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.6 -- Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

We can learn many wonderful lessons from the life of Abraham. Read or listen to this chapter from my book, A Father Offers His Son, for lessons learned from Abraham. Table of ContentsLesson One: Abraham was Ready to Obey GodLesson Two: Abraham Obeyed God When It Did Not Make SenseLesson Three: Abraham Did Not Delay ObeyingLesson Four: Abraham Would Not Let Anyone Interfere with Him ObeyingLesson Five: Abraham Understood Obedience Is WorshipLesson Six: Abraham Trusted GodGod's Sovereignty Should Give Us Confidence While we want to see Jesus throughout the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, we can also learn lessons from Abraham's example. We can be encouraged by his great faith and challenged by his tremendous obedience. Lesson One: Abraham was Ready to Obey God Genesis 22:1—Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”And he said, “Here I am.” If we asked why God would want Abraham to sacrifice his son, the other comparable question we would ask is: why was Abraham willing to sacrifice his son? The simple answer is he heard from God. Abraham's willingness to present Isaac as a burnt offering required he be fully convinced God had spoken to him. Otherwise, Abraham was insane at best, and evil at worst. When God first spoke to Abraham, he responded with three words, which mean much more than, “I am here.” They mean, “I am ready to serve You and do Your will!” Other godly men said these same words when they were willing to obey God. In each instance, God revealed His desire only after the person responded this way. For example: Jacob said these words in Genesis 46:2, and then God told him to head to Egypt.Moses said these words in Exodus 3:4, and then God sent him to deliver the Israelites.Samuel said these words in 1 Samuel 3:4, 5, 6, and 8, and then God revealed he would remove Eli's house.Isaiah said these words in Isaiah 6:8, and then God sent him as a prophet. Abraham heard from God and responded appropriately. We should have the same responsive hearts toward God. Often, that is when God reveals His will for us. The Word of God is what we “hear.” When we become convinced that God is speaking to us through Scripture, we are to respond as quickly and obediently as Abraham did. Lesson Two: Abraham Obeyed God When It Did Not Make Sense Genesis 22:2—Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” There are two reasons this was a difficult test for Abraham. First, and most obviously, it meant sacrificing his “only son whom he loved.” Second, it seemed irrational. When God repeated His covenant to Abraham, He said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them… So shall your descendants be” (Genesis 15:5; see also Genesis 12:2 and 17:6). Later, in Genesis 21:12, God said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” letting him know the descendants would come from Isaac, as opposed to Ishmael. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Isaac had no children. The dilemma for Abraham was, “God promised me lots of descendants, and they are supposed to come through Isaac, but I have to sacrifice him before he has had any children?” Despite any confusion Abraham experienced, he obeyed. God's Word might not always make sense, but we must still obey. In Isaiah 55:8–9, God says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,Nor are your ways My ways…For as the heavens are higher than the earth,So are My ways higher than your ways,And My thoughts than your thoughts.” We will not always understand why God does what He does, and we will not always understand why God wants us to do what He wants us to do. Even at those times, we must trust Him and obey. Lesson Three: Abraham Did Not Delay Obeying Genesis 22:3—So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...  We are born again when God reveals HIMSELF and THE WORD to us.   When I was approximately 15, I went forward at church and was baptized in water.  There was no change at all in my life.   When I was 37, God spoke to me by HIS Spirit and said to me:  "Joan ... You know those mistakes you've been making all these years?  Those weren't mistakes.  Those were sins."   I was so shocked.  I thought they were "mistakes".   With that Word, God caused me to be "born again" instantly, a "new creature".   Now I wanted to read the Bible.  I wanted to know things of God.  I wanted to be with the people of God.  I was completely changed by God.   God gave me a new heart and a new spirit and this caused me to go in the way of God.   Ezekiel 36  God says:   23 And I will sanctify MY great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 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 out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put MY spirit within you, and cause you to walk in MY statutes, and ye shall keep MY judgments, and do them.  

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Romans 9 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; ...

Series Title: “The Church: The Covenant People of God” The New Covenant People of God are True Israel. Jer. 31:31-33 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: Luke 22:20 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Heb. 8:13 Rom. 9:3 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. 6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Rom. 11:5 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Gal. 4:28 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. Rom. 2:28 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Gal. 3:29 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal. 6:15 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Rom. 4:9 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all The New Covenant People of God are Transformed by the Spirit. A. The Removal of the Rebellious Heart. Jer. 31:33 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Ezek. 36:26 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 2 Cor. 3:6 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. I John 2:27 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you I Thes 4:9 9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; B. The Removal of the Guilt of Sin. Jer. 31:34 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

The Bible Scripture is taken from Romans Chapter 9:1-33. 1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.Romans 9:1-33Thank you for tuning in.SisterGMinister Glenda CokerWebsite: www.glendacoker.orgSend in your prayer requests and praise reports to the email address below.Email: faith@glendacoker.orgPeace be with you.

Hebrews 11:17,18 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 [f]of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called”. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Job 1:21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Luke 5:18,19 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. John 11:3-6 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Romans 9:7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." The first example shows that God made a sovereign choice among the physical descendants of Abraham in establishing the spiritual line of promise. God was choosing which nation He would bless not individuals Ishmael, born to Hagar (Gen. 16)—and the six sons of Keturah as well (Gen. 25:1–4)—were Abraham's descendants but they were not counted as Abraham's children (“born ones”) in the line of promise. Instead, as God told Abraham (Gen. 21:12), It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned (lit., “in Isaac seed will be called to you”). Paul repeated the principle for emphasis in different words: It is not the natural children (lit.,“the born ones of the flesh”) who are God's children (“born ones of God”), but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring To be a physical descendant of Abraham is not enough; one must be chosen by God (cf. “chosen” in Rom. 8:33) and must believe in Him (4:3, 22–24). God's assurance that the promise would come through Isaac, not Ishmael, was given to Abraham: At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son Gen. 18:10 from the LXX[1] He distinguishes between the seed of Abraham and children.  Children here refers to those who enter into salvation, those who enter into covenant blessing, those who enter into the promise, life eternal.  He says just because you are the seed of Abraham — that's a phrase that has to do with racial identity — just because you're Jewish, just because you descend from Abraham doesn't mean you are a child of salvation, doesn't mean you're a child of blessing, doesn't mean you're a child of promise, doesn't mean you are a child of God.  Here is his illustration.  "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."  Now this is most important.  Because we know that everybody who descended from the loins of Abraham is not automatically in the covenant, everybody descending from Abraham is not automatically in the promise, everybody descending from Abraham is not automatically in salvation blessing, and the best way to prove it is to go right back to Abraham and look at his own biography.  Who was the first son born of Abraham?  Ishmael, he was a son of Abraham.  But Ishmael was excluded from the promise.  He was excluded from the covenant.  The second son and the first legitimate son born of Sarah was Isaac.  And Isaac was included.  Was Isaac better?  Did he earn it?  No, it all happened before Isaac was ever born or Ishmael.  It was the calling of God, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." Paul's argument is very simple.  Ishmael and Isaac demonstrate that God never intended all those naturally descending from Abraham to be a part of the line from which the covenant blessing came.  The point is, God is selected one nation to be the people whose line contained the promised Seed Jesus. Ishmael did not go to hell based on these scriptures, so he was not predestined to hell because he was not chosen of God Ge 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.  Ge 25:17 These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.  Ge 35:29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.  Ge 49:33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.  Nu 20:24 "Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah.  Nu 20:26 "and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there."  De 32:50 "and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people;       8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. It starts out "that is," which indicates to us that he's giving us a further explanation.  "That is they who are the children of the flesh," that is equal to the phrase "Abraham's seed" in verse 7, or the seed of Abraham.  Those who are physically descending from Abraham, these are not the children of God, that's equal to the children of verse 7.  In other words, just being physically from the loins of Abraham does not mean you're a child of God.  "But the children of the promise,” that's another way to say the children of God, or the children of verse 7 “are counted as the seed."       Who are the true children of God?  It's the children of promise.  They're called that because they were called by God to receive the promise of salvation.  They are considered the true seed.  They are regarded as the recipients of promise.  And Isaac is the illustration.        It was not all the natural children of Abraham that God had in mind when He spoke of blessing Abraham's seed uniquely. It was only of the children born supernaturally in fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham about seed that He was speaking, namely, Isaac's descendants. Isaac is a perfect illustration of a believer because he was born by a special act of God, he was born by supernatural power, and he was born according to a divine promise.  He's a picture of anyone who is redeemed.  9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." The word of promise was given in Genesis 18:10, "And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. That's the word of promise, Verse 14: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?  At the time appointed I will return unto thee according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a son."  The word of promise is repeated, verse 10. It's repeated in verse 14.  And here in verse 9, "This is the word of promise, at this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son," quoted right out of Genesis 18:14.  That's the promise.  Sarah shall have a son.  Not Hagar shall have a son, and not Keturah shall have a son, Sarah shall have a son.  And so God is selective.  Isaac was born at a special time, born by the special power of God, and born by the promise of God. He is the child of divine choice as God acts in human history. Just as it is said of Ruth that she was uniquely set by God in a special place, chapter 1:6, just as it is said of Esther that she had come to the kingdom for just such a time as that, just as the Bible tells us God acts through various human beings at special times in history, just as it says of Christ in Galatians 4 that He came at appointed time in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made unto the law and so forth, so it is that in the right moment in the right time by the right choice God chose to give a child of promise, Isaac.  And this is all just an illustration, simply pointing out the fact that God is selective.       It's very difficult for the Jews to accept this because what it says to them is that within the Jewish race there are some that are to be the children of the promise, not all. So wholesale Jewish unbelief doesn't make us panic like God has overturned His promises.  God has always worked through a remnant, a saved minority. 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac But there's even a stronger illustration here in verse 10: Rebecca was the daughter of Bethuel, remember, from Padan-Aram, chosen as a wife, as a bride for Isaac.  You remember that great story of how the servant went to find a bride for Isaac.  Genesis 24.  And she was to be the bride.  And she came back and was the bride.  And according to Genesis 25, she gave birth.  And you remember, she gave birth to twins, Genesis 25. You can read it in verses 19 to 24.  Their names were Jacob and Esau.  And from those two God chose one through whom would come the line of promise and the one was whom?  Jacob.  Esau was first born and he should have had the right of primogenitor (the first born privileges), which meant a double blessing and double respect.  But God chose Jacob, and what it means is God is selective.  And He's not only selective but sometimes He chooses what doesn't seem to be the way you should choose.  He has that sovereign right. So when Rebecca had conceived by one, that's one man, that is by our father Isaac, jump to verse 12, "It was said to her," verse 11 is a parenthesis, "It was said to her, ‘The elder shall serve the younger.'"  Who said that?  Who said that?  Genesis 25 says God said it.  God says I choose Jacob. I choose the younger to be set over the elder.  And that was against the normal course of life.  But that was God's choice.       Now if you read Genesis 25 you find a lot of interesting things about these two men, Jacob and Esau.  11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),              According to God's purpose, whose choice was not based upon works (11) Esau was the one who was first born.  He was not chosen of God.  And his life confirmed that, didn't it?  You see, when God chooses that's only part of it.  God rejected Esau as the line of promise.  And Esau also rejected God.  And you can be sure that God only rejects those who reject Him and only chooses those who choose Him. That's the divine mystery.   12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." The other one was Jacob, he was the younger.  And verse 12 says that the text said the elder shall serve the younger. You can read it in Genesis 25, God said that.  The elder is going to serve the younger.  He bought the birthright from Esau.  He received the blessing.  Oh, he received it by deception, didn't he?  He pretended to be Esau.  His mother put him up to it.  Stupid.  What would Rebecca do that for?  She knew God said the elder will serve the younger.  She knew God said Jacob is the one I choose. Why do you do that?  Why don't you trust God if He says it's going to be that way that He'll make it happen without being a deceiver?  Isn't it sad the way people take things into their own hands?  His mother put him up to it in spite of the Word of the Lord.  All they had to do was wait and God would have worked it out that he received the blessing, but they tried to deceive and get it on their own.  Consequently, poor Jacob had a life of pain and sorrow and trouble.       Jacob did seek God.  He's the one who wrestled with an angel and out of that wrestling God changed his name from Jacob to what?  To Israel.  And he did seek God.  He had a heart for God.  But he suffered because of his sin.  He was chastened by the Lord.  He was hated by his brother.  His life was full of pain and sorrow.  But he did seek God and there was a righteousness in him.  And he was God's chosen child.  So the point that Paul is making is the same point only he's using a different illustration. When it came to Jacob and Esau, God made a choice, too.  So it shouldn't be surprising to us that all of the Jews don't believe. All of Abraham's sons weren't chosen as children of promise nor all of Isaac's either.  13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." "The strong contrast is a Semitic idiom that heightens the comparison by stating it in absolute terms." it is evident that in this case the word hate means to love less, to regard and treat with less favor. Thus in Gen. 29: 33, Leah says, she was hated by her husband; while in the preceding verse, the same idea is expressed by saying, “Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah,” Matt. 10: 37. Luke 14: 26, “If a man come to me and hate not his father and mother,” &. Joh 12:25 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. That is a direct quote from Malachi 1:2-3.  "I hated Esau, laid his mountains and his heritage waste."  He hated Esau.  Verse 2, I love Jacob.  Jacob I loved, Esau I hated.  Now listen carefully.  I do not believe that this is a primary reference to the individual Jacob and the individual Esau. I don't think that's the point.  Because that's never said in the Old Testament.  That is never uttered in the book of Genesis.  God never says when those young men are born, "I hate Esau."  He never says it during the life of Jacob and He never says it during the life of Esau.  There's no such statement made.  In fact, it is probably nearly a thousand years later when the prophet says, "Esau have I hated."  And the Esau of His hatred is the idolatrous, pagan kingdom of Edom that's come from the loins of Esau.  And the Jacob He loves is the Israel, the Israel of God, His people, His nation, the people of blessing. Lessons  God did not base His election on the physical. Therefore, if the nation of Israel—Abraham's physical descendants—has rejected God's Word, this does not nullify God's elective purposes at all.[1] God chose Jacob before the babies were born. The two boys had done neither good nor evil, so God's choice was not based on their character or conduct. Romans 9:13 is a reference to Malachi 1:2–3 and refers to nations (Israel and Edom) and not individual sinners. God does not hate sinners. John 3:16 makes it clear that He loves sinners. The statement here has to do with national election, not individual. Since God's election of Israel does not depend on human merit, their disobedience cannot nullify the elective purposes of God. God is faithful even though His people are unfaithful.[1] We cannot explain the relationship between man's choice and God's purpose, but we know that both are true and are taught in the Word.[1] We cannot help but admire Paul's burden for Israel. His words remind us of Moses in Ex. 32:31–32. Do we have that kind of a burden for lost souls? Christ loved us so much He became a curse for us. Keep in mind that the election discussed in Rom. 9–11 is national and not individual. To apply all the truths of these chapters to the salvation or security of the individual believer is to miss their message completely. In fact, Paul carefully points out that he is discussing the Jews and Gentiles as peoples, not individual sinners. Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.  hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

16 October 2021 Evening Service Steve Fawkes Romans 9:6-18 6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 […]

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... Deuteronomy 12:5  But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put HIS name there, even unto HIS habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:   In the New Testament church today, God chooses where HE will put HIS name.   Acts 2:47   And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.   God opens the eyes of those persons whom HE has chosen and gives those individuals understanding causing them to be born again as a new creature, a Christian.   We recognize them by the Spirit of God which is in them for we have that same Spirit in us.   Acts 13:48   And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.     Salvation is of God, of the will of God.   When God chooses that individual for salvation, God opens that person's eyes and all of a sudden he sees the truth of God.   It is all of God by the will of God.   There can be a group of people sitting together and all of a sudden one in the group sees.   That is the way it was with Paul on the road to Damascus.  There were other men traveling in the group with Paul.  But it was Paul's life that was changed forever when Jesus spoke from heaven though all the men saw light around them and all the men heard a voice from heaven, but it was Paul who was called by Jesus and changed forever.  Jesus even said:  "Saul, Saul" ... calling him by name.   Acts 9   1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (Instantly changed.) And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.   We see an instant change in Paul.  Paul was enroute to Damascus to try to find Christians so he could bind them and carry them to prison.  But when the voice from heaven spoke, Paul was changed immediately from that person that he was before hearing that voice.   There was no learning involved.  It was instant change.  Paul was born again.   II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  

Preserved From the Beast (12) (Audio) David Eells - 9/5/21   Drought and Famine on the Way   Babylon's Cup is Almost Full Joe Brits - 8/30/21 (David's notes in red)   Just after Sunday night's Bible study, In my quiet time, while I was praying, I got a vision:    I saw water (The Red Sea Judgment) being poured into a cup that I thought was glass. The cup was very close to full. (Babylon's sins against God's people and the nations are about to come to the full and they will partake of the wrath of God.) I then opened my Bible to Jer. 51. The heading is 'Babylon Judged for sins against Israel'.   There's an Interesting verse about the cup in Jer 51:7  Babylon hath been a golden cup in Jehovah's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. (The nations have been ruled with an iron fist by DS Babylon. They have perverted all nations to their Bel Dragon God whom Rev 12 calls Satan. The nations have now arisen against them and the battle is on.)   Jer 25:12-26  And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished (The end of the people of God's captivity and the time when Cyrus/Trump set them free.), that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith Jehovah, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it desolate for ever.  13  And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.     14  For many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them, even of them (DS Babylon); and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.  15  For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto me: Take this cup of the wine of (Babylon's) wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.  16  And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. (Death and destruction against them by Babylon) 17  Then took I the cup at Jehovah's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom Jehovah had sent me:  18  to wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day;  19  Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;  20  and all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of the Uz, and all the kings of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;  21  Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon;  22  and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea;  23  Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off;  24  and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the wilderness;  25  and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes;  26  and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. (A cryptogram to hide the meaning of “Babel” at the time when Nebuchadnezzar began to reign because Jeremiah dangerously prophesied of his Judgment. This verse is saying when God is through judging the nations by Babylon, DS Babylon will reap the judgment they have sown.)   The Coming Famine Will Run Circles Around Us Marie Kelton - 8-20-21 (David's notes in red) During the morning meeting as I was walking to Debbie's house, I heard a horse running. Then I saw a black horse with an angel on it run past me. The horse ran circles around me for a little bit and then stopped in front of me. It made me think of the horse of famine in Revelation. (We have been receiving lots of warnings about famine coming soon and have seen this is sown by DS Babylon.)   Rev 6:5-6  And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand.  6  And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not..   8-23-21   I was laying down and looking at the window of my front door. It was light outside. While I was looking at it, the Lord gave me an open vision of it being pitch black outside. l saw this multiple times. I heard the words, “The sun and the moon shall be darkened."   It made me think of this verse, Mark 13:24-25  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. (Even though this verse speaks of the Great and terrible Day of the Lord at the end of the 7 year tribulation period, I believe that this vision and text is telling us that after this tribulation at the hands of DS darkness will come for them in a smaller Day of the Lord. The Trump Administration has planned 10 Days of Darkness in which cell phones, internet, radio, and TV except the militaries declass of DS evil, will go down. Before the Passover judgment of the wicked came days of darkness.)   Drought Coming/ Provision for the Bride Merlene Laughlin - 8/24/21 (David's notes in red) In a dream I was suddenly in a wilderness, dry, hot, and dusty. (The tribulation is going to sneak up on many; especially the pre-tribulation rapture folks. When the people were set free through the Man-child Moses, they went only seven days to the wilderness called in Revelation 12&17 the tribulation. We must prepare spiritually as well as physically for what is coming. In Rev 12 a place was prepared for the Woman Church in the wilderness and it is happening. There is no way in our own strength that we can be prepared, but we've had many dreams of supernatural provision and multiplication of food during the tribulation for the Bride and through her to the Woman.)   In the background there was a mountain that was a rock. (Representing Christ who was the Rock that followed the Israelites and provided for them through the wilderness. 1 Co. 10:1-5  For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all eat the same spiritual food; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ. 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. This was those who didn't partake of the waters of the Word.)    There were trees that were dead to the left of me. (The rebellious apostate goats are placed on the left. These trees represent the unbelieving spiritual Israelites who will die in the wilderness tribulation for their wicked hearts of unbelief.) There were few leaves that had been gathered for later use. (Representing some in the factious apostate church who will escape death and be able to be used of God during the tribulation.)   There was a make-shift table just ahead of me that was made of pieces of scrap wood that were overlapped on the top and four wobbly legs made of tree branches. (Psalm 23:1-6 Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever.   Psalm 78:15-22 He clave rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths. 16 He brought streams also out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers. (Representing that great waters of the word will be given to the people in the tribulation like Jesus the Man-child fed the people in the desert wilderness.) 17 Yet went they on still to sin against him, To rebel against the Most High in the desert. 18 And they tempted God in their heart By asking food according to their desire. 19 Yea, they spake against God; They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, And streams overflowed; Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people? 21 Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also went up against Israel; 22 Because they believed not in God, And trusted not in his salvation.) On one half of the table were small jugs with narrow necks that could be used for water for drinking. There was a small stream nearby. Next to the jugs, there were two stacks of flatbread. The first stack had little bits of green in the dough. And I knew they were crushed leaves. And the other stack was a more natural color. (The woman will be provided for in the coming wilderness tribulation. Isa 33:15-16  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from taking a bribe, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil:  16  He shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; his bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.) Nearby were items made of loose woven cloth of various sizes that could be used in many ways; something to cover shoulders or even a long skirt or baby blanket. Next to those were some dry plants that could be used for cooking or just munching on. The roots were still on them as they laid across the boards with clumps of dry dirt. (This is a time of great lack as far as food is concerned. But God's people will learn if they're paying attention Php 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.) It was then that I noticed a tall thin woman. She was deeply tan and had something tied in her long hair. (This represents the corporate body of the Bride. She is thin because all her flesh has been burned away by the sanctification process of death to self. Song 1:6 Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, Because the sun hath scorched me. My mother's sons were incensed against me; They made me keeper of the vineyards; But mine own vineyard have I not kept.)   She had added something more to the table and looked down at me and smiled. There was so much love in her eyes. She picked up a piece of dried plant. It was white on the end and put it into her mouth and crunched down on it. (Exo 16:31 And the house of Israel named the bread manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.)  After a minute, she had enough saliva to swallow it. She gave me a broken off piece and I did the same. I had a sense of a group of people that kept watching as they huddled together but I had yet to meet them. (These are our brethren who will come out of apostasy to meet the Bride in the wilderness. She will nourish them along with the Man-child ministers for the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation just as Jesus multiplied the food and the disciples handed it out.)   The dream ended and as I woke up, I could feel something dry on my tongue. The only word I heard was the word from God, “Drought.”   A drought with the destruction of our bread basket is being designed by the powers that be.   A Rock in the Wilderness and Too Broke to Go to Egypt Andrew Gelinas - 8/28/21 (David's notes in red)   I dreamed I was standing out in an arid, barren, desert wilderness. I was resting for a moment as I exclaimed about the intensity of the heat to some other fellow travelers nearby. (The wilderness will turn up the heat on God's people to force them off of the proverbial fence to make a choice whether to walk in the world or in the kingdom where there is provision as it was with Joseph who the was the Man-child of his day.)   We were resting only a few miles away from a huge, megalithic, smooth, solid Rock, many miles in circumference. It was resting in the middle of the desert. I continued talking with the others about how it had landed here from space (or Heaven) thousands of years ago, and over those thousands of years, the rain water has smoothed it perfectly, just like a rock is smoothed in a river. (This is Christ, the Rock, that followed the Israelites through the wilderness. Its size represents the huge provision God has for His People.)   Then, it was as if I was seeing the Rock from above, or looking at a map of it. We were pointing out to each other the dozens of settlements or towns that were surrounded by wooded areas on the rock. I heard some of the names of them clearly in the dream, but can't bring them to my mind now. (We must be settled on the Rock of Christ, the Word, through faith, as our foundation in order to survive the coming tribulation.)   The dream then shifted to me sitting in an unfamiliar house as my wife's Aunt Dena sat talking with me. (Dena means: valley, judgment, vindicated or judged.) She was very excited because she and her family were going to be traveling to Egypt very soon. “Oh, you're going to Egypt?” I said in surprise. (Going back to Egypt is not a good thing; it is going back to trusting in the arm of the flesh. Many Christians who currently have the spiritual Mark of the Beast will end up taking the physical Mark of the Beast when they lose faith in hardships and persecution entering into the second 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. This will sanctify the faithful body.)   She turned to me and asked “You wanna go too? I thought Morgan said you guys don't have the money to go any more because you lost your savings. (The evil principalities will re-emerge in a new Communist government and will cause people to lose everything including monetary security in order to force people to take the Mark. This will mean that the people of God must learn to walk by faith to receive His provision.)    You can just do like I did, she said, and use this phone app. It's so easy! You just tell it where you want to go, and it finds the cheapest priced tickets for you!” (The easy way is on the broad road that leads to hell. Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.)   The Black Horse of Revelation: Famine Eve Brast - 3/12/19 (David's notes in red)   I dreamed I was in the hospital on an Air force base with all my co-workers from the hospital. My supervisor Karen (Meaning: Pure) had gotten the “go ahead” from the upper management to upgrade all the medical equipment and update and modernize the entire hospital because the inspectors were coming to inspect it. (The natural is a parable of the spiritual as Jesus showed in his parables.  The Church will be a hospital to heal the sick as it was in Jesus' time and with the first-fruits today. The Man-child and Bride will teach the Church God's supernatural techniques for healing. The worlds technologies will be greater than ever but will not be available to the righteous who will know that healing was provided free at the cross.) (Spiritually, this represents sanctification and getting prepared for our Passover and the great healing revival that is coming.)    Also we all had to take a competency exam to prove we had the skills to continue working in the new hospital. (All the Church who only knew the worlds way will have to be retrained in the ways of God and his Word.) It was a thick test packet. I turned my packet in to my supervisor and was walking around looking at all the new equipment and improvements when one of my co-workers came up to me and said, “They've lost your test packet. You'll have to take the exam again.” (Worldly letters behind our name will not be necessary.)   Karen overheard this and said, “No she won't. I know Eve has the skills to work here. Don't worry about it.” And she waved it off. I was so glad that I had this grace with my boss and that I didn't have to worry about re-taking the exam. (The Bride of Christ will have abundant grace from the Father in the coming days to heal the sick.)   After this I walked around to the next hallway where all the exams were being put in order and graded by a panel of people. Right outside the doorway was a huge, solid black horse with black hooves and a silky, shiny coat and mane. (I believe this is the black horse of Revelation 6:5-6 representing drought and famine, and pestilence was soon to follow.) Rev. 6: 5 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. 6 And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not.     The black horse saw me and became very excitable. I approached him without fear and placed my hands on the sides of his face. He was 7 feet tall at the withers and he seemed very fond of me. He was blowing his warm breath onto my face and became a little wild prancing his hooves and moving excitedly. He pulled his head up and out of my hands and I quickly put my hands on the sides of his neck to calm him down. (This represents Father's protection from the beast of famine. )   I became a little concerned that he was going to trample on my feet in his excitement but, he calmed down quickly when I got a hold of his neck again. Then I wasn't afraid any more that he would trample on me. (This may also be representative of the fact that when we get our own fleshly beast of burden under control then we come out from under the curse.) (The horse represents the people who are under the authority of the spirit of famine riding it but their beastly works will not be a threat to the Bride represented by Eve.)   I turned and began walking the other direction and the horse followed me like a puppy so I went and sat down in the middle of the hallway and the horse came and laid down next to me like a big puppy and placed his big head on my lap. I felt the tremendous weight of his head on my legs as I woke up. I knew he wouldn't harm me in any way. (The people under the authority of the spirit of famine will appreciate the Brides care and power to provide for the hungry just as they do in feeding programs today.) End of dream.     I asked Father for a word by faith at random for this dream and my finger was on Nah.3:17 (in context 13-17), 13 Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women; the gates of thy land are set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire hath devoured thy bars. 14 Draw thee water for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar; make strong the brickkiln. 15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off; it shall devour thee like the canker-worm: make thyself many as the canker-worm; make thyself many as the locust. (Here the princes of Nineveh, the capitol of the Assyrian Empire, are identified as the Locusts, and Canker-worms of the Northern army coming against the Bride City in Joel 2 who were preserved from them.) 16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away. 17 Thy princes are as the locusts, and thy marshals as the swarms of grasshoppers, which encamp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.    The 7 Lean Tribulation Cows Eve Brast  03/17/16 Notes: (David's notes) | (Deb's notes)  I dreamed that I was driving down a very narrow red dirt road that was only wide enough for one car. (Mat. 7:14  For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.)   Suddenly, 7 very hungry, solid black cows were in the pasture to the left side of the road ahead of me. (Meaning coming to us in the near future) They trampled down the barbed wire fencing and started running toward my vehicle. I thought, "Oh no! They must think I'm the farmer”. (Or one who can supply their need in the seven years of tribulation famine that are approaching now, represented by the seven lean cows in Pharaoh's dream.)    (I feel there is a double meaning to these cows. There will be economic lack, starvation and panic which causes people to break the law represented by the fencing. But also these hard times will cause a spiritual desperation and a hunger for the true Gospel in Christians and others that the first fruits will be able to provide and this will break down the religious fences (As those in need run to those who have faith).    This dream reminds me of Pharaoh's dream that Joseph interpreted in Gen. 41:25-31 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: what God is about to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh. {26} The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. {27} And the seven lean and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be seven years of famine. (Which the DS has been used to bring famine to man.) {28} That is the thing which I spake unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he hath showed unto Pharaoh. {29} Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: {30} and there shall arise after them seven years of famine (7 years of tribulation); and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; {31} and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine which followeth; for it shall be very grievous. (Notice the plenty will be forgotten.  So much for the new age of a thousand years of peace and prosperity. The Rev.12:1-6, sign of the birth of the Man-child in the heavens is like Joseph coming out of prison to rule and meet the needs of the people.)   I then looked in my rear view mirror and saw 7 other black cows coming from the pasture behind me. (Meaning; The seven years of plenty are behind us) They were on the right side of the road. These cows had some white patches in between their eyes and some white on their legs. (Some of the mark of purity of God was on their foreheads and in their walk.) The lower portion of their legs was muddy. (Representing walking in a dirty world) They didn't seem as hungry and desperate as the cows in front of me. (For their faith had preserved them) They were more curious than hungry and walking at a slower pace, wanting to follow me. (Like those who came to Jesus and His disciples in their time of need, the righteous in part will follow Eve, the Bride of the last Adam, into the tribulation after the Man-child.)   I felt trapped and a little intimidated and turned quickly into the driveway of an old wooden house that was up on a small hill on the right side of the road. There was a large flowering herb garden in the front yard to the right of the driveway. The herbs were all about knee high or taller. (Herbs that the Man-child ministry will use for the healing of the people? I recently had a dream about the Man-child ministry using herbs to heal the sick.) (The herbs represent plants that through photosynthesis take carbon dioxide or death and produce oxygen or life. This represents those who take in the Sun/Son or Word so they are able to take away the curse and provide the clean heathly breath or Spirit.)   As I got out of my car, a 19 year old young man came up to me and smiled. His hair was short and blonde with red and golden highlights as the sun shone on it. His eyes were very blue. (He seems to represent the Man-child) (Nineteen, which is the combining of 10 and 9, usually denotes God's perfect order in regard to his judgment. The names Job and Eve, if we substitute letters for numbers, add up to 19. And of the ten most frequently mentioned women in the Bible, Mary, Jesus' mother, is listed 19 times.)   I asked him what I should do about the cows in the front section of the road, because they were blocking the road. He then placed a "4 cup" measuring cup in my left hand. (4 is the number of creation, which man is still in process. The fourth day God completed the creation of the universe. The Man-child here gives the power of creation to the Bride.)    At the same time, a large golden scale appeared to my right. (Jesus said, {Luke 6:38}: 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. - This also speaks of the tribulation judgment seen in Eve's verse here where God is measuring to the people according to their works.) {Rev.6:5} I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. {6} And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not. The young man (representing the Man-child) said, "Measure 'it' out. Pound for pound, flesh for flesh!" Then my alarm clock woke me up before I could ask him what "it" was.   (This, too, has a double meaning. The scales indicate Father's judgment being measured out. But also Joseph was in charge of measuring out the grain so that the people wouldn't starve during the 7 year famine. (Joseph had his servants put his silver cup in the sack of grain in {Genesis 44:2}. Ezekiel and Jeremiah and Isaiah gave the cup of God's wrath to the nations. But since it was a measuring cup, (Mat.7:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.)   "Pound for pound" reminds me of {Luke 19:20} And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: {21} for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow. {22} He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; {23} then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest? {24} And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. {25} And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. {26} I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him. {27} But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.   "Flesh for flesh" reminds me of {Numbers 11:4} And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? (The Lord was angry that the people rejected the Manna, which represented the Word of God, so He sent them more flesh than they could stomach. {18} And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. {19} Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, {20} but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?)   "Flesh for flesh" also reminds me of verses 31-34 of the same text: {31} And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. {32} And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. {33} While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague. {34} And the name of that place was called Kibrothhattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted. (This reminds me of the faction movement who rejected the Manna Word to partake of flesh and are now suffering from every kind of excess of sin and its judgment. James 3:16: For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. The elect among them will soon be sick enough of sin and its measured reward to run back to Jesus whom they persecuted.)   I asked for a Word for this whole dream and received, Psalm 119:114  Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I hope in thy word.    Judgment of the Wicked and Great Reward and Provision for the Bride David Eells - March 2019 Remember before Israel left Egypt they were given a great amount of gold and silver by the Egyptians as a provision from God. Exo 12:35-36  And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:  36  and Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And they despoiled the Egyptians. This was after the Passover judgment on the wicked, which was before the Red Sea judgment of their persecutors, and all before the Wilderness Tribulation. Look at these texts and the reward of the Bride. Isa 62:11 Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him (For the Bride), and his recompense before him (The Passover judgment on the wicked Edomites. This was called a plague which is killing the unbelievers now.). 12 And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken. (Zion the Bride)  Isa 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. Then we see the judgment of the wicked at the Red Sea and deliverance of the righteous in the same chapter and this is still just before the Wilderness Tribulation. Isa 63:11-12 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit in the midst of them? 12 that caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses? that divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name? 13 that led them through the depths (Of the Red Sea before the Wilderness Tribulation), as a horse in the wilderness, so that they stumbled not? Notice that this judgment on the wicked before the Wilderness Tribulation is spoken about at the beginning of the next chapter when the presence of the Lord comes as an outpouring of His Spirit where also the Isralites were baptized in the glory cloud before the Wilderness Tribulation. Isa 64:1-3 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, 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. So we see the reward to the Bride is given before the tribulation but it will also continue through the tribulation. Lets look at that reward. Isa 60:1-6 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. (Here we see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the glory cloud, which as we saw was just before the Tribulation.) 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. (Egypt as a type of the world is very dark from judgment but the Bride has the Glory of the Lord on her. And the elect peoples of the nations are gathering under the Bride who was the Zion/Jerusalem leadership of God's people, under the David Man-child company.)  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. (Notice the wealth coming to the Bride to provide for the Woman coming out of the nations.) 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. 9-14 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. (John was told this was the born from above Bride in Rev.) 15-18 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated (Brides crucifixion by the wicked who forsake her which has happened), 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. (The Bride is protected from the wicked who will not come among them.  We are seeing this now.) Then Father regresses to speak about the leadership of the Bride, who is the man-child ministry, and the Brides reward. First, Jesus who quoted this text at the beginning of His ministry, and now the repeat of history with the corporate body Man-child in whom He lives by Spirit and Word. This text was spoken by Jesus of himself and is true of the Man-child coming.  Isa 61:1-9 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 (Those who persecuted the Bride); 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. (Who is that seed?) Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. (As of course many have gone back to Egypt in their hearts) 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. (Jerusalem the Bride) 17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: (The seed of Abraham by faith and obedience) 1Co 2: 9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. (Which means those that obey Him) 10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Php 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Back to our text) Isa 61:10-62:10 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 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah; for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 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.      Select LanguageAfrikaansAlbanianAmharicArabicArmenianAzerbaijaniBasqueBelarusianBengaliBosnianBulgarianCatalanCebuanoChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCroatianCzechDanishDutchEsperantoEstonianFilipinoFinnishFrenchFrisianGalicianGeorgianGermanGreekGujaratiHaitian CreoleHausaHawaiianHebrewHindiHmongHungarianIcelandicIgboIndonesianIrishItalianJapaneseJavaneseKannadaKazakhKhmerKinyarwandaKoreanKurdish (Kurmanji)KyrgyzLaoLatinLatvianLithuanianLuxembourgishMacedonianMalagasyMalayMalayalamMalteseMaoriMarathiMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)NepaliNorwegianOdia (Oriya)PashtoPersianPolishPortuguesePunjabiRomanianRussianSamoanScots GaelicSerbianSesothoShonaSindhiSinhalaSlovakSlovenianSomaliSpanishSundaneseSwahiliSwedishTajikTamilTatarTeluguThaiTurkishTurkmenUkrainianUrduUyghurUzbekVietnameseWelshXhosaYiddishYorubaZulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

Hebrews 11 New King James Version   By Faith We Understand 11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the [c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Faith at the Dawn of History 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Faithful Abraham 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. The Heavenly Hope 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off [e]were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 [f]of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the [g]passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the [h]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures [i]in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By Faith They Overcame 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who [j]did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. 32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, [k]were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... The linage from Abraham to Moses is very interesting to those who are interested in the elect of God.   For there is an elect of God which will be taken by Jesus into heaven when Jesus returns to gather the elect of God from off this earth.   Matthew 24:31    And HE (Jesus) shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... The elect of God are the children of "the promise".     We are chosen by God and HE reveals Himself to us and changes us from that person we once were.     Paul says:   II Corinthians 5:17   Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  

     Moses anticipates that his hearers will enter Canaan and that God will give them victory over the corrupt pagan nations that occupy the land. But Moses warns his people to guard themselves that they do not become trapped in the idolatry that brought about God's judgment on the Canaanites. Moses said, “When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?'” (Deut 12:29-30). The word beware translates the Hebrew verb שָׁמַר shamar, which means to guard, be careful about, watch over, and in this context refers a warning that after victory, the Israelites were to guard themselves against the idols and practices that ensnared (נָקַשׁ naqash) the Canaanites and brought about God's judgment. Moses follows with the statement, “You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.” (Deut 12:31; cf., Lev 18:21; 20-1-5). Some of the abominable acts practiced by the Canaanites included gross sexual immorality, which included all forms of incest (Lev 18:1-20; 20:10-12, 14, 17, 19-21), homosexuality (Lev 18:22; 20:13), and sex with animals (Lev 18:23; 20:15-16). They also engaged in the occult (Lev 20:6), were hostile toward parents (Lev 20:9), and offered their children as sacrifices to Molech (Lev 18:21; 20:1-5; Deut 18:10). God specifically told His people, “You shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them” (Lev 20:23). Yet, this is what Israel did throughout their history (Psa 106:37-38; 2 Ki 17:6-23; Jer 7:30-31; 19:4-5; 32:35; Ezek 16:20-21). Excurses on Human Sacrifice in the Old Testament      Cultures throughout human history have practiced human sacrifice. Some of these include Chinese, Egyptians, Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Africans, Incans, Mayans, Aztecs, Peruvians, Europeans (Brit, Celts), Vikings, Koreans, and Native American Indians.[1] Glenn Sunshine states: "Most pagan religions practiced human sacrifice at some point in their history. Each of the three principal gods of the Celts demanded human sacrifices by a different means—Taranis by bashing the skull in with an axe or burning, Esus by strangling, and Teutates by drowning. The Druids, who presided over these sacrifices, were also well known for putting prisoners of war in wicker cages and burning them alive as a sacrifice to the gods. The Norse also engaged in widespread human sacrifices, with perhaps the best documented taking place at the temple of Uppsala, Sweden. The Greeks and Romans also engaged in human sacrifice in their earlier history. Greek legend tells of a number of human sacrifices in the Mycenaean period, but according to Plutarch the Greeks sacrificed humans as late as the Persian Wars, just prior to the battle of Salamis in 480 BC."[2]      When it comes to sacrificing their children, the United States of America outdoes all previous cultures. As of 2021, more than 62 million babies have been aborted in America since Roe v. Wade.[3] Most children are sacrificed for the parent's self-interest. One resource states, “In the USA, where nearly half of pregnancies are unintended and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion, there are over 3,000 abortions per day.”[4] And girls are more likely to be aborted than boys, which translates to a form gendercide.[5] The killing of innocent human life is a violation of the sixth commandment, which states, “You shall not murder” (Deut 5:17). Of course, forgiveness is available to those who turn to Christ as their Savior. This is true for any sin, however heinous, even murder.      According to the Mosaic Law, human sacrifice was regarded as murder (Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31; 18:10), and God prescribed death for those practiced it (Lev 20:1-2). We know from Scripture that by the end of his life King Solomon turned away from the Lord and worshipped idols, even building places of worship for them (1 Ki 11:4-8). These pagan worship sites were later used by Israelites to sacrifice their children (Jer 32:31-35). It is recorded that two of Israel's kings, Ahaz and Manasseh, caused their sons to be burned alive to pagan gods (2 Ki 16:1-3; 21:1-6). Apparently, other Israelites were also sacrificing their sons and daughters to idols (Psa 106:37-38; Jer 7:30-31; 19:4-5; 32:31-35; Ezek 16:20-21). Paul tells us that such sacrifices are actually offered to demons (1 Cor 10:20), so it's no surprise that such sacrifices are hellish. Because Israel became corrupt, God destroyed and expelled them from the land by means of military defeat from their enemies. Child sacrifice is mentioned in the list of sins that brought the nation to destruction (2 Ki 17:6-23).      Critics have raised three problem examples of human sacrifice in the Bible, and these include 1) Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, 2) Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter, and 3) God the Father's sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.      First, in Genesis 22, Moses records an event in which “God tested Abraham” concerning his son Isaac (Gen 22:1). The Lord told Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you” (Gen 22:2). It's important to note that this was a test of Abraham's faith. God has a pattern of testing His people to humble them (Ex 16:4; 20:20; Deut 13:3; Judg 3:1-2; Isa 48:10). Abraham obeyed and did as the Lord instructed, right up to the moment that Isaac lay bound on the rock, with Abraham's hand raised, ready to slay him with a knife (Gen 22:3-11). But God interrupted and told him, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Gen 22:12). Abraham then turned and saw a ram caught in a thicket, which he took and offered to God “in the place of his son” (Gen 22:13). Abraham passed the test. He loved and trusted the Lord above all else, even his precious son, Isaac. Abraham learned that God provides for him; therefore, he named the place “The Lord Will Provide” (Hebrew יְהוָה יִרְאֶה Yahweh Yireh or Jehovah Jireh) (Gen 22:14). The writer to the Hebrews mentions this event in the life of Abraham, and states, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type” (Heb 11:17-19).      Second, in the book of Judges there was an incident where a man named Jephthah offered his daughter as a sacrifice to God, and this because of a vow he made to the Lord (Judg 11:29-40). It's possible that Jephthah felt he had to barter with God as an act of diplomacy in order to secure his victory over the Ammonites, and he did this by making a vow (Judg 11:30-31). God gave Jephthah victory over Israel's enemies, so Jephthah kept his vow. However, it should be noted that Jephthah's act of sacrifice was not commanded by the Lord. Furthermore, it's possible, based on an alternate reading of Judges 11:31, that Jephthah only dedicated his daughter to service to the Lord rather than actually killing her. The two major views concerning Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter are as follows: Jephthah actually offered his daughter as a human sacrifice, and the statement “a burnt offering” should be taken at face value. If this is the case, then Jephthah probably derived this strange understanding and commitment from the Canaanite culture, for human sacrifice was forbidden under the Mosaic Law (Lev 18:21; 20:2-5). This would also explain Jephthah's grief when he said to his daughter, “You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back” (Judg 11:35). Jephthah only dedicated his daughter for service to the Lord and did not kill her (cf. 1 Sam 1:9-11; 26-28). This understanding is derived from an alternate reading of Judges 11:31 in which Jephthah's vow was to dedicate for service whoever “or” whatever came through the door of his home (YLT). If a person, he/she would be dedicated to God for a lifetime of service, “or” if an animal, it would be sacrificed. This view is both linguistically possible and contextually favorable because Jephthah knew Scripture well enough not to make such a blunder (Judg 11:15-27), the text seems to emphasizes dedication when it reads that his daughter “had no relations with a man” (Judg 11:39), and future generations honored her faithfulness (Judg 11:40). In both of the above possible understandings of Jephthah's actions, God never commanded human sacrifice, and Jephthah is never praised for what he did.      Third, some have criticized the cross of Jesus as a form of forced human sacrifice. The argument is that God the Father forced His Son, Jesus, to be sacrificed on a cross to die a horrible death. It is true that God offered His Son as a sacrifice for our sins; however, Scripture reveals that Jesus went to the cross as a willing substitute, to lay down His life for us. Isaiah tells us, “The LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering” (Isa 53:10a). In this verse we see the Father sent and Jesus went. It was an agreement between the two. Jesus said, “the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father” (John 10:17-18). And after Jesus died and was buried in a grave, “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible” (Acts 10:40). Furthermore, the Father “raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:20-21). Jesus was not forced to go to the cross, so His death cannot be compared to the human sacrifices in the Old Testament, in which children and adults were forced to die against their will.   [1] Owen Jarus, 25 Cultures That Practiced Human Sacrifice, Live Science (https://www.livescience.com/59514-cultures-that-practiced-human-sacrifice.html). [2] Glenn S. Sunshine, Why You Think the Way You Do: The Story of Western Worldviews from Rome to Home (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 29–30. [3] Sam Dorman, “An estimated 62 million abortions have occurred since Roe v. Wade decision in 1973”, (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abortions-since-roe-v-wade). [4] Worldometer, https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/ [5] Abortion in numbers, (https://thelifeinstitute.net/learning-centre/abortion-facts/issues/the-numbers).

FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission Romans 9:6-13 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. The Apostle's Anguish — Pastor Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.Romans 9:6-13Sermon Series: Romans (58th sermon) June 6, 2021Deep Sheet: Sermon Study Questions1. What does it mean that God is faithful? What practical effect does this have on our lives?2. What is the problem/difficulty that Paul addresses as he enters chapter 9? Why does it seem to call God's faithfulness into question?3. Where else in the New Testament do we find the idea that “not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring”? How does this passage give us the concept of “true Israel”?4. What was the false fortress of comfort that many Jews in Paul's day had constructed? Where do we see a similar mindset today?5. How does Paul describe God's choice of Jacob over Esau as unconditional? How does election serve Paul's larger point that God's Word has not failed?References: 2 Corinthians 1:18-20; Deuteronomy 4:7-8; 7:6; Matthew 3:9-10; John 8:39-40, 44; Romans 2:17, 28-29; 4:12; 1:17; Genesis 17:21; 18:10, 14; 25:23; Malachi 1:2, 3; Ephesians 1:11.

When you hear the name Moses, quite automatically you would think of Israel being slaves in Egypt ,the parting of the Red Sea, and The 10 Commandments. And these commandments are what is commonly referred to as "The Law."  If you recall last week, when Pastor Royce talked about the Abrahamic  and the unconditional covenant that God had with him. Do you remember the blessings that was declared to him? God said to him: "I will bless those who bless you and curse all those who curse you."  In other words, God will prosper those who bless the Hebrew people, but punish those who curse the Hebrew race. And God gave the seal of the covenant, as sign of the covenant relationship, which was circumcision. God had set aside for Himself Abraham so that God said, "In Isaac shall your seed be called." And this goes without saying that any other race outside of the Hebrew line of Abraham were excluded from the covenant; and ultimately "The Seed" was focused in Christ Jesus, who was the same "Seed" that God was referring to when He cursed the Serpent in the garden after the Fall of Man.

When you hear the name Moses, quite automatically you would think of Israel being slaves in Egypt ,the parting of the Red Sea, and The 10 Commandments. And these commandments are what is commonly referred to as "The Law."  If you recall last week, when Pastor Royce talked about the Abrahamic  and the unconditional covenant that God had with him. Do you remember the blessings that was declared to him? God said to him: "I will bless those who bless you and curse all those who curse you."  In other words, God will prosper those who bless the Hebrew people, but punish those who curse the Hebrew race. And God gave the seal of the covenant, as sign of the covenant relationship, which was circumcision. God had set aside for Himself Abraham so that God said, "In Isaac shall your seed be called." And this goes without saying that any other race outside of the Hebrew line of Abraham were excluded from the covenant; and ultimately "The Seed" was focused in Christ Jesus, who was the same "Seed" that God was referring to when He cursed the Serpent in the garden after the Fall of Man.

**Hebrews 11:17-19** 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. **Type of Christ"** **Hebrews 11:19** - He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a **type.** • **Romans 5:14** - Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. • **Hebrews 8:4-5** - Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN." **Genesis 22:1-14 ** 1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 He said, "Take now your son, **your only son, whom you love,** Isaac, and go to the **land of Moriah, **and **offer him** there as a **burnt offering** on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." • **Matthew 12:18** - BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY **BELOVED** IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; • **John 3:16** - "For God **so loved the world**, that He gave His **only begotten Son**, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. • **2 Chronicles 3:1** - Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on **Mount Moriah** • **Hebrews 9:13-14** - For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and **took two of his young men with him** and **Isaac his son**; and he split wood for the **burnt offering**, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him • **Ephesians 1:4-7** - just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, **which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.** 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 4 **On the third day** Abraham **raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.** 5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and **I and the lad will go over there**; and **we will worship** and return to you." • **Isaiah 53:7** - He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. · • **John 10:18** - "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and **laid it on Isaac his son**, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the **two of them walked on together.** 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, **"Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"** 8 Abraham said, "**God will provide** for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. " **So the two of them walked on together.** 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and **bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.** 10 **Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.** 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "**Abraham, Abraham**!" And he said, "Here I am." 12 He said, **"Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.** 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a **ram caught in the thicket by his horns;** and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place **The Lord Will Provide,** as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord **it will be provided.**" • **Genesis 22:14 (KJV)** - And Abraham called the name of that place **Jehovah-jireh:** as it is said to this day, In the mount of the **Lord it shall be seen.** • **1 Peter 3:18** - For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; • **Romans 5:19** - For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

How did Abraham display great faith in his reasoning about God's commands to him regarding Isaac? What faith stories would we tell about Jacob or Joseph? What stories does the Hebrews author tell? Why? The New and Living Way | Episode 34 | Hebrews 11:17-22 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called:" accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

In Abraham, we see the fatherhood of God. In Isaac, we see the sonship of Jesus Christ but in Jacob, we see the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Discover more in this episode.Support the show (http://paypal.me/francisugbeikwu)

For more on the Darby Bible Translation see our podcast about it on episode 20. Romans 9: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great grief and uninterrupted pain in my heart, for I have wished, I myself, to be a curse from the Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to flesh; who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law-giving, and the service, and the promises; whose are the fathers; and of whom, as according to flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not however as though the word of God had failed; for not all are Israel which are of Israel; nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children: but, In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee. That is, they that are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed. For this word is of promise, According to this time I will come, and there shall be a son to Sarah. And not only that , but Rebecca having conceived by one, Isaac our father, the children indeed being not yet born, or having done anything good or worthless (that the purpose of God according to election might abide, not of works, but of him that calls), it was said to her, The greater shall serve the less: according as it is written, I have loved Jacob, and I have hated Esau. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Far be the thought. For he says to Moses, I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy, and I will feel compassion for whom I will feel compassion. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst men , that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in all the earth. So then, to whom he will he shews mercy, and whom he will he hardens. Thou wilt say to me then, Why does he yet find fault? for who resists his purpose? Aye, but thou, O man, who art *thou* that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? And if God, minded to shew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory, us, whom he has also called, not only from amongst the Jews, but also from amongst the nations? As he says also in Hosea, I will call not-my-people My people; and the-not-beloved Beloved. And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, *Ye* are not my people, there shall they be called Sons of the living God. But Esaias cries concerning Israel, Should the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved: for he is bringing the matter to an end, and cutting it short in righteousness; because a cutting short of the matter will the Lord accomplish upon the earth. And according as Esaias said before, Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and made like even as Gomorrha. What then shall we say? That they of the nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but the righteousness that is on the principle of faith. But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to that law. Wherefore? Because it was not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone, according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.

Doug is on travel today. Taylor and Bob Graumann discuss yesterday's program with Wayne Grudem. ------------------ Hebrews 11:17-29 The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God’s Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Doug's guest today is Dr. Wayne Grudem Moral and Spiritual issues in the 2012 election waynegrudem.com under articles then political People are changing the rules after we've won. Why can people trust the ESV? ------------------ Hebrews 11:17-29 The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God’s Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Taylor is back VP debate tonight Declassified Pro-Life for Biden? Wayne Gruden tomorrow The Faith of Moses ------------------ Hebrews 11:17-29 The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God’s Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

David Gray in again for Taylor. Clarification from yesterday's program. Serving the creature rather than the Creator Caller Don from St. Augustine about revivals breaking out. Bit of Faith Ranch Looking at Moses ------------------ Hebrews 11:17-29 The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God’s Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

David Gray in for Taylor Now in the greek alphabet Prayers for those that have COVID Deeping individualism Everyone did what was right in their own eyes Who was the first person in the Bible to have many wives? ------------------ Hebrews 11:17-29 The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God’s Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Romans 9:1-9 (KJV) 1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

Jehovah-Jireh – Hearing God’s Provision Hearing God’s voice has been part of the focus within our local fellowship the last few weeks.  In the story of Abraham and Isaac, God’s purpose for mankind is set forth.  Isaac is a promised Son. Israel becomes God’s holy nation coming out of the promised Son.  In type and shadow this nation was brought forth through Isaac’s resurrection from the dead, which is declared in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11:17-19  “By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.” We who are in Christ are not in figure, but in reality.  Our new birth is in and through His resurrection.  Through Christ Jesus we are raised out from the dead (dead in Adam) and brought forth to be a people unto God.  Peter calls us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.  The priesthood that we are is of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We minister Him, His death, burial and resurrection.  Our living in the earth is to be unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have life.   Our new life is Christ Himself.  This is the glorious relationship we have come to.  Now when I look back at Genesis and the story of Abraham and Isaac, I want us to consider that Abraham heard God.  Now he did not just hear God within the confines of Abrahams wants and wishes, but Abraham heard God according to His purpose, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.”  I believe many believers struggle to hear God because they are simply trying to hear Him only as it relates to themselves. For example, generally when we pray “thy will be done,” we are still praying about something concerning us.  We are not necessarily asking God what His will is, His will period.  What we are usually asking is God’s will for our situations, circumstances, etc.   Once we turn our hearts to hear God’s will and purpose, I believe it opens the door to a continuous hearing and seeing of the Spirit of God.  What is God’s will and purpose is where we must turn our hearts, minds, and focus to.  Notice I did not say what is His will and purpose for our lives.  I mean what is His will and purpose period!  This is exciting folks, because it is here that I believe God wants to speak within the core of or being.  Ephesians 1 declares that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here, I believe is where we find His will and purpose, in His Only Son Jesus Christ.  Here is where we must be found, just as Paul wrote to the Philippians, “that I may be found in Him.”   I believe when God made the earth, and ultimately mankind He was looking into Christ and what He was going to do in and through Him. All of God’s movement and declarations upon the earth were according to Christ, from the time He said, “Let there be light,” to the birth of Jesus Christ in the manger.  God was moving and speaking toward His purpose.  Jesus profoundly declared that the scripture speaks of Him.   Now God is revealing the very light he was speaking of, in our hearts as He reveals Christ in us.  Christ who is the light.  Even the natural light that gave light to mankind upon the earth was speaking and declaring the coming light of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We who are in Him, can now walk in God’s glorious light.  We can walk and see by Him, and no longer be in the shadows, but declare the Eternal Light to the earth.  We can make known God’s purposes as we see Jesus in the Light of understanding given of God!  Blessing to all!

Jehovhah-jireh – Thine Only Son John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice.”  Many of us may spend a lot of time seeking to hear the voice of God.  Jesus said clearly that His sheep would hear His voice.  Many may deduce His statement to only the written word of God, but that would not be the case.  We who are in union with Him should hear His voice.  I believe the challenge we may have is what is His voice is saying?  Much of our time may be spent in asking God to tell us what to do regarding things, or situations.   As a young Minister I did just that.  I spent many hours in prayer seeking God’s voice, primarily about where to Minister and seeking the Ministry of the Lord.  I do not want to tell you there was no benefit to this because it was of much benefit.  I also, do not want to tell you that God does not speak in regard to natural things or our requests because He absolutely does.   He will direct you and speak to you in specific things in your life.   However, what we do not consider much of the time is what God wants to speak about.  We are often too busy trying to get Him to speak with us about our situations.  The story of Mary and Martha in the Bible is great illustration to this.  Martha is busy about in preparation that Jesus has come to their house.  Mary sits at His feet to HEAR HIM, and what He has to say.  This I believe is the key to hearing God.  Turn to hear what He has to say.  When we turn to Him, He is going to speak within us and reveal His Word.  He is going to reveal the living Christ in us.  This speaking will transform our being, our mind, our heart, and our soul.  God wants to tell us His desires, His thoughts, and His vision towards creation.  He is interested in His plan, and wants to move us from our own to His.   In the study we have been in of Genesis 22, The LORD says to Abraham to take his son, “Thine Only Son and offer Him.  This is a powerful statement, rich and full of the mind and plan of the Lord.  This statement was clearly speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The entirety of the story of Isaac is speaking of Christ.  The chosen SEED of Abraham being Isaac, is speaking of Jesus our Lord, who is the chosen Seed of God.  Just as Isaac was promised, Jesus was promised, Isaiah 9:6 “Unto us a child is born and a Son is given.”  Jesus is the fulfillment of all things promised and spoken.   Isaac was the son of promise.  God promised Abraham a son.  Abraham and Sara could not have children.  Sara was barren.  So they could not produce the seed promised.   The LORD had to move upon Sara to bring Isaac forth.  Can we hear this?  This is speaking of Mary and the babe Jesus.  Isaac was brought forth of God.  Sure, he was Abrahams son, fathered by Abraham, but he was a clear type or representation of Jesus Christ.  However, unlike the type, Jesus’ had no earthly Father.  He was not only brought forth of God, but was the very SEED of God, the Word made flesh.  Just as all of Israel would be of Isaac, the promise seed of Abraham.  All of God’s children, the Church would be of Christ God’s very own Seed.  He is our salvation.  All who are in Christ, are born of ONE SEED.   This is what is hidden in the story of Isaac, the picture of the Lord Jesus himself.  However, not only Him, but we who belong to Him.  All of Israel came through the promised Seed of Abraham.  In fact, if we study the scriptures, we will see Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and all of Israel was from Him. Now, we, the true Israel of God come through the TRUE promised Seed.  Jesus fulfills all God spoke of when He said, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.”  Paul writes in the Book of Galatians Chapter 3 that the Seed of Abraham was Christ.    Jesus was the fulfillment of everything said through Abraham and Isaac.  In fact, all of Israel was speaking of Him.  Finally consider, that Paul wrote later in the book of Galatians 3 that they who are of faith are Abraham’s seed.  All of Christ belong to this ONE SEED, which is CHRIST.   We are born of none other but Him.  The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  Read this carefully.  We are born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  The surge of life that comes in us at the new birth is His resurrection out from the dead (dead in Adam, dead in Sin).  We are made dead to the old creation of sin and death through His death, and whisked up into new life through His Resurrection.  We that are His are all born of this one glorious SEED of God, who lives and abides forever!  We are now the SEED of God through our Lord Jesus Christ and are destined to grow up into Him in all things.  These ALL THINGS are all that is of Him.  This is a totally new life full of purpose of God!  Blessings to all!

June 2, 2019 cd19.06.02 SCRIPTURE READING “(6) But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, (7) nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’ (8) That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. (9) For this is the word of promise, ‘At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.’ (10) And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (11) (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), (12) it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ (13) As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’” Rom.9:6-13 (NKJV) “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.” Isa.66:8 THE REJECTION OF CHRIST BY MOST, BUT NOT ALL, IN ISRAEL: 1. did not subvert THE PLAN AND PROMISE OF GOD! “(6) But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, (7) nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’”Rom.9:6-7 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “Grace does not run in the blood!” Matthew Henry 2. high-lighted God’s sovereign choice of ISAAC OVER ISHMAEL! “(7b) but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’ (8) That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. (9) For this is the word of promise, ‘At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.’” Rom.9:7b-9 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. high-lighted God’s sovereign choice of JACOB OVER ESAU! “(10) And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (11) (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), (12) it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ (13) As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but, Esau I have hated.’” Rom.9:10-13 “And the LORD said to her: ‘Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” Gen.25:23 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ “`Will I not in that day,’ says the LORD, ‘even destroy the wise men from Edom, and understanding from the mountains of Esau?’” Obadiah 8 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ “(2) ‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD. Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ says the LORD. Yet Jacob I have loved; (3) But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness.” Mal.1:2-3 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ “The choice of one deserving man over another deserving man would have been favoritism. When we see that the two (Jacob and Esau) were equally undeserving, the whole picture becomes different. Everything that is said in the entire Bible about the nature of fallen man may be said—must be said, about both Jacob and Esau. God determined, for causes that are to be found in Himself and have not been revealed to us, to show favor to Jacob. This is grace and grace alone. To show grace to one does not imply condemnation of the other. The condemnation had been equally upon both since the fall of Adam. The grace that is now manifested is sovereign.” Donald Grey Barnhouse SO WHAT? 1. God always keeps His promises, so don’t try to understand the future through the eyes of the present! “(10) For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, (11) so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isa.55:10-11 2. I am responsible to believe what God has said! “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Jn.8:56 “(6) just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Gal.3:6 3. But my responsibility is subject to divine sovereignty! “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Pr.16:9 “(8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph.2:8-9 4. God not only hates the sin but He hates the sinner! “The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.” Ps.5:5 “The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Ps.11:5 5. But God loves sinners! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Jn.3:16 “As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Rom.9:13 6. God gets all the glory in the salvation of a sinner! “…that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls.” Rom.9:11b SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: All small groups will meet at the church on Wednesday evening, June 5, at 5:30 for supper and at 6 p.m. for Worldview training. See you there! Daily Bible Reading Mon (Rom.9:6-13) Meaning of God’s promise to the Jews Tue (Gen.12:1-3) God’s promise to Abraham Wed (Gen.21:12) National promises made to Abraham were to those who came through Isaac Thu (Gen.25:23) National promises and spiritual promises made to Abraham were to come through Jacob Fri (Isa.55:10-11) All of God’s word will be fulfilled Sat (Rom.4:11) Faith is required for salvation Sun (Eph.2:8-9) The power and desire to believe is a gracious gift

Hebrews 11:17-19 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative (symbolic, allegorical or metaphorical ) sense. What made Abraham to demonstrate such a faith in God? What was the reason for such a faith of Abraham in God?----more---- - God was not a stranger to Abraham, God was a family member- Abraham believed death doesn't limit God's ability- Abraham believed the New Testament doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead- Abraham understood that it is his privilege, not his right If you get a strong hold of this amazing truth in your life, you will have such a faith as Abraham.

TODAY’S PREACHING   PROMISES, PROMISES? GUARANTEES? GOOD INTENTIONS?  _______________  BIBLICAL PROMISES = ESTABLISHED FACTS (Not future GOOD INTENTIONS or MYTHICAL FANTASIES) _______________  31,173 Scriptures / 30,000+ Promises? / 8810 Promises _______________ HEBREWS 8:6 NKJV … (Jesus Christ) is also Mediator of a BETTER COVENANT, which was established on BETTER PROMISES. 1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-25 NKJV …the Lord Jesus on the [same] night in which He was betrayed took BREAD; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and said, "Take, eat; this is MY BODY which is BROKEN FOR YOU; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner [He] also [took] the CUP (OF WINE) after supper, saying, "This cup is the NEW COVENANT in MY BLOOD. This do, as often as you drink [it], in remembrance of Me." HEBREWS 9:22 NKJV And according to the law almost all things are PURIFIED WITH BLOOD, and without SHEDDING OF BLOOD there is NO REMISSION (OF SIN).  _______________ ADAM  GENESIS 2:7 NKJV And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the BREATH OF LIFE; and man became a LIVING BEING. LEVITICUS 17:11, 14 NKJV For the LIFE OF THE FLESH [IS] IN THE BLOOD, … for it [is] the BLOOD [that] makes ATONEMENT for the soul. ... 14 for [it is] the LIFE of all flesh. Its BLOOD sustains its LIFE.  _______________ EVE GENESIS 2:18, 21-23 NKJV And the LORD God said, "[It is] not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." ... 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his RIBS, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the RIB which the LORD God had taken from man HE MADE INTO A WOMAN, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: "This [is] now BONE OF MY BONES And FLESH OF MY FLESH; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."  _______________  ADAM AND EVE SINNED GENESIS 2:16-17 NKJV And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, … 17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely DIE." ROMANS 6:23 NKJV For the wages of sin [is] DEATH… GENESIS 3:21 NKJV Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of SKIN, and clothed them. LEVITICUS 17:11, 14 NKJV For the LIFE OF THE FLESH [IS] IN THE BLOOD, … for it [is] the BLOOD [that] makes ATONEMENT for the soul. ... 14 for [it is] the LIFE of all flesh. Its BLOOD sustains its LIFE. _______________ CAIN AND ABEL GENESIS 4:2-5 NKJV …Now ABEL was a keeper of SHEEP, but CAIN was a tiller of the GROUND. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an OFFERING OF THE FRUIT of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the FIRSTBORN OF HIS FLOCK and of their fat. And the LORD RESPECTED ABEL and his offering, 5 but He DID NOT RESPECT CAIN and his offering. HEBREWS 11:4 NKJV BY FAITH ABEL offered to God a MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE than CAIN… _______________  ABRAHAM - ISAAC HEBREWS 11:17-19 NKJV By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son], 18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," 19 concluding that GOD [WAS] ABLE TO RAISE [HIM] UP, EVEN FROM THE DEAD, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. _______________  MOSES EXODUS 12:5, 7-8, 11-14 NKJV 'Your LAMB SHALL BE WITHOUT BLEMISH, a male of the first year. You may take [it] from the sheep or from the goats. ... 7 'And they shall take [some] of the BLOOD and put [it] on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 'Then they shall EAT THE FLESH on that night; roasted in fire, with UNLEAVENED BREAD [and] with bitter [herbs] they shall eat it. ... 11 'And thus you shall eat it: [with] a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It [is] the LORD'S PASSOVER. 12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD. 13 'Now the BLOOD SHALL BE A SIGN for you on the houses where you [are]. And when I see the BLOOD, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy [you] when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall KEEP IT AS A FEAST to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.’ PSALM 105:37 NKJV He also brought them out with silver and gold, And [there was] NONE FEEBLE among His tribes. _______________  JESUS GENESIS 3:15 NKJV (God said to the serpent, Satan) And I will put enmity Between you and the WOMAN, And between your seed and HER SEED; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." 1 PETER 2:22, 24 NKJV (Jesus Christ) Who committed NO SIN, Nor was deceit found in His mouth; ... 24 who Himself BORE OUR SINS in His own body on the TREE, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by WHOSE STRIPES YOU WERE HEALED. JOHN 19:30 NKJV …(Jesus said) "IT IS FINISHED!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. REVELATION 13:8 NKJV - 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of THE LAMB SLAIN from the foundation of the world. COLOSSIANS 1:14, 20 NKJV … in whom (Jesus Christ) we have REDEMPTION through His BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins. ... 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made PEACE through the BLOOD OF HIS CROSS. 1 PETER 1:18-19 NKJV …knowing that you were not REDEEMED with corruptible things, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH and WITHOUT SPOT (Exodus 12:5).  _______________ BLOOD COVENANT = PROMISES = ESTABLISHED FACTS  _______________ TIME TO ACTIVATE Read/Pray/Live the PROMISES as COVENANT FACTS with God!  _______________ COMMUNION TABLE 1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-25 NKJV …the Lord Jesus on the [same] night in which He was betrayed took BREAD; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and said, "Take, eat; this is MY BODY which is BROKEN FOR YOU; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner [He] also [took] the CUP (OF WINE) after supper, saying, "This cup is the NEW COVENANT in MY BLOOD. This do, as often as you drink [it], in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this BREAD and drink this CUP, you PROCLAIM THE LORD'S DEATH till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks [this] cup of the Lord in an UNWORTHY MANNER will be guilty of the BODY and BLOOD of the Lord. 28 But let a man EXAMINE HIMSELF, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an UNWORTHY MANNER eats and drinks JUDGMENT to himself, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY. 30 FOR THIS REASON many [are] WEAK and SICK among you, and many SLEEP (HAVE DIED).  _______________

TEXT: Genesis 21:1–7 (ESV) 1 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”   In verses 8-21 we see a divorce take place between Abraham and Hagar (the slave woman that Abraham had married and conceived the child Ishmael with). Abraham divorces Hagar as well as Ishmael. They are sent out of his life entirely. In 22-34 we see a treaty had been struck at Beersheba with Abimelech the Philistine King. Abraham, Sarah, and now Isaac were enjoying a time of peace. The last thing we see in Chapter 21 was Abraham planting a tree a sign that he planned to put down roots. Abraham calls upon the Lord as El Olam – the Everlasting God.   Genesis 22:1 (ESV) 1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”   I am very thankful that the Holy Spirit saw fit to give us a clue that this was a, “test” so we could read what follows with that in mind. Abraham however had no such heads up.   Genesis 22:2 (ESV) 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”   Notice how God demonstrated the significance of this command -    Take your son - This was Abraham’s son, if God has given you a child you know it is a special thing. For a dad, there is always something unique when the Doctor says, “it’s a boy”. To be honest, girls freak us out a little bit. We aren’t sure what to do with girls. But a boy - we’ve been down that road before. For Abraham the birth of his son was all of that and more - this was the child he should not have been able to have. Sarah was well past child bearing years. Beyond this Isaac was the conduit of the promise - he was the next step in God’s promise, God’s covenant to bless the entire Earth. Your only son - Was this Abraham’s only son? Well there was Ishmael, but practically speaking yes. Ishmael had been sent away. Abraham had only one son left – Isaac. The promise would happen through Isaac or it would not happen at all. Not only that - the first born son was subject to the ironclad law of PRIMOGENITOR. You see in the ancient world inheritance wasn’t divided equally between all the children. But the firstborn son would receive everything. So in a very real sense in offering Isaac God was calling Abraham to lay everything he had, or ever hoped to be, every hope, every dream, all of his possessions on the alter. Whom you love – Don’t think for a minute that Abrahams journey of faith had been a series of theological equations. God is acknowledging that Abraham would FEEL this deeply. ILLUSTRATION: I was traveling back to AL for a funeral this week. At one point on the journey I heard a song that my son Cole plays on guitar. That simple music reminded me of how much love my son, how proud I am of him… I don’t expect Abraham love Isaac any less. No doubt, his knees buckled, his stomach twisted into a knot.  For a brief moment despair, doubt, disillusionment, disappointment flooded his soul. This is the son that he LOVED! Genesis 22:2b (ESV) 2…and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”   The word Moriah literally means "foreseen by God."  It is not coincidental that God wanted this event to occur on Mt. Moriah.  In the mind of God this was a sacred spot.  There was no other place any place like this place.  Why did it have to be this place? Out of all of the galaxies God choose the milky way.  Our of all the solar systems God choose our’s.  Then he laid his finger on a little blue planet called earth.  Out of all of the expanses of land on planet earth, God choose the sands of Canaan.  And out of all of the mountains that sprung out of the land of Canaan God choose one Mountain called Moriah. It is on this mountain that redemption would occur. Because there on the Mountains of Moriah - there was one particular place called, Golgatha, the place of the skull… upon a hill called Calvary.   Genesis 22:2–3 (ESV) 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Gordon Wenham calls us to notice order of action—first saddling his donkey and then cutting wood – the progression is illogical which indicates that Abraham was quite disoriented. Was it because he was about to have to sacrifice Isaac??? Yes, but more than that. You see God’s COMMAND was in direct contradiction to God’s COVENANT.  Isaac was the child through which God promised to carry out the covenant promise. Now God is saying, “Sacrifice him as a burnt offering”. How could Abraham make sense of this seemingly impossible situation.   God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to him. That would require Abraham cutting the throat of Isaac, draining his blood, cutting off his arms and legs, then burning his body completely. Somehow or another God was going to have to put this boy back again. Some how God was going to have to reinstate that spilt blood. Somehow God would have to breath again the breath of life. The promise of God demanded that Isaac have a child. That had not occurred. Abraham was believing God for the unbelievable – a resurrection. We get some hint of that in verse 4 and 5…   Genesis 22:4–5 (ESV) 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”   You say Pastor that’s quite a stretch that Abraham would assume that God intended to raise Isaac– No not at all - Hebrews 11:17–19 (NAS) 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.    Friend the ONLY reason Abraham was able to obey God in this command was because Abraham KNEW that God HAD to be true to His word. DO YOU REMEMBER THE COVENANT? The Shikina Glory of God passed through the torn pieces of the animals. If God didn’t keep His promise - God called down a curse upon Himself.    The death of Isaac could NOT be the end… Abraham believed that deeply.  Genesis 22:6–8 (ESV) 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.   Isaac would be required to carry wood up Mt. Moriah, the very wood that was designed to claim his life. It would be thousands of years later before another Son would carry the deadly wood up the mountain…    Church do you see the analogy that Isaac is portraying? The loving father giving His only begotten son as a sacrifice.     7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.   Now I don’t know if Abraham really believed that or if he was trying to convince Isaac to go along. We are told Abraham expected resurrection. Either way - what a prophetic word that was!    God will provide HIMSELF a LAMB. Dear church:   We don’t serve a God that demands your son’s to die… we serve a God that provides HIMSELF a lamb.  We don’t serve a God that call your good to outweigh your bad so that he is appeased… we serve a God that provides HIMSELF a lamb. We don’t serve a God who calls you to EARN his good favor… we serve a God that provides HIMSELF a lamb.   Genesis 22:9–14 (ESV) 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”   The Hebrew word for fear means an “Awe, reverence” it carries the idea of wonder, amazement, astonishment… it’s very similar to our word for ultimate love. He is saying Abraham - you have passed the test. You have proved that I’m the absolute most important thing in your life.     13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.   Do you see it? This Ram wore upon his head a crown of thorns pointing to another who would bear a thorny crown. Up until this point Isaac has been the type pointing to Christ, but the analogy could go no further. For you see Isaac also needed a redeemer, there must be a substitute also for Isaac.  ULTIMATELY - the mind of God wasn’t fixed on Abraham, it wasn’t fixed on Isaac, it wasn’t fixed on the ram caught in the thorns…look at verse 14 -    14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” You see the word Moriah literally means "foreseen by God.”    God could look into the future and see another Son, carrying the wood up the mountain, another Father prepared to slaughter His son…. Other thorns upon another head…. But this time, no angel stepped in.    ILLUSTRATION: Years  ago I read about a preacher who was backing out -of his driveway.  His little boy loved to play hide and seek with his daddy.  And this preacher's little boy jumped out from behind the bushes and said, "Boo,  Daddy." But Daddy didn't hear him because he was behind the auto- mobile.  This preacher heard that sickening thud as he backed out over and crushed the body of his little boy. And he picked up that crushed little body.  The life had already gone from the little youngster.  And he was  so broken-hearted.  Later on, he told a preacher friend about it.  And the preacher's friend's name was Bob. And this older preacher told the younger preacher with the tears streaming down his cheeks, he said concerning the death of his son, "Bob, I wouldn't have done it for the world.  I wouldn't have done  it for the world. But God did for the world, for the world.    For God so loved the world, that He gave, He gave He gave His only begotten Son for the world.     Friend - if you are to find the power to take your dreams and sacrifice them to God’s glory….   You will have to look to a God who didn’t stop the knife.    God looked at Abraham who almost sacrificed his son and said, “Now I know how much you love me”.    We look at God who DID Sacrifice His Son and say, “Now I know, how much you Love me”.       

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” Genesis 22:1-14 NASB By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. Hebrews 11:17-19 NASB “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32 NASB YHWH YIREH - THE LORD WILL ________________.

The Faith of the Patriarchs  Hebrews  11: 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

How does Paul read the Scriptures? The Old Testament makes profound sense in light of Jesus Christ. Explore the texts, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1) and “…nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called. But the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy…” (Romans 9:7-8) Consider then, “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.“ (Romans 9:16)

The Faith of the Patriarchs 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”[d] 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in[e] Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

Psalms 37:3-5 NLT Trust in the lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Hebrews 11:1-19 NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

In a story with no hero, we learn how not to pursue God's blessing. In Isaac and Esau we see the way our love of things or people can cloud our vision, and in Rebekah and Jacob we see how we can resort to manipulation or deception to seek God's favor. In all of this, God is working for our good and his glory, calling us to faith.

REFLECTION QUOTES “If we don't understand our tools, then there is a danger we will become the tool of our tools. We think of ourselves as Google's customers, but really we're its products.” ~Rebecca Goldstein, Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son…” ~Hebrews 11 (NASB) “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” “He knew it was God the Almighty who now put him to the test; he knew it was the greatest sacrifice which could be demanded of him; but he knew also that no sacrifice was too great which God demanded—and he drew forth his knife. Who strengthened Abraham's arm, who supported his right arm that it drooped not powerless? For he who contemplates this scene is unnerved. Who strengthened Abraham's soul so that his eyes grew not too dim to see either Isaac or the ram? For he who contemplates this scene will be struck with blindness. And yet, it is rare enough that one is unnerved or is struck with blindness, and still more rare that one narrates worthily what there did take place between father and son.” “Remove form the Christian Religion, as Christendom has done, it's ability to shock, and Christianity…is altogether destroyed. It then becomes a tiny superficial thing, capable neither of inflicting deep wounds nor of healing them, …it forgets the qualitative distinction between man and God.” ~Søren Kierkegaard, 19th c. Danish Philosopher “True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie…. Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” ― A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), American pastor and author “The main reason…that you cannot extract ethical principles from Christianity and set them up on their own is that Christianity is not an ethical system. It is not meant to be a prescription for good behavior, although good behavior is one of its side effects. It is a story. Christians believe that it is a true story but a story, nonetheless.” ~ William Kirk Kilpatrick, former longtime professor at Boston College SERMON PASSAGE Genesis 22:1-19 (NASB) 1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” 15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba. Hebrews 11:17-19 (NASB) 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

How does Paul read the Scriptures? The Old Testament makes profound sense in light of Jesus Christ. Explore the texts, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1) and “…nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called. But the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy…” (Romans 9:7-8) Consider then, “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.“ (Romans 9:16)

The Westminster Confession of Faith Mid-way through the 17th century, some of the greatest theologians that ever lived assembled to put together a statement of faith, the Westminster Confession of Faith. In my mind, one of the greatest doctrinal writings ever. Section on God I can scarcely read without being moved to my heart. I want to begin by reading some of it to you. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; ... most just, and terrible in His judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, not deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: He is the sole fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever He Himself pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them. Now, that last line is why I read the whole thing. I struggle believing that, but I know in my heart it's true. That God is worthy of anything that He requires of me. Even if it would be my own child. Sometime 4000 years ago, God did in fact command one of His choice servants Abraham to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. And this God that we have discussed, that we have worshipped this morning is worthy of whatever worship He may require of you. And my only desire in preaching this sermon is to free you up from any restrictions, so that you can obey Him more fully than you have ever obeyed Him before by faith alone. That you may imitate the faith of Abraham. He will not command you to do what He commanded Abraham to do, but he will command you to do difficult things. And my only desire is to build up your faith so that you may obey Him and do those difficult things He commands you to do. I. God’s Test of Abraham’s Faith: The Sacrifice of Isaac Now, we're right in the middle of Hebrews chapter 11, this great faith chapter. The whole pressure, the whole press of the chapter is to build in the hearers, the readers a growing faith, to strengthen our faith that we may realize that we are not only justified by faith, but we are to live by faith, moment by moment. And the same faith that justifies is the faith that we must live out day by day. And so the author has given us these marvelous examples, and this is one of the pinnacle examples in all redemptive history, what I call today, the second greatest act of faith in history. And what is the test? What was Abraham asked to do? What was he commanded to do? In verse 17, "By faith Abraham, when God tested him offered Isaac as a sacrifice." The command comes very plainly in the Genesis account, you know it well I know. Genesis 22:1-2, there it says, "Sometime later, God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am, he replied.' Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.'" Now, who is this man who is so severely tested, this is Abraham who is called our father in faith, this is the one that God commanded to leave all of the Chaldees and go to the land He would show him. In Genesis 12, saying that through his offspring all peoples on earth would be blessed. This is the one who in Genesis 12, built an altar and called on the name of the Lord. This is the one who, in Genesis 13, God spoke to him after Lot left Him and said, "To your descendants I give this land." This is the one who blessed... Who was blessed by Melchizedek, and who Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. He who is priest of God most high, after the defeat of the kings in Genesis 14. This is the one to whom God had appeared in a vision in Genesis 15. And said, "Do not be afraid Abram, I am your shield, I am your very great reward." And then God took him out under the starlet sky and said, "Look up at the stars, count them if you can... So shall your offspring be" This is the one with whom God had made a very serious and solemn covenant in that same chapter, Genesis 15, and God represented by a smoking fire pod appeared when a dreadful darkness had come over Abraham, and he moved through the pieces of the sacrifice as if to say, "If I don't keep this promise, this covenant of mine, may I cease to exist, may I be exploded as this... The bodies of these sacrifices have been laid aside. May I be also destroyed if I don't keep this promise, this covenant." This is the one to whom God had given the covenant of circumcision in Genesis 17. The one who had said, "I am God almighty, walk before me and be blameless." The one to whom God appeared in Genesis 18, in the heat of the day and with two other angels, and the one who had made a promise "About this time next year, I will return, and Sarah will have a a son." This is the one who said within himself, "Shall I hide from Abraham. What I'm about to do?" (to Sodom and Gomorrah). And who opened up His counsel to Abraham and drew him in and the two of them had a discussion over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. And therefore in two places in scripture, Abraham was called God's friend. Both in Isaiah and in James. This is the one whom God severely tested. And so, I just want to stop right here at this point and say, just make this observation. It is not at all a sign of God's disfavor when he lays on someone a severe test or trial. Not at all a sign of His disfavor. The one he loved the most was His only begotten son, and He laid on him the greatest trial of all. And so what's going to happen when God tests your faith, and when God crushes you under some trial and some affliction, Satan is going to whisper to you that this is plain evidence that God doesn't love you. Don't listen to it. Those whom He loves the most He tests most severely. And so He tested Abraham his friend. And at what stage of life did God tests Abraham? When was this? Well, this was toward the end of Abraham's life. After many trials, after many step. Step by step. God building Abraham in his faith. It was not the raw recruit that God threw into the front line of test. But it was a seasoned veteran. This is graduate school. This is his doctoral dissertation of faith. This is at the end of his life, not at the beginning, like a skillful potter, God had been shaping and molding Abraham's faith all along. So this was not a beginning trial. This was more of a consummating trial. At What Stage of His Life Did He Test Him? And so after a long time at the end of his life after he'd been built up step-by-step, God tested him. And also notice it was in the middle of a very peaceful placid good time in his life. If you look at Genesis 22:1, it says, "And it came to pass after these things." After what things? Well, after the... At least the events of Genesis 21. Well, what happened in Genesis 21? Well, finally the miracle baby was born, the son of laughter, Sarah marveling over it saying, "Am I really going to nurse a child at this age?" And just the joy that Isaac the son of laughter brought into their lives. It was a happy time. And then despite Ishmael mocking and then he was cast out, and there were some family turmoil, but that was over now, God had made it plain that the bond woman and her son must be cast out. And so there was nothing but peace and harmony at that point in Abraham's family life. Furthermore, he was in a comfortable position with the people around him, he had made a covenant with Abimelech at Beersheba. A covenant of peace. And he planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the Lord the eternal God. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time. So it was a time of peace, of prosperity, of comfort and ease. And like a bolt from the blue comes this command. When all was right with his world. "Take your son, your only son, Isaac whom you love." And you may ask why did God test him? Why? "Sometime later, God tested Abraham." Why Did God “Test” Him? Why Does He “Test” Us? Why does He do it? Well, first of all, God never tempts anyone. I want to make a distinction between temptation and testing? From James Chapter 1. "When tempted no one should say, God is tempting me, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." So there must be a distinction in scripture between what James says God never does, and what Genesis 22, Moses says that God did do. So there's a distinction then between temptation and a trial. A temptation, the image in James is being seized and dragged away to do evil. And God never does that. He never puts a magnetic force on your soul, dragging you to do wickedness, that would never be God, God hates evil, everything He's doing in our lives and sanctification is to get us to hate evil as much as He does. But God never tempts anyway. But he does test us. So it's like an assayer office, a testing or a proving the worth of... So the assayer is going to find out whether this chunk really is gold or silver, or something valuable or something that's not. So why does He then test us? First, He does it for His own glory, because God is the one who gave you the faith he then wants to show you how powerful is His gift. And so he gives you the faith and then he puts testing circumstances around you to show that His faith will not fail. The faith that He gave you. And so for his own glory to the glory of God. So you realized it was God that gave you the faith, it is Jesus at the right hand of God, interceding for you concerning your faith, it's Gods work in you from beginning to end, and to God be the glory. And none of that can be proven if you never have any difficult times. If you never have any testing, no trials. No none of that can ever be proven, God cannot be glorified in that way. Secondly, he tests us for our own good for greater assurance. We must imagine that Abraham had a far greater assurance of God's sovereign love for him after this experience, than he did before. And so God test us, and tries us to bring us to full maturity and to greater assurance. The assurance language, I get from Romans 5:3-4. It says, "Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope." Now hope equals assurance to me. They're the same thing. And so we have assurance, a greater hope, a greater sense of servitude about the future after those trials are over. And so God does it because he loves us. I want to add another one right here. And that is to purify our faith, not just to test us and show it, but also to purify our faith. This is the one that was added to me as I was sitting in the pew. The fact of the matter is, we are still in danger of idolatry. Is it possible for Abraham and Sarah to idolize Isaac? Certainly, it's possible. God is a jealous God, and He will not have Abraham love Isaac more than he loves Him. And so He strengthens our faith by purifying it of all of his good gifts, so sometimes he's going to take away a good gift to show that the real blessing in it was the giver who's still here. God is still here, He still loves me just as much. Even though the gift has now been taken away. And so we must have our faith purified because we're still in danger. And realized Faith is temporary, anyway you won't need it in heaven. And so it makes sense that it's not a perfect thing, it needs to be purified, it needs to be strengthened all of those things. And then fourthly, God tests, our faith for the good of others. For the on-looking world, for the on-looking audience so that others may be blessed by the way that you are strengthened through your trial in your test. So we know that this is how it works in a local church. When you see someone else suffer well through a trial, you are strengthened. We are all sitting in the school of Abraham today, we're sitting at his feet and learning from him our father in faith, how to trust God. And so we are on the outside looking in, and we are strengthened by the testing that happened to another person. Those are four reasons why God does it. How Could Abraham Morally Obey Such a Command? Now as you read this you may be troubled, you may wonder about this, "Take your son, your only son… and sacrifice him..." How can Abraham morally obey such a repugnant command, it seems repugnant to us. I mean, we already knew from Genesis 9:6, Whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed. Story of Cain and Abel confirms that God is against murder. So clearly, again, we must make a distinction between murder and what God's commanding Abraham to do here. Just as we made a distinction between temptations and trials. How can he morally obey this command, is it immoral for him to do this? And the key answer, and this must be God's absolute sovereignty, that God as the king of the universe, is alone, the standard of righteousness. Whatever God commands is righteous and whatever he forbids is wickedness. He is the standard in the universe. He has an absolute right to do whatever He wants with what He's made. That is the very lesson that we struggle with our whole lives, our rebellious self-struggle with that. Does God really have the right to do that. Yes, he does. God has infinite rights as the creator, the sovereign, the king. He is allowed to command Abraham to do this. It is not immoral, for him to do it, it would have been immoral for him not to do it. So we just have to get our minds around that. Whatever God commands is right? Just like the angel in Revelation 16, when He's pouring out wrath on the rivers, all the fresh water. And the angels celebrating it and worship. The angel in charge of the water is saying, "You are just in these judgments you who are and who were the holy one, because you have so judged." It's really just that simple to the angel. "You told me to do it, it must be right". And so the angel has that attitude, and we should pray in the Lord's prayer, that God's will will be done here on earth, as it is in heaven. With the same kind of trust in the King. So no, it is not immoral for him. Now, let's weight, if we can the greatness of this test. II. The Greatness of the Test This was a great test. What was actually commanded? Well, we've said it, but look at it carefully. "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Maria, sacrifice him there as a burnt offering." I just ponder those words. Who was it that Abraham was commanded to sacrifice? It wasn't one of his beasts, it wasn't all of his beasts, wasn't one of his slaves, it wasn't even Ishmael, son whom he definitely loved, the son of the slave woman, it was the son of the promise, it was the one that he and his barren wife had waited for it for a hundred and 90 years respectively. They had waited for this miracle baby, and now the miracle baby is there, the one who is crafted in the womb in Sarah's barren womb by the supernatural power of Almighty God. This is the one through whom all peoples on earth will be blessed. This is the promised baby, this is the seed of Abraham. In Isaac, your seed will be reckoned. This is the seed of Abraham through which the whole world is going to be blessed. Look what it says about him, this heightens in Verse 17 and 18, Hebrews 11:17-18, "He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, of whom God had said to him, It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." This is the one that he loved, the son that he loved, the son of his affection. It's amazing how children can wrap parents around their fingers, they just do it from the time they come home from the hospital. And oh, how we dote on them, and we should, we should cherish them, and we should love them. It's a great picture of God, the Father's love for us, when you have a godly father who loves you that same way. And so there's nothing wrong with it. And He said, "Take your son whom you love, the one you cherish." Matthew Henry put it this way, "And being called to offer up his Isaac, he seemed to be called to destroy and cut off his own family, to cancel the promises of God, to prevent the coming of Christ, to destroy the whole world. To sacrifice his own soul, and his own hopes of salvation, to cut off the church of God at one blow. It was a most terrible trial." Another commentator said, "When God commanded Abraham to leave Ur, the Chaldeans, He was commanding him to turn his back on his past. With this command, He was commanding him to turn his back it seemed on his future." A severe trial. Now, what was it in Abraham's nature that made this such a test? Well, look at Abraham just as a man, what kind of man was he? Was he a cruel man who delighted in cruelty? Did he liked being vicious? Not at all. Look at his reaction to the whole problem with Ishmael, he wanted to find some way that they could all get along, he didn't want to send his son Ishmael away. Had to be told directly by God to do it. So he's tender-hearted, Genesis 21:11 concerning Ishmael, "The matter distressed Abraham greatly, because it concerned his son." And that's speaking of Ishmael. That's a tender-hearted man. Now, what was it in God's dealings with Abraham that made this such a test? Well, it seemed to run contrary to everything God was doing. Talk about connecting the dots, "Now, what's God been doing in my life?" You connect, connect, connect, connect, and then suddenly, this command comes, it doesn't make any sense at all. It seems to be contrary to the very nature of God, this tender-hearted and loving God, the God who is merciful and compassionate, slowed to anger and abounding in love and kindness. It doesn't seem to make any sense, the kind of thing you would think would have come from a demiurge, a demon, Satan himself, not God. Let's be honest, if you had a friend who told you they had heard from God that he was commanded to do this, wouldn't you worry at least? You might go so far as to turn him in to the authorities. This is a strange command, it doesn't seem to line up. It seems difficult to accept that God would command him to do this. And so we are led into the inner workings of Abraham's faith and the nature of his relationship, God's relationship with Abraham. There was no doubt at all, no doubt at all in Abraham's mind, that it was God who was commanding him to do this. God by his pattern of communication, in various ways... And I was tracing over it this morning, as I was looking over it again, God came to Abraham at many times and in various ways as well, sometimes a vision, sometimes just speaking, it says God took him out of the tent to look at the stars. I don't know how that works, how God the Father did that, but there's this walking in it, walking with God there is a sense of incredible relationship between God and Abraham. There was such a closeness, an intimacy, sometimes, like I said, a vision. I don't know what that looked like. However God spoke to Abraham concerning Isaac, he knew it was God, there was no doubt in his mind. III. The Inner Workings of Abraham’s Faith And I find it amazing that Scripture gives us... I would say, no glimpse whatsoever, into Abraham's inner turmoil, or his psychology concerning this command and the three-day journey and all that, none, there's not a word anywhere. Many artists who let's say, painted or who write poems about it, or Michael Card who'll write a song, beautiful song. Three days journey to the sacred place. Boy and a man with a sorrowful face stop probably, but there's nothing in Scripture about it. Tortured, yet faithful to God's command. Stop. Probably, but again, nothing in Scripture about it. John Owen delves into this, he says, "What now must be the workings of his heart towards Isaac, a son whom he’d so long waited for; the only child of his dear wife who was the companion of all his wanderings; this boy who was now growing up, as is most probable, unto the age of sixteen or seventeen years, and had engaged his affections by all ways possible; the security of his old age, the life of his family—his only hope and comfort in this world? And how was he to deal with him? Not to send him out of his family with some provision and a guide, as he sent Ishmael; not to part with him for a time in a foreign country; but to take him himself, bind him, slay him with a knife, and then to burn him to ashes. Who can conceive what convulsions of nature must have happened at that time? Who can put himself into these circumstances without trembling and horror?" Well, that's John Owen, one of the greatest theologians of the Puritan era, he is delving into the psychology of Abraham. I think it's only natural to do it, I just find it fascinating. The Scripture doesn't do it at all. It seems in the end, to have been irrelevant and a material if there were these kinds of torture, and wrangling and all that sort of stuff, what mattered is that he did it, that's what mattered. In the end, he obeyed, that's what mattered, not the wrangling, and all of the torture, and the facial expression. I'm thinking he probably had to control his facial expression during that three-day journey, don't you think? He's got to get the boy there. And so I don't know that you could have seen much on his face, that's just me surmising, I really don't know. Martin Luther, in a family devotion, went into great detail over this, Genesis 22, lots of detail about the sacrifice, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. He went into a such great detail that finally, his wife Katie couldn't bear it anymore, and she blurted out, "I do not believe it, God would not have treated His own son like that." "But Katie," said Luther, "He did." It's an amazing thing, and yet, for all of that, for all of the wrangling that Owen said, went on, that Luther said went on, that Michael Card said went on, there's nothing at all. I find that significant, because what really matters in the end is faith and obedience, faith and obedience. I think he probably did with this, the same that he'd done earlier concerning Isaac's conception to begin with. "He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully convinced that He who had promised had power to do what he had promised." That's what I think was going on. And so in compliance set along with the command of God, he shut his eyes as it were, against all difficulties and consequence, resolving to venture Isaac, posterity truth of promises, to venture everything out on the authority of God. In the end, it was for God and not Abraham, to reconcile this command with the promises. Wasn't Abraham's business to work it all out. Life really is ultimately simple for bond-slaves, amen, just do what you're told. Now you may say, "That's not that easy," believe me, I know what you mean when you say it's not that easy, believe me I know. But in the end it really is that easy, you obey or you disobey. And so the inner wrangling, and the psychology, even all that is just noise really, in the background. Do you have faith and will you obey? Abraham Reasoned by Faith Now, Hebrews 11:19 tells us a little more, it tells us that Abraham reasoned by faith. It actually gives us a glimpse into the workings of his mind on the rational side, not so much the emotional side, not at all actually, but on the rational side, Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead. Now, this is really astonishing because at least in the record of Scripture, it's never happened before, this would be the first time ever that a dead person had been resurrected. Do you not see what a great thing faith is? Because our God is a great God, God can do anything, faith connects with that, and therefore, God can raise the dead. It's really astonishing, but there'd been no precedent at all. Genesis 22:5 gives us proof that he was expecting this. He said to the servants that were with them, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." What a big difference between we and I? Alright, "We will worship and I will come back to you," that's a whole different sentence, amen. "We will worship and then we will come back to you." So, as I figure it out, not only did Abraham fully expect a bodily resurrection of Isaac, he expected it immediately, not a year later, five years later, but right there, he'd get him back. God can do anything, God can do anything except break His promise, that He cannot do. Titus 1:2 speaks of "the hope of eternal life which God who does not lie promised before the beginning of time." And so I believe Abraham for that three-day journey, his total focus was on God, not on difficulties, but on the goodness of God, the omnipotence of God, the faithfulness of God, completely on God, and this is the key to everything. The promise of God in Genesis 21:12. Genesis 21:12, remember how... Going back and forth over Ishmael, he doesn't want to send Ishmael out. And God makes something very, very clear to him, which is the key to everything in the next chapter. Genesis 21:12, "But God said to him, Do not be so distressed about the boy, [Ishmael] and your maid servant, [that's Hagar] Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." That is the key to everything, do you not see it? Isaac was with that word, indispensable to the plans of God. It had to be Isaac and no one else. Suppose God had said, "It is through one of Sarah's sons that you're offspring will be reckoned," now that's different, isn't it? Maybe Isaac will die and another son will be raised up. Very, very tough at that point. Now here, I hope gently, take a little thought with the NIV, second time in this chapter. But I just am bewildered by it actually, I don't understand it, it doesn't make much sense to me. What the NIV says is, "He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son even though God had said to him, It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." So it's like, despite the fact of the promise, he went through with it, does that make any sense to you? Please look puzzled and shake your head. It make no sense to me, I have... "Despite the promise, he still went ahead and sacrificed his son." That's what, "even though" means, despite. And the Greek doesn't require at all, none of the other translations have it, it's just "of whom it was said, in Isaac, your offspring will be reckoned." That's all. Friends, it's hard to translate Scripture, and I'm not trying to find faults with those that had labored hard on it. I'm just saying, we're not bound by any of these translations. We have to do our best to understand, and that's why it's helpful to know the original language Psalm. The bottom line is, there's no concussive here at all. It's precisely because God had made this promise that he was able to do it. The Combination of Faith and Reason This is the ground of the reasoning that he's doing it, do you not see it? He's reasoning it out, how does he reason? Well, fact number one, God has promised me that through my offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed. So I have to have some offspring. Fact number two, God has promised me specifically, it's through Isaac that my offspring will be reckoned. Okay, fact number three, Isaac needs to have a body in order to have a child for that whole thing to keep going. He didn't have a son yet, and so he is indispensable at least until he gives birth to a son or conceives a son. Fact number four, God has commanded me to burn his body to ashes. Well then, God's going to raise his body from the dead. I think that's how he reasoned. I don't see any other way. And so right from that, he reasons. So it's amazing how much faith and reason actually do go together. All that happens with faith as faith just accept facts that the pure rationalist doesn't accept, we accept revealed facts and then we reason from them. And so he reasons, and so he obeys. He doesn't merely obey the command, I don't want to go beyond this, I want to add a different verb that we don't usually use with commands, he believed the command. Usually, we think obey the command, believe the promise. And that's fine, that's the usual way we speak. But here it seems like he goes beyond, he just embraces the command, he steps into it, he swims in the ocean of the command, he loves the command, it becomes him because God gave it. And so there is one verse that teaches this connection, Psalm 119 and Verse 66 says, "Teach me knowledge and good judgement for I believe in your commands." That's a wonderful verse, isn't it? "I believe in your commands. I trust them, they're not burdensome. I love them, whatever you command to do is right, I embrace it." So he loved that command. So what was the outcome of Abraham's faith? Well, early the next morning, he got up and saddled his donkey. There is no evidence he told Sarah anything. Can you imagine what that conversation would have looked like? I think that Abraham did in fact, imagine what that conversation would have looked like. "We're not going there, it's not her trial, this is my trial. I'm not going to lay that burden." And am I feeling the same thing with any friends or a circle of people that hold him accountable and pray for him, all of those things are beneficial, but he would have thought, "I think this is not helpful at all. All they're going to try to do is what? Talk me out of it, or they're going to confirm what I've already resolved to do by faith, so there's no point." And so he just gets up immediately the next morning, he saddles a donkey, he gets ready and makes that three-day journey. And for three days, he trusted God. And they get there, and Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "'Father.' 'Yes, my son,' Abraham replied. 'The fire and the water are here,' Isaac said, 'But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham answered, 'God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering my son.' And the two of them went on together." They have that conversation, then they go up the mountain, just the two of them as I already said, "Stay here…while I and the boy go over there. We will go up and worship, we will come back to you." And then "they reached the place that God had told him about. Abraham built an altar there, arranged the wood on it. He bound his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood, and then he reached out his hand and he took the knife to slay the son." Abraham's will was entirely given over to the deed. His affections were entirely committed to the deed, it was done. Luther in his devotional said, "If God had slept but a moment, Isaac would have been killed." God waited to the last possible moment. And that's just instructive for me, God isn't going to take you out of the oven until you're done. And some of these trials are going to go on a lot longer than you'll want them to go. So God goes the whole way with Abraham, and only at the last possible moment. He could have stopped him there for one day, said, "I noticed that you saddled your donkey, and you've traveled one day, won't you just turn around?" He didn't do that. Or two days, or three days or half way up the mountain, no, he goes right to the end and then He stops. The deed was done. Abraham’s Commendation by God And he obeyed and in effect, sacrificed his son, though God stopped him. And you know how God stopped him, what a marvelous moment that is in redemptive history. The angel of the Lord called out to him from Heaven, "'Abraham! Abraham!' 'Here I am,' He replied, 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said, 'Do not do anything to him. Now, I know that you fear God.'" Oh the mystery of that statement, this infinite God, saying, "Now I know." You know what it means to me? He wants to see it lived out in life, then He'll say the same thing. "Now, I know that you trust me. Now I know that you fear me. Now I know that you love me. Now I know that you obey me, because you've done this." "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me, your son, your only son." And then comes this marvelous commendation. "The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and sand on the sea shore.'" Incredible commendation, commended by faith. Without faith it's impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him, must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. He is commended here for his faith, as a righteous man. And the text says he received Isaac back from the dead. You got him back. You can imagine what kind of hugging and trembling went on at that moment. Got him back. And it says, he did so figuratively and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. I think it's just, at one level, just simply, he didn't actually kill him. And so, in some figure of sense, it goes deeper than that. I think it's pretty clear that this is a type or a symbol of Christ, His sacrifice, and His resurrection for us. "Because I live, you also live," and the whole issue here in Hebrews 11 is to get us to stop fearing death. So that we're not afraid of death anymore. We've already been told in Hebrews 2, that Christ has destroyed forever him who holds the power of death, and freed us from it. We don't need to be afraid of death. And so much of Hebrews 11 is to liberate the readers from fear of death to know you're going to reach the end of your life, and not receive the things promised, but you're going to die in faith, and be gathered to your people and then you're going to go into your inheritance, and you're going to live forever with me. Don't fear death. And so, we're taken from one death bed to the next. In the next few weeks we'll talk about that. To Isaac's death bed, Jacob's death bed, Joseph's death bed, one after the other, so that we can embrace a life totally free from fear of death. As it says in the Book of Revelation, "They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." You're going to live a certain kind of life if you don't fear death. You're going to die every day, like Paul says, "Brothers, I die, daily, I die all the time. I'm a kernel of wheat falling to the ground and dies. It's what I do, I die, and I die, and I die some more, so that God can work life in me." IV. The Significance for Us Today What is the significance for us today? Well, the name of the sermon I entitled it "The Second Greatest Act of Faith in History." You may want to debate with me, you may know some missionary that did some great thing, you may know some other Biblical figure. I've been through the whole Bible in my head quickly. I just can't think of any other greater example of faith ever done, except one. Now, you know what I have in mind. The question you may have is, was Jesus' obedience to his father, was His death on the cross, an act of faith? And I think it was, because in Hebrews 2:13 it says, "I will put my trust in Him," and that's Jesus speaking to the Father. Here, am "I and the children God has given me," I will put my trust in Him. And we see that kind of entrusting language. 1 Peter 2 says that, "He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly." He said, "Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit." He said that on the cross. He entrusted His death to the father though there was almost no evidence that anything had come of, looks like, three years of miraculous ministry and a group of women and one Apostle at the base of the cross, and that's it. It's like, "Alright, Father, would you do something with this? If I die, will you make it great? Yes, I will. You sit at my right hand and I will make it great." So by faith, He entrusted himself to his father in His humanness, was the greatest act of faith in history and from that, like Michael Card says, "What Abraham was asked to do, God the Father has done." He's offered his only son and through the blood of Jesus Christ, sinners like you and me can be forgiven. If you trust in Him, if you just look to Him, and look away from your good deeds, look away from your own convictions, and what a good person, you are, and you look away from all that, and you look to this one act in history, you look back 2000 years as Abraham looked ahead 2000 years, you look back to Jesus, and you realize God has provided the Lamb. He is the Lamb of God whose death takes away the sins of the world. All you need to do, as you're sitting and listen to me, is just in your heart, trust in Him. Look to Him by faith. And your sins will be forgiven. Turn away from wickedness, turn away from sin, and simply by faith, you will be forgiven of all of your sins. And secondly, if you've already done that, did it years ago, you have a faith that cannot perish, God opened it up in your soul, He has sustained it all these many years and He wants to test it, and He will test it. He's going to test your faith day after day, year after year, to show you that it's not from yourself but from Him. He's going to put you in trying and testing circumstances and by them you're going to grow, so simply expect to be tested. Don't act like it's a strange thing when you're going through a trial of faith. And thirdly, be willing to offer up your own Isaacs, whatever they are. Thomas Mann preached, a Puritan that preach a great sermon on this offering up your Isaac. What does it mean to give up your Isaac? Well, it means, don't murmur against God, when He takes a loved one out of your life. Don't murmur against God, when He takes a beloved husband or beloved wife or a beloved mom or dad or a beloved child even. Don't murmur against God, at that time. I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but I want to read what Sarah Edwards said when she found out that Jonathan, her husband, had died of a smallpox inoculation very surprisingly, wrote of it in a letter to their daughter Esther, who herself would be dead in a short amount of time. And so frankly, with Sarah, all of them, all three of them. But this is what Sarah wrote to Esther. "Oh, my very dear child. What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. Oh, that we may all kiss the rod and lay our hands on our mouths. The Lord has done it. He has made me adore His goodness that we had Him so long, but my God lives and He has my heart. My heart didn't die when Jonathan Edwards died, God has my heart. Oh, what a legacy my husband and your Father has left us. We are all given to God, and there I am, and there I love to be." May I commend that kind of faith to you next time you go through a serious trial. Kiss the rod. Say, "Praise God that the hand that holds the rod loves you and is only doing it to train you and prepare you." What else does it mean to give up your Isaac? Well, deny yourself. Self-denial for the cause of Christ. You give up your Isaac when you're willing to turn your backs on earthly comforts and advantages for the sake of the Gospel. In a small way, when you risk ridicule at work, or at school, or in your neighborhood, to share Christ, you're giving up your Isaac. What are you giving up? Well, you're giving up a reputation is a good guy, or a fun person, or how it is they look on you. I've talked about Workplace Evangelism, as the trading in of an inconsequential temporary assessment for one good opportunity to share the Gospel. Trade it in. It's not worth much anyway. They won't sacrifice much for you, I'm telling you they won't. If they even think about you, they have their odd thoughts anyways. Trade it in, trade it in, trade it in with love by prayer, look for an opportunity, and share Christ. Trade it in. How much more, if you were willing to go overseas on a short-term mission trip, or to go to the South Durham Church Plant. Say, you know, I love First Baptist Church. I love being here, but I think God's calling on me to do something challenging, and to leave a church I love, and to go work with a new church. I think God's calling me to do that, by faith. You're also giving up your Isaac when you mortify the members of the body that are leading to lust. When Jesus said, "If your right eye cause you to sin, then gouge it out and throw it away," that's like giving up your Isaac. It's something precious, that could lead you to sin, just like Isaac could have been an idol for Abraham. It's a precious thing. Your right hand caused you to sin, then cut it off and throw it away. It's something valuable, something precious, something God gave you, but it's just leading you to sin. Give it up. Learn to reason by faith, learn to think through what you believe. Get to know the Bible better. Root everything you think on specific commands and promise in Texas scripture, and then reason from it. Let a city of truth, a whole metropolis of truth grow up inside your heart by Jesus, and by the biblical interpretation, and by reasoning, so that the world view of the Bible, just grows within you. Reason by faith. They are not enemies, they're not separate domains, not at all. That's what Stephen J Gould and other unbelievers will tell you, they're just separate domains. They have nothing to do with each other. That's not my world view. Put them together. Faith and reason, reason by faith as Abraham did, and learn the pattern of un-questioning obedience to God. God is telling you to do something, then do it. Do it. You may have some wrangling, you may have a tortured-looking face, but in the end, all that matters is, did you obey God or not? And finally, put all of your hope in your future bodily resurrection. We are decaying, we're in a decaying orbit physically, "All men are like grass and all their glories like the flower the field." Your body is wearing out. But someday you're going to have a resurrection body. Don't fear death. Look ahead to it. Look forward to it. Look forward to the resurrected body, in the resurrected world. Live for that. And don't cling the things. I'm not saying, don't do what you need to do to stay healthy and be ready to serve God do that, stay in good shape. If you need surgery, get it, if you need chemo, get it, if it will heal you. But the fact that matter is these bodies are wearing out. Use the time you have to serve Christ, and look ahead to the glorious resurrection. It's coming sooner and sooner, Amen. Close with me in prayer.

I. Romans 9: A Magnificent Vision of God Serves a Pastoral Purpose Please, if you would, take your Bibles and look with me at Romans Chapter 9, which you've heard already beautifully read for you. Romans 9. This morning, we'll be focusing on verses six through nine. January 17, 1995 at 5:46 AM. I was in Japan with my wife and preparing to go to a time of prayer, when all of a sudden, for 20 seconds, the foundation of the house was shaking, so much, I could barely stand up. This was the Great Hanshin earthquake, 7.2 on the Richter scale, centered near Kobe, Japan, 5,000 people were killed as a result of that earthquake, 300,000 people were left homeless as a result of those 20 seconds. Now, what was interesting was the study done of architecture after the earthquake, by Japanese experts. They were interested to see how buildings did in the earthquakes. They found that the buildings that were older, built in the 30s and 40s in the traditional Japanese style, were destroyed immediately all of them. None of them survived in that area. They were made mostly of bamboo and wood and mud and other things, and they were just destroyed. The buildings built in the 60s, some of some of the floors were crushed. In other words, you would see like Floor 12 or Floor 8 just disappear and it would be gone, be crushed, and you'd see Venetian blinds and other things sticking out all around. Really astonishing, and it would be shifted or leaned over in some way. The more modern buildings that were built with the Japanese technology in dealing with earthquakes, did better, except some of the buildings. And those were the buildings which were built on ground that literally liquefied during the earthquake, and they were destroyed, as well. And it got me to thinking about the word of God. It got me to thinking about what Jesus said at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. "Everyone who hears these words of mine, and puts them into practice, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rains came down and the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it stood firm because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand, and the rains came down and the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." But then I thought, what can you do when the ground liquefies under your feet, when it literally disappears? And all things around us, someday, will be shaken, for the Lord will return and everything not eternal and permanent will be shaken and destroyed. And where then will you stand? And so it is also metaphorically and spiritually that some of you are going through trials right now in which it feels like the ground is melting under your feet. It could be a very serious diagnosis, maybe cancer. It could be that of a loved one facing a similar thing, could be the spiritual state of a loved one, which you realize that they are not in Christ praying and seeking their salvation, but it isn't coming. It could be financial problems. It could be other practical life issues. And you may wonder in a very practical way, How does Romans 9 address my life situation? How does Romans 9 line up with my marital struggle? How does Romans 9 line up with my struggle against sin and temptation? How does Romans 9 fit into my life? Let me tell you something. Jesus said if you hear His words and put them into practice, you have a solid foundation under your feet, but if the word of God gives way, what then do you have under you? If you have not the Scriptures to bank on, to build on, what do you have? If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? It says in Psalm 11. And that is the crisis that's in front of Paul in Romans 9-11. Has the word of God failed in the case of the Jews? Now, Romans 9, we all know, has some of the most difficult doctrine to swallow. It's really very striking, really, when you read it and you think, "This is not the God I was taught in Sunday School. This is not the God I grew up with in the children's Bible." And so, it may feel to you like the theological ground might be liquefying under your feet as you begin to find a God you've never known before, but there he is in the text. And it's terrifying to some degree to have your world rocked like that, to have a new vision of God, and to see that it actually is in the Bible to find. Oh my goodness, what am I going to do? How can I live with this different understanding of God than I had before? And it's a challenge. Now, Romans 9 was not given to us for academic sport, so that ivory tower theologians can kick ideas around back and forth and write treatises to each other and have a job. That's not what it's for. Still less is it for a theological puzzle like The New York Times crossword puzzle, or some kind of mathematical puzzle for you to figure out and then you've got it. And once you've got it, then you can feel good about your intellectual prowess. May I say to you, if you think you've got it, you don't. And that includes me, the preacher, who has to stand and preach it. It is far deeper than even the one who wrote it, when he said, "Oh the depths, the richest, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out." That's his way of saying I don't fully understand all of this. It's deep. Still, less is Romans 9 given to divide the local church or to split friend from friend. But rather, I believe that Romans 9 was given for pastoral concern. Or Romans 9 was given because people are going to face troubles, and trials in this world, and if they don't have this kind of solid rock underneath them, their foundations will buckle. The ground will feel like it's liquefying under their feet. They'll have nowhere to stand. Now, I think there's a kind of a hierarchy of spiritual priorities in Romans 9-11. The top level priority is a magnificent vision of God enthroned, ruling over all of His universe. And from that, everything flows. Your sense of peace and security about your soul flows from that. Your sense of stability about what's going on in our life flows from that throne whose foundation can never be destroyed. And Romans 9 gives you a clear vision of that throne, which shall never be moved, and how pervasive and powerful is the sovereignty of God. It gives that kind of vision at the highest level. From that comes a confidence that the words, the pronouncements, the decrees that come from that throne can never fail. That when God says it, it's final. When He speaks peace over your soul through the blood of Christ, that settles it. And you are at peace with Him, and you are secure in this world that God rules. God's word has not failed, neither can it fail. And that is, that Jesus said, a solid rock foundation on which to build your life, on which to build your house for eternity. Third level below that would be, that we individual people may have the proper state of mind about that. It’s so that we might have a sense of security in life, a sense of certitude, a sense of certainty and assurance in our lives, and that we've got ground under we our feet to make progress and sanctification. We have ground under our feet to go forth and preach the gospel or to slay some particularly besetting sin. We have ground under our feet to stand firm when earthly things, finances, and relationships, and health are crumbling around us. We can stand firm because God's Word cannot fail. And I think every bit as important as that comes the slaying of our pride, that we might be slain in our pride before this throne of God, that we might stop making much of humanity and start making much of God who created all things, that we might stop making much of our vaunted choices and start making much of the God who rules over all things. There's a hierarchy of priorities in Romans 9-11, and the highest is the throne of God. And God yearns for these things in our hearts that we might be at peace with Him, that we might trust him when it seems like the ground is liquefying under our feet, that we might be confident in making progress in our spiritual lives. He wants these truths in our hearts, even if it causes you and me pain to get them in there. And so he brings us to Romans 9, he brings us to this meet that we might understand. II. A Crisis of Confidence: Has God’s Word Failed? Now, we've seen already the crisis that faces us, theologically, in Romans 9. Perhaps you didn't see it before, but I hope you see it now. The crisis is that incredibly grand promises have been made to us in Christ. Romans 1-8 shows us incredibly grand promises of future and final glory in Christ. Someday we will be as glorious as God because God's glory will be in us. I consider that our present sufferings, no matter what you would list as your top five biggest practical issues that you'd hope addressed from the pulpit here this morning, whatever they are, they're not even worth comparing with the glory that's going to be revealed in you, or so says God. But can His word be trusted? Is it indeed true? Because I have it on good authority that God's chosen people, the Jews, are almost universally, almost universally rejecting Christ. And if what you say is true about Christ, that you must believe in Him to be saved, then they are rejecting Christ to the damnation of their own soul, which then Paul takes up in Romans 9:1-5 and says it's true. But he has great sorrow and unceasing anguish in his heart over it. He could wish that he were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of them, those of his kinsmen in the flesh, the Jews. And then he lists their spiritual advantages and their benefits. Indeed, they were God's chosen people and still are, but to try to understand that and how it lines up with Christ, that is the issue. In Deuteronomy 7:6, it says, "The Lord, your God," [speaking to the Jews] "has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the Earth to be His people, His treasured possession." And then he lists the benefits in verses 4-5, concerning the people of Israel. He says, "Theirs is the adoption of sons, theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised. Amen." Those are the advantages of the Jews, but they are inadequate for salvation. They're rejecting Christ. Therefore, the key question is, Has God's word failed to the Jews? Has he made promises to them that he's not keeping? And if so, how do I know that the promises He has made to me in Christ, that they are rock solid? If he's lied once, can he not lie again and again. We likened it to the worthless Deutsch marks printed by the billions in Germany between World War I and World War II, or a certificate of ownership to the Brooklyn Bridge. Would you like to be 100% owner of the Brooklyn Bridge? It's not worth the paper it's printed on. But are God's promises worth the paper that they are printed on? Is it true that nothing else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord? Is that true? Can we trust that? Now, this is a crisis because of the importance of the Word of God in the scripture. From the very beginning, in Genesis 1:3, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. God spoke. From the very beginning, he created light by the word. Also in Isaiah 55:10-11, he says, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth, making it bud and flourish so that it'll seed for the sower and bread for the eater. So is my word, which proceeds from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will achieve the purpose I desire and the accomplish what I sent it out to do." That is the power of the Word of God. Or as Jesus said, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Indeed in this very section, Romans 10:17, we're going to learn that "faith comes from hearing the message. The message is heard through the word of Christ." If God's word cannot be trusted, where does that leave us? Where does that leave us? And Jesus said this in John 11, speaking to Mary, he said, "I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." And then he asked Mary a soul defining question, "Do you believe this?" Now here's my question. If God's word has fallen, if it's failed, then how can we say to Jesus, Yes, I believe that you are the resurrection and the life? That is the crisis here. If God's word toward Israel has failed, then why won't His word toward us fail? Remember what it was that saved Abraham. God took him out of his tent and said, "Look up at the stars and count them if you can." Then he spoke a word of promise to him, and the word of promise, was... "So shall your offspring be." That's the promise. Abraham heard the promise, and he believed it. He believed the promise of God, he believed the Lord, and God credited it to him as righteousness, his sins forgiven by faith. Now, what I say to you is if God's Word can fail, where then is hope? It says in Hebrews 6:17 and following says, "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised. He confirmed it with an oath." What's an oath but word, right? He confirmed it with an oath. "God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure." Do you have that kind of a soul anchor? I was watching a movie recently about the International Space Station, and there are people up there orbiting the Earth all the time. They're up there on the Space Station. Just day after day, week after a week, year after year, they're up there and they're doing experiments on medicines and growing crystals and all kinds of things. But occasionally, astronauts have to go out of the cozy confines, if that's what you want to call it, of the Space Station, and go out and kind of space walk, and fix something on the outside of the building. Now, how would you feel if you look down beneath your feet, and there looking actually small, is Africa, or the Pacific Ocean? Would you not have somewhat of a death grip on the ladder? Well, not only with the death grip is this tether that attaches you to certain places. It's a wire. And if those two fail, the death grip and the wire, and you start to drift away from the Space Station, they have as a last resort, this little kind of jet propulsion booster thing. And that'll get you back and you can grab on to it. Does that sound secure to you? But how would you feel if you're falling away, and there's that tether attached? Aren't you hoping it'll hold? May I say you that is nothing compared to the soul tether of the Word of God. If the word of God can fail, then you are lost. You have nothing on which to build your life. III. Paul Answers the Crisis Three Times Over Paul answers this three times over. First of all, he makes a plain assertion in verse six. It is not as though God's Word has failed. He just says it straight out. No, God's word has not failed concerning the Jews. Says it straight out. But is that enough simply because you, the apostle, tell me that God's Word has not failed? Is that enough? Can you support it? Can you defend it? Well, he gives us three chapters of defense of this. It isn't just a statement he makes. He's going to support it, but he does it immediately by supporting it with a second assertion and he says I want you to understand that not all Israel are Israel. Not all Israel are Israel. God's promises to Israel were not intended for every physical descendant of Abraham, but rather for a group within that set of physical descendants that he calls Israel. Here, not all Israel, the big Israel, physical Israel, are truly the spiritual Israel to whom the promises were made. That's why God's word has not failed. He never promised to all of the physical descendants of Abraham the gospel promises. And so, God's Word has not failed. Now, he gives the same answer three times, first of all, this statement, "Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel" in verse 6B. And then he gives us this statement in Verse 7A. "Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children." And then again in verse 8, there's the children of the flesh versus the children of God. Verse 8 says, "In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children but is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring." Not All Israel Are Israel First, he says, "Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." There was within ethnic Israel, generally, that mass of humanity we know as the Jews or Israel, generally, a true spiritual nation that He calls Israel here, a subset within the larger set. To them, the promises were made and therefore, God's word hasn't fallen because he never promised those promises to all of the physical descendants of Abraham. He speaks of this group within a group later using the language of remnant. Look at verse 27 of chapter 9. Romans 9:27 says, "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel. Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved." He uses this language of the remnant. If you look over at Romans 11:5 Paul writes, "so too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace." That subset within the larger group we could use the language of remnant. Romans 9:27 and 11:5 uses the language of remnant. And so, it's right for us to do it as well. Paul Delineates Between the Descendants of Abraham, and the Children of Abraham. Secondly, he says in verse seven, He delineates between the descendants of Abraham, and the children of Abraham. The NIV gives it to us. Nor because they are his descendants, are they all Abraham's children. Again, supporting this assertion, Paul just restates it. He delineates than a difference between Abraham's physical seed and his spiritual seed. Just because you are Abraham's physical descendant did not mean that God had made promises to you, which if you end up in hell, he didn't keep. That's what we're getting at. If you have Abraham as your biological father, and you ended up in hell, it does not mean that God's Word has failed or fallen in any way. That's what Paul's getting at. And then again in verse eight. He says, "In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children but it is the children of the promise, who are regarded as Abraham's offspring." Now, here, Paul contrasts the natural children with the children of God, literally the children of the flesh, versus the children of the Spirit. Abraham could give birth to the flesh, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. Those children are the true Israel, they are the remnant. To them, God has made his promises. Now, this principle has been stated many times before. John the Baptist said it. You remember when he saw the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing? He said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves. We have Abraham as our Father. I tell you that out of these stones, God can raise up children to Abraham." Thank God for that. Was not your heart like a heart of stone? Does he not have the power to change your stony heart into that of the heart of flesh? Can he not make out of stones, children of Abraham? Hallelujah for us who are Gentiles, that's precisely what he's done. Yes, he has that power. But the Jews were trusting that just because they were physically descended from Abraham, they were in, they were good, they were fine. John the Baptist said Absolutely not. Jesus said it even stronger. John chapter 8. Just listen. Read it later if you like, but John 8:37-44, Jesus speaking to his Jewish adversaries, he says, "I know you are Abraham's descendants..." He acknowledges you are physically descended from Abraham. "'I know you are Abraham's descendants yet you are ready to kill me because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence and you do what you have heard from your father.' 'Abraham is our Father,' they answered. 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You were doing the things your own father does.' 'We are not illegitimate children,' they protested. 'The only father we have is God Himself.' Jesus said to them. 'If God were your father, you would love me for I came from God, and now I'm here. I've not come on my own, but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning not holding to the truth for there is no truth in him.'" Now, this is incredibly strong and totally lines up with what Paul is saying in Romans 9. Yes, I know you are physically descended from Abraham but you know who your real father is? The devil. If you were truly Abraham's children, that is, children of God, you would love me, you would believe in me, you would follow me, you would live the life that Abraham did, the life of faith, but you don't. Therefore, Jesus clearly saw a set within the larger group of those who are truly Abraham's children. The larger group, it was no certain proof that just because Abraham was their physical father, that they were right with God. Jesus taught the same thing. And so it is also in Stephen's speech in Acts 7. You can read it. Now, Paul says in Romans 2, "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly, and circumcision is circumcision of the heart by the Spirit, not by the written code. "Such a man's praise does not come from men, but from God." There. Paul has already distinguished between the true Jew, and the one who's only outwardly a Jew. Therefore, to restate, not all Israel, our Israel means that there is a group, a set of people who are physically descended from Abraham. And there is within them a second set of those who are truly the remnant chosen by grace. They are the true Israel and to them, the promises have been made. If any of those people end up in hell, and God's word has failed. God's word has fallen, but I tell you they will not, but God never promised to all of the physical descendants of Abraham that they would be His children. Now, how does he prove it? He's made the assertion. How does he prove it? IV. First Old Testament Example: Isaac and Ishmael He brings up two examples. First is the example of Isaac and Ishmael, and the second is the example of Jacob and Esau. The first we will cover today, the second in two more messages afterwards. The first example is Isaac and Ishmael. Look at verse 7-8. "Nor because they're his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise, who are regarded as Abraham's offspring." Now, what do we have to do in order to prove this assertion, not all Israel are Israel? Well, I think we had to follow Paul's example. Right? Romans chapter 4, as he's teaching on justification by faith, he asked a simple question, Romans 4:3, "what does the scripture say?" And he's doing the same thing here to prove that not all Israel are Israel. What does the scripture say? And he brings up this case of Isaac and Ishmael. Now, Ishmael was a child of flesh. Let me explain what I mean by that. God had made an astounding promise to Abraham, He says in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Later, he clarified, as I already mentioned, Genesis 15, that look up at the stars and count them if you can. So shall your offspring be. But he says, "I don't have any children. I have this guy, Eliezer of Damascus, he's a really good person, but he's not my son. Is he who he had in mind?" God said, "You're going to have descendants." Okay, I'm going to have a child. I'm going to have a son. That's hard to believe, and that I'm just old and Sarah's womb is barren but there it is. I believe it, I trust it. I believe it, but then comes a hideous side adventure in Genesis 16. Abraham looks at his situation, his body is as good as dead, and he looks at Sarah and Sarah makes a suggestion. "I have an idea. Why don't you take my Egyptian maid servant, Hagar, and have a son by him? It's not happening with me." And Abraham thinks and Sarah thinks they're going to help God out. God's having a hard time fulfilling His promise. God needs a little human assistance in this matter, so they're going to assist God. They're going to come up with a plan, Abraham's the man with the plan. And so he's going to go and he's going to have a son by Hagar. And so he has a son by Hagar, and his name is Ishmael. And he is not one step closer to fulfilling God's promise thereby. It's arm of flesh. It's a fleshly effort. Not one step closer to "So shall your offspring be," not one. Meanwhile, you've got the child of the promise, Isaac. God had a different plan. He had a plan to bring a child into the world through his wife, Abraham's wife, Sarah, in such a way that His supernatural action in the matter would be clearly put on display as a picture and example of how people like you and me get saved. He wanted to put it on display. So, no, it's not going to be the Hagar thing. It was an arm of flesh. It was a fleshly effort. Rather, we're going to do supernatural purpose and promise. He says in Genesis 17, God said Abraham, "'As for Sarai, your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name, I will bless her and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she shall become the mother of nations. Kings of people shall come from her.' Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, 'Shall a child be born to a man who's 100 years old? Shall Sarah, who's ninety years old, bear a child?' And then Abraham said to God, 'Oh, that Ishmael might live before you.'" What is he asking for there? I have a son. I did that already. What do I need with this? And the answer is very strong. No! But in Isaac shall your offspring be named. The answer is no to the arm of flesh. "No" He says in Genesis 17. God restates the promise in Genesis 18. The Lord said, "'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife will have a son.' And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now, Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. [She was beyond the age of bearing children]. Sarah laughed to herself saying, 'After I'm worn out and my lord is old, [that's Abraham] shall I have pleasure?' The Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child now that I'm old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? [Listen.] At the appointed time, I will come. And Sarah have a son."' Genesis 21, God kept his promise. Listen to this. Genesis 21:1-3. This is so vital. I miss this. I didn't understand how important it is until I read it over and saw it. Genesis 21:1-3. This is this is what it says in the account. The Lord visited Sarah as He had said. That is so vital in this account. "The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised, and Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son, who was born to Him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac." Now, notice this phrase, "The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had promised." My friends, the visitation of the power of God is meant to be thought of as a miracle. It's meant to be displayed as the power of God. Isaac was the miracle baby. Without God's direct intervention, as it says, "The Lord visited Sarah," this baby would never have been born. Now, may I say to you with care and reverence, it's similar to, but lesser than what the Angel Gabriel told Mary would happen to her with the incarnation. Believe me, don't misquote. I am not saying that Isaac was incarnate. He was born in the natural way through marital relations, but supernaturally by the direct action of God. It's the way the text reads. Without God's direct action, there is no Isaac. And so, the Angel Gabriel said to Mary, or Mary said to the angel, "'How will this be since I am a virgin?' And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.'" Now, once the child of promise, Isaac, is born, Ishmael persecutes him, and God makes His judgment clear. Genesis 21:9-12. Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out the slave woman with her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not be heir with my son, Isaac." And the thing, listen to this. This is incredibly important. The thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. Who's the son? Ishmael. Abraham was very upset about Ishmael, but God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the boy, Ishmael, and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named." That's the statement made here in Romans 9. Salvation is Based on The Calling of God Now, I find it fascinating, if I can speak directly. I find it fascinating that both Abraham and Isaac chose the wrong of their sons to be the one carrying on after. If Abraham had had his way, Ishmael would have been the chosen son. If Isaac had had his way, Esau would have been the chosen son. We are just wrong. We're just off from what God wants. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. He has chosen in a way to frustrate the flesh, to humble the human being. That's what he's doing. And so he says, "Through Isaac your offspring will be named." Now, Paul makes an incredible statement here. He says, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." That's literally the word he uses. Called. Now, this word called is vital theologically. Let me explain what I mean. God speaks into existence something that did not exist before. That's what I'm saying. Romans 4:17"As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations." [Abraham] is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-- the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. You wonder where I'm going with this? That's what's happened to you if you're a child of God. You're supernaturally born again by the power of God. You're like Isaac, not like Ishmael, if you're a child of God. He's spoken something that didn't exist before. He's called you by His power. This word is so important. Listen to Romans 8:30. "Those whom He predestined, He also [did what?] called; And those whom He called, He also justified. And those whom He justified, He also glorified." Or as He says later in this chapter, Romans 9:10-12. You can look right on the page there. "Not only that, but Rebecca's children had one and the same father, our father, Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose in election might stand, not by works, but by Him who calls, she was told the older will serve the younger." God calls and we exist. That's how it works. Or again, in Romans 9:24. "Even us whom he also called, not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles." We are then the called, like Isaac. And it is in Isaac, that all of these spiritual descendants will be called into existence, physically, called into spiritually into the saving fate spiritually. That's the calling of God. It's not just that he calls and you will respond or you don't. I mean, he calls the way He calls dead people to life. That's the calling of God. The Importance of “Reckoned” There's a second important word, and that's the word reckoned in verse 8. Verse 8 says that it's not the natural children who are God's children but it's the children of the promise who are reckoned or regarded as Abraham's children. Again, an incredibly important word. The word reckoned or accounted or thought of is used 39 times in the New Testament. Paul uses them 19 times, uses this word 19 times in the book of Romans. And the most important one is Romans 4:3. "What does the scripture say? Abraham believed the Lord and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." God thinks of your account as righteous because he's taken all of Christ's magnificent righteousness and credited it to your account. He sees you as righteous as Jesus just by reckoning. He thinks of you that way. And so also, it is In Isaac that all of God's children are reckoned. They're called to be His children in the same manner as Isaac. V. Children of the Flesh Vs. Children of God What does that leave? Well, it leaves a dichotomy then in the world, two manners of people in the world. There are the children of the flesh, like Ishmael, the natural ones. And then there are the children of the spirit, who are supernaturally born. The same thing is spoken in Galatians Chapter Four, in which he speaks to some Gentile Christians who have heard the Gospel and believed it, but now they're getting sucked into Judaism, legalistic Judaism, by people who want them to behave like slaves. And he says, "Tell me, you who want to be under the law. Are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way, but his son by the free woman was born as a result of the promise." There is the dichotomy. Either you're born in the ordinary way, that's just marital relations, folks. Man and wife come together and the child gets conceived and born. Ordinary way, that's Ishmael. Or you're born in the supernatural way, by the Spirit, according to the promise. And my friends, if you are not born again, you will spend eternity apart from God in hell. You must be born again, Jesus said to Nicodemus that you must be born of the Spirit. You must be like Isaac, a child of the supernatural power of God. And so Paul says to the Gentile Christians in Galatia, "Now, you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. We are children, therefore, not of the slave woman, but of the free woman." It's the very same thing that John said in John 1:11-13. He said Jesus "came to his own, [the Jews] but His own did not receive him." They rejected Him. "Yet to all who received Him." To those who believe in his name, he gave the power to become children of God. Children who are born not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God." Supernaturally born again. That's what he's talking about here. So we have two manner of people, children of the flesh are born and live in the natural way. Parents have marital relations in they're conceived. They're born, they breathe, they eat, they sleep, they dream, they achieve, they age, they get sick, and they die. And they do it all with no faith in the promises of God. Meanwhile, the children of the promise, they are born just as natural children are and do all of the same things I just described, but at some point, they hear the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And having believed they were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who supernaturally conceives in them that they are children of God. Every child of God who is listening to me right now is a miracle. You're born again by the Spirit, nothing you could have contrived by your own effort or strength, or will, or running. Can I ask you to assess yourself as you're listening to me? Am I like Ishmael, a child of the flesh only? Or am I like Isaac, a supernatural child of God, born again by the Spirit? Am I living through faith in the promises of God, or do I have total disregard for the promises of God and living like Ishmael? If you're a child of God, can I say With all humility, understand your origin with awe. You would not be a child of God right now if God had not spoken into existence what did not exist before. Saying, "Let there be light in your soul," and there was light. He called you. And also, may I say to you, and you'll get more of this as we go on. Understand your origin in humility. He did it in the face of your rebellion, not because of anything he saw in you. He did it because of His own purpose and grace, as we will see. God's word has not failed. And the fact that it seems numerically the overwhelming majority of Jews are rejecting Christ, is no proof that the word of God has failed. God's word has not failed and it never will fail. Close with me in prayer.