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John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, May 18, 2025 that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God Joh 20:30-31 John is referring here to the entire book of the gospel of John. The signs include Jesus's words as well as His works. In Joh 2:1-12, Jesus turned the water into wine. In Joh 4:46-54, Jesus healed the royal official's son. In Joh 5:1-24, Jesus healed a man who had been ill - paralyzed - for 38 years. In Joh 6:1-14, Jesus feed the 5,000 with 5 barley loaves of bread and 2 fish. In Joh 6:15-40, Jesus walked on water. In Joh 9:1-41, Jesus gave sight to a man who was born blind. In Joh 11:1-45, Jesus raised Lazarus rom the dead. Many did believe in Christ because of these miracles. But many witnessed the miracles yet did not... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1739

Jesus' Works Through Us (Audio) David Eells 12/15/24 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me (Gal.2:20). It is not I, living the Christian life and doing the works of Christ, but it is I accepting my death so that Christ may live and do His works through me. Jesus gave up a natural body in order to take up a corporate body, so that He could continue on a much larger scale His deliverance of this fallen creation. Paul tells us, Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof (1Co.12:27). We are not the body of “another Jesus,” a weak and worthless Jesus. We are the body of the same Jesus, Who walked in that first body, exercising God's power to set the captives free. We know that Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yea] and forever (Heb.13:8). It is sad that most do not agree that Christ's plan is to continue exercising the sovereignty that He had in His first body in His second. We read in (Amos 3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? We need to be in total agreement with the Word so that Christ may walk in us and exercise His sovereignty through us. A king's sons are princes who grow up to inherit his authority and exercise his sovereignty. (Psa.45:16) Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth. So shall it be with the sons God is manifesting through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The mind of the flesh is the enemy of God and cannot be subject to Him (Rom.8:7). In Adam we all died and were made useless to God. By abiding in Christ, Who is the Word, we become vessels of His reigning authority. (1Co.15:22) As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (Rom.5:17) For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, [even] Jesus Christ. We were meant to accept God's grace and “reign in life.” As the Adamic man dies in us, the spiritual man comes to life. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man (the Adamic, nature of self) is decaying, yet our inward man (Christ in you) is renewed day by day. As we read the Word, and repent of our carnal thinking and life to accept Christ's thinking and life, He is able to reign through us. (2Co.4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death (I.e. to self) for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So, God expects the life of Christ in this earthly body by grace through faith. Through death to self, we can expect the life of Jesus to be manifested in our human bodies. The life of Christ here is not only His fruit but also His ministry, which He will continue through His disciples. Those who teach that we cannot expect the life of Christ in this life are deceivers. Those who preach that as long as we are in this body we will always be in bondage to sin are deceivers. (2Jn.1:7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh… When Jesus physically comes again, He will have a glorified body but He is coming now in the flesh of His body of believers. Those who preach that our ultimate hope here is only to be forgiven and not transformed are deceivers. Paul explained that he was revealing a mystery with the words Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). He said that the wisdom in this mystery was to present every man perfect (complete or mature) in Christ (28). Christ in you has power over sin and the curse around us. As we come to realize the purpose of Christ is to live in us, our faith in what He can do in us and through us grows exponentially. (Phm.1:6) That the fellowship (Greek: “sharing in common”) of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ. As we accept the mind of Christ, which is the Word of God, it transforms us. We read this in (Rom.12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. If we do not repent (Greek: “change our mind”) when we read the Word, we do not accept the transformation to the life and work of Christ. The first thing we must believe is the Gospel. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me… This means the old me died at the cross and now Jesus lives in me. Faith in this justifies us and entitles us to the power to bring it to pass. Because many do not understand this, they believe we have no hope but to continue in sin and count on God's grace for forgiveness. (Rom.6:1)… Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? Notice that because of grace we do not have to live in sin. (3) Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death (to self): that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. When we were baptized, the old sinner died and was buried so now we can walk in new life. (5) For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection. By faith at baptism we both die and resurrect. Neither a dead man nor a resurrected man can sin. (6) Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin. Through faith we died, and now Jesus lives in us. We were delivered… out of the power of darkness (Col.1:13). This is the real good news! We are only free from the power of sin if we believe it. We can now use these promises as a two-edged sword to destroy corruption in our lives. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. We are responsible for cleansing ourselves by faith in the promises. Those who believe the promises will bear fruit. As a type, Mary believed the promise that she was to bear the fruit of Jesus in her mortal body (Luk.1:31-35). Jesus said, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it (Luk.8:21). In a type, we who bring forth the fruit of Jesus are His mother. In the second parable of the sower in Mat 13:24,27,32, Jesus sowed the seed (Greek: sperma, “sperm”) to bear His fruit. Since the Word is the spiritual sperm of Jesus, it can only bring forth His fruit. No word from man or religion can do this. Only one of the four types that received the Word bore fruit 30, 60, or 100-fold. Mary was told, Blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord (Luk.1:45). Because she believed the Word, she bore the fruit of Jesus. The Word must be believed for it to be fulfilled in us. Paul writes in (Heb.4:2) For indeed we have had good tidings (Gospel) preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. We can hear the Gospel but make it ineffective by our own unbelief, as Israel did. By bearing the fruit of the same Jesus, we are proving who the true believers are. Jesus said, by their fruits ye shall know them, not by who they say they are. Paul showed us how to exercise this faith with our renewed imagination in (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. If our face is truly unveiled, then we see by faith the finished work of God in the mirror, which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Only seeing the real Jesus of the Word in the mirror will transform us into the image of God. The Jesus we see must be the One Who has power over sin and the curse around us. Most Christians would think us proud to look in the mirror by faith and see Jesus, but in truth, these are the only ones who are humble to the Word. The one who sees his natural face in the mirror will have no power to obey. (Jas.1:23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. These are the ones who do not unite faith with the Gospel so that it can be fulfilled in them. Paul tells us in (Rom.6:11) Even so reckon (consider it done) ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof. Notice that the way to not let sin reign in your flesh is to reckon yourself to be immune to it because you are dead by faith. It is to believe that Jesus took away your sin and that you are free to obey God. God gives power to save from sin to those who believe the true Gospel. (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the Gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth… Those who do not accept their power over sin, by faith, will prove themselves tares, and not wheat, when they do not bear fruit. (Rom.6:17) But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; (18) and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. The true teaching, believed and acted on by the heart, sets us free from sin. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Joh 8:32) If our truth is not setting us free, either it is not THE TRUTH or we do not really believe it. If you have not had victory, study the truth, not religion. I once received a “woe is me” email from a friend who was grieved over his inability to overcome a certain sin. I highlighted in his letter phrases like the following: “I couldn't resist; I'm hooked; my flesh is weak; they really got me; I have no hope; no willpower; I'm defeated,” and “I'm licked,” and sent it back to him with the following note: “Just because you fail, that does not mean you give up faith. You were delivered of this sin 2,000 years ago. Compare what you have believed in these phrases with what you should believe. (I sent him the Gospel message of our deliverance from sin.) You have a lot of faith to stay in bondage. Even in your failure, you must walk by faith in order to get out of bondage.” My friend's will was against the sin so it was not a willful disobedience. His failure was in his faith. He believed everything he should not have and that robbed him of power. Faith that fizzles out at the finish had a flaw in it from the first. If we sin, there are some steps we should take to lay a foundation for our faith. If we say we have no sin, in other words, justify self, we are deceived (1Jn.1:8). If we confess our sins, we will be forgiven and cleansed from all sin (1Jn.1:9). We should first confess our sins. Then, as the Israelites who had been bitten by the serpents turned and set their eyes on the sacrificial serpent on the pole, seeing their sin and curse on Him, we should turn and confess the sacrifice of Jesus (Num.21:8). From then on, we should believe that our sin has been put on Him and we are delivered. As John the Baptist said, “Behold, the lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” God's complaint about the Old Testament Law was that it could not make perfect them that draw nigh (Heb.10:1)… (4) For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins… (14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. The Old Testament had blood covering and forgiveness but could not deliver man from the sin nature. Many today are preaching only what that covenant offered leaving those who believe them in bondage to sin. Many of you, upon coming to the Lord, experienced total deliverance from certain sins. What the real Gospel teaches is that God wants to continue that process to completion. I hear it commonly preached that we are just sinners saved by grace. It may surprise you to know that there is no such saying in the Bible. A sinner saved by grace is an oxymoron. A man is either a sinner or he is saved from sin by grace. Jesus always made a distinction between His followers and sinners. For instance in (Mat.26:45)…The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (Luk.6:33) And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. (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. Notice that He didn't consider the disciples sinners. It has been said that Paul as a disciple claimed to be the chief of sinners. This is false! He said that he was the chief of those that Jesus came to save from sin. Let's read it (1Ti.1:15) Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: (God was showcasing Paul as an example of His power to save anyone.) (16) howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. Paul had just said that his sins were in his past by God's enabling power and that he was now counted among the faithful. Verse (12) I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service; (13) though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Paul included himself when he said that we were sinners but we were made righteous. (Rom.5:8) But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom.5:19) For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. And in (Gal.2:17) But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. The Lord through Paul said that Jesus is separated from sinners in (Heb.7:26) For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Those who justify themselves in their sin, by saying that we are all just sinners saved by grace, will not obtain mercy through our High Priest. It says in (Pro.28:13) He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy. David said that sinners would be separated from among the righteous and would be judged in (Psa.1:1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers. (5) Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. If we believe the deceiver's gospel that we are always going to be sinners instead of “made free from sin,” then that is what we will have. Jesus said, “As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee” and “According to your faith be it done unto you.” It is important that we believe exactly what the Word says. It is important that we see the Biblical Jesus in the mirror and not “another Jesus” of man's making (2Co.11:4). If in the mirror, we are looking at the humanistic Jesus preached most often today, then that is the only image we can come into. This is a Jesus who has no power. Does the Jesus in your mirror have power over sin and the curse? Does He have power to minister healing, deliverance, and provision? If so, then that is what He will be able to do through you. Now let's go to (Col.1:21) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, (22) yet now hath he reconciled (Greek: “exchanged”) in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye heard… (I.e. the original Gospel). We are now reconciled because of the cross if we continue in the faith, unwavering from the true Gospel. The Greek word translated “reconciled” here means “exchanged.” On the cross, Jesus exchanged His life, blessings, and power for our old life, curse, and weakness. Our old life and its penalty, the curse, are on the cross, and now Christ lives in us. God exchanges us to present us holy and without blemish, to deliver us from our past evil works. The Christ, Who is blessed with righteousness and power, will exercise sovereignty through us because He lives in us. We are now ministers of this reconciliation (2Co.5:18-21). In other words, it is our job to administer the exchange to those who believe so that other people are saved from sin, healed, delivered, and provided for. This is the great commission. The curse is enumerated in Deuteronomy 28, and it covers everything bad that happens to man as a result of breaking God's laws. Jesus bore this curse so that we would have authority over it, both in our own lives and in the lives of others who believe. (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us… (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus… Jesus became the curse, and now we who believe have the “blessing of Abraham.” He was blessed in all things (Gen.24:1). The exchange was accomplished at the cross but will be manifested as we apply the Gospel by faith to the curse. Before the fall, Adam lived in the Garden of Eden with no sickness, corruption, or lack of any kind. Look around you. The curse is manifested in all of the creation because of the fall. In His life and in His death, Jesus destroyed the curse. He passed on this ministry to His disciples, and they were commanded to pass it on to their disciples, and on down to us (Mat.28:19-20). Eventually this Gospel was totally corrupted by religion so that what was passed on was a form of godliness that denies the power thereof (2Ti.3:5). The Holy Spirit empowers those who have received Him to come into all that Christ is. Paul prays in Ephesians, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend (not comprehend as some translations say.) with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God (Eph.3:16-19). The full scope of Christ, His breadth, length, height, depth, and love, was provided to us through faith. Christ is to be “apprehended” by faith as we are empowered by God's Spirit, “that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.” Does it seem too good to be true? “Gospel” means “good news.” I did not write the Word, I just believe it. Do not let religion stop you, brothers and sisters. Believe it and accept what God says is yours in Christ! Notice the phrase “the fulness of God.” If, as Genesis 1 says, each seed brings forth after its own kind, then what seed has been sown in us? First, by our parents, we were all born of the seed of fallen humanity. Then, according to the second parable of the sower in Mat.13:24,27,32, the seed sown of Jesus in Greek is sperma, “sperm”. That seed of the Word is not the seed of man, but Jesus who is God. In (Joh.1:1)…The Word was God. (Joh.3:6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew (Greek: “from above”). When Jesus told the Jews that He was the Son of God, they tried to stone Him, saying, Thou, being a man, makest thyself God (Joh.10:33). They knew that if God had a son, He would be God, also. (Joh.10:34) Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods? (35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken) (36) say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am [the] Son of God? In the original language, there were no capital or lower case letters for words such as “gods” or “spirit.” Jesus was saying that the Jews, who had received the Old Testament Word of the letter, were by position gods. How much more then are we who have received the New Testament Word of the Spirit? We are gods, not in the flesh for that is the seed of man, but in the spirit for that is the seed of God. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit.” Since each seed brings forth after its own kind, the son of a dog is dog, the son of a man is man, and the son of God is god. The more of God's seed that we give good earth to, the more God manifests Himself in us. We read in (Rom.1:3) concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (Jesus was Son of man in the flesh.) (4) who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness (Son of God in the spirit), by the resurrection from the dead; [even] Jesus Christ our Lord. We, as Jesus, are son of man in the flesh but son of God in the spiritual man. (Heb.2:17) Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren… Jesus was made like us in everything. (18) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (Greek: “come to the aid of “) them that are tempted. As Son of man, Jesus knew temptation and is therefore able to help us. Our Jesus is the “only begotten (or born) Son of God,” and we are reborn sons of God through Him. Now let's go to (Eph.4:11-13) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers (The Nicolaitan error [Rev.2:6,15] teaches that some of these ministries are done away with, but the Word says no such thing. The five-fold ministry is:); for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Wow, we are to grow into the fullness of Christ.  All of His righteousness and ministry, are provided for us. The apostate church tells us that this stature is unattainable because they count on man's ability, not God's. They are saying that God is unable or unwilling to completely save us from the power of sin and corruption. (Heb.7:25) Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost (Greek: “completely”) them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. I can hear some say, “David, I do not see any of these people around. How can this be?” First of all, without a mind completely renewed by the Word, we could not discern them. Jesus was discerned by very few as being in the fullness of God. The leaders of Israel did not recognize Him. Even His disciples questioned Him: Peter rebuked Him, and Thomas doubted Him. Secondly, He has saved the best wine for last. (2Th.1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Paul believed there was a day coming when the saints would have grace to believe His teaching and manifest Jesus. This declares that the Lord would come when this happens. His crop has come to maturity, ready for the harvest. (11) To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power; (12) that the name (Greek: “character and authority”) of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. God's grace, through the faith of the saints, will manifest the character and authority of Jesus in preparation for His work and His coming. The prophet Joel declares full restoration of all that the curse and religion have taken from God's people. (Joel 2:23) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he giveth you the former (or early) rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month]. (24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil (bearing much anointed fruit). (25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. These insects represent the curse on God's crop or His people, which was to motivate them towards His salvation. God said the early and latter rain would restore His people from the years of tribulation. This rain was identified in Joel 2:28-29 as the outpouring of the Spirit on God's people. Peter quotes Joel 2:28-29, declaring that the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was a fulfillment of this prophecy. (Act.2:16) But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: (17) And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams. The “former rain” of the Spirit came “in the last days” of the Old Testament people of God, and the “latter rain” will come “in the last days” of the New Testament people of God. This former rain came to the Jews that believed, to restore them after a great falling away, and then it was passed on to the Gentiles. Those disciples, who received that power of the Spirit, walked as Jesus walked and did His works. The pagans called them “Christians,” meaning “Christ-like.” There is little evidence to convict many of that today, but the story is not over. For almost 2,000 years, only a few have been partakers of the former rain. The latter rain will come to believers, to restore the fallen Church to Christlikeness, and then it passes on to the Jews. When will the latter rain come? Both the Jews and the Church have fallen away from what was given in the Gospels and Acts for 2,000 years. The Spirit of God says in (Hos.5:15) I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. This is clear that the Lord left Israel and the Church to their own self-will and false leadership. In the midst of affliction, which has already begun, there will be repentance. His people will say, (Hos.6:1) Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (2) After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (3) And let us know, let us follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. The Lord will come as the latter rain. The Holy Spirit will manifest in those who receive Jesus Christ. We see, on the morning of the third day, the latter rain outpouring will come to empower and restore after a two-day (2,000 year) falling away period. What are these two days, and when is the morning of the third day? Peter writes in (2Pe.3:8) But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Having read the writings of the early Church fathers, I can tell you that they commonly believed in the 1,000-year prophetic day and that after six of these days, from the beginning, the end time would come. The Hindus, Muslims, and the Jews also believed this. Gibbon in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire said that the early Christians believed this. I have found in the Scripture over a dozen astounding revelations, using the 1,000-year days, pointing to this time in which we live. The Bible is laid out in seven prophetic 1,000-year days. These days are always numbered from the creation of the first Adam, or the birth of the “last Adam”, Jesus Christ (1Co.15:45). There were 4,000 years, or four days, between the Adams. Since the days of Jesus, the calendar has been tampered with extensively, but most believe we have come to the morning of the third day or the beginning of the third 1,000 years from the last Adam's birth. It is also the morning of the seventh day, or the beginning of the seventh 1,000 years from the first Adam. This is when the end time begins, and God finishes His work. (Gen.2:2) And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. According to this type, God is about to finish His new creation work on this morning of the seventh day, also called the third day in some types, and rest. This soon coming latter rain outpouring will restore the true believers to the holiness, power, and ministry of Jesus. As Solomon said, That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done (Ecc.1:9). What happened with the former rain in Acts will also happen in the latter rain acts of our day. The apostate people of God will fight against this move of the Spirit and be rejected. The persecuted, Spirit-filled remnant will, by signs and wonders bring revival to lovers of truth worldwide. The former rain was first offered to Israel, but as many blasphemed, it was given to the Gentiles. The latter rain will first be given to the Church, but when many blaspheme, it will be given to a remnant of Israel. I thank my God that by His grace I was not stubborn but received His early rain. By it, I have been given a miraculous life of God's provision, but the latter rain will be far greater. Praise God! Do all believers have the former or early rain of the Holy Spirit? Jesus said to His disciples, Ye who have followed me, in the regeneration (Mat.19:28). Regeneration comes from the Greek word meaning “new birth.” The disciples were born again but did not have the Holy Spirit because Jesus told them, He abideth with you, and shall be in you (Joh.14:17). He later told them, But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses… unto the uttermost part of the earth (Act.1:8). When the Spirit comes, we receive the power needed to be witnesses of Jesus. The disciples were called Christians by the lost because they did the works of Jesus. The apostate church of our day has separated many from this infilling power by saying that all who are born again automatically have the Holy Spirit. Obviously, Jesus did not teach this, nor did the disciples teach it later. Paul did not believe it. (Act.19:1)… Paul… found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. These disciples had not experienced the infilling of the Spirit. (6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Why would believers need prayer to receive the Spirit if it was automatic? As with every New Testament case, they knew when they received the Spirit from the signs and gifts. We have another example in (Act.8:14) Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: (15) who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: (16) for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Baptized believers did not receive the Holy Spirit until the Apostles came and prayed for them. Our spirit must be born again before the Holy Spirit will come to dwell in it. The lost cannot receive the Spirit for Jesus said, The Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive (Joh.14:17). The promise of the covenant is clear that those who have “a new spirit” can have “My Spirit.” It says in (Eze.36:26) 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 a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. When God's Spirit comes to dwell in our born-again spirit, He will empower you to obey the Word. Jesus had two spirits, a born-again, human spirit and the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God. When we are saved, we receive a born-again spirit in His image called the “Spirit of Christ.” Only then are we capable of receiving the “Spirit of God” into the holy, born-again temple for power. Notice the clear difference between these two states. (Rom.8:9) But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. (The Spirit of God empowers us to be spiritual.) But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If we do not have the Spirit of Christ we are not born-again. (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. The Spirit of Christ does not empower our fallen body but gives us His Spirit of life. (11) But if the Spirit of him (God) that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. When we receive the Spirit of God, He empowers and gives life to our bodies as He did with Jesus. We see an example of this with the woman who had an issue of blood in (Mar.5:30) 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? This is the power of the Spirit of God coming out of Jesus' body to heal. We read in (Act.5:32) And we are witnesses of these things; and [so is] the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Obey, dear friend, and receive. If you are born-again, ask God for His Spirit. (Luk.11:13) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? God only gives the Holy Spirit to those who belong to Him. (Act.2:18) Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. With this power of the latter rain anointing, God is going to completely destroy the curse of sin and death in the most faithful of His people. (1Co.15:51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Notice that we shall all be changed at the last trump, which is at the end of the Tribulation when God takes over the world. (Rev.11:15) And the seventh angel sounded (last trumpet); and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever. Who are these people who will not die but be changed at the last trumpet? The Bible says ‘all that sin will die.' (Eze.18:4,20)… The soul that sinneth, it shall die… Jesus told His disciples that they would have to lose their life to find life. (Mat.16:25) For whosoever would save his life (or soul) shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life (or soul) for my sake shall find it. The Greek word for “life” in this verse is psuche or “soul.” Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. Jesus was saying we must lose our fleshly mind, will, and emotions to gain our spiritual mind, will, and emotions. Even though all of God's elect will lose their lives, all will not physically die. Some will be changed without dying because they have already put their old life to death. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Those with the mind of the flesh must die so that the mind of the Spirit can live. Everyone who has not overcome sin in the mind, will, and emotions must die. (Rom.6:23) For the wages of sin is death… Sin must be overcome before physical death can be overcome. Jesus died to empower us to lose our old life, to gain His life, and to have a blood covering so we would be accepted during the process. This process can be finished in a fruit-bearing disciple, at physical death, should he not completely crucify the old life while still alive. This process can also be finished in this life as we die to self through faith in what Jesus did at the cross. There is no curse of death in the Bible on those who do not sin. Enoch and Elijah symbolize these people who will not die because they walk by faith in God. Jesus overcame in His first body so that He could do it in His second body, which is made up of those believers who take up their crosses. He abolished all of the old life, even the last enemy, death. (2Ti.1:10)… Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. After God abolishes the rule of the beast, harlot, and the old life over His people, death will be abolished. (1Co.15:24) Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. (25) For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. One enemy in power that rules over God's people is the old life of flesh. (Rom.8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity (enemy) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. Jesus conquered these enemies for us at the cross, but we must walk by faith to see it manifested. The resurrection and rapture, both of which abolishes death, are at the end, when He will have abolished all other rule over His people, not seven years before the end while these still reign. Jesus said, I will raise him up in the last day (Joh.6:44), or at the last day (39). There is one more resurrection of the righteous dead at the end so all are included (Rev.20:4; 1Co.15:22-24). The rapture happens at that same time (1Th.4:15-17). Now let's go to (Joh.11:25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live (resurrection); (26) and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die… If the first part of this sentence is speaking of physical death, certainly the last part is. In order to prove the power of God's salvation, He will restore in these last days the faith to believe that Jesus abolished sin and death. Then some will escape death. (Heb.11:5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God. The faith to be an overcomer will be restored by the latter rain. (2Th.1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. When will these things happen? Jesus gave us a clear clue in a type and shadow in (Mat.16:28)… there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Notice He said that some who stand “here” will not die till they see the coming of the Lord. Where is “here”? In type, they stood before the end of six days, or 6,000 years, which is proven by the next verse. (Mat.17:1) And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: (2) and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light. Some alive today will see the coming of the Lord because we just passed the end of six days, or 6,000 years. We are now “after six days,” on the morning of the seventh day, when Peter, James, and John saw the coming of the Lord in His glorified body. In type, three disciples saw the coming of the Lord without dying. Peter, James, and John, who were the closest disciples to the Lord, and also prefigured we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord (1Th.4:15). The two witnesses represent the martyrs who are resurrected at the last trump (Rev.11:12,15). These two groups account for the resurrection and rapture at the coming of the Lord, fulfilling the Word. Now I'd like to share some revelations with you.     Just a Closer Walk with Thee Anonymous (David's notes in red) In my dream, my husband and I were given some sort of tour. (Our walk through this world.) When we were in a particular room I became interested in the floor tile. I seemed to forget about everyone else. I seemed fixated with the tile. (God has drawn you to be interested in how and where you walk.) It was dull looking and had a film build-up. But I kept trying to see past the film. (Wanting to see the true walk without all the buildup and corruption of the past.) I looked and there was a white dab of what looked like polish and then I looked again and saw a long piece of material that looked like the wrap-around tie of a terry robe. (This symbolizes girding yourself with the majesty and strength of the Lord. Psa.93:1 Jehovah reigneth; he is clothed with majesty; Jehovah is clothed with strength; he hath girded himself therewith... With this terry cloth girdle you can wash the disciples feet or cleanse their walk. Joh.13:4 He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. Many towels are made of terry cloth. 5 Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. ...14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.) I took the material and began to rub the polish into the tile. It became very shiny and I was pleased to see that it indeed was beautiful. (A glimpse of the true walk with Jesus.) Then I found myself seated in an auditorium of some sort. I was smiling, looking around, and observing everyone. There was a young girl seated beside me on my right (This is your spiritual, born-again man who Jesus places as a sheep on the right) and a woman about my age on my left. (This is your natural man who is like a goat to the left.) I saw that the young girl had a portable radio with her and I believe I remember she was listening to the radio through earphones. (This was hearing the voice of the spirit which cannot be heard by the natural man.) As I looked around I realized that other people were also carrying a portable radio. There was what looked like a helicopter or some sort of vessel that was parked up above and across from me on the opposite side of the auditorium. (Flying vessels represent those who overcome the world.) I could see the occupants inside the vessel clearly. There was a young girl seated with an older woman inside. I smiled at both of them. The young girl was wearing an army helmet. (The helmet of salvation. Your spiritual man is ready to go to war with the enemy after overcoming the world.) She was obviously filled with excitement. She kept a broad smile on her face and could not sit still. (Overcoming the world by conquering the enemy is exciting and joyous.) This young girl looked at me and mouthed the words, “Thank you”. I wondered why she was thanking me, when I realized that she was wearing my helmet. I wondered how she had come to have it. (It is you who gives authority to your spiritual man to conquer and overcome the mind of flesh.) I asked the young girl seated on my right if she had given my helmet to the girl in the vessel and she told me she had. (The spiritual man had put on the armor of Christ.) Seeing how full of excitement the young girl in the vessel was, I remembered to myself how excited I had been when I had gotten my helmet. (A helmet is to protect the mind from the thought attacks of the enemy.) I looked and noticed that the girl seated on my right was dozing. (The spiritual man rests in the power and works of the Lord.) I observed her and continued to take in the place, when the older woman seated with the young girl in the vessel got my attention and nodded towards the young girl on my right and said, “She is asleep.” I looked at the girl again and answered the woman, with, “Yes, she is asleep, but, only lightly sleeping; she is still listening”. (Spiritual rest can only be accomplished by hearing the voice of the Word of the Lord.) The woman seemed displeased and shook her head. (…The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness unto him…. 1Co.2:14.) I ignored it and continued to look around. I seemed to know that she was okay and there was no need for concern. Then a man appeared in the center of the auditorium. He was holding an open bible in his hand. He said he was about to teach us the real truth. (The truth is the only thing that will guard your mind, conquer your enemy, and set you free from this world.) At that point, I lowered my head and blocked everything and everyone out except the voice of the speaker. I said to myself something like, “I hope he is teaching the truth.” or “I had to ensure that he would be teaching the truth.” (Yes, we must be careful that he is speaking the truth or we will be deceived and polluted with the earthbound ideologies of men.)     Feed on the Word, Christ in You  William Steenland - May or June 2013 I dreamed I was at a huge white table, a huge feast, a celebration. I looked to my left and right there were people fellowshipping and laughing together and rejoicing. (The Marriage Feast of the bread and wine or the body and blood or Word and nature of Jesus.) It was a great and happy event. I was eating out of a huge white bowl; there was meat and potatoes and rice all in a bowl. I ate it very fast and when I was done, I took my white handkerchief and placed it over the top of the empty bowl. I was still hungry and wanted more food. I looked down at the end of the table. I was at the opposite end looking down at the head of the table. It was Jesus or at least I thought it was Jesus. The man at the end of the table kept changing. I looked with a puzzled look on my face, as Jesus changed from Jesus to my friend Ernie Miller and then back to Jesus, then to Albert Golt, and then back to Jesus. (If you feed on the Word, you turn into Jesus. :o) I said to Jesus, “Can I have some more food?'' He just looked at me with loving, kind look, the way you would look at a naive child who needs a lot of help, wisdom and understanding. He had a pleased look on his face. It was a look of love, peace and joy. He had a lot of knowledge in His eyes and He knew more about me than I knew and about my future, too. He nodded His head up and down to my question as if to say ‘yes.' I suddenly looked down at the bowl with the white handkerchief and took the handkerchief away and the bowl was full again! I began to eat and eat. I was interrupted by a group of black beings at another table (demons). They said, “Hey, we're going to come over there!” I said, “That's not up to me. You have to ask the man who paid for the feast”. (Jesus gave it all.) They then said, “Hey, come over here! We want you to come over here”. I said, “No”. I didn't want to go over there. They said, “Hey, let's switch”. (The demons want you to feed on their word so you won't turn into Jesus and won't be a threat to them.) I said, “That's not my decision to make. I didn't pay for the banquet or meal”. They were persistent with the questions and the one who stood up was angry with me that I was at this table, but I didn't leave. I knew enough not to go over there with them. 1Co.10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? 17 seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we are all partake of the one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar? 19 What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? Is anything more important to us than doing the will of God? 20 But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?     More Light For More Christ Anonymous - 08/19/2007 (David's notes in red) I had this dream and I saw myself in a white room; the ceiling was very high. (The house is the house of the Lord.) There were white stairs with gold banisters on them. (The staircase represents Jacob's ladder [Hebrew: staircase] to heaven and represents following in the steps of Jesus as “the way” [Gen.28:12; Jn.1:51].) I saw a fair lady and she looked to me to be pregnant. (The pregnant woman represents the woman church of Rev. 12 who is pregnant with the fruit of Christ.) She had the keys to unlock the door above the ceiling. As she was climbing to unlock that door, she told me that I could only enter that door above my head until I changed the bulb (a very huge round fluorescent bulb with white light), otherwise, I would not be permitted to enter through that door in the ceiling. (The key is the key of knowledge and the light is the light of understanding that we need to go through the door to the next level which is Christ fully birthed in us. The first-fruits of these will be the man-child.) She came down. (The pregnant woman represents those believers whose sphere of authority stayed below the door.) She seemed to be the keeper of that door and keeping records. I started to climb those white stairs which were very steep and very high. The floor of that room was quite small when I was up there. Of course, no room in reality is made at this height. When you looked down, it looked quite frightening so you can imagine the height. I am not a height person myself and surely it was only by the grace of God I was able to climb up those steep white stairs holding those golden banisters by faith. (Our hands represent our works, which must be holding on to those things that represent the highest heavenly value of gold and must be increasingly more heavenly as in climbing the staircase.) When I reached the ceiling, I had to leave those banisters and reach for the light to change that bulb. It was not easy because that light was situated at the center of the room. It was only by His grace that I managed to balance myself without the banister and change that light quickly. (By grace we will be balanced enough to go to the next understanding level and manifest Christ.) The light was a blinding white light. Then I entered into open heaven through that door.     Ancient Man-child and Bride Seen Again K. H. - 07/06/2008 (David's notes in red) My mom and I were house-sitting for my grandparents, but it was at a different house than they live in right now. The setup was very similar to what they have now but the arrangement of the rooms was different and all of the rooms were a little larger. They also had this enormous and luscious garden in the backyard; it was absolutely breathtaking. I was given a list of things that needed to be done while they were gone and I was given another list to do to prepare for their return. I knew that I had a week, seven days, to do all the things on the list so I wasn't worried about it. I knew that it would get done but to my surprise, my grandparents came home a week early. When my grandpa saw that the house and the garden weren't ready for their return, he became upset. I just kept telling him that I was so sorry; I thought that I had another week and told him that I would get everything done. Then, I saw myself going down the list, one by one, and getting everything done with the help of other brethren. My mom and I talked about how once again the Lord reminded us that we need to be diligent in preparing for the coming times. Also, my grandpa coming home early and finding his house wasn't prepared for his return, I believe, is a warning for the body of Christ to be prepared for His return. This speaks of the return of the ancient Bride and Groom as they were almost 2000 years ago. Their house, the Man-child and Bride of our day, need to be ready for their return, not at the end of the 70th week but at its beginning. Many post-trib saints are not expecting this pre-trib appearance of Jesus in an Epiphaneia, or His shining forth from His saints. Jesus will be manifested in His Man-child company through His Word and Anointing that will live in them. His Bride will be manifested in a modern-day body, as she was then, full of power and holiness. Won't it be awesome? Joh 14:12-14  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.  13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14  If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do. Eph 3:19-21  and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.  20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,  21  unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.

John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, December 3, 2023 "sin and righteousness and judgment" Joh 16:5-15 The fact of sin. The fact of righteousness. The fact of judgment. Full of sin. Empty of righteousness. Facing the gaping jaws of a looming judgment. verses 8-11 describe the one ministry of the Spirit to unbelievers ("the world"). The Greek word for "convict" is elencho. (1) To bring to light or expose. (2) To provide proof or evidence of wrongdoing. (3) To bring a person to the point of recognizing his wrongdoing. (4) To express strong disapproval of someone's actions; to rebuke or reproach. (5) To penalize for wrongdoing, to discipline with the goal of improvement. In Joh 16:8-11, the Spirit deals with three things. The... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1664

John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, December 3, 2023 "sin and righteousness and judgment" Joh 16:5-15 The fact of sin. The fact of righteousness. The fact of judgment. Full of sin. Empty of righteousness. Facing the gaping jaws of a looming judgment. verses 8-11 describe the one ministry of the Spirit to unbelievers ("the world"). The Greek word for "convict" is elencho. (1) To bring to light or expose. (2) To provide proof or evidence of wrongdoing. (3) To bring a person to the point of recognizing his wrongdoing. (4) To express strong disapproval of someone's actions; to rebuke or reproach. (5) To penalize for wrongdoing, to discipline with the goal of improvement. In Joh 16:8-11, the Spirit deals with three things. The... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1664

John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, November 5, 2023 There will be no Bible study on Thursday November 9th . "They have not known the Father or Me." Joh 15:18-16:4 Jesus is looking back to the persecutions that He endured. He is looking ahead to the persecutions that His disciples will endure. Luk 19:47 The chief priests and the Pharisees - the religious leaders - persecuted Jesus. In Joh 15:18-21, Jesus tells His disciples that the world hates them. He traces that hatred back to world's hatred for Him and for His name. Joh 15:18-21 They did not know God the Father, the One who sent Jesus. Here we see the root cause of this hatred. They worshipped their father. And their father was the devil - the god of this world. Joh... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1658

John Farley Pastor Teacher Sunday, November 5, 2023 There will be no Bible study on Thursday November 9th . "They have not known the Father or Me." Joh 15:18-16:4 Jesus is looking back to the persecutions that He endured. He is looking ahead to the persecutions that His disciples will endure. Luk 19:47 The chief priests and the Pharisees - the religious leaders - persecuted Jesus. In Joh 15:18-21, Jesus tells His disciples that the world hates them. He traces that hatred back to world's hatred for Him and for His name. Joh 15:18-21 They did not know God the Father, the One who sent Jesus. Here we see the root cause of this hatred. They worshipped their father. And their father was the devil - the god of this world. Joh... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1658

REPETITION New Year's Special - a Recap of January 2014, Part 3. The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart. all scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: so that the man or woman of God may become mature, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Turn in the word of truth this MORNING to Acts 11. On Wednesday evening, when we had our New Years evening not with the spirits of the cosmic system but with the real Spirit, God the Holy Spirit, we recalled how last year beginning in January 2014, we noted some very interesting doctrines. And after talking to some of our internet students or disciples I had prayed about something and believe that God has given me the answer. First of all, you must remember that there are certain mechanics when it comes to the will of God. In fact Acts 11 reveals these mechanics in a special and unique way. 1. First of all there is Guidance through prayer, in Acts 11:5. In ACT 11:5, Peter says "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me, 2. Secondly, there is Guidance through objective thinking of Bible doctrine, verse 6. ACT 11:6 and when I had fixed my gaze upon it and was observing it I saw the four footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air. 3. Next, there is Guidance through perception and recall of doctrine, verses 7 10. ACT 11:7 "And I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Arise, Peter; kill and eat.' ACT 11:8 "But I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' ACT 11:9 "But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.' ACT 11:10 "And this happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. 4. Number 4, There is guidance through providential circumstances, e.g. the people we meet, verse 11. ACT 11:11 "And behold, at that moment three men appeared before the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 5. Guidance through filling of the Holy Spirit and humility, verse 12. ACT 11:12 "And the Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. And these six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man's house. 6. Guidance through fellowship and comparison of spiritual data, verses 13 14. ACT 11:13 "And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; ACT 11:14 and he shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household. ' 7. Guidance through recalling of doctrine, verse 16. ACT 11:16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 8. Guidance through disaster. It's very interesting that I received the guidance from God the Holy Spirit from what I am about to do from the first 7 points, only number 8 was missing. And that is to emphasize the main message that was given in every month of the year 2014. We already noted the month of January on Wednesday evening, which had to deal with the subject of the sword of the Spirit in the life our Lord emphasizing how gnosis is converted into epignosis. And so today we are going to review in one message the month of FEBURARY, 2014. MARCH We studied the Lamb of God Who took away the sins of the world. APRIL - We focused the life of Jesus Christ by the washing the feet of His disciples. MAY = a new Commandment the Lord gives which is impersonal unconditional love. JUNE June began with the doctrine of the substitutionary spiritual death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. JULY the Substitutionary Spiritual Death of our Lord. Deacon Rick Bettez dealt with how Science catches up to the Bible. While Rick Kabrick dealt with the Feasts of the Lord. AUGUST We noted the Divine descriptions of Hades or Hell. SEPTEMBER September began with the doctrine of Election. And we noted the three basic elections: 1. TLJC 2. Israel and the Jew 3. The election of the church. OCTOBER October began with the Doctrine of Election and the difference between: Cosmic one and Cosmic two. NOVEMBER dealt with the hypocrisy of religion noting especially the Roman Catholic Church and its false doctrines. DECEMBER Then in December, we entered into our present study The Doctrine of Heaven. And now, here we are, in the year of our Lord, 2015. JOH 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. "will bring to your remembrance" is a futactind, hupomnesei which is a compound verb which means to remember, to remind, to suggest, to mention. Menesko means to remember, Hupo means under the authority of someone. In JOH 14:26 we have our Mentor, God the Holy Spirit mentioned once again "But the Helper [parakletos], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, Parakletos means primarily a helper, a counselor, someone who can instill wisdom into your soul. JOH 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, "will teach" is a futactind, the verb is didaxei meaning to teach, to train, to educate, to impart information. The Holy Spirit teaches the mystery doctrine to the believers of the Church-age, Joh 16:12-15, 1Co 2:9-14, 1Jo 2:27. and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. "will bring to your remembrance" is a futactind, hupomnesei which is a compound verb which means to remember, to remind, to suggest, to mention. Menesko means to remember, Hupo means under the authority of someone. Many times even though you've learned something once, you have to learn it again and again and again until you cannot forget it! As Paul said to the Philippians in PHI 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. The word "safeguard" describes the importance of repetition! It is the Greek word "asphales" which means that which produces security and firmness. This is why the alert pastor repeats doctrine. Repetition is important! You do not learn because you hear it once.....you learn because you hear it again and again and again. And no matter how bored the congregation gets.... No matter how resentful someone might be.... No matter how anti-repetition some are.... a pastor who truly loves TLJC will go against the grain and will repeat, repeat, and repeat! This is how inculcation takes place. Inculcation means to press upon the mind through frequent repetition. It means to indoctrinate or to ingrain! It also means to drill it in to someone or hammer it in! Now why is repetition so important? (1) Repetition of doctrine is important for application of doctrine. (2) Repetition of doctrine is important for appreciation of who and what TLJC is. (3) Repetition of doctrine is the only way of teaching an entire congregation of believers who are at different levels of spiritual growth. (4) Repetition of doctrine is necessary for converting gnosis into epignosis. Prin-All believers in a congregation must be constantly reminded of doctrinal principles even though they have heard them before! Inculcation is defined by teaching by frequent repetition and admonition. And no believer can advance to spiritual maturity apart from doctrinal teaching. You do not apply what you learn...you only apply what you cannot forget...and that's why repetition is so important! And the pastor's job is to repeat, repeat, repeat! And the pastor who doesn't repeat is arrogant! He wants to be loved by everyone.... or he wants everyone to speak well of him.... or he doesn't want to bore anyone..... he wants to hear how great his message is! Repetition may drive people away but repetition is the means of tapping into the greatest resources that have ever existed for mankind. Repetition produces inculcation! And when you get bored and say I've heard that before or I have that down in one of my notebooks...you have lost out on the true purpose of repetition. It is the tremendous concentration on repetition that makes a difference between winners and losers. Repetition is the key to almost anything in life! A well taught congregation is one that has been repeated to over and over again. Repetition never bothers the believer who has PVTD. Repetition is only resented by the arrogant! Everyone resents at some time hearing something that they've heard before....and this is all a part of your test. It's a part of indoctrination or doctrine becoming ingrained into the believer! When you like something repetition doesn't mean a thing, whether it's your favorite food or beverage or sport or whatever. As long as you have PVTD, it shouldn't make a difference how many times you hear it! And if you listen carefully and concentrate under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, something new always breaks through. But the arrogant person says I've heard that before. As if hearing something before matters! What matters is the inculcation of Bible doctrine. JOH 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. "I said" is an aoractind, eipon which refers to what the Lord taught them for the last three years! Now, in 2Pe chapter 2, Peter mentions the importance of repetition. 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you by means of the epignosis knowledge or through the instrument of metabolized doctrine of God and of Jesus our Lord; 2Pe 1:3 Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge or epignosis knowledge [metabolized doctrine] of him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2Pe 1:4 For by these he has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers or partners of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2Pe 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence or making every effort, with your doctrine supply moral excellence or virtue, and in your moral virtue, knowledge; or gnosis which is academic information 2Pe 1:6 And in your knowledge, self control, and in your self control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 2Pe 1:7 And in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, virtue-love. 2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and keep on increasing, they render you or prevent you from being neither useless [ineffective] nor unfruitful [unproductive] in the true knowledge or the epignosis knowledge [M.D.] of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks or does not have these qualities is blind or short sighted, [blind in the sense of blindness in the soul or blackout of the soul] having forgotten his purification or being cleansed from his former sins. 2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [perceiving doctrine and seeking those things above] to make certain about His calling and electing you; for as long as you practice these things [the execution of the PPOG], you will never stumble; [i.e., become a loser in cosmic system]. 2Pe 1:11 For in this way [executing the PPOG] the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.[conveyance of eternal believer's inheritance blessings to winners]." In verses 12-15, we see the means by which these blessings are transferred! 2Pe 1:12 is where we see the importance of doctrinal inculcation. Nothing is more important in our lives than Bible doctrine, since Bible doctrine reveals the invisible assets and how to glorify God and receive our fantastic inheritance from God. 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. Again the "alert" pastor repeats doctrine! Therefore is the conjunction "dio" which indicates that Peter is now reaching a conclusion! Having understood election and our inheritance, having understood God's plan and purpose for sustaining us.... We can begin to see the means by which of all these fantastic blessings are conveyed to us! 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready This is peter's advice in the last days of his life. He understood the doctrine of election! He understood why he was still alive and why God had sustained him! He understood his invisible assets and the fantastic inheritance God had for him! He is now 75 years old, giving us this advice, and he's about to die! So, Peter says in the last days of his life, age 75, the year 67 ad.... Shortly before his death he says...."I shall always be ready" prin-Peter was a prepared pastor and God uses prepared men! So Peter says in verse 12, "Therefore, I shall always be ready" Ready for what? Next we have the phrase, to remind you, the presactinf of hupominnesko which is hupomimneskein which means to remind you, to bring to your remembrance, to teach you something you've already learned and therefore to repeat! And in the present tense it means to keep reminding you or to keep on repeating! 2Pe chapter 2 is a fantastic passage that deals with the importance of repetition and how the Holy Spirit is able to bring things to our remembrance. In our main passage the Lord said in JOH 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peter not only mentions the importance of repetition but also the type of things that should be repeated. For example, in 2PE 1:1 Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: "have received" is an aoractpart of lagchano which is lachousin which means to receive, to obtain, to attain. Literally it says "to those who have received a faith equal to ours or of the same kind" prin-Every believer starts out with the same amount of faith but none of us end up that way! Everyone has the same chance from the start of salvation. We all start out with an equal amount of faith, equal privilege and equal opportunity. In eternity past the sovereignty of God elected us to privilege but.....we have the freedom to accept or reject His way of doing things! God has only ONE will for all of us and that is He wills the highest and best for each one of us. So He starts us all out with equal faith! If He had His way we'd all be advanced, living in spiritual maturity. But, in contrast, some fail, some succeed, some are winners, some are losers, some are under discipline, some are being blessed, and some are even under the sin unto death! So Peter says 2PE 1:1 Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: "by the righteousness of God" is the prepositional phrase "en plus the instrumental of means, dikaiosune" which refers to the righteousness and integrity of God and should be translated "by means of the righteousness of God". This virtue, this integrity is related to our Lord Jesus Christ. So this verse literally says "to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours or from the instrument of our Lord's character and integrity" And it is through the righteousness and virtue and integrity of our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ that we attain everything! Now the divine policy and the divine purpose is stated in verse 2. 2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you not in the knowledge but [by means of the epignosis knowledge or through the instrument of metabolized doctrine] of God and of Jesus our Lord; "in knowledge" is the prepositional phrase "en plus the instrumental noun epignosei" which should be translated "by means of the epignosis knowledge or through the instrument of metabolized doctrine of God and of Jesus our Lord" Notice that grace and peace or prosperity is multiplied to you by means of metabolized doctrine. The greatest thing that you can do to attain prosperity is to learn Bible doctrine! 2Pe 1:3 Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through what? through the true knowledge or epignosis knowledge [metabolized doctrine] of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Now notice the phrase "through the true knowledge", it is the prepositional phrase "dia" plus the definite article "tes" and then once again the ablative of means of epignosis which is epignoseos which should be translated "through the means of epignosis doctrine or metabolized doctrine". So again we see that everything we need pertaining to life or spirituality comes from metabolized doctrine! 2Pe 1:4 For by these [metabolized doctrine, God's own glory in vs 3 and God's moral excellence or virtue] He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them [the promises of God] you might become partakers or partners of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2Pe 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence or making every effort, with your doctrine "with your faith" is the prepositional phrase "en te pistei" which should be translated "with your doctrine". 2Pe 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence or making every effort, with your doctrine supply moral excellence or virtue, and in your moral virtue, knowledge; or gnosis which is academic information. 2Pe 1:6 And in your knowledge, self control, and in your self control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness or spiritual living; 2Pe 1:7 And in your spiritual living, brotherly kindness [the royal family honor code], "brotherly kindness" is the noun philadelphia which refers to the Royal Family Honor Code. and in your brotherly kindness, virtue-love. 2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and keep on increasing, they render you or prevent you from being neither useless [meaning ineffective] nor unfruitful [or unproductive] in what? Here we are again, "in the true knowledge or the epignosis knowledge [M.D.] of our Lord Jesus Christ" "in the true knowledge" is the prepositional phrase "eis plus epignosin" which is translated "in the metabolized doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ". Please notice again that everything depends on metabolized doctrine! 2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks or does not have these qualities [in context the qualities are found in verses 5-7] 2Pe 1:5, doctrine, virtue, knowledge, 2Pe 1:6, self control, perseverance, and spiritual living, 2Pe 1:7, brotherly kindness [the royal family honor code], and virtue-love. 2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks or does not have these qualities is blind or short sighted, [blind in the sense of blindness in the soul or blackout of the soul] having forgotten his purification or being cleansed from his former sins. 2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [perceiving doctrine and seeking those things above] to make certain about His calling and electing you; for as long as you practice these things [the execution of the PPOG], you will never stumble; [i.e., become a loser in cosmic system]. 2Pe 1:11 For in this way [executing the PPOG] the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.[conveyance of eternal believer's inheritance blessings to winners]." Now with all of that in mind, in verses 12-15, we see once again the means by which all of these things take place! 2Pe 1:12 is where we see the importance of doctrinal inculcation. Nothing is more important in our lives than Bible doctrine, since Bible doctrine reveals the invisible assets and how to glorify God and receive our fantastic inheritance from God. 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, What things? That back in 2PE 1:1, we have all start out with an equal amount of faith, equal privilege and equal opportunity, but none of us end up that way! And in 2Pe 1:1, it is through the righteousness and virtue and integrity of our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ that we attain everything! In 2Pe 1:2, Grace and prosperity are multiplied to you by means of epignosis knowledge or through the instrument of metabolized doctrine. The greatest thing that you can do to attain prosperity is to learn Bible doctrine! In 2Pe 1:3, His divine power has graciously given to us everything pertaining to life and spirituality through epignosis knowledge or metabolized doctrine. In 2Pe 1:4, we are to become partakers or partners of the divine nature. In 2Pe 1:5, we are to make every effort and with our doctrine supply virtue, and in our virtue, more knowledge or gnosis which is academic information. In 2Pe 1:6, in your knowledge, supply self control, and in your self control, supply perseverance, and in your perseverance, supply spiritual living; And in 2Pe 1:7 in your spiritual living, brotherly kindness or the Royal Family Honor Code], and with the Royal Family Honor Code, supply, virtue-love. And then in 2Pe 1:8, make sure "these qualities keep on increasing so that they will prevent you from being neither ineffective] nor unproductive] in the epignosis knowledge [M.D.] of our Lord Jesus Christ" And then in 2Pe 1:10, "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and electing you" So that in 2Pe 1:11 "the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.[conveyance of eternal believer's inheritance blessings to winners]." So with all of that in mind, Peter says 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. to remind you, the presactinf of hupominnesko which is hupomimneskein which means to remind you, to bring to your remembrance, to teach you something you've already learned and therefore to repeat! And in the present tense it means to keep reminding you or to keep on repeating! ******************* prin-The purpose of repetition is to fulfill a deliberate objective which is to inculcate Bible doctrine in the believer's soul so that the believer will remain in the PPOG. 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things [the inheritance of the believer, the invisible assets, and the believer's election and predestination], and then notice what he says next even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. "know" is the peractpart of oida which is eidotas and in the perfect tense it recognizes the completed action of knowing, which reveals that this was a "well taught congregation"! Peter is talking to a well taught congregation. They had a tremendous amount of doctrine. prin-A well taught congregation is one that has been repeated to over and over again. Now, this means at some point the first time you hear a doctrine you may resist it.... maybe it's too technical... or it doesn't apply to your personal life.... you may resist it the second time, the third time, the fourth time, but....if you hear it enough times and finally understand it in relationship to it's context, you will accept it and therefore it becomes metabolized doctrine! and then you will probably come up to me and say, "you've taught that so many times before, but this time you do a good job...." and I'll just look at you and say thank you and not even try to explain that perhaps you weren't listening the first twelve times! 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, i shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. established is the perpasspart of sterizo which is esterigmenous meaning to be supported, sustained, and firmly established. The perfect tense recognizes the results of completed action. Peter is communicating to a mature congregation. The perfect tense means the congregation has been taught in the past through repetition! And the result of repetition is the congregation is filled with stabilized believers! The passive voice, the believers who had positive volition toward doctrine received the action of the verb i.e. doctrinal inculcation. The participle recognizes the purpose of repeating doctrinal teaching to the congregation. They were well taught and repeated to. 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, i shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. There are 2 principles that you should never forget which are brought out in this passage; 1. In eternity past the blessings placed in your inheritance were made contingent upon the future performance of each believer. And your advance to spiritual maturity is the contingent on which the blessings are transferred 2. Spiritual maturity is the result of doctrines being repeated over and over again to the congregation, and spiritual maturity is the place that the believer graduates from. And this is when the believer will be qualified to be rewarded from heaven! Heaven will reward soul winners, Dan 12:3. Heaven will reward humble servants, Mat 10:42. Heaven will reward faithful stewards, Mat 25:23 Heaven will reward those who give, Luk 6:35 Heaven will reward those who produce divine good, Rom 2:10. Heaven will reward those who are persecuted, Mat 5:11-12. Heaven will reward those who suffer un-deservingly, 2Ti 2:12. Heaven will reward those who master the O.S.N., 1Co 9:25. Heaven will reward those who love His appearing, 2Ti 4:8. Heaven will reward those who endure temptations, Jam 1:12. Heaven will reward the faithful pastor teacher, 1Pe 5:4. This is why spiritual failure is brought in the scriptures such as in Mat 7:27, building upon the wrong foundation! Mat 7:26 "And everyone who hears these words or doctrines of mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. Mat 7:27 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall." Or spiritual failure is brought in Mat 17:16 as not being able to perform that which God has given the opportunity to perform (equal privilege, equal opportunity). Or in Luk 14:30, spiritual failure is revealed by starting but not being able to finish. Or in Heb 4:6, refusing to enter into God's rest. Now, what causes spiritual loss on the part of the believer? The main cause for spiritual loss is ignorance, 2Pe 1:8. 2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and keep on increasing, they render you or prevent you from being neither useless [ineffective] nor unfruitful [unproductive] in the true knowledge or the epignosis knowledge [M.D.] of our Lord Jesus Christ. *************************** 2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and keep on increasing, they render you or prevent you from being neither useless [meaning ineffective] nor unfruitful [or unproductive] in what? 2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks or does not have these qualities is blind or short sighted, [blind in the sense of blindness in the soul or blackout of the soul] having forgotten his purification or being cleansed from his former sins. 2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [perceiving doctrine and seeking those things above] to make certain about His calling and electing you; for as long as you practice these things [the execution of the PPOG], you will never stumble; [i.e., become a loser in cosmic system]. 2Pe 1:11 For in this way [executing the PPOG] the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.[conveyance of eternal believer's inheritance blessings to winners]." So with all of that in mind, Peter says 2Pe 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things or repeat these doctrines, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. There are 2 principles that you should never forget which are brought out in this passage; 1. In eternity past the blessings placed in your inheritance were made contingent upon the future performance of each believer. And your advance to spiritual maturity is the contingent on which the blessings are transferred 2. Spiritual maturity is the result of doctrines being repeated over and over again to the congregation, and spiritual maturity is the place that the believer graduates from. And this is when the believer will be qualified to be rewarded from heaven! We are warned throughout the Scriptures on a consistent basis to beware of spiritual failure. Spiritual failure is brought out in such passages as Mat 7:27, by building upon the wrong foundation! Or spiritual failure is brought in Mat 17:16 as not being able to perform that which God has given the opportunity to perform (equal privilege, equal opportunity). Or in Luk 14:30, spiritual failure is revealed by starting but not being able to finish. In Heb 4:6, spiritual failure is said to come from refusing to enter into God's rest. Now, what causes spiritual loss on the part of the believer? The main cause for spiritual loss is ignorance of Bible doctrine, 2Pe 1:8. ******************** The causes of spiritual loss are also said to be sin, Jer 5:25, "your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you" In Mat 25:27, spiritual loss results from not using your spiritual gift or talent! In Mar 8:36 spiritual loss results from worldliness, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul"? So having doctrine repeated to you over again is the only way you'll ever become a winner and not suffer spiritual loss. And this is why some believers have the most fantastic blessings in time while other believers are discontent, filled with self-pity, filled with self-induced misery, and constantly off balanced from divine discipline. This is also the reason why some believers enter the eternal state very rich at the Bema seat and others, at the bema seat, very poor! Being poor in eternity means having a resurrected body in eternity, and that's all! All believers enter eternity in a resurrected body but escrow blessings and their distribution are for winners only. So we have the concept then of the spiritually rich and the spiritually poor in eternity, just as we have the concept of winners and losers in time! The spiritually rich are those believers who receive the distribution of their fantastic inheritance for time and eternity. The spiritually poor are those believers who, as losers in the "world system", do not receive their blessings from their inheritance, why? They used their volition to go negative! They were negative toward doctrine! They were negative toward God's plan! They were negative toward God's way! They were negative through ignorance or even worse, negative through cognisance! But, whether negative through ignorance or negative through cognisance it all adds up to the same thing....a loser in time and a loser in eternity. 2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [perceiving doctrine and seeking those things above] to make certain about His calling and electing you; for as long as you practice these things [execution of the PPOG], you will never stumble; [i.e., become a loser in cosmic system]. 2Pe 1:11 For in this way [executing the PPOG] the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. [conveyance of eternal believer's inheritance blessings to winners]." prin-The carnal believer is a double-loser, first, a loser in time. In "time" he had equal privilege and equal opportunity with all other believers at the point of salvation. And even though they had equal privilege and equal opportunity, they failed the plan of God! So their inheritance remains on deposit forever as a memorial to the justice of God. And they are double-losers because in the eternal state their eternal rewards, decorations, and special privileges are denied them. This is the meaning behind such passages as 2Ti 2:11 It is a trustworthy statement or literally faithful is the word: for if we died with Him [and we have, retroactive positional truth], we shall also live with Him; [current positional truth] 2Ti 2:12 If we endure [endure the different stages of spiritual growth with suffering for blessing], we shall also reign [rule] with Him [passing undeserved suffering is a guarantee of reward in eternity]; if we deny Him [reject His plan for our life], He also will deny us; [reward at the Bema-seat judgment]. 2Ti 2:13 if we are faithless [totally unfaithful], He remains faithful [salvation is secure]; for He cannot deny Himself [He indwells and He will not deny Himself]. 2Ti 2:14 Remind them of these things [repeat the doctrines to them], and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words or dispute over nonessential matters], which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 2Ti 2:15 Be diligent or study to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. 2Pe 1:13 And I consider it right, as long as i am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, in verse 13, we see the duty of doctrinal repetition! It is the duty and the responsibility of the pastor to repeat. Now how does the pastor repeat? Well, by teaching expository teaching, which is verse by verse you suddenly discover that the apostle Paul, Peter, John, James, the human writers of the N.T., all under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit repeated doctrines. And therefore, as these doctrines come up in context they are repeated! So in 2Pe 1:13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, A good pastor stirs up his congregation! A good pastor forces his congregation to think! He forces them to get mad! He gets them face to face and nose to nose with the doctrinal principles of the word of God! A pastor is not a little panty politician always smiling and drooling over people! A pastor has to lay it on the line to friends and enemies, alike! 2Pe 1:13 And I consider it right or my solemn duty, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, Peter considers it his solemn duty to repeat, repeat, repeat, to the royal family of God. And as long as he is alive he is going to continue his solemn duty...... And it has nothing to do with counseling, visitations, or being a politician and buttering up people.... It has nothing to do with personality, or sweetness, or any of the other stupid things that people expect from pastors. 2Pe 1:13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling human body, to stir you up by way of reminder, Peter is saying that as long as God sustains me to remain in this earthly tent I have the responsibility to teach repetitiously! Why? Rev 4:11 "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory" prin-The teaching of Bible doctrine repetitiously brings glory to Christ not to the communicator! In fact, the solemn duty of repeating doctrine separates the true student from the arrogant one! Repetition irritates those who are negative toward doctrine! Repetition irritates the arrogant! 2Pe 1:13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, "to stir you up" is the presactinf of diegeiro which is diegeirein meaning to wake up, to arouse you, to stir up. This is a progressive present tense which signifies action in a state of progress or persistence. And of course, from time to time everyone gets stirred up in one way or another. Everyone resents at some time hearing something that they've heard a hundred times before! And this is a part of the test, it's a part of indoctrination or doctrine becoming ingrained into the believer! This is one of the things that the apostle Paul had in mind Eph 4:1 when he said, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, Eph 4:2 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, Remember that when you hear something that there may be others in the audience who never heard before, so you operate with the type of love....."showing forbearance to one another in love", When you like something repetition doesn't mean a thing, whether it's your favorite food or beverage or sport or whatever. And, as long as your positive toward doctrine it shouldn't make a difference how many times you hear it! And if you listen carefully and concentrate under the ministry of the Spirit something new always breaks through! But the arrogant person says "I've heard it all before!" So Peter says "And I consider it my duty, as long as I am in this earthly body to stir you up" The active voice of "stir you up", Peter produces the action of the verb through repetition! The repetition of Bible doctrine will stir you up. The infinitive is an infinitive of purpose, it is the purpose of the repetition of Bible doctrine to stir you up! Now how will he stir them up? The next phrase tells us how! 2Pe 1:13......by way of reminder, "en plus the instrumental singular noun, hupomnesei which means by reminding or repeating. Believers often forget doctrine and have to be reminded again and again. So in verse 14 we see the dying words of the apostle Peter. 2Pe 1:14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. Peter knows he's about to die! He is 75 years old and still filled with energy, and yet he knows that very shortly he is going to die! And knowing he is going to die makes the words of Peter even more significant! 2Pe 1:14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 2Pe 1:15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind. Peter is about to die, and inasmuch as he is about to die, he will leave behind a legacy which is the greatest of all...the legacy of Bible doctrine! This also dramatizes the fact that death cannot hinder or destroy the communication of Bible doctrine and the declaration of spiritual truth! No one is indispensable as Peter recognizes, though he's about to die, Bible doctrine still goes on! 2Pe 1:15 And I will also be diligent We have the futactind of spoudaso which means to be diligent, to make an effort, and to study, (2ti 2:15). The future tense is for a statement of fact or performance which may be expected under the circumstances of his approaching death. The active voice, Peter produces the action of the verb.....he knows that he is about to die so he's making "every effort". The indicative mood says this is a reality that Peter is working hard to get this message across before his death. 2Pe 1:15 And I will also be diligent or make every effort that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind. prin-Doctrine is always available in every generation! Second prin-The only thing that keeps a believer from doctrine is his own negative volition and his "erroneous priorities". Peter is not making a big thing out of the fact that he's going to die, however, his departure is not going to make one bit of difference! He's done a good job, he's a great Bible teacher, but his departure is not going to make one bit of difference. He is going to emphasize the fact that it is not the "man" but the "message"! And, no one is indispensable in the plan of God but the members of the Godhead! And again in verse 15 Peter is emphasizing the importance of "remembering" prin-Apostles, pastors, good Bible teachers die, but Bible doctrine is permanent. Bible doctrine continues no matter what! So it is inevitable that all those who teach doctrine die, but the doctrine that they teach goes on. Bible doctrine is permanent and eternal! local assemblies are not! Gifts of the spirit are not! but.....only doctrine! Therefore, it is obvious that it is not the man but the message of doctrine that counts! Believers must not lean on the man but on the doctrine of the word of God. Your local assembly should depend upon the doctrine being taught, nothing else. Men come and go...., ministries come and go...., but the word of God abides forever! Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away PE 1:25 But the word of the Lord abides forever. "And this is the word which was preached to you. prin-Every pastor who is faithful in teaching Bible doctrine will build something permanent. Something which will live beyond his own lifetime. In other words, the pastor's memory is the doctrine resident in the soul of his own congregation. So Peter says, 2Pe 1:15 And I will also be diligent or make every effort that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind. In JOH 14:24, our Lord continues His final message to the disciples by stating "He who does not love Me does not guard My doctrines; and the doctrine which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. JOH 14:25 "These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you. JOH 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. And there are two important principles concerning verse 26. First of all, you don't have to struggle to memorize scripture, God the Holy Spirit will bring things to your remembrance as they are needed. Now, you might say then, "why can't I remember things when I'm talking to some people." The answer to that is found in MAT 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. There are some people who will mock and ridicule what you believe and what you're saying, therefore, God the Holy Spirit is not going to bring things to your remembrance so that you can have what is precious to you mocked and ridiculed! The second principle is that you have to be taught doctrine in order for God the Holy Spirit to bring things to your remembrance, "He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." There's this pentecostal thing which they take out of context in PSA 81:10 which says "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." And they say you don't have to learn doctrine just open your mouth and the Lord will fill it with words.....and it's all a bunch of nonsense!

GRACE BIBLE CHURCH GBIBLE.ORG ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN BIBLE MINISTRIES PASTOR ROBERT R. MCLAUGHLIN 04/20/2022 Point 4. The Manifestation of Kenosis in our Lord's Evidence Testing. There are three Greek words for life: bios, psuche, and zoe. These words have different meanings, .. Bios refers to the existence of life Psuche refers to thinking of life as a normal function Zoe refers to the Zoe, the supernatural way of life. God has provided for the mature believer a zoe-life, which is beyond out imagination, and beyond our greatest thoughts and dreams; EPH 3:20. EPH 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, There is nothing like the Zoe-life or the supergrace life from God. Therefore, we closed the last time with ten principles on the “zoe life. And since we had a few interruptions like the loss of electricity and our resurrection specials, I thought we would begin where we left off with those ten principles on the “zoe life.” First of all, 1. This life is only found in Christ and gives us guidance and direction; JOH 1:4. JOH 1:4 In Him was life, and this zoe-life was the light of men. Notice: Light gives you guidance, direction and clarity; PSA 27:1. PSA 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? There is no confusion or chaos or boredom with the zoe-life. 2. This “zoe life” is made available to anyone who believes in TLJC, JOH 3:15. JOH 3:15 That whoever believes may in Him have eternal life [that is the “zoe life”. The “zoe life” is a life more abundantly; JOH 10:10 " I came that they might have “zoe life,” and might have it more abundantly. 3. This “zoe life” fulfills the desires which are found in every one of us, JOH 4:14. There is a deep desire placed within man by God that only God can fulfill. All believers have been given this desire so that they will have an emptiness in their heart that only God can fulfill. The principle is simple: Just as the physical body craves for food and entertainment and the soul desires stimulation; The human spirit, which is created by God at the moment of salvation, (Titus 3:5), also hungers to be filled. This desire has been placed within the believer by God. ECC 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart (the desire for eternal things), It is a very delicate and sensitive desire that can be hindered by arrogance or emotionalism and it can be extinguished by hardness of the heart, scar tissue of the soul or occupation with the details of life. This desire is in every believer, however, every believer does not have this desire fulfilled. The more it is fed, the stronger it becomes and it can even carry the believer through the most difficult situations in life. What is this desire and how can the believer meet the demands that it makes upon life? Nothing can put this fire or this desire out. In fact,……. Extreme pressure only intensifies the desire even more. It is a need that must be fulfilled. This driving desire or craving for the Word of God also protects the believer in the time of pressure and adversity. And only the “zoe life” can meet the challenge. The “zoe life” causes the believer to stay occupied with the Word of God in time of disaster. It gives him “spiritual energy” in time of pressure. Many times the different trials and tests become a source of frustration for the believer and he just wants to run for cover. Yet the believer with positive volition toward living in the “zoe life” can take comfort in doctrine. Jeremiah sheds light on this burning desire. JER 20:9 “But if I say, I will not mention Him or speak anymore in His name, His word is in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” The “zoe life” is manifested by a burning fire within that cannot be quenched. PSA 42:1 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” Why does this desire reside in some but not in others? Well, the believer at the beginning of his spiritual life is in a state of ignorance regarding the thoughts of God. As the Christian life progresses, ignorance may continue because of negative volition or indifference toward doctrine or distraction. However……, If the believer has had a taste of Bible doctrine and the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is very difficult to quench that thirst. David records for us this driving desire in PSA 63:1. PSA 63:1 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Earnestly means in an enthusiastic, devoted diligent, serious and intense way. The soul yearning speaks of positive volition toward living in the “zoe life.” The dry and weary land where there is no water speaks of the spiritual droughts that we all have at one time or another. Positive volition toward the doctrine pf the “zoe life” is the driving desire which motivates believers to overcome all obstacles and center their life around doctrine. JOH 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." 4. This life is made available to us in time, not beginning with eternity, JOH 5:24. JOH 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, "has" eternal life zoe life or the life which comes from God , and does not come into judgment, but "has passed" out of death into life. Too many of God's people are waiting to die and then they think they will have the time to live for God. 5. This “zoe life” is given to us through the intake of doctrine, JOH 6:27. JOH 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life [zoe-life], which the Son of man shall give to you, for on him the Father, even God, has set his seal." 6. This “zoe life” is given without measure depending upon the believer's desire for it; JOH 3:34. JOH 3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. Always remember no matter whatever you face that: 1CO 6:19 your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1CO 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 7. This life can never be taken away, Joh 10:28-30. JOH 10:28 And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. JOH 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. JOH 10:30 "I and the Father are one." 8. This "zoe life” is described in Joh 17:3 as "knowing" God and TLJC. JOH 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. 9. It is through the written communication of Bible doctrine that this life is offered to every member of the human race, Joh 20:31. JOH 20:31 But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have zoe life in His name. 10. In PHI 4:11-12, we have the correct interpretation of the “zoe life” is for the believer who sticks with doctrine and lives in the way and the truth manifested by the Kenosis life. PHI 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. PHI 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. This is what it means to be on the right side of history or to accept your calling and place in life. This, of course, refers to the lifestyle and thinking of the mature believer.......contentment no matter what. This is the result of perception, metabolization of and application of Bible doctrine. This is living in "the zoe-life." For the true purpose of receiving doctrine is to recognize what TLJC means when He said in JOH 14:6: JOH 14:6 "I am the way [entrance], and the truth [doctrine], and the life [zoe]; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. The reason why truth is so important is because of what it produces as mentioned in our passage when the apostle Paul said: PHI 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. The Truth leads to the Christian life, or the zoe-life. Zoe means the function of life. In the spiritual life, zoe refers to the super-grace life which is the objective of Bible doctrine resident in the soul. This zoe-life refers to an extraordinary peace that God desires for us to experience even in time. The “zoe life.” This sense of inner peace and contentment may decrease or increase because this new life, the zoe life, a life of complete contentment is given little by little. In the eternal state, this zoe-life will fill you entirely. However, the point is that: As God has a plan for our lives which enables us to recognize death to old sin nature with its selfish desires, as a part of that plan, He also gives us the experience of zoe-life in time. Now, we have been noting the evidence testing of our Lord and how He passed the first test which was to use the Word of God as His divine solution to the temptation of Satan. The humanity of Jesus Christ underwent evidence testing at the beginning of His three-year earthly ministry. The three parts of His evidence testing challenged His relationship to: 1. The Holy Spirit; (MAT 4:1-4. 2. The Word of God; (MAT 4:5-7). 3. The plan of God; (MAT 4:8-10). So, to stay in context, let's review the evidence testing of the humanity of Christ at spiritual maturity. Inside the PPOG, the humanity of Christ advanced through all stages of spiritual growth, reaching maturity at an early age. In LUK 2:40 And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. His attainment of SSE, characterized by love for God, and His attainment of spiritual autonomy, characterized by impersonal love for all mankind, are described in LUK 2:52. LUK 2:52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom [momentum in the PPOGl and stature, and in favor with God [personal love for God] and men [impersonal love for all mankind]. The background for the evidence testing of Christ's humanity is the declaration of His spiritual maturity. Matthew 4 records the evidence testing of our Lord, which was the first event in His public ministry. He had spent thirty years in preparation for a three-year ministry, and now….. He was at the threshold of executing the plan of the Father which would climax in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session. The context in Matthew describes the shift of Christ's ministry from private to public. The humanity of Christ signified His positive volition to the Father's plan by submitting to baptism by John, the herald of the King, MAT 3:13-15. Although John baptized many people, the baptism of Christ was unique. Immersion in the water symbolized our Lord's obedience to the plan of the Father for His first advent, a plan that no one but the impeccable Lord Jesus Christ could execute. Christ's declaration of His submission to God's will evoked the strongest possible confirmation of our Lord's spiritual maturity. It all began with His water baptism. For in MAT 3:13 we read Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan {coming} to John, to be baptized by him. MAT 3:14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" MAT 3:15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit {it} at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. MAT 3:16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, {and} coming upon Him, MAT 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." As true humanity, Christ had utilized the prototype PPOG for His life and fulfilled the pattern of spiritual growth. Now: At the outset of His public ministry, He was immediately taken into the desert, alone, to face evidence testing. MAT 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. A lesson for the believer can be found in the first word of MAT 4:1. "Then" indicates that evidence testing was the first item on the agenda for Christ's public ministry. No believer is qualified for maximum Christian service until he has advanced to spiritual maturity and passed evidence testing. By the way, I did not say that no believer is qualified for Christian service until he has advanced to spiritual maturity and passed evidence testing. I said No believer is qualified for maximum Christian service until he has advanced to spiritual maturity and passed evidence testing. Service for God increases in quality as the believer grows spiritually. Zeal to serve the Lord does not automatically qualify the Christian for service; ROM 10:2. ROM 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. Enthusiasm can exist in the immature as well as in the mature, and in fact religious zeal can characterize even morally degenerate unbelievers. My point being is that another lesson our Lord taught us which is not to be emotional or zealous when being tested. Look at Paul's advice: 1CO 15:34 Become sober minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. Look at Peter's advice 1PE 5:8 Be of sober {spirit,} be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1PE 5:9 But resist him, firm in {your} faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. So,…… This is not to discourage Christian service by any believer at any level of spiritual growth but to anticipate maximum service as a result of maximum preparation. Evidence testing is the final category of suffering for blessing. The Christian life begins with growth, not with service. And……. The quality of Christian service improves as the believer accelerates his spiritual growth through each increment of suffering for blessing. Three persons were involved in the testing of Christ: the humanity of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Satan. The humanity of Christ was residing inside the PPOG. He was therefore filled with the Holy Spirit, as He had been since His virgin birth. Notice in MAT 4:1, that Jesus was led by the same enabling power of the Spirit that leads the mature believer in the PPOG. MAT 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. By the way……., Why in the world would God turn His only Son over to Satan to be tested if there was no Angelic Conflict? You see, whenever someone studies intently and comes up with principles of doctrine that the average loser pastor doesn't understand, instead of searching it out they have a need to attack! They don't want members of their congregation thinking that someone else knows more than them! So they attack! They discredit! They reject and undermine things they don't understand! Now: The third-party present in this temptation was the defense attorney of the appeal trial, Satan himself. Although the humanity of Christ was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, the devil would administer the testing. Intense physical duress was part of the circumstances for Christ's evidence testing. In the desert He went without food for forty days. Therefore, we are now ready for MAT 4:2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. The humanity of Christ was hungry every day for all forty days He spent alone in the desert. He was famished and already was suffering sharp, constant physical pain when evidence testing began. The first part of our Lord's evidence testing attacked His relationship with God the Holy Spirit. MAT 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." Now, Satan knows the Bible! Satan knows theology. Although he lives to exalt himself and oppose God, Satan knows from observation a great deal of true doctrine. Disarmingly, he approached Jesus with a true point of doctrine only to suggest a false conclusion. Christ is the Son of God. That is accurate information. "Son of God" is our Lord's first royal title as divine royalty; His first royal family is the Trinity. At the time Satan was speaking, Christ held two royal titles. His first royal title, “Son of God” is eternal in nature; He has always been God. His second title, "Son of David," was acquired at the moment of His virgin birth, His entrance into the human dynasty of King David. Now, At thirty years of age, He was embarking on the earthly ministry that would culminate or reach its' climax with the strategic victory over Satan at the cross; COL 2:13-15. COL 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, COL 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us {and} which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. COL 2:15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. And…… Three years from the time of His evidence testing, Christ would win His third royal title, which would be awarded to Him upon His ascension and session at the right hand of the Father in heaven. So, Satan took his usual arrogant approach. He is such a brazen liar that he used the true doctrine of Christ's royalty as a weapon against our Lord. This was the very doctrine that most threatened Satan's arrogant plans. In fact, Satan would be strategically and tactically defeated as part of the doctrine of Christ's royalty. So, …….. In a subtle attempt to trip our Lord into defeat, Satan virtually granted Christ the victory in advance. Evidence testing is Satan's cross examination of every witness presented by God in the historical trial of all fallen angels. Inside the PPOG for his life, the humanity of Christ advanced through all stages of spiritual growth, reaching spiritual maturity at an early age. 1. In LUK 2:40, TLJC had reached SSE. 2. In LUK 2:52, TLJC had reached SA. 3. In JOH 1:14, TLJC reached SM. 4. Therefore, in Mathew, He was presented by God in the historical trial of Satan known as the Angelic Conflict. I told you there are a lot of subjects and doctrinal principles that we can find in MAT 4 and our Lord's temptations. And therefore, He was immediately taken into the desert, alone, to face evidence testing. The issue is this: If the humanity of Christ even sins once during this test then He cannot go to the cross and die for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, He will not only be tempted like we are but He will be tempted far beyond anyone of us! Note that it was God the Holy Spirit who is the One who led our Lord to this test! In evidence testing and the angelic conflict, God the Holy Spirit is not the one who puts us to the test, He is the one who leads us to the test, The Holy Spirit will lead us to the test but He will not tempt us. That's why JAM 1:13 says "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." The humanity of Christ was hungry every day for all forty days He spent alone in the desert. Now, the first part of our Lord's evidence testing attacked His relationship with God the Holy Spirit. MAT 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God [and I know you are], command that these stones become bread." Satan knows the Bible! Satan knows theology. Christ is the Son of God. That is accurate information. So, Satan took his usual arrogant approach. He is such a pompous liar that he used the true doctrine of Christ's royalty as a weapon against our Lord. This was the very doctrine that threatened Satan's arrogant plans. The basis for Satan's first attack was his knowledge that in hypostatic union, the deity of Christ, has the power to accomplish any miracle. Satan knew that the deity of Christ was faithfully sustaining the universe at that very moment, COL 1:17; HEB 1:3. COL 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. HEB 1:3 “He upholds all things by the word of His power.” The act of turning stones into bread would have been a small matter for divine omnipotence. So, This first part of our Lord's evidence testing was an attempt by Satan to persuade Jesus Christ as the God-man to exercise His deity contrary to the Father's plan. Satan tempted the Lord to operate independently of the Holy Spirit, who was the Father's provision in the PPOG for sustaining Christ's humanity during His first advent. To fulfill the mission that He voluntarily accepted from God the Father in eternity past, Christ had to rely on the system of provisions that the Father provided for Him. This means that He did not use His own divine attributes independently to benefit, sustain, or glorify Himself. This is the true Doctrine of Kenosis. All Satan wanted Jesus Christ to do was to use His deity independently of the Father's plan to show that in His humanity our Lord could not depend on the Father's provision. Furthermore, Our Lord was preparing the way for the PPOG and the Church-age believer's dependence on the power of God. Turn stones into bread? Omnipotence could have turned the whole mountain into bread. However, this would have compromised the function of His humanity under the sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Point 4. The Manifestation of Kenosis in our Lord's Evidence Testing. Sunday morning, I quoted Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer who wrote the following: I may comment now and then, if necessary. First of all, Throw away your concept that Satan tries to get people to sin. As Dr. Chafer wrote said; Y "A serious question arises whether the presence of gross evil in the world is due to Satan's intention to have it so, or whether it indicates Satan's inability to execute all he has designed. The key word here is “inability” Satan has found out that controlling the human race is an impossible task and it is very difficult. Next, he says: Y The probability is great that Satan's ambition has led him to undertake more than any creature could ever administer." Then he warns us: Y "Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits" (MAT 7:15-20).” MAT 7:15 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. MAT 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn {bushes,} nor figs from thistles, are they? MAT 7:17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. MAT 7:18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. MAT 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. MAT 7:20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits. Y The warning to the children of God under grace is against false teachers who are to be discerned by their doctrine concerning Christ (2Pe 2:1, 2Jo 1:7-11): never by their lives. Y The warning to the children of God under grace is against false teachers who are to be discerned by their doctrine concerning Christ (2Pe 2:1, 2Jo 1:7-11): never by their lives. And this falls under the principle of it's not the man but the message that counts. Y for outwardly, false teachers are said to be directly under the power of Satan who himself appears as an angel of light (2Co 11:13-15). Y The attractive personality of the false teacher affords g1reat advantage as a background for the appeal he makes for his doctrine." MAT 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. MAT 4:2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. Now, in verses 3-11 we have five principles concerning the temptations. MAT 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “Since You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." Satan isn't interested in you or me cranking out sin; this hurts his cause. He is interested in your cranking out human good. This leads us to verse 4 MAT 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" For forty days He had been living on the Word and now He is ready for the devil. The devil is not the one who tries to get people to sin; the devil can use people who are full of human good — do-gooders, religious people. There is a man called Paul Harvey that some of you may remember who would tell five minute stories with great lessons behind them. One of them is entitled “If I Were the Devil.” It is really amazing to realize over 47 years ago how accurately he “prophesied” the future spiritual condition of the United States. Many of his statements were considered ridiculously outlandish at that time in history. Yet, we find ourselves today in almost exactly what we are going through. Like Chafer, I will quote him to illustrate the principle. If I were the Prince of Darkness, I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness, and I'd have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn't be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. I'd set about however necessary to take over the United States. I'd subvert the churches first by beginning with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please. “To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.' I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what's bad is good, and what's good is ‘square.' And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington' “And then I'd get organized. I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.” I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I'd pedal narcotics to whom I could. I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I'd tranquilize the rest with pills. “If I were the devil I'd soon have families that fight with each other, war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I'd have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions. Just let the emotions run wild, until before you knew it, you'd have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. “Within a decade I'd have prisons overflowing, I'd have judges promoting pornography. Soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil, I'd make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle. “If I were the devil, I'd take from those who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.” And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil, I'd just keep right on doing what I'm doing. Then he was known for two salutations; At the end of his message, he would say; “Paul Harvey, Good day! Or at the end of his message: He was known for the statement, “And now you know, the rest of the story.” Our Lord knew Deuteronomy because: He quotes from DEU 8:3, and He gave Satan a dogmatic answer: “It is written,” in the perfect tense, it is written in the past with the result that it goes on forever. Deuteronomy is the book that describes the walk of the people in the land when it says; “Man shall not live” which indicates that it takes more than mere survival to be truly alive, When Jesus Christ set up the pattern for the Church-age believer, He had the indwelling Spirit and He had the filling of the Spirit, both of which He never lost. We lose the filling of the Spirit but we will never lose the indwelling of the Spirit; JOH 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; Another principle concerning Mat 4:4, that man must not live by bread alone, is that: Our Lord indicated to us that just having food, shelter and clothing and the necessities of life isn't living. Man is not living apart from relationship to God and so man is not going to live by bread alone. Bread is a type of logistical grace blessings. And we all know that in: 2TI 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. The word “alone” also adds the spiritual to it because we still all need food in order to survive. Relationship with the Lord must come first, however. Food is necessary to sustain physical life but the sustaining of physical life is meaningless without spiritual life --- because that simply is not living. Here's where we go back to the principle of I.C.E. and note the exegesis or the original language; There are three Greek words for life: bios, psuche, and zoe. These words have different meanings: Bios refers to the existence of life Psuche refers to thinking of life as a normal function Zoe refers to the supernatural way of life. The word living here is the word “zoe” which is the “life” our Lord revealed to us when He handled the temptations that He faced. The zoe life! What is it? Zoe comes from zoology and it means the function of life and here it refers to the super-grace life which is the objective of all doctrine. The objective of doctrine is to take the believer to the super-grace life. The “zoe life” is God's fantastic grace provision which is far beyond even your most fervent prayers. You have never prayed for anything that even comes close to the "zoe life” or the life that God has designed for you. The “zoe life” came from the doctrine of the Hypostatic union when our Lord as a man operated in the Doctrine of Kenosis. Kenosis was when our Lord revealed the uniqueness of His Hypostatic Union by living in the “zoe” life. The "zoe life” is God's fantastic grace provision which is far beyond things for which you have asked from others. You ask parents, people, friends, spouses, and children for things throughout your lifetime. However; The "zoe life” or the "life that God has designed for you" is far beyond anything for which you have ever asked from anyone. EPH 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, TLJC said; JOH 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have [zoe] life, and might have {it} abundantly. The "zoe life” is also God's fantastic grace provisions which are far beyond your fondest dreams. No matter how wild and seemingly impossible your dreams may be; God has provided something far greater than any thinking or imagination in any dream you have ever had. And what God has provided for the mature believer in the "zoe life” staggers the imagination. The "zoe life” is the direct result of fulfilling the life beyond gnosis or knowledge into epignosis . It's one thing to know something, it's another to experience it. The life beyond gnosis of Eph 3:19 is the means of entering the zoe life of Eph 3:20. In EPH 3:18, Paul says that we: EPH 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, EPH 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. The life beyond gnosis or knowledge is the means of executing the PPOG, and the "zoe life” is the result of executing the PPOG. In the "zoe life, God does infinitely more than two things stated in Eph 3:20. 1. He does infinitely more than all we ask, whether the asking is toward God in prayer, or toward man by request. Secondly: 2. He does infinitely more than all we think or imagine, which is our personal desires, expectations, and our thoughts associated with happiness symbols. Dreams can represent: What we want to be! What we want to have!. With whom we desire to associate! To what we want to be promoted to. And where applicable, with whom we desire to marry. Dreams carry us to the farthest extent of our imagination. So: For every member of the royal family of God, there is a "zoe life” which goes beyond anything for which we can ask of anyone, whether God or man. For every Church-age believer, as a member of the body of Christ, there is a life beyond our dreams and our imaginations. It is a fantastic life. A life that is in view in Col 3:3 For you have died and your life [zoe-life] has been hidden together with Christ by means of God. This is the ultimate life, and it is what God expects for every believer to have. And for this life, God has made complete and total provision. The provisions come in three spiritual mechanics and the four spiritual skills. The three spiritual skills: 1. The filling of the Holy Spirit, 2. The ten problem-solving devices, 3. The execution of the PPOG. The four spiritual mechanics are: 1. The utilization of divine power 2. The three spiritual skills 3. The deployment of the 10 PSD. 4. The execution of the three stages of spiritual adulthood; S.S.E.; S.A.; S.M. Now, dreams are often an escape from reality, but there is nothing but reality and indescribable blessing in the "zoe life”. In other words, the zoe life doesn't escape from reality, but it is fantastic, indescribable reality. We do not even have the imagination to dream or the power to ask for the things which God has prepared for us in the zoe life. 1Co 2:9 "However, as it stands written, `no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.'" "Those who love Him" here refers to mature believers. Isa 55:8 "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways,' says the Lord." This means God has done some thinking way beyond our thinking. And His thinking becomes a reality for us once we enter the zoe life. And the ways of God are way beyond our understanding. But once we reach the “zoe-life”, we begin to comprehend God's ways in a way which gives worship and gratitude and appreciation for God an entirely new meaning. ISA 55:9 "`For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.'" But those ways of God, though higher, are not beyond our grasp. Because….. In the “zoe-life”, we learn about those ways and experience some of those ways that are higher than our ways. The point is that you cannot even begin to think, imagine, or dream of the fantastic things that God has provided for you in the “zoe life”. This is all because our Lord chose to live in the Doctrine of Kenosis and gave us the power and the ability to do so. In the life beyond gnosis, the Church glorifies God through the attainment of spiritual maturity. In the zoe life, the church glorifies God through receiving their escrow blessings for time and in the eternal state. And the poor attempt of the pastor to teach about your escrow blessings doesn't even begin to describe what God has for you personally in the zoe life. Your blessings for time are infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine. They are life beyond our dreams. Now, if you are normal, you want things in life. People dream about what they want or desire in life. These dreams are associated with happiness symbols. And there is nothing wrong with having dreams providing that: These dreams do not inhibit your relationship with God or and come between Him and your assigned personal sense of destiny. People dream about what they want or desire in life. And these dreams are associated with happiness symbols. For example, people dream of: a. Greatness or success. b. Commendation from people. c. Being respected and receiving approval. d. Money and security. e. Social life and romance. f. The possession of materialistic things which are coveted for pleasure or which are desired as a status symbol. g. Achievement in some field in which they are interested. h. Possessing beauty, strength, attractiveness, and-or health. i. And where applicable, being married to the ideal person. These dreams express what we want, what we desire, what we think, and what we imagine. But God has provided for the mature believer a zoe-life, beyond imagination, and beyond our greatest solicitation to self-interest. For dreams, imaginations, prayers, and asking favors of others all add up to solicitation to self-interest. Yet God provides for the mature believer the "zoe life" which is beyond all of that. So, there is nothing like the Zoe-life or the life of God. Therefore, let's notice some principles concerning this life “zoe life” that God has for us which is hidden in Christ as found in the Gospel of John. First of all, 1. This life is only found in Christ and gives us guidance and direction; JOH 1:4. JOH 1:4 In Him was life, and this zoe-life was the light f men. Notice, light gives you guidance, direction and clarity. There is no confusion or chaos or boredom with the zoe-life. 2. This life is made available to anyone who believes in TLJC, JOH 3:15. JOH 3:15 That whoever believes may in Him have eternal life [that is the “zoe life”. The “zoe life” is life more abundantly; JOH 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have “zoe life,” and might have {it} abundantly. 3. This “zoe life” or the life which comes from God fulfills the desires which are found in every one of us, JOH 4:14. JOH 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." PSA 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. 4. This life is made available to us in time, not beginning with eternity, JOH 5:24. JOH 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, "has" eternal life zoe life or the life which comes from God , and does not come into judgment, but "has passed" out of death into life. 5. This “zoe life” or the life which God gives to us is given to us through the intake of doctrine, JOH 6:27. JOH 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life [zoe-life], which the Son of man shall give to you, for on him the Father, even God, has set his seal." In JOH 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives zoe-life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 6. This “zoe life” is given without measure depending upon the believer's desire for it; JOH 3:34. JOH 3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 7. This life can never be taken away, Joh 10:28-30. JOH 10:28 And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. JOH 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. JOH 10:30 "I and the Father are one." 8. This "zoe life” is described in Joh 17:3 as "knowing" God and TLJC. JOH 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. 9. It is through the written communication of Bible doctrine that this life is offered to every member of the human race, Joh 20:31. JOH 20:31 But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing you may have zoe life in His name. 10. In PHI 4:11-12, we have the correct interpretation of life is for the believer who sticks with doctrine and lives in the way and the truth manifested by the Kenosis life. PHI 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. PHI 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. This is what it means to be on the right side of history or to accept your calling and place in life. This, of course, refers to the lifestyle and thinking of the mature believer.......contentment no matter what. This is the result of perception, metabolization of and application of Bible doctrine. This is living in "the zoe-life." For the true purpose of receiving doctrine is to recognize what TLJC means when He said in JOH 14:6: JOH 14:6 "I am the way [entrance], and the truth [doctrine], and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. The reason why truth is so important is because of what it produces as mentioned in our passage when the apostle Paul said: PHI 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. The Truth leads to the Christian life, or the zoe-life. Zoe means the function of life. In the spiritual life, zoe refers to the super-grace life which is the objective of Bible doctrine resident in the soul. This zoe-life refers to an extraordinary peace that God desires for us to experience even in time. The “zoe life.” Even in time, you have the ability to begin to experience “zoe-life” within you.....as we noted last evening in he Gospel of John. This sense of inner peace and contentment may decrease or increase because this new life, the zoe life, a life of complete contentment is given little by little. However, in the eternal state, this zoe-life will fill you entirely. However, the point is that: As God has a plan for our lives which enables us to recognize death to old sin nature with its selfish desires, as a part of that plan He also gives us the experience of zoe-life in time.

Bless the Seed Planters (2) (Audio) David Eells - 1/5/22   Gathering the Vessels to be Filled Eve Brast - Dec. 15 - 17, 2021 Dreams (David's notes in red) On December 15th in a dream we of UBM were in a warehouse gathering pots and dishes of all kinds and crockpots etc. together and placing them on our white fold-out pot blessing tables that were lined up in a straight row.  There wasn't any food in them we were all just gathering the vessels together in preparation for the food. Then I heard the voice of the Lord from above and to the right of me say, “You must wait 6 weeks.” (The time period would be up on Jan. 26th IF the date of the dream is when the 6 weeks start.) I woke up pondering about what this could mean. (Could it be the anointing upon the food of the Word that we have stored up to serve to the people?) Then on December 16th I had two dreams that were identical back to back in the night. (The dream was doubled) (Meaning as Joseph said that it will surely come to pass.) In these dreams we of UBM were all in a large wooden Ark that was still sitting on dry ground with the big door still down and resting on the ground and opened like a ramp leading up into it. (The Ark is being prepared to "escape all these things” as in Luke 21:36) It was nice weather outside at the moment. I could see the sun shining through the gathering white  clouds. (The light of the Son is shining on us to prepare.) We were, again, gathering many different pots, pans and crockpots in preparation for the food. I wasn't sure how we were going to get all the meals and food but we were getting ready to receive the supplies and dishes of food in order to distribute it to all the people. (We have been told that we are storing up in the grain silos of Joseph for a time of releasing the anointed food to the people.) (This made me think of Elisha and the widow in 2 Ki. 4:1-7 when there was a famine and her husband had died and they were going to take her sons into slavery and bondage because she couldn't pay her debts. So grace came when the prophet told her to go and ask her neighbors for as many vessels as she could gather and begin pouring what little oil she had into them until they were all full. Then he told her to go and sell the oil to pay her creditors and save her boys.) Then on December 17th I dreamed that UBM was again gathering dishes together to be filled with food in a house that belonged to David that had many, many rooms of different sizes all joined together. (The Lord told me that He would build me a house as a type of David Man-child's house which was finished before the House of God. My house in the natural is almost finished. So we are about to start on the temple house which is in the Bride city and they are built by the food which is the Word that has been stored up to create "Christ in you”..) I again heard the Lord's voice from directly above me say, “From beneath the bars of the gates, you shall escape.” (The first fruits Bride escapes Babylon to re-build on their promised land.)  I woke up repeating this phrase to myself and wondering what the Lord was saying. (The thing that came to me was about when Cyrus diverted the Euphrates away from Babylon so that his armies could go under the bars and then through the gates on both banks and conquer Babylon.  This was as the king was receiving the interpretation of the writing on the wall by Daniel who was made the third ruler in the kingdom at that time.) (According to Operation Disclosure: On Sun. 2 Jan. 2022 “Earth Quakes” under Geneva Lake in Switzerland destroyed the Cabal's CIA CERN Headquarters and was considered the Fall of Babylon. These earthquakes were actually bombings or Rods of God. Just as Cyrus did, Trump decapitated Babylon. Many traitorous leaders will be executed. Then the headless enemy will be cleaned up. False flag is already planned by the DS and incoming.)  During my waking hours on these days the Lord brought an old song back to my memory that I hadn't heard or thought about in a very long time. It was called, “Seek ye First”. I couldn't get it out of my head and just kept singing the first verse over and over.  So I looked up the rest of the song so I would be able to sing the whole thing.  And then the Lord put it in my heart to request that Barry lead us to sing it at the Friday night meeting and that we could put it as a permanent addition in our song books. Here's the lyrics below: Seek ye first the kingdom of God And His righteousness And all these things shall be added unto you Allelu, alleluia Man shall not live by bread alone But by every word That proceeds from the mouth of God Allelu, alleluia Ask and it shall be given unto you Seek and ye shall find Knock and the door shall be opened unto you Allelu, alleluia Seek ye first the kingdom of God And His righteousness And all these things shall be added unto you Allelu, alleluia (This is a really good exhortation to Seek first His Kingdom to be prepared for the choosing of the Bride.)   Praying for Latter Rain Isaac Payne -1/1/22 (David's notes in red) I wanted to share this dream I had last night. It was a very direct and quick dream. I'm wondering if there is significance of this being the first dream for me of the new year, 2022.  (Issac has very good dreams on a regular basis, so the Lord could certainly be sending us a message about what to expect as far as timing for the latter rain anointing coming early this year, 2022.) In this dream it was night. (The night time represents the tribulation when gross darkness in over the earth and the peoples. This is the time when the former and the latter rains will be poured out upon God's elect in a great revival as it was when God's people were entering the wilderness, a type of the tribulation.)  There was a couple in their upper 50's holding onto each other in a desolate area. (Representing the wilderness tribulation.) They called out to me and I went to speak with them.  I knew the man's name in the dream was John. (Meaning, “God is gracious or graced by God". John the Baptist was preparing for the anointed One who comes as the latter rain according to Hos. 6:1-3.) The woman he was holding had blonde hair and it was a couple of inches from her shoulders. (The Bride is prepared to be chosen by the anointed One.) (They looked like husband and wife; at least that's what it seemed like.)   They asked me if I would pray for the latter rain with them. We all joined hands and prayed in agreement. I prayed, “Oh Father thank you! We ask for the latter rain anointing, and we claim it done. We thank you for it in Jesus's name. Amen!” Then I woke up. (The anointed One is Jesus in the Man-child body of reformers.)   Psalm 87 and Zion the 'Desert of the Lord' Deborah Horton 9-20-21 (David's notes in red)  I hope I can explain what the Lord revealed to me in these texts below. :0) (As we will see in Deb's revelation, the couple mentioned in Issac's dream who were holding on to one another in a desolate place praying for the latter rain represents those in Zion.) It says in Psa.87:1 His foundation is in the holy mountains. (2) Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. (The actual meaning of “Zion" is the Hebrew word tsiyyah meaning "desert, drought, dry, dry places, parched, parched land"! Think about that for a minute.) (She is prepared to soak up the anointing and Word of the Man-child reformers.) It says in Psa.63:1 O God, thou art my God; earnestly will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, In a dry and weary land, where no water is. (So, we are the "dry and weary land”. But why are we seeking Zion if it's a desert? And why would the Lord love a "dry and weary land”?) (Some people are hungry and thirsty for God.) (Psa.87:3) Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah (Glorious things are spoken of a desert?)  (4) I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me: Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: This one was born there. (Here in verse 4 notice that Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia were enemies of Zion until they were (re-)born there. (Col.1:21) And you, (speaking of the Gentiles) being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, (22) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him.) (5) Yea, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born in her; And the Most High himself will establish her. (6) Jehovah will count, when he writeth up the peoples, This one was born there. Selah (Look at another place where the location of birth is important: (Luk.2:1) Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. (2) This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. (3) And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. (4) And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; (5) to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. (6) And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered.) Back to (Psa.87:7) They that sing as well as they that dance [shall say], All my fountains are in thee. (Well, "fountains" are "living water,” In Joh.3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. (8) The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.) When we come to Zion, we have to come empty, a dry and dead-to-self desert, in order to be filled. It says in (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; (10) that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Also in (Mat.5:6) Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. David Mullinix added this text: (Isa.53:2) For he (Jesus) grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (So Zion has gone through a crucifixion at the hands of the apostates and God will pour out upon this Bride the a renewal of the former rain as the Man-child ministries receive the latter rain and gives it to the Bride after 3 1/2 years just as it was with Jesus.)     UBM Books Getting Anointed Merlene Laughlin - 12/2/21 (David's notes in red)  I dreamed the sky was getting gray as a storm was coming soon. (In the natural, Trump and the Alliance have said, "The Storm is upon us"; meaning the warfare on the DS in our government that will temporarily bring down the Satanic Cabal and bring God's people a temporary reprieve from the left wing of the Dragon Beast as the right wing rises at the Man-child's return in His Body of Man-child ministers to lead God's people in the first 3 1/2 years of the 7 year tribulation period.) I knew that I was in a white, one story school building. (We are in the school of sanctification learning to walk in holiness. As in Eve's dream when Lion Man came and expounded on David's books but with a greater anointing.) Some of the UBM women, that had been working on the books, were in a huge library trying to take the UBM books out of many boxes and put them in order on the library shelves after they had dusted them. I saw everyone working with happy hands and hearts. (A library is a quiet, restful place where people are able to study and learn. 'Dusting and putting in order' represents cleaning up the spiritual environment so that the knowledge in the materials can be received. Psa. 68:11 The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host. ) Then we all heard thunder and saw a mix of swirling gray clouds. It was starting to rain, but only a mist. We hurried so we could get that last pallet done so all the boxes of books would be “shelved and in order.” (The time is short we must get the house in order. Jesus told His disciples in John 9:4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.) The whole side of the school looked as if it was suddenly gone. One person looked up and said, “Where did the windows go? There were windows there earlier.” (During the latter rain the veil will be taken away from our knowledge and understanding. The windows of Heaven are opened to release revelation knowledge to a hungry and thirsty people.  1 Co. 13:8-12 ...but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.)   I heard the,“splat, splat, splat” of large rain drops falling. Each “splat” was several inches from the other. (Hos. 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (This is the 1000 year days and we are on the morning of the 3rd day as it says in the next verse.) 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.) Seeing that some stacks of books had a rain splat on them, I took a white towel and started to quickly wipe off the medium, dark blue covers of the remaining books on the table, but the rain would not wipe off! Then I heard some one say, “Merlene, it's the latter rain. It will not wipe off!” (Psa 68:7-12  O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah 8 The earth trembled, The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God: Yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, Thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. 10 Thy congregation dwelt therein: Thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor. 11 The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host. 12 Kings of armies flee, they flee; And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.)    Pray for Good Weather for Building on the UBM Land                  Vanessa Weeks - 12/1/21 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was listening to an Unleavened Bread Bible Study with my ear buds. Towards the end of the study, David asked all of us who were listening to pray that we would have good weather in the area over the next several days. (The good weather may be the sun/Son shining on us and no storm in the heavens.)  He said that we would be working on or building something that would be shelters for the people. 1Co 3:9  For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building.) (I asked the Lord for a word about the shelters and received by faith at random Mat. 24:30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.) (We know that this verse does not fit timing wise but if we just consider the words of the verse, we know that the Lord is coming in His Man-child body of reformers which is a Son of man. So the Son of God is coming in a son of man to repeat History.) As David talked to us about praying for good weather, I saw him hammering some metal frames together and it appeared that it would be a large building. (This reminds me of Eph. 2:20-22  being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21  in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22  in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.) I asked the Lord for a word about David hammering and what we were building and received by faith at random Dan 2:19 (In context  19-23)    Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Daniel was a type of the Man-child Ministry at the time of the fall of Babylon who was a revealer of these secrets to the people who were coming out of bondage to rebuild the kingdom in the promised land.)  20  Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. 21  And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding; 22  he revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23  I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast now made known unto me what we desired of thee; for thou hast made known unto us the king's matter.) David also said the building will be on some land UBM has and I saw it as a park like setting. (God's people were told to conquer the old man and take the land of promise which means to stand on the promises of God. The first land to be taken after the Babylonian falling away was Zion and the Temple ground which represents the new leadership of born again Zion which represents the Bride in whom is the presence of God.) I was thinking in the dream, I did not know UBM had land, but we have had several dreams of this land and us standing on the grass. (Standing on the grass represents conquering our flesh for as Peter said, “All flesh is as grass.”) I asked the Lord for a word for this dream and received by faith at random Luke 9:25 (In context 23-27) 23  And he said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, (for the flesh to die on) and follow me. 24  For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25  For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own self? 26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in his own glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. 27  But I tell you of a truth, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. (Denying ourselves and taking up our cross to follow Jesus is the land we have in UBM.)   I went to the UBM site and put the word “shelter" in the site search and saw a dream from Eve on 10/10/10 called 'Man-Child & Bride Save  Apostates'  This is the portion that had "shelter " in it and the verse she got is the same Daniel text I received above when I asked what David was hammering on and what we were building. (So here's the portion of Eve's dream…) …She (The Pakistani woman who said to me, “You are the seer right?") then handed me the piece of cardboard she had been writing on. I took it in my right hand (I'm naturally left-handed) and held it up toward the light to my right. She had written the Roman numerals XXVIII (28) on it. As I was doing this, a voice from behind me and up and to my right resonated through my being, asking, "Are you ready for March 28th?" I answered, "Yes”.  After this, the Pakistani woman turned into a child, came around and took shelter under my right arm, which became a wing with white feathers. This is when the dream ended. (Eve had this dream on 10/10/10. The very next March 28th was a significant day. March 28th in Roman Numerals represents the day the Roman Catholic [meaning "universal"] Church attempted, with the Roman beast government, to force the Jews [now also representing the Christians] on threat of death into their one world order religion. This attempt was thwarted by God using an earthquake on what is now March 28th. We are not saying anything will happen on the 28th but the parallel, as symbolism, is unmistakable. I believe the future attempt at the "covenant with many” will bring terrible earthquakes to America? Could something like this be a demonstration for the apostate church's sake. Because of this and more to come, those who have been given discernment among them may come under the authority and protection of the Bride and Man-child, as in the dream above. When Haman, as a type of the antichrist beast, got an edict to destroy the Jews, it was Mordecai the Man-child and Esther the Bride who were used to save them.)  When I asked the Lord about "seer", I opened my Bible and put my finger down on Daniel 2:20. I then went on to read verses 19 above it and 21-23 after it. {Dan.2:19} Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. {20} Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his... {21} And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding; {22} he revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. {23} I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast now made known unto me what we desired of thee; for thou hast made known unto us the king's matter. (God has revealed the timing and nature of His judgments to His Bride, represented by Eve, of which the Man-child, represented by Daniel, is the head.) I just thought it was an amazing confirmation when Eve's dream came up and had the same scripture I received for my dream. On 12-14-21 Eve asked for a word to answer David about our promised land last night and she received by faith at random  Neh 9:15  and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.     UBM Light Workers Reaching Those in Darkness   Deborah Fenske - 12/22/21 (David's notes in red) I had a short dream last night that I want to share after hearing the broadcast about the Bride shining the light on those coming out of the apostate church.  I was in a house like Jeff's house, but it seemed bigger. The layout of the rooms were about the same. It was pretty plain and emptied inside. (We must be emptied inside to be filled with the light of Christ.) I knew there were quite a few people in this house… Then the scene changed, and I was standing out in the front of the house but it didn't look like the front of Jeff's house.  I was standing in front up on the hill, like the way Jeff's house is and it was dark outside. I was looking at a line of several people, far away, down below. But I wasn't looking down a driveway. I was just looking from way above these people, and I could see very sparsely wooded land that they were walking through. (Representing their personal wilderness trials.)  It's amazing that I could see them so clearly, because they were a far distance away.  And since it was dark I knew they needed light. And I could see, even from that far off distance away, that a couple people were using the flashlights on their cell phones. I thought I would give them more light, so I started shining the flashlight of my phone way out there to them, and I could tell it made a little bit of a difference. (All the UBM workers are working on getting the light of the Gospel to people through books and digital means like Debbie's phone. Light represents knowledge of truth which Jesus said would set us free.)  I could even see people turn around and look, wondering where the extra light was coming from. But it still wasn't that much light. They needed more. (Yes, people need more light and truth. The latter rain anointing of the Man-child would open their understanding. I desire that God's people would take the great commission evangelism more seriously. Many will miss the Bride because of this.) So I tried a couple different ways of holding my phone to try to find the best way for my flashlight to give them the most light. I finally raised my arm up higher and let my light shine down on them.  I could see my light shining all over them, from the rear of the line of the people clear to the front of them, and even further out in front of them. And I saw them looking around, again, as I knew they were trying to figure out where that light was coming from. Then I woke up. (UBM is working on shining the light to help people find their way in their wilderness. PTL! A big 'thank you' to all the Light Workers in the Kingdom. :o) Luke 1:76-79 Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; (UBM is one of the John the Baptist ministries, preaching repentance in our day to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord in His people.) 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins, 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us, (This is Jesus in the Man-child ministry by Word and Spirit.) 79 To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace.   Select LanguageAfrikaansAlbanianAmharicArabicArmenianAzerbaijaniBasqueBelarusianBengaliBosnianBulgarianCatalanCebuanoChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCroatianCzechDanishDutchEsperantoEstonianFilipinoFinnishFrenchFrisianGalicianGeorgianGermanGreekGujaratiHaitian CreoleHausaHawaiianHebrewHindiHmongHungarianIcelandicIgboIndonesianIrishItalianJapaneseJavaneseKannadaKazakhKhmerKinyarwandaKoreanKurdish (Kurmanji)KyrgyzLaoLatinLatvianLithuanianLuxembourgishMacedonianMalagasyMalayMalayalamMalteseMaoriMarathiMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)NepaliNorwegianOdia (Oriya)PashtoPersianPolishPortuguesePunjabiRomanianRussianSamoanScots GaelicSerbianSesothoShonaSindhiSinhalaSlovakSlovenianSomaliSpanishSundaneseSwahiliSwedishTajikTamilTatarTeluguThaiTurkishTurkmenUkrainianUrduUyghurUzbekVietnameseWelshXhosaYiddishYorubaZulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

Wondertekens…STORM Johannes kies en rangskik net sewe van Jesus se sowat 30 wonderwerke. Hy noem dit wonder-tekens. Wonderwerke is tekens wat 'n nuwe realiteit aankondig. Tekens wat verdwaalde mense in die regte rigting wil wys. In Joh 20:30-31 skryf hy dat ... Lees Meer

TODAY'S HOMILY IN BRIEF. In Joh 15:5 Jesus says "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing". Stay connected to Christ Jesus to enjoy the fulness of life and all that makes for a flourishing life. The channel of this flow/fountain of life is the Church. May you flourish and blossom in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Kindly key into our NINE-DAY-BEGINNING OF THE MONTH INTENSIVE PRAYERS AND NOVENA FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER by praying with Psalms 8, 73 and 103 alongside your daily rosary. May God visit you with inexhaustible blessings; strengthening you and manifesting His glory upon you and all yours as THIS NOVEMBER IS OUR MONTH OF RENEWED VIGOUR AND GLORY. Kindly listen to the full homily in today's episode of my podcast. Please follow, subscribe to, like, share and comment on our YouTube channel and Facebook page @ Eternal Word of Life Ministry-#FadaPeterBenson, our Facebook, Instagram, Blog and Twitter @ FadaPeterBenson and our website @ https://ewlm.org. Be assured of my prayers and blessings always. @FadaPeterBenson

Das Osterfest ist Geschichte. In Joh. 21, 1-14 begegnet Jesus nach seiner Auferstehung den Jüngern am See Genezareth. Das Evangelium nach Johannes geht seinem Ende entgegen. Seinem Ende? Nein! Es ist erst der Anfang! Hören Sie eine interessante Geschichte zu unserem Glauben von Manfred Mebert aus der Christlichen Gemeinde in Nürnberg.

In Joh 8 bringen Männer eine Frau zu Jesus. Sie sei eine Ehebrecherin und müsse gemäß dem biblischen Gesetz gesteinigt werden. Jesus nimmt den Anklägern mit einer entlarvenden Gegenfrage den Wind aus den Segeln und rettet die Frau: Wer unter euch ohne Sünde ist, werfe den ersten Stein. Die Attitüde der religiösen Eiferer, die die Frau zu Jesus bringen erinnert an die Art wie Fundamentalisten stur und streng jedes Wort der Bibel unhinterfragt als Gottes Willen ansehen und anwenden wollen. Auch wenn es gegen zeitgemäße ethische Werte steht. Eine sehr geschätzte Kollegin von mir sah sich vor einiger Zeit einem solch fundamentalistisch denkendem Theologen und Pastor in einer quasi-Inquisition gegenüber, obwohl es eigentlich darum ging, einen ökumenischen Gottesdienst zu planen. Darum geht es in dieser Folge.

Ingrid Metzmeier spricht über das Thema: Die Kraft des heiligen Geistes. In Joh 16, 13-14 steht, dass der heilige Geist uns hilft Gottes Wahrheiten über uns zu verstehen. Und er erfüllt uns, so dass wir Anderen helfen können die Wahrheit zu verstehen. Der heilige Geist tut Fürbitte für Anderen und setzt dadurch große Kraft frei. 3 Punkte über den heiligen Geist: 1. Der heilige Geist bringt Offenbarung. 2. Der heilige Geist schenkt Begegnungen mit Gott Der heilige Geist ist in uns, er ist auf uns, aber wir haben die Freiheit ihm zu folgen oder nicht. 3. Der heilige Geist schenkt Erfüllung

Jezus is gekomen om Zijn handen aan mij vuil te maken Mattheüs 9:9-13 In Joh. 8:44 zegt Jezus tegen de Farizeeën dit over de duivel: “U bent uit uw vader de duivel, en wilt de begeerten van uw vader doen; die was een mensenmoordenaar van het begin af, en staat niet in de waarheid, want er is in hem geen waarheid. Wanneer hij de leugen spreekt, spreekt hij vanuit wat van hemzelf is, want hij is een leugenaar en de […]

The Doctrine of Rest, Part 4. The Opposition to Rest. Sunday, April 20, 2008 JOB 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, And your lips with shouting. PRO 17:22 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. The Doctrine of Rest Point 1. Definition. a. Rest is having peace in soul which means that you are free from worrying, from anxiety, and from frustration. b. Rest also means to remain confident, especially under pressure. c. Rest is to trust the promises and the word of God under extreme pressure. Nuwach = to settle down; to give comfort; to be at rest from troubles and anxieties. Loipoi = recreation and refreshment rest for the believer. Rest = the state of mind in which there is complete and total peace being free from worries, anxieties, and fears. Point 2. Introduction. The manifestation of the glory of God within. When a believer reveals the glory of God, there will be one basic characteristic and quality that follows them around wherever they go, and that basic characteristic is rest. In GAL 5:22 the manifestation of the Holy Spirit is peace - eirene; one of the meanings of eirene is rest. EXO 33:18-19 “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!” And God said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God's glory is revealed by His grace. God's glory is revealed by His compassion which is mercy. Point 3. Rest is also a fulfillment of the promises of God. If you don't live in God's promises which are based upon His character and nature, you won't have rest. Menuwchah = a marriage with rest or a resting place; it means to be settled in a particular place. Menuwchah = a lifetime guarantee, a condition of rest, a place of rest, a habitation of rest. We studied many of the abuses that our Lord went through this week being been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin, HEB 4:15. He endured the mocking by leaders and others, LUK 23:35. They also tried to stone Him to death, JOH 8:59. PSA 22:16 “they pierced His hands and His feet” MAR 14:57 - people that He loved and died for stood up and began to give false testimony or lie about Him. LUK 22:48 - His close friend, whom He trusted, whom He ate bread with, lifted up his heel against Him and betrayed Him. In ISA 50:6, He gave His back to those who struck Him and His cheeks to those who plucked His beard; He did not cover His face from humiliation and spiting. ISA 53:5 He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; ISA 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. ZEC 13:6 - He had wounds between His arms which He says came from being wounded in the house of His friends. JOH 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. Men said in MAT 9:34 that our Lord was of the devil. They said in MAT 11:19 that our Lord was a glutton, a drunk, and hung out with prostitutes. In MAT 26:65, they said that He blasphemed. In MAT 26:66, they said that He deserved to be dead. In MAR 3:21, our Lord was accused of being nuts and insane. In MAR 3:22, they said He was demon possessed. In LUK 23:2, they accused Him of being unpatriotic. In LUK 23:5, they accused Him of always stirring up trouble. In LUK 23:14, they said He causes the people to rebel. In JOH 7:12, they said He was a cult leader and He leads multitudes astray. In JOH 8:48, they said He had a demon. JOH 10:20 “He has a demon and is insane.” Besides all that, He went through an experience that was the worst experience of all, having God the Father forsake Him, MAT 27:46. HEB 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart [become discouraged]. In ISA 30:18, He is tapping His foot waiting to be gracious to you. He says you'll find rest to your souls according to MAT 11:29, which means refreshment. Every single one of us need refreshment and in ROM 12:2, to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Point 4. The purpose of rest. Rest is given because it's the only cure for sorrows, fears, and bondage. Rest is the medicine to heal you from sorrows, difficulties and fears. 2TI 1:7 “God has not given us the lifestyle of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” 1JO 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. ROM 8:15 For you have not received the spirit (lifestyle) of bondage, but you have received the spirit of adoption. The purpose of rest is to give us confidence and to give us divine deliverance. Verse 15 - “In repentance [changing the way you think] and rest you shall be delivered,” Point 5. Bible Doctrine Is the Guide to Lead God's People to Rest. ISA 28:10 “For {He says,} ‘Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.'” ISA 28:12 He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,” And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen. Menuwchah - the rest, or the condition of rest, the marriage of rest. The second rest here (repose) - nuwach = to give comfort and rest from troubles and anxieties. To reject Bible doctrine is to reject the rest that God has for your life. MAT 13:22 - there are those who hear the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. LUK 12:15 He said to His disciples, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not {even} when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 2TI 2:4 - they have “entangled themselves in the affairs of everyday life” and therefore they are no longer a soldier in active service for the Lord but have gone AWOL! LUK 8:14 “These are the ones who have heard doctrine, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” 1CO 7:23 “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” Point 6. Rest is said to be the inheritance of people of God. DEU 12:9-10, "for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,” PSA 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. PSA 23:5 He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. In the ancient world a table represented not only a place you would come to for rest and relaxation, but a table was also a place you would come to for pleasure and enjoyment. We have the greatest chef of all time, TLJC, Who is preparing a table for us in the midst of our enemies. Point 7. The Opposition to Rest. GAL 5:17 For the flesh [the human nature without God] sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh [the human nature without God] profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” 1CO 3:3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? Under the principle of typology, Amalek is a type of the believer's flesh. In reality, your weakness is the old sin nature's strength. Aamalek is a type of the flesh; Amalek does its best to try to make you become weary. Verse 19 - rest - nuach = the rest which gives us comfort and freedom from worrying and troubles and fears; it is refreshing.

Grace Bible Church & Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries Copyright © 2022 by Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin Gbible.org THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH. 04/13/08 Our main passage is ROM 9:4 Who are Israelites, to whom is the adoption and as sons and the glory [that is the Shekinah glory], and the unconditional covenants, and the deposit of the law, [Mosaic Law], and the temple service [the service of God] and the promises. The service of God refers to the worship of God and it's a reference to the manner of operation of the Levitical priesthood, the Levitical offerings, the articles of furniture in the tabernacle, in the temple, the Holy days, the feasts, etc. You are here for a reason and your life is to have definition and purpose. We have five purposes: 1. Worship. 2. Discipleship. 3. Fellowship. 4. Ministry. 5. Evangelism. We have begun to note the first one, worship. For example, in giving the Law for His people, God set several appointed "feasts of the Lord" for Israel to observe at specific times during the year (Lev 23). The first holy day God set aside is the Sabbath day, which was to be observed every week. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week or Saturday. The Jews rested every Saturday, and it was to remind the Jews of the principle of grace. It reminded them that there was nothing you could do for Salvation, and that there was nothing you could do to gain the approbation and the blessing of God. This has led us to the Doctrine of the Sabbath. Point 1. Introduction. Freedom demands rest and rest demands freedom. You can never have freedom when you stop thinking. The Sabbath was a thinking day when you didn't work physically, but instead you sat somewhere, rested, and thought. There are two kinds of Sabbath: The temporal Sabbath is the faith-rest technique of the believer, this is the moment-by-moment Sabbath (HEB 3:11; HEB 4:1-7). Then there is the eternal Sabbath (MAT 11:28). Point 2. Salvation rest (MAT 11:28). Point 3. Supergrace rest and test. DEU 6:10-13, “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and [given you] houses or homes full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you shall eat and be satisfied, then watch yourself, lest you forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery. You shall respect only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him, and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,” This literally means back up your promises with His name only or with His character. This also means not follow other god's such as money, materialism, pleasure, etc. In DEU 8:10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” This is part of the Biblical premise of praying after a meal, because your satisfied and so you bless GOD, your God, for the good place He has given you, and for the good family and friends He has provided. DEU 8:11 “Beware lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today;” DEU 8:13-14, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then beware that your heart becomes proud, and that you forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt [the cosmic system], out of the house of slavery [bondage to the devil, the flesh or the OSN and the world.” We forget to remember grace and Divine blessings, so, the commandment said to remember grace. The commandment was a ritual, and has to do with what you think. Let's look at a passage where the importance of the Sabbath is really brought out, HEB 3:7-10, Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts [your way of thinking] as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial or testing in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart [system of thinking]; And they did not know My ways.'” Even though they watched God at work for forty years, they refused to accept God's way of doing things. You are the beneficiary of many wonderful blessings from God. Yet, many of you don't even know a thing about those blessings. The Sabbath or rest that God has for you is completely neglected because of ignorance. The modern tendency of apostasy today stresses the works and production of the believer. Just like the Jews distorted the ritual Sabbath, most Christians distort the real one. HEB 3:11 “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest.” This rest is a state in which the believer has a relaxed mental attitude no matter what the situation may look like. It is a complete trust in the character and nature of God working for you. God knew in eternity past every problem you would ever face, and He made a provision for those problems. HEB 3:12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. This heart of unbelief is a heart without rest. Having no faith-rest is to say God is a liar. One of the greatest problems the Christian faces is fear. Fear, worry, anxiety, stress, always takes away your rest. HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. Refusing to enter into His rest will not stop God from being glorified, but it will surely rob us. JOH 10:9-10, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have {it} abundantly.” The Lord is constantly pouring out His grace on His people while His people are constantly pouring out complaints. HEB 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. The prerequisite for entering into rest is being filled with the Holy Spirit for the believer (rebound), but it's not enough, we need the daily intake of Bible doctrine. HEB 4:4-6, For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works;” and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, This rest depends upon the faithfulness of God and not the faithfulness of man. The Lord's invitation for rest has always been available to every believer. His rest consists of specific instructions and directions, and must be accompanied with the hearing of Bible Doctrine. Faith is not blind, it is the greatest vision in the world. HEB 4:9-12, There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Point 4. The origin of the Sabbath rest. GEN 2:1-3, Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. On the seventh day of the earth's restoration, everything was provided for man, and God rested in the sense that nothing else could possibly be provided for man in grace. Everything man needed at that point was provided. The principle: Since there was nothing God could add, obviously there is nothing that man can add. Point 5. The Sabbath is given to Israel as a command from God. EXO 20:8-11, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [set it apart as a holy day] for Him.” This very change of pace was not only beneficial to them physically and mentally, but it had ultimate benefit to them in the spiritual realm because it was a reminder of grace. Also, by maintaining good health with periodic rest, this contributed to the full, free function of the mind. With loss of health, your mind becomes a slave to certain preoccupations, like pain. In Exo 16 the Sabbath was taught to the Jews in a special way. EXO 16:22-30, Now it came about on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, then he said to them, “This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.” So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul, nor was there any worm in it. And Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” And it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day. They had received manna from heaven which represented Divine provision for the believer in time. In verse 22 on the 6th day (Friday) they were told to gather a double portion because on day 7 God wouldn't provide manna and they were not to try and gather it. This was the first specific reference to the Sabbath since GEN 2:2, when God rested. You go at from GEN 2:2 to Exo 16 and all of that time man understood the principle of the Sabbath without being forced to. EXO 20:9-10, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; {in it} you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.” All work was to stop on the Sabbath for the purpose of orienting to the grace of God. The basis for this commandment is given in EXO 20:11 “for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” This one day of rest each week is not only a principle of blessing, it is also a principle of freedom. Point 6. The Sabbatical Year of Israel. The Sabbatical year is tied to the Biblical concept of the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week and a time of rest. The Sabbatical years provided a form of regular debt release to stabilize social and economic gaps in society. According to the Bible, during the seventh year all land had to be left untilled and unplanted, and debts from close neighbors that had been unpaid during the previous six years were to be cancelled. This command can be divided into three different concerns: First, the environmental concerns that overuse of the land would make it unusable. Secondly, some of the commands covered debt concerns. Because of drought and other cyclical crop failures, the poor needed to be allowed to start over and not languish in poverty. Thirdly, land ownership and management concerns affected families in inter-generational settings. The Sabbatical year was intended to be not simply a year of leisure, but also one of religious instruction and exercises. EXO 23:10-11 we read, “And you shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield or crops, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat;[in the seventh year leave it alone and give it a rest so that your poor may eat from it] and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.” A release of debts owed by Israelite to Israelite was made. Then look at LEV 25:3-4, “Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.” However, as usual, they did not obey God. So, In LEV 26:33-37 we read “You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies' land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it. As for those of you who may be left, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them and even when no one is pursuing, they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall. They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies.” Every seven years, the Jews were supposed to stop work. If they had been functioning properly under supergrace, then this was really a year's vacation in which they didn't have to work. This was a great test to see if they had entered supergrace or not. Could they trust God to provide everything for them? If so, it was no problem. If not, they were like squirrels who hadn't gathered nuts for the winter. Now, it is very interesting that the failure of the Jews to observe the sabbatical year was the basis for determining how long they would stay under the fifth cycle of discipline. From the Exodus until the first administration of the fifth cycle of discipline to the southern kingdom, they had accumulated 490 years in which they had not observed even one sabbatical year as a nation. Over a period of 490 years they had accumulated seventy lost sabbatical years. God told the southern kingdom in 586 B.C. that since they had missed seventy sabbatical years, therefore He would give them those seventy years (that's 490) in slavery. Therefore, the first administration of the fifth cycle of discipline lasted for seventy years (LEV 26:33-36; 2CH 36:20-21; DAN 9:2; JER 25:11-12; JER 29:10). 2CH 36:20-21, And those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete. What was the word of the Lord by the prophet Jeremiah? Look at it in JER 25:11-12, “And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.” Then look at JER 29:10 “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.”' So the Jews had to be reminded about the sabbath. For 6 years they planted as much as they wanted to and operated under the principle of free enterprise, but on the 7th year they were to stop. However, the Jews would not do that. They completely rationalized the 7th year sabbath away. In reality, the sabbath never meant a thing to most of the Jews. So when the first 7 year sabbath came they didn't observe it, 14 years later they again did not observe it, and this went on until finally in a period of 490 years in Jewish history they had missed 70 sabbath years. So because they didn't want to rest when God told them to rest, He would bring about the rest Himself. So they went into 70 years of captivity in Chaldea and Persia. They have actually served 69 of those and God still owes 1 more (7 years) according to DAN 9:24-25. Point 7. The year of Jubilee. LEV 25:8 “You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, {namely,} forty-nine years.” This could be called a super sabbatical year. After forty-nine years (in which there were seven sabbatical years), the fiftieth year was called the year of Jubilee; it was a sabbath year also. During the year of Jubilee, all the real estate in the land went back to its original owners, all the businesses went back to their original owners; everything reverted back to how it was in year one. All slaves were to be freed, and whatever was their portion of land allotted to them by tribe and by the system was given back to them. So, no matter what you ever owned, it was all, always on a lease basis, and you were never to keep any of it past the year of Jubilee. This same principle applies to all of us, everything that we have or own is only on lease. Now, of course if the Jews wouldn't even keep the sabbath once a week, you can be sure that the Jews violated this one also. So, the Lord knew that they were not going to observe the Sabbath year. He gave them another chance. He gave them what was called the year of jubilee (yobel). Point 8. Profaning the Sabbath was Associated with Idolatry and the Apostasy of the Jews (EZE 23:37-39). EZE 23:38 “Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths.” Point 9. Sabbath Violation Occurred even after the Restoration or the Jews were Restored Back to Their Promise Land. NEH 13:15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Jeremiah taught the Jews in JER 17:21 'Thus says the Lord, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. They rejected this command concerning the Sabbath, just like many believers today reject the command to rest. Nehemiah found the people not only doing business on the Sabbath, but also doing their daily work and carrying unnecessary burdens. NEH 13:16-21, Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? Did not your fathers do the same so that our God brought on us, and on this city, all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” And it came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates that no load should enter on the sabbath day. Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. Nehemiah took three steps toward changing the situation. First, he rebuked the Jews who were working and selling on the Sabbath and made them stop. Secondly, he rebuked the nobles for allowing business on the Sabbath Day, reminding them that the nation's violation of the Sabbath was one cause for their captivity. Thirdly, he ordered the gates of the city to be shut on the Sabbath Day. The guards had been willing to open the gates to the Gentile merchants, possibly because they were bribed; so Nehemiah put some of his own servants on duty. He also ordered the Levites to set a good example on the Sabbath and minister to the people. THE DOCTRINE OF REST. FROM THE PROMISES OF GOD. 04/20/08 The Doctrine of Rest. Point 1. Definition. Rest is having peace in soul which means that you are free from worrying, from anxiety, and from frustration. However, there is also another side to rest. It also means to remain confident. If you're at rest, you'll remain confident. The Church-age believer does not have a Saturday Sabbath. It didn't work too well for the Jews. So, for the Church-age, God increased it, and gave us a moment-by-moment Sabbath, that is the faith-rest technique taught in HEB 4:1-3. This is the principle by which the believer enters into the supergrace life. Your moment-by-moment Sabbath means your spiritual advance, and your annual sabbatical is comparable to the supergrace life. llustrations of this moment-by-moment Sabbath, or the dynamics of faith-rest. Abraham. ROM 4:19-20, and without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. Moses at the Red sea (EXO 14:10-14). This is when Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the deliverance of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; the Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” Caleb and the giants (Num 13-14), this is an illustration of the supergrace life and the moment by moment rest. So, it is inevitable that the daily perception of Bible doctrine and the function of the faith-rest technique will eventually lead to the supergrace life. Rest also means to trust under extreme pressure. The most popular Hebrew word for rest is the word nuwach which means to settle down, something many people need to do. It means to be at rest from troubles and anxieties. Loipoi, the most popular New Testament word for rest and it means rest and recreation. God wants you to have recreation in the your life and this includes the spiritual realm. Another Greek word in the New Testament for rest is anapauo, which means to cease from work in order to receive strength. So, we will translate rest as the state of mind in which there is complete and total peace being free from worries, anxieties and fears. That's the definition. Point 2. Introduction. The manifestation of the glory of God within. There is a manifestation of the glory of God in you. HEB 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. If you have believed in Jesus Christ, then you are at the beginning of entering into God's rest. It is beginning of the manifestation of the glory of God in you. When a believer reveals the glory of God, there will be one basic characteristic that follows them around, and that is rest. This is why HEB 3:19 tells us And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. The reason why many believers are anxious, worried, and living in fear is because of unbelief. Because of this they become very critical, judgmental, and have no relaxation toward the details of life at all. This is because they refuse to enter into the rest that God has for their lives. As HEB 4:10 says For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. In other words, you are to enter into a New Testament Sabbath, which requires you to learn how to rest. This is what a lot of believers do not know how to do. If the believer does not rest, and tries to accomplish things on his own then he enters into a temporal death which is a separation from God. This is because they are trying to make certain things happen when God has given them rest. What is the day that God has given you for rest? The answer is every day that you wake up is another opportunity for you to enter into His rest. Many people do not understand God's rest. They struggle with restlessness, and they usually blame others. However, your resting place starts in your very own altar. You have an altar that starts in your soul. Your altar goes way beyond prayer, although prayer is a part of your altar, but so is learning, serving, giving, etc. Therefore, as a believer you should ask yourself where do all these struggles, fears, insecurities, worries, anxieties, concerns come from? They come from a great enemy that we all have which is fear. What is the Sabbath, or this rest that God has for us, based upon? EXO 33:12-16, Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, Thou dost say to me ‘Bring up this people!' But Thou Thyself hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Moreover, Thou hast said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people. And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” How else will it be known that You're with me and Your people? How else will we know that we're special among all other people on this planet Earth? EXO 33:17-19, And the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name.” Then Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God's glory is revealed by His grace, and by His mercy. God says He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious, and will be compassionate to whom He will be compassionate. Mercy, or compassion, is that which deals with the past in our lives, our mistakes and our failures. Grace gives us the power in the present and the power for the future. You have to understand these two specific principles of grace and mercy if you are ever going to have rest with God. If you don't have rest with God you won't have rest with yourself. If you don't have rest with yourself you won't have rest with others. Remember that the Bible says, “You shall love your neighbor as or while you love yourself.” Before you can ever love others, you have to learn how to love yourself. Arrogance, guilt, condemnation, and fear, torments a person's soul unless the individual discovers what real biblical rest is all about. Why should you have rest as a believer? Well there is only one reason; because God promised that He will be gracious and merciful (compassionate) to you. Therefore, no matter how bad you fail, how bad you've fallen, the promise is still grace and mercy to you as a child of God. Even Divine discipline is a revelation of His grace. When Moses asked to see the glory of God, that manifestation of God's glory was grace and mercy. The manifestations of the glory of God from God, is His grace and mercy, but the manifestation of the Glory of God in us, is rest. If we have rest within us, we manifest His glory. His glory from Him is the manifestation of His grace and mercy. His glory in us is different. It's you and I manifesting to Him, and to the world that we are at rest no matter what the situation may be. We are at rest because as the Lord Jesus Christ has said, He has finished the work. Point 3. Rest is also a fulfillment of the promises of God. The Lord has promised you rest. In fact, God has promised rest for all those who come to Him. However, if you don't live in God's promises, which are based upon His character and nature, you won't have rest. The writer of Hebrews says that if you want to live in fear of something, live in fear that you don't live in the promises of God (HEB 4:1). The Lord Jesus Christ made a promise to everyone of us that come unto Him. MAT 11:28-29, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” The problem is that most individuals do not want to learn. Rest comes first from going to Him, that's His promise, and secondly, if you learn from Him, you will find rest for your souls. The second time rest is used here, it means to refresh yourself. The Christian life is to be one of refreshment. Every day the things of this world are designed to take away your freshness; to make you stale, dull, passive and slothful. That's why LAM 3:23 says, Every morning He is waiting to meet you and His grace and His mercy and His faithfulness are there. In ISA 30:18 He's is tapping His foot waiting to be gracious to you. Rest for your life does not depend upon you striving to produce it, but rest depends upon you resting in His promise that He will give you rest. Not one word of His promise has ever failed. Let's look at the Hebrew word for rest in this passage. Menuwchah means a marriage with rest or a resting place, it means to settle in a particular place. The Lord hasn't just given you a moment-by-moment rest, but He has given you a marriage with rest. It is a life-time guarantee, that's what a marriage means to the Lord. Menuwchah also means a condition of rest, a place of rest, and a habitation of rest. This tells us that the Lord has not only promised you rest daily, He has promised you rest for all eternity. Some of you have been waiting for a proposal, well here it is: Rest is asking for you to marry it, waiting for you to say, yes. Many believers are trying to reach a goal that they have already been graciously promised, which is rest and peace. We all have the opportunity for what we are secretly searching for and it's within ourselves because of the life of Christ. Again, here is the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ made: “If you come to Me, I will give you rest.” But we cant stop there because He says in the next verse, “Take My yoke upon you [walk with Me and work with Me] for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” This seems to be a strange paradox in light of the fact that the average believer, already weary and overloaded must take a new weight upon him in order to find rest. But this advice is based upon two passages, PSA 55:22 Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you [Pile your troubles on God's shoulders]; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. 1PE 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. If you think that your problems are overwhelming, think of what our Lord went through for others. For the prophet Isaiah wrote that our Lord was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (ISA 53:3). The writer of Hebrews said “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. Think of it, you who think you have problems that are so intense and no one really seems to care or understand. What kind of yoke did our Lord endure? He endured the mocking by leaders and others in LUK 23:35. They also tried to stone Him to death in JOH 8:59. In PSA 22:16 they pierced His hands and His feet. People that He loved, and that He died for, stood up and began to give false testimony about Him in MAR 14:57. In LUK 22:48, His close friend, whom He trusted betrayed Him. People spat in His face, and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him in MAT 26:67. Still in LUK 23:34 we read But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (See also ZEC 13:6; JOH 1:11; MAT 9:34; MAT 11:19; MAT 26:65-66; MAR 3:21-22; MAR 3:30;). In addition to all that, He went through an experience that was the worst experience of all, having God the Father forsake Him in MAT 27:46. So, our Lord says, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Why did our Lord say that after knowing all that He would go through? HEB 12:2-3 answers this, Be concentrating our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart [become discouraged]. Continuing on from MAT 11:30 (there are no breaks in the original) MAT 12:1 At that time [after He had just taught them about rest] Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads {of grain} and eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” Once again the Pharisees were sticking their collective noses into other peoples affairs. Point 4. The purpose of rest. Why is it that God wants to give you rest? Rest is given because it's the only cure for sorrows, fears, and bondage. However, rest is the medicine to heal you from sorrows, difficulties and fears (2TI 1:7). You must have a sound mind or else you can forget about the power and love that you need. The Apostle John tells us in 1JO 4:18 that fear has torment. ROM 8:15 says, For you have not received the spirit of bondage [there is your promise again], but you have received the spirit of adoption. In ISA 14:3-7 we see that the purpose of rest is to deliver you from your fears, your sorrows, and your bondages. ISA 14:3-7, And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased, {And how} fury has ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of rulers Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution. The whole earth is at rest {and} is quiet;” They break forth into shouts of joy. The Hebrew word for rest here is nuwach, which is a special kind of rest, it means to replace your sorrows, fears, and bondage with the comfort of rest and peace. Many believers are enslaved to their troubles and the details of life. Every day things take place that feed this sorrow and bondage (JER 49:23). Many are ridden with guilt and condemnation which determines how they are going to live that day. But, God's rest will give you comfort. It will give you freedom from guilt and condemnation. It will replace your fears, sorrows and bondages with His comfort and peace. There is only one thing stopping you from receiving that rest and that is your very own unbelief. It's not what your spouse did to you, or what your parents did to you, or anything else, the one and only thing stopping you is what you are doing to yourself. The purpose of rest is to give us confidence and to give us Divine deliverance. No matter how good, moral, or sweet we are, no matter how much we pray, serve, honor, or give, if we are not at rest, we are not operating in proper motivation. When you are not at rest, it's time for you to change your system of thinking. It is in repentance or changing your mind and resting that you will be delivered. Point 5. Bible Doctrine Is the Guide to Lead God's People to Rest. Bible doctrine is the Lord's way of leading you to rest. Without it (Bible doctrine) you'll will never have rest. ISA 28:9-16, To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? For He says, ‘Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there. Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary," And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen. So the word of the Lord to them will be, “Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there,” That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive. Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” The first rest is the Hebrew word menuwchach, this is the rest, or the condition of rest, the marriage of rest. The second rest is nuwach, to give comfort and rest from troubles and anxieties. So, it is saying that doctrine is making a proposal for you to marry it so that it will give you rest from your sorrows and heartaches and from your guilt. Doctrine is the object of your unbelief or that which you are unbelieving towards. Once you have doctrine, it will cause you to rest. Doctrine leads you to the person of Christ and to reject doctrine is to reject the rest that God has for your life. Point 6. Rest is said to be the inheritance of people of God. Have you ever stopped and thought that you are an heir to the throne? You're not just some inconsequential member of the human race merely existing. You are said to be an heir to the throne of God, God loves you, and you're an heir, you're a king, you're a priest. In Deu 12, rest is said to be the inheritance of the people of God. DEU 12:9 “for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.” Until now you haven't arrived at the goal, the resting place, the inheritance that your God is giving you. DEU 12:10 “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,” He'll give you rest from all your surrounding enemies. You'll be able to settle down and live in safety. DEU 12:11-12, “then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God shall choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, [celebrate in the presence of GOD] you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he [the Levite] has no portion or inheritance with you. PSA 37:7 says “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” This time the word for rest is the Hebrew word damam to stop everything you're doing and be astonished at Him, occupied with Him. It means if you have problems right now, just stop everything you're doing and be astonished at Him. What happens with most believers is that the problem comes and they immediately freak out, and all they do is concentrate on the problem. They don't stop everything that they are doing, rather they start doing more than they have ever done before. They should have stop everything they're doing and rest in the Lord. In His time, He has a purpose, He has a reason for everything that happens in your life, He even knows even the numbers of hairs upon your head (MAT 10:30). He will come through for you. Point 7. The Opposition to Rest. In Deu 25, the opposition to God's rest is the believers flesh. You have an enemy that goes with you wherever you go, and its job is to try and see to it that you are not at rest, that enemy is your flesh your old sin nature (OSN). The duty of the OSN is to fight against the rest that God has for you. JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” Remember that in EPH 2:1-2, there are three enemies that you face; “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins [your flesh], in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world [the cosmic system], according to the prince of the power of the air [the devil],” THE DOCTRINE OF REST. PART 2. 04/27/08 We are noting the Doctrine of Rest. Point 7 in our study: The Opposition to Rest. In Deu 25, the opposition to God's rest is the believers flesh. You have an enemy that goes with you wherever you go, and it is trying make sure that you are not at rest; that enemy is your flesh. In DEU 25:17-19, the Lord told Moses to teach the children of Israel, “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, [Amalek is a type of the flesh] how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear [the ones not moving forward at the proper speed] when you were faint and weary; and he did not respect God. Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.” Amalek is a type of the flesh that tries to make you weary. You are most vulnerable at times when you have just had a victory, that's when your rest is in danger of being taken away. In verse 19 the word for rest is nuach which is the rest that gives us comfort and freedom from worrying, so it is a refreshing rest. There's another principle to note concerning opposition to rest, and that is sin, David said in PSA 38:3 that he had no rest because of his sin. Sin takes away your rest, your pleasure and deprives you of rest. Sin condemns us, accuses, and destroys us. That's why the believer must come to a place to learn how to receive the rest of God. LAM 1:3 teaches that the believer can find no rest among the heathen or those who live in the cosmic system. They couldn't find a resting place in the world, because only God can provide that. They couldn't find a marriage with rest because they had entered into spiritual adultery. JAM 4:4 says, You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Unrest is also described as the inevitable result of the unbeliever, REV 14:11 “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Pretty serious words from a God who has fulfilled over 300 prophecies perfectly and completely and has proven over and over again that what He says will happen, happens. Although this verse speaks of the eternal lake of fire, it also speaks temporarily of those that are involved with the cosmic system. Your greatest enemy taking away your rest is your very own flesh. Rest is also related to the home. In Ruth 1:9, Naomi had told her two daughters-in-law to go and find rest in the house of their own husbands, RUT 1:9 “May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Again we have the Hebrew word for a marriage with rest. Many women find no rest in life because they are not at rest at home with their husbands, this is because of the principle of 1PE 3:1-7, and of course vice-versa is true as well. They are in constant struggle with each other, and so they never have any rest. 1PE 3:7 tells us that this is why prayers are not answered in many marriages. Certain prayers are not answered because they are hindered on account of domestic problems. So rest has a tremendous relationship to the home. Rest at home is where rest really begins. For example, PRO 29:17 tells us that if we correct our children, they will give us rest, a household that has discipline, has rest. This is why God's love and God's word will solve any domestic problem that you will ever have. It may not work out as some people want it to, but it will work out for those who operate in God's word with Divine viewpoint. ISA 11:10 tells us that His rest is said to be glorious, Then it will come about in that day That the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious. God's word is glorious and will give you rest. God will give you the rest that you need to handle the situations in life. If you let God give you rest, no matter how difficult things at home may be, His rest is so glorious that He will come through for you. Now, all of this truly begins, and becomes easier to attain, when you understand that the power on the inside of the believer is greater than any attacks from the cosmic system. The Power that you possess is greater then worries, anxieties, fears, distress, troubles, phobias, panic, shock, tensions, etc. 1JO 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome all the things of this world them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. The Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. The power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and Bible doctrine is a greater power than anything in the world. Whatever comes against you from the outside can't stand up to what is on the inside of you, because the Greater One lives inside of you. You have already won the victory! Satan's strategy is to try and deflate you; to stop you from reaching your goal. However, God has the final say, and He has already spoken. We fall down, we get up, over and over again. Remember that the saints are just the sinners, who fall down, and get up. The Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan and the kingdom of darkness at the Cross once and for all, that means for all time. COL 2:14-15, having cancelled out the certificate of debt which was against us by means of the decrees, and which [certificate of debt] was hostile to us and He [by means of the decrees] has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the Cross]. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Point 8. Rest Is Also the Result of Submitting to a Local Assembly. This means we are to truly submit to a local assembly, and the authority of the pastor-teacher. Whenever we mention authority we must back it up scripturally, because of all the attacks made against the pastor's authority. Satan knows the value of authority, so he attacks it especially in the spiritual realm. No believer can attain spiritual maturity, and become an invisible hero or glorify God, apart from perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine. This means that no believer can simply read the Bible and attain spiritual maturity. The Bible is our textbook, but the gift of pastor-teacher is designed to communicate the specifics of the mystery doctrine that cause spiritual growth (EPH 4:11-13). Doctrine must be learned under authority, and that authority is vested in the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher. Pastors don't rule over you in the sense of telling you what to do, but in the sense of teaching you what God expects from you and how to execute His plan. You submit to the pastors' authority in listening to their communication of doctrine. There is a tremendous form of Divine protection given the pastor because of his office. The pastor's authority is established on the basis of the teaching of Bible doctrine. Hence, the issue is not the man, but always the message (1PE 5:2; 2TI 4:2). The man who is willing to accept all the pressure that comes from his calling, such as double discipline and undeserved suffering, better be prepared for the calling. 1TI 4:10 For because of this [communication of Bible doctrine], we work hard to the point of exhaustion, and we hang in there tough because we have confidence in the living God who is the Savior of all men. The pastor's authority is documented many places throughout the scripture (ACT 20:28; 1PE 5:2). So without a local assembly the believer is without rest. Of course there are some exceptions to this rule, but this is the basic principle. David gave us a spiritual principle concerning this in 1CH 23:25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.” Jerusalem is said to be the mother of us all. Jerusalem is the type of Church in GAL 4:25, and a church can certainly become your resting place. Things can be bad in the home, or on the job, but when you come to the local assembly you should receive edification (EPH 1:22-23). Therefore, when you are a part of a local assembly where people love and serve God; a place where the word of God is being spoken accurately, you will end up being benefited by it and you'll receive all the rest that you need. When you walk out of the doors of the local assembly you are free to have the rest and peace needed in confronting the situations that life brings. ACT 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the respect for the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. The Greek word oikodomeo means to build a house, here it refers to building a soul structure. So notice a church with rest is edified (that's the soul structure), because of this they walked in reverent respect or occupation with the Lord. They enjoyed and experienced the comforting ministry of God the Holy Spirit (GAL 5:22), who manifests His fruit in us, and they are increased or multiplied. The rest in a local assembly causes the believers to be a soul winners, they want loved ones to have the same thing that they do. The rest comes from the wisdom that is to rest in the believers soul. PRO 14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, but in the bosom of fools it is made known. Whatever rests in the heart of the believer will determine the mental attitude and your overt behavior. Is it guilt, fear, condemnation, or is it the word of God dwelling richly within? It either going to be stress or rest. Each of us has within ourselves the power to decide how to interpret stressful events. We can do it with humor; we can do it with wisdom. Sometimes we can use compassion, sometimes we can use patience and sometimes we can just accept the situation for what it is. But, you always remain humble and at rest. When you have a servant's heart, you're humble and at rest within yourself. You respect those in charge, you serve faithfully and quietly without concern over who gets the credit. That was just how King David was, and God looked at David, out in the fields in the foothills surrounding Bethlehem, keeping his father's sheep, faithfully doing his father's bidding, and God put His approval on him. A true servant doesn't care who gets the glory. A servant has one great goal, and that is to make the person he serves look better, to make that person even more successful. A servant does not want the person he serves to fail. A servant doesn't care who thinks what, just as long as the job gets done. So while David's brothers were off in the army making rank and fighting big, impressive battles, David was all alone keeping the sheep. God loved His servant's heart. Point 9. God's Attitude of Rest Toward the Believer. God's attitude toward the believer is a vital principle for you to understand concerning the doctrine of rest. One of the problems most believers face is talking too much and listening too little. This is why the Bible says that when you come into the house of the Lord your God be not rash with your mouth to utter anything before God (ECC 5:1-2). There are going to be some difficulties you will have to face when you go to the house of God. Everything is not going to be perfect. You can very easily get your eyes stuck on people. In fact, many people withdraw from a local assembly because of personality conflicts with others. But, if you're on the way to the house of God, the place where doctrine is being taught, and the word of God can do all things, then you can bet that the kingdom of darkness has designed a plan to try and distract you from hearing the word of God. If the kingdom of darkness is not successful in hindering you from coming to Bible class, then it will try to hinder you from receiving the word of God once you are in Bible class. That results in cramming your mind with your problems instead of the Divine mental attitude of rest. Remember the kingdom of darkness can hinder you from being at the place you ought to be, 1TH 2:18 “For we wanted to come to you I, Paul, more than once, and yet Satan hindered us. Not only can you be hindered from coming to the house of God, you can also be distracted while you're on your way! It may be the children acting up and fighting in the back seat making you miserable. It might be an argument between the passengers, a disagreement between husband and wife, or amongst friends. The point is that you need to be careful of anything that can distract you and get you involved with the mental attitude sins which will disturb your concentration on the word of God. You may even be all alone, and suddenly these terrible thoughts begin to come to your mind. You don't know where they're coming from, but they are designed to take your mind off the real purpose from coming, which is concentration on the word of God. Remember that the word of God is alive and powerful. So, Solomon puts it this way in ECC 5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; This means that when people go to the house of God, they are to be involved in true worship which is listening. Listening to the communication of the word of God, hearing what God's word has to say. Worship is a very interesting word and many people do not know what it really means. The ultimate form of worship is the communication of Bible doctrine. That's why our Lord said in MAT 15:9 “But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” Note that our Lord equated teaching with worship. In JOH 4:23-24 He said “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Truth is needed in true worship, and it is truth that must be taught! In ACT 18:13 Paul was accused of “persuading men to worship God contrary to the law,” meaning that worship in the Old Testament had to do with the doctrine found in the Law, but now the New Testament form of worship is found in learning the mystery doctrine of the Church-age. The highest form of worship is either teaching Bible doctrine or receiving Bible doctrine. All of the nonsense that you see today with excessive singing and raising hands, and clapping and yelling out pious “amens” is not worship. True worship is either teaching or listening to Bible Doctrine. You do more worshipping by sitting and listening and concentrating under the filling of the Spirit then you could ever do while doing anything else. PSA 138:2 says “I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.” In fact, we should never forget that all of us will be judged and evaluated based upon our love and desire for God's word. In JOH 12:48, the Lord said “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My doctrines, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” So in ECC 5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools for they do not know they are doing evil.” Solomon is saying that true worship is listening to the word of God or your perception of Bible doctrine! The sacrifice of fools is referring to meaningless rituals! The sacrifice of fools is religion! God is not interested in any of these things, He is interested in His word, which is active and living, alive and powerful always changing your life for the better, and giving you the information you need to be at rest in your souls. Knowledge learned and then applied is what gives you rest. Sadly today, worldly problems and human plans are brought not only to the very door, but even into the house of God itself. That's why the house of the Lord is not to sell things. No restaurant or a book store or the selling of tickets etc. And if you say, it's alright if it's for the Lord, JOH 2:16 says “And to those who were selling the doves [the doves were for the sacrifice to the Lord]away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise.” Just think of all the people going through various types of ritual and tradition and the Bible says they do not know they are doing evil! HEB 3:10-11; They always go astray in their heart; And they did not know My ways, therefore, as I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.' Point 10. The Believers Responsibility and The Means to Rest. The Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel that He was going to feed the flock and cause them to lie down. EZE 34:15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord God. Again it is spiritual food which causes us to rest. Now when the Lord gives you rest it's for a specific purpose. What is one of the reasons? 2Ch 14:6-7, And he built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and there was no one at war with him during those years, because the Lord had given him rest, because we have sought the Lord our God; He has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. So because the Lord gave them rest on every side, they took that opportunity to build and prosper. When the Lord gives you rest it's for you to build. No matter what kind of enemy you're faced with, He is our peace and rest. When He gives you rest, it's not a time for you to get lazy and slothful, impassive doctrinally. It's a time to build up your soul with more doctrine! You are the beneficiary of many wonderful blessings from God. Yet like many people if you do not know these things you will lose out. Many people live as paupers on earth when they are related to a God who controls the entire universe. The modern tendency today of apostasy stresses the works of the believer and the production of the believer rather than the rest of God, which is why many people have been denied these blessings. The problem today is the believers ignorance of Bible doctrine. Your biggest enemy is your own ignorance. People constantly live in their relationship to God rather than God's relationship to them. This is why they make so many mistakes. The tendency today in these times of apostasy, is to put all the pressure on you as a believer to get you to work and to get you to perform. HEB 3:7-10, Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. “Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart; And they did not know My ways;” When God gets down to indicting you He doesn't mention your failures to do this or that, He mentions that you have erred in your heart and you have not known His ways. When God gets down to indicting you, He does so for your stupidity and your ignorance. This is because you are living on earth as a loser when He has given you the equipment and artillery to make you an overcomer and a winner. Serving, giving, loving, and praying all happens after learning Bible doctrine. So, the main problem in the life of most believers is no doctrine. The reason why most believers cannot be distinguished from unbelievers: No doctrine. Ignorance of Bible doctrine means a breakdown with the faith-rest life. Grace Bible Church & Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries Copyright © 2022 by Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin Gbible.org LESSON RESOURCES: 2112 123 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. 04 06 08 Rom 9:4; Heb 3:7 13; Heb 4:1 7; Gen 2:1 3. 2112 124 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 2. 04 09 08 Rom 9:4; Eph 2:10; Mat 28:19 20; Deu 6:10 14; 8:7 10. 2112 125 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 3. 04 10 08 Gen 2:1 3; Col 1:9 13; Exo 20:8 11; 16:1 30. 2112 126 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 4. 04 11 08 Isa 58:13 59:1; Exo 23:10 11; Lev 25:3 4; Lev 26:33 37. 2112 127 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 5. 04 13 08 Isa 58:13 14; 1Co 15:20 23; Jam 1:18; Col 2:16 17. 2112 128 The Doctrine of Rest from the principle of grace and mercy, Part 1. 04 16 08 Mar 16:1 9; Rom 14:4 6; Lam 3:22 25; Heb 4:3. 2112 129 The Doctrine of Rest from the promises of God. Part 2. 04 17 08 Mat 11:28, 29; Heb 12:2, 3 Mat 12:1, 2. 2112 130 The Doctrine of Rest. The guide to lead God's people to rest. 04 18 08 Isa 28:9 13; Psa 95:6 11; Jer 6:16 17; Deu 12:9 12. 2112 131 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 4. The Opposition to Rest. 04 20 08 Rom 7:14, 18; 8:5 14; 13:14; Deu 25:17 19. 2112 132 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 5. Learning the value of authority and humility. 04 23 08 Deu 25:17 19; Rev 14:11; Col 2:14 15; Eph 4:11 13. 2112 133 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 6. God's attitude of rest towards the believer. 04 24 08 Isa 32:17 18; Ecc 5:1 2. 2112 134 The Doctrine of Rest. The believer's responsibility and means to rest. 04 25 08 Heb 3:14 4:12; Heb 5:14; 1Ti 4:7 8. 2112 135 The greater and more perfect tabernacle. 04 27 08

Grace Bible Church & Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries Copyright © 2022 by Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin Gbible.org THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH. 04/13/08 Our main passage is ROM 9:4 Who are Israelites, to whom is the adoption and as sons and the glory [that is the Shekinah glory], and the unconditional covenants, and the deposit of the law, [Mosaic Law], and the temple service [the service of God] and the promises. The service of God refers to the worship of God and it's a reference to the manner of operation of the Levitical priesthood, the Levitical offerings, the articles of furniture in the tabernacle, in the temple, the Holy days, the feasts, etc. You are here for a reason and your life is to have definition and purpose. We have five purposes: 1. Worship. 2. Discipleship. 3. Fellowship. 4. Ministry. 5. Evangelism. We have begun to note the first one, worship. For example, in giving the Law for His people, God set several appointed "feasts of the Lord" for Israel to observe at specific times during the year (Lev 23). The first holy day God set aside is the Sabbath day, which was to be observed every week. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week or Saturday. The Jews rested every Saturday, and it was to remind the Jews of the principle of grace. It reminded them that there was nothing you could do for Salvation, and that there was nothing you could do to gain the approbation and the blessing of God. This has led us to the Doctrine of the Sabbath. Point 1. Introduction. Freedom demands rest and rest demands freedom. You can never have freedom when you stop thinking. The Sabbath was a thinking day when you didn't work physically, but instead you sat somewhere, rested, and thought. There are two kinds of Sabbath: The temporal Sabbath is the faith-rest technique of the believer, this is the moment-by-moment Sabbath (HEB 3:11; HEB 4:1-7). Then there is the eternal Sabbath (MAT 11:28). Point 2. Salvation rest (MAT 11:28). Point 3. Supergrace rest and test. DEU 6:10-13, “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and [given you] houses or homes full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you shall eat and be satisfied, then watch yourself, lest you forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery. You shall respect only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him, and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,” This literally means back up your promises with His name only or with His character. This also means not follow other god's such as money, materialism, pleasure, etc. In DEU 8:10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” This is part of the Biblical premise of praying after a meal, because your satisfied and so you bless GOD, your God, for the good place He has given you, and for the good family and friends He has provided. DEU 8:11 “Beware lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today;” DEU 8:13-14, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then beware that your heart becomes proud, and that you forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt [the cosmic system], out of the house of slavery [bondage to the devil, the flesh or the OSN and the world.” We forget to remember grace and Divine blessings, so, the commandment said to remember grace. The commandment was a ritual, and has to do with what you think. Let's look at a passage where the importance of the Sabbath is really brought out, HEB 3:7-10, Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts [your way of thinking] as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial or testing in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart [system of thinking]; And they did not know My ways.'” Even though they watched God at work for forty years, they refused to accept God's way of doing things. You are the beneficiary of many wonderful blessings from God. Yet, many of you don't even know a thing about those blessings. The Sabbath or rest that God has for you is completely neglected because of ignorance. The modern tendency of apostasy today stresses the works and production of the believer. Just like the Jews distorted the ritual Sabbath, most Christians distort the real one. HEB 3:11 “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest.” This rest is a state in which the believer has a relaxed mental attitude no matter what the situation may look like. It is a complete trust in the character and nature of God working for you. God knew in eternity past every problem you would ever face, and He made a provision for those problems. HEB 3:12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. This heart of unbelief is a heart without rest. Having no faith-rest is to say God is a liar. One of the greatest problems the Christian faces is fear. Fear, worry, anxiety, stress, always takes away your rest. HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. Refusing to enter into His rest will not stop God from being glorified, but it will surely rob us. JOH 10:9-10, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have {it} abundantly.” The Lord is constantly pouring out His grace on His people while His people are constantly pouring out complaints. HEB 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. The prerequisite for entering into rest is being filled with the Holy Spirit for the believer (rebound), but it's not enough, we need the daily intake of Bible doctrine. HEB 4:4-6, For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works;” and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, This rest depends upon the faithfulness of God and not the faithfulness of man. The Lord's invitation for rest has always been available to every believer. His rest consists of specific instructions and directions, and must be accompanied with the hearing of Bible Doctrine. Faith is not blind, it is the greatest vision in the world. HEB 4:9-12, There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Point 4. The origin of the Sabbath rest. GEN 2:1-3, Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. On the seventh day of the earth's restoration, everything was provided for man, and God rested in the sense that nothing else could possibly be provided for man in grace. Everything man needed at that point was provided. The principle: Since there was nothing God could add, obviously there is nothing that man can add. Point 5. The Sabbath is given to Israel as a command from God. EXO 20:8-11, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [set it apart as a holy day] for Him.” This very change of pace was not only beneficial to them physically and mentally, but it had ultimate benefit to them in the spiritual realm because it was a reminder of grace. Also, by maintaining good health with periodic rest, this contributed to the full, free function of the mind. With loss of health, your mind becomes a slave to certain preoccupations, like pain. In Exo 16 the Sabbath was taught to the Jews in a special way. EXO 16:22-30, Now it came about on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, then he said to them, “This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.” So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul, nor was there any worm in it. And Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” And it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day. They had received manna from heaven which represented Divine provision for the believer in time. In verse 22 on the 6th day (Friday) they were told to gather a double portion because on day 7 God wouldn't provide manna and they were not to try and gather it. This was the first specific reference to the Sabbath since GEN 2:2, when God rested. You go at from GEN 2:2 to Exo 16 and all of that time man understood the principle of the Sabbath without being forced to. EXO 20:9-10, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; {in it} you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.” All work was to stop on the Sabbath for the purpose of orienting to the grace of God. The basis for this commandment is given in EXO 20:11 “for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” This one day of rest each week is not only a principle of blessing, it is also a principle of freedom. Point 6. The Sabbatical Year of Israel. The Sabbatical year is tied to the Biblical concept of the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week and a time of rest. The Sabbatical years provided a form of regular debt release to stabilize social and economic gaps in society. According to the Bible, during the seventh year all land had to be left untilled and unplanted, and debts from close neighbors that had been unpaid during the previous six years were to be cancelled. This command can be divided into three different concerns: First, the environmental concerns that overuse of the land would make it unusable. Secondly, some of the commands covered debt concerns. Because of drought and other cyclical crop failures, the poor needed to be allowed to start over and not languish in poverty. Thirdly, land ownership and management concerns affected families in inter-generational settings. The Sabbatical year was intended to be not simply a year of leisure, but also one of religious instruction and exercises. EXO 23:10-11 we read, “And you shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield or crops, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat;[in the seventh year leave it alone and give it a rest so that your poor may eat from it] and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.” A release of debts owed by Israelite to Israelite was made. Then look at LEV 25:3-4, “Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.” However, as usual, they did not obey God. So, In LEV 26:33-37 we read “You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies' land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it. As for those of you who may be left, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them and even when no one is pursuing, they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall. They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies.” Every seven years, the Jews were supposed to stop work. If they had been functioning properly under supergrace, then this was really a year's vacation in which they didn't have to work. This was a great test to see if they had entered supergrace or not. Could they trust God to provide everything for them? If so, it was no problem. If not, they were like squirrels who hadn't gathered nuts for the winter. Now, it is very interesting that the failure of the Jews to observe the sabbatical year was the basis for determining how long they would stay under the fifth cycle of discipline. From the Exodus until the first administration of the fifth cycle of discipline to the southern kingdom, they had accumulated 490 years in which they had not observed even one sabbatical year as a nation. Over a period of 490 years they had accumulated seventy lost sabbatical years. God told the southern kingdom in 586 B.C. that since they had missed seventy sabbatical years, therefore He would give them those seventy years (that's 490) in slavery. Therefore, the first administration of the fifth cycle of discipline lasted for seventy years (LEV 26:33-36; 2CH 36:20-21; DAN 9:2; JER 25:11-12; JER 29:10). 2CH 36:20-21, And those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete. What was the word of the Lord by the prophet Jeremiah? Look at it in JER 25:11-12, “And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.” Then look at JER 29:10 “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.”' So the Jews had to be reminded about the sabbath. For 6 years they planted as much as they wanted to and operated under the principle of free enterprise, but on the 7th year they were to stop. However, the Jews would not do that. They completely rationalized the 7th year sabbath away. In reality, the sabbath never meant a thing to most of the Jews. So when the first 7 year sabbath came they didn't observe it, 14 years later they again did not observe it, and this went on until finally in a period of 490 years in Jewish history they had missed 70 sabbath years. So because they didn't want to rest when God told them to rest, He would bring about the rest Himself. So they went into 70 years of captivity in Chaldea and Persia. They have actually served 69 of those and God still owes 1 more (7 years) according to DAN 9:24-25. Point 7. The year of Jubilee. LEV 25:8 “You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, {namely,} forty-nine years.” This could be called a super sabbatical year. After forty-nine years (in which there were seven sabbatical years), the fiftieth year was called the year of Jubilee; it was a sabbath year also. During the year of Jubilee, all the real estate in the land went back to its original owners, all the businesses went back to their original owners; everything reverted back to how it was in year one. All slaves were to be freed, and whatever was their portion of land allotted to them by tribe and by the system was given back to them. So, no matter what you ever owned, it was all, always on a lease basis, and you were never to keep any of it past the year of Jubilee. This same principle applies to all of us, everything that we have or own is only on lease. Now, of course if the Jews wouldn't even keep the sabbath once a week, you can be sure that the Jews violated this one also. So, the Lord knew that they were not going to observe the Sabbath year. He gave them another chance. He gave them what was called the year of jubilee (yobel). Point 8. Profaning the Sabbath was Associated with Idolatry and the Apostasy of the Jews (EZE 23:37-39). EZE 23:38 “Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths.” Point 9. Sabbath Violation Occurred even after the Restoration or the Jews were Restored Back to Their Promise Land. NEH 13:15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Jeremiah taught the Jews in JER 17:21 'Thus says the Lord, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. They rejected this command concerning the Sabbath, just like many believers today reject the command to rest. Nehemiah found the people not only doing business on the Sabbath, but also doing their daily work and carrying unnecessary burdens. NEH 13:16-21, Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? Did not your fathers do the same so that our God brought on us, and on this city, all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” And it came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates that no load should enter on the sabbath day. Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. Nehemiah took three steps toward changing the situation. First, he rebuked the Jews who were working and selling on the Sabbath and made them stop. Secondly, he rebuked the nobles for allowing business on the Sabbath Day, reminding them that the nation's violation of the Sabbath was one cause for their captivity. Thirdly, he ordered the gates of the city to be shut on the Sabbath Day. The guards had been willing to open the gates to the Gentile merchants, possibly because they were bribed; so Nehemiah put some of his own servants on duty. He also ordered the Levites to set a good example on the Sabbath and minister to the people. THE DOCTRINE OF REST. FROM THE PROMISES OF GOD. 04/20/08 The Doctrine of Rest. Point 1. Definition. Rest is having peace in soul which means that you are free from worrying, from anxiety, and from frustration. However, there is also another side to rest. It also means to remain confident. If you're at rest, you'll remain confident. The Church-age believer does not have a Saturday Sabbath. It didn't work too well for the Jews. So, for the Church-age, God increased it, and gave us a moment-by-moment Sabbath, that is the faith-rest technique taught in HEB 4:1-3. This is the principle by which the believer enters into the supergrace life. Your moment-by-moment Sabbath means your spiritual advance, and your annual sabbatical is comparable to the supergrace life. llustrations of this moment-by-moment Sabbath, or the dynamics of faith-rest. Abraham. ROM 4:19-20, and without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. Moses at the Red sea (EXO 14:10-14). This is when Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the deliverance of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; the Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” Caleb and the giants (Num 13-14), this is an illustration of the supergrace life and the moment by moment rest. So, it is inevitable that the daily perception of Bible doctrine and the function of the faith-rest technique will eventually lead to the supergrace life. Rest also means to trust under extreme pressure. The most popular Hebrew word for rest is the word nuwach which means to settle down, something many people need to do. It means to be at rest from troubles and anxieties. Loipoi, the most popular New Testament word for rest and it means rest and recreation. God wants you to have recreation in the your life and this includes the spiritual realm. Another Greek word in the New Testament for rest is anapauo, which means to cease from work in order to receive strength. So, we will translate rest as the state of mind in which there is complete and total peace being free from worries, anxieties and fears. That's the definition. Point 2. Introduction. The manifestation of the glory of God within. There is a manifestation of the glory of God in you. HEB 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. If you have believed in Jesus Christ, then you are at the beginning of entering into God's rest. It is beginning of the manifestation of the glory of God in you. When a believer reveals the glory of God, there will be one basic characteristic that follows them around, and that is rest. This is why HEB 3:19 tells us And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. The reason why many believers are anxious, worried, and living in fear is because of unbelief. Because of this they become very critical, judgmental, and have no relaxation toward the details of life at all. This is because they refuse to enter into the rest that God has for their lives. As HEB 4:10 says For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. In other words, you are to enter into a New Testament Sabbath, which requires you to learn how to rest. This is what a lot of believers do not know how to do. If the believer does not rest, and tries to accomplish things on his own then he enters into a temporal death which is a separation from God. This is because they are trying to make certain things happen when God has given them rest. What is the day that God has given you for rest? The answer is every day that you wake up is another opportunity for you to enter into His rest. Many people do not understand God's rest. They struggle with restlessness, and they usually blame others. However, your resting place starts in your very own altar. You have an altar that starts in your soul. Your altar goes way beyond prayer, although prayer is a part of your altar, but so is learning, serving, giving, etc. Therefore, as a believer you should ask yourself where do all these struggles, fears, insecurities, worries, anxieties, concerns come from? They come from a great enemy that we all have which is fear. What is the Sabbath, or this rest that God has for us, based upon? EXO 33:12-16, Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, Thou dost say to me ‘Bring up this people!' But Thou Thyself hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Moreover, Thou hast said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people. And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” How else will it be known that You're with me and Your people? How else will we know that we're special among all other people on this planet Earth? EXO 33:17-19, And the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name.” Then Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God's glory is revealed by His grace, and by His mercy. God says He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious, and will be compassionate to whom He will be compassionate. Mercy, or compassion, is that which deals with the past in our lives, our mistakes and our failures. Grace gives us the power in the present and the power for the future. You have to understand these two specific principles of grace and mercy if you are ever going to have rest with God. If you don't have rest with God you won't have rest with yourself. If you don't have rest with yourself you won't have rest with others. Remember that the Bible says, “You shall love your neighbor as or while you love yourself.” Before you can ever love others, you have to learn how to love yourself. Arrogance, guilt, condemnation, and fear, torments a person's soul unless the individual discovers what real biblical rest is all about. Why should you have rest as a believer? Well there is only one reason; because God promised that He will be gracious and merciful (compassionate) to you. Therefore, no matter how bad you fail, how bad you've fallen, the promise is still grace and mercy to you as a child of God. Even Divine discipline is a revelation of His grace. When Moses asked to see the glory of God, that manifestation of God's glory was grace and mercy. The manifestations of the glory of God from God, is His grace and mercy, but the manifestation of the Glory of God in us, is rest. If we have rest within us, we manifest His glory. His glory from Him is the manifestation of His grace and mercy. His glory in us is different. It's you and I manifesting to Him, and to the world that we are at rest no matter what the situation may be. We are at rest because as the Lord Jesus Christ has said, He has finished the work. Point 3. Rest is also a fulfillment of the promises of God. The Lord has promised you rest. In fact, God has promised rest for all those who come to Him. However, if you don't live in God's promises, which are based upon His character and nature, you won't have rest. The writer of Hebrews says that if you want to live in fear of something, live in fear that you don't live in the promises of God (HEB 4:1). The Lord Jesus Christ made a promise to everyone of us that come unto Him. MAT 11:28-29, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” The problem is that most individuals do not want to learn. Rest comes first from going to Him, that's His promise, and secondly, if you learn from Him, you will find rest for your souls. The second time rest is used here, it means to refresh yourself. The Christian life is to be one of refreshment. Every day the things of this world are designed to take away your freshness; to make you stale, dull, passive and slothful. That's why LAM 3:23 says, Every morning He is waiting to meet you and His grace and His mercy and His faithfulness are there. In ISA 30:18 He's is tapping His foot waiting to be gracious to you. Rest for your life does not depend upon you striving to produce it, but rest depends upon you resting in His promise that He will give you rest. Not one word of His promise has ever failed. Let's look at the Hebrew word for rest in this passage. Menuwchah means a marriage with rest or a resting place, it means to settle in a particular place. The Lord hasn't just given you a moment-by-moment rest, but He has given you a marriage with rest. It is a life-time guarantee, that's what a marriage means to the Lord. Menuwchah also means a condition of rest, a place of rest, and a habitation of rest. This tells us that the Lord has not only promised you rest daily, He has promised you rest for all eternity. Some of you have been waiting for a proposal, well here it is: Rest is asking for you to marry it, waiting for you to say, yes. Many believers are trying to reach a goal that they have already been graciously promised, which is rest and peace. We all have the opportunity for what we are secretly searching for and it's within ourselves because of the life of Christ. Again, here is the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ made: “If you come to Me, I will give you rest.” But we cant stop there because He says in the next verse, “Take My yoke upon you [walk with Me and work with Me] for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” This seems to be a strange paradox in light of the fact that the average believer, already weary and overloaded must take a new weight upon him in order to find rest. But this advice is based upon two passages, PSA 55:22 Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you [Pile your troubles on God's shoulders]; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. 1PE 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. If you think that your problems are overwhelming, think of what our Lord went through for others. For the prophet Isaiah wrote that our Lord was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (ISA 53:3). The writer of Hebrews said “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. Think of it, you who think you have problems that are so intense and no one really seems to care or understand. What kind of yoke did our Lord endure? He endured the mocking by leaders and others in LUK 23:35. They also tried to stone Him to death in JOH 8:59. In PSA 22:16 they pierced His hands and His feet. People that He loved, and that He died for, stood up and began to give false testimony about Him in MAR 14:57. In LUK 22:48, His close friend, whom He trusted betrayed Him. People spat in His face, and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him in MAT 26:67. Still in LUK 23:34 we read But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (See also ZEC 13:6; JOH 1:11; MAT 9:34; MAT 11:19; MAT 26:65-66; MAR 3:21-22; MAR 3:30;). In addition to all that, He went through an experience that was the worst experience of all, having God the Father forsake Him in MAT 27:46. So, our Lord says, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Why did our Lord say that after knowing all that He would go through? HEB 12:2-3 answers this, Be concentrating our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart [become discouraged]. Continuing on from MAT 11:30 (there are no breaks in the original) MAT 12:1 At that time [after He had just taught them about rest] Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads {of grain} and eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” Once again the Pharisees were sticking their collective noses into other peoples affairs. Point 4. The purpose of rest. Why is it that God wants to give you rest? Rest is given because it's the only cure for sorrows, fears, and bondage. However, rest is the medicine to heal you from sorrows, difficulties and fears (2TI 1:7). You must have a sound mind or else you can forget about the power and love that you need. The Apostle John tells us in 1JO 4:18 that fear has torment. ROM 8:15 says, For you have not received the spirit of bondage [there is your promise again], but you have received the spirit of adoption. In ISA 14:3-7 we see that the purpose of rest is to deliver you from your fears, your sorrows, and your bondages. ISA 14:3-7, And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased, {And how} fury has ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of rulers Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution. The whole earth is at rest {and} is quiet;” They break forth into shouts of joy. The Hebrew word for rest here is nuwach, which is a special kind of rest, it means to replace your sorrows, fears, and bondage with the comfort of rest and peace. Many believers are enslaved to their troubles and the details of life. Every day things take place that feed this sorrow and bondage (JER 49:23). Many are ridden with guilt and condemnation which determines how they are going to live that day. But, God's rest will give you comfort. It will give you freedom from guilt and condemnation. It will replace your fears, sorrows and bondages with His comfort and peace. There is only one thing stopping you from receiving that rest and that is your very own unbelief. It's not what your spouse did to you, or what your parents did to you, or anything else, the one and only thing stopping you is what you are doing to yourself. The purpose of rest is to give us confidence and to give us Divine deliverance. No matter how good, moral, or sweet we are, no matter how much we pray, serve, honor, or give, if we are not at rest, we are not operating in proper motivation. When you are not at rest, it's time for you to change your system of thinking. It is in repentance or changing your mind and resting that you will be delivered. Point 5. Bible Doctrine Is the Guide to Lead God's People to Rest. Bible doctrine is the Lord's way of leading you to rest. Without it (Bible doctrine) you'll will never have rest. ISA 28:9-16, To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? For He says, ‘Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there. Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary," And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen. So the word of the Lord to them will be, “Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there,” That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive. Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” The first rest is the Hebrew word menuwchach, this is the rest, or the condition of rest, the marriage of rest. The second rest is nuwach, to give comfort and rest from troubles and anxieties. So, it is saying that doctrine is making a proposal for you to marry it so that it will give you rest from your sorrows and heartaches and from your guilt. Doctrine is the object of your unbelief or that which you are unbelieving towards. Once you have doctrine, it will cause you to rest. Doctrine leads you to the person of Christ and to reject doctrine is to reject the rest that God has for your life. Point 6. Rest is said to be the inheritance of people of God. Have you ever stopped and thought that you are an heir to the throne? You're not just some inconsequential member of the human race merely existing. You are said to be an heir to the throne of God, God loves you, and you're an heir, you're a king, you're a priest. In Deu 12, rest is said to be the inheritance of the people of God. DEU 12:9 “for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.” Until now you haven't arrived at the goal, the resting place, the inheritance that your God is giving you. DEU 12:10 “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,” He'll give you rest from all your surrounding enemies. You'll be able to settle down and live in safety. DEU 12:11-12, “then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God shall choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, [celebrate in the presence of GOD] you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he [the Levite] has no portion or inheritance with you. PSA 37:7 says “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” This time the word for rest is the Hebrew word damam to stop everything you're doing and be astonished at Him, occupied with Him. It means if you have problems right now, just stop everything you're doing and be astonished at Him. What happens with most believers is that the problem comes and they immediately freak out, and all they do is concentrate on the problem. They don't stop everything that they are doing, rather they start doing more than they have ever done before. They should have stop everything they're doing and rest in the Lord. In His time, He has a purpose, He has a reason for everything that happens in your life, He even knows even the numbers of hairs upon your head (MAT 10:30). He will come through for you. Point 7. The Opposition to Rest. In Deu 25, the opposition to God's rest is the believers flesh. You have an enemy that goes with you wherever you go, and its job is to try and see to it that you are not at rest, that enemy is your flesh your old sin nature (OSN). The duty of the OSN is to fight against the rest that God has for you. JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” Remember that in EPH 2:1-2, there are three enemies that you face; “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins [your flesh], in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world [the cosmic system], according to the prince of the power of the air [the devil],” THE DOCTRINE OF REST. PART 2. 04/27/08 We are noting the Doctrine of Rest. Point 7 in our study: The Opposition to Rest. In Deu 25, the opposition to God's rest is the believers flesh. You have an enemy that goes with you wherever you go, and it is trying make sure that you are not at rest; that enemy is your flesh. In DEU 25:17-19, the Lord told Moses to teach the children of Israel, “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, [Amalek is a type of the flesh] how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear [the ones not moving forward at the proper speed] when you were faint and weary; and he did not respect God. Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.” Amalek is a type of the flesh that tries to make you weary. You are most vulnerable at times when you have just had a victory, that's when your rest is in danger of being taken away. In verse 19 the word for rest is nuach which is the rest that gives us comfort and freedom from worrying, so it is a refreshing rest. There's another principle to note concerning opposition to rest, and that is sin, David said in PSA 38:3 that he had no rest because of his sin. Sin takes away your rest, your pleasure and deprives you of rest. Sin condemns us, accuses, and destroys us. That's why the believer must come to a place to learn how to receive the rest of God. LAM 1:3 teaches that the believer can find no rest among the heathen or those who live in the cosmic system. They couldn't find a resting place in the world, because only God can provide that. They couldn't find a marriage with rest because they had entered into spiritual adultery. JAM 4:4 says, You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Unrest is also described as the inevitable result of the unbeliever, REV 14:11 “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Pretty serious words from a God who has fulfilled over 300 prophecies perfectly and completely and has proven over and over again that what He says will happen, happens. Although this verse speaks of the eternal lake of fire, it also speaks temporarily of those that are involved with the cosmic system. Your greatest enemy taking away your rest is your very own flesh. Rest is also related to the home. In Ruth 1:9, Naomi had told her two daughters-in-law to go and find rest in the house of their own husbands, RUT 1:9 “May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Again we have the Hebrew word for a marriage with rest. Many women find no rest in life because they are not at rest at home with their husbands, this is because of the principle of 1PE 3:1-7, and of course vice-versa is true as well. They are in constant struggle with each other, and so they never have any rest. 1PE 3:7 tells us that this is why prayers are not answered in many marriages. Certain prayers are not answered because they are hindered on account of domestic problems. So rest has a tremendous relationship to the home. Rest at home is where rest really begins. For example, PRO 29:17 tells us that if we correct our children, they will give us rest, a household that has discipline, has rest. This is why God's love and God's word will solve any domestic problem that you will ever have. It may not work out as some people want it to, but it will work out for those who operate in God's word with Divine viewpoint. ISA 11:10 tells us that His rest is said to be glorious, Then it will come about in that day That the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious. God's word is glorious and will give you rest. God will give you the rest that you need to handle the situations in life. If you let God give you rest, no matter how difficult things at home may be, His rest is so glorious that He will come through for you. Now, all of this truly begins, and becomes easier to attain, when you understand that the power on the inside of the believer is greater than any attacks from the cosmic system. The Power that you possess is greater then worries, anxieties, fears, distress, troubles, phobias, panic, shock, tensions, etc. 1JO 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome all the things of this world them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. The Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. The power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and Bible doctrine is a greater power than anything in the world. Whatever comes against you from the outside can't stand up to what is on the inside of you, because the Greater One lives inside of you. You have already won the victory! Satan's strategy is to try and deflate you; to stop you from reaching your goal. However, God has the final say, and He has already spoken. We fall down, we get up, over and over again. Remember that the saints are just the sinners, who fall down, and get up. The Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan and the kingdom of darkness at the Cross once and for all, that means for all time. COL 2:14-15, having cancelled out the certificate of debt which was against us by means of the decrees, and which [certificate of debt] was hostile to us and He [by means of the decrees] has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the Cross]. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. Point 8. Rest Is Also the Result of Submitting to a Local Assembly. This means we are to truly submit to a local assembly, and the authority of the pastor-teacher. Whenever we mention authority we must back it up scripturally, because of all the attacks made against the pastor's authority. Satan knows the value of authority, so he attacks it especially in the spiritual realm. No believer can attain spiritual maturity, and become an invisible hero or glorify God, apart from perception, metabolization and application of Bible doctrine. This means that no believer can simply read the Bible and attain spiritual maturity. The Bible is our textbook, but the gift of pastor-teacher is designed to communicate the specifics of the mystery doctrine that cause spiritual growth (EPH 4:11-13). Doctrine must be learned under authority, and that authority is vested in the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher. Pastors don't rule over you in the sense of telling you what to do, but in the sense of teaching you what God expects from you and how to execute His plan. You submit to the pastors' authority in listening to their communication of doctrine. There is a tremendous form of Divine protection given the pastor because of his office. The pastor's authority is established on the basis of the teaching of Bible doctrine. Hence, the issue is not the man, but always the message (1PE 5:2; 2TI 4:2). The man who is willing to accept all the pressure that comes from his calling, such as double discipline and undeserved suffering, better be prepared for the calling. 1TI 4:10 For because of this [communication of Bible doctrine], we work hard to the point of exhaustion, and we hang in there tough because we have confidence in the living God who is the Savior of all men. The pastor's authority is documented many places throughout the scripture (ACT 20:28; 1PE 5:2). So without a local assembly the believer is without rest. Of course there are some exceptions to this rule, but this is the basic principle. David gave us a spiritual principle concerning this in 1CH 23:25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever.” Jerusalem is said to be the mother of us all. Jerusalem is the type of Church in GAL 4:25, and a church can certainly become your resting place. Things can be bad in the home, or on the job, but when you come to the local assembly you should receive edification (EPH 1:22-23). Therefore, when you are a part of a local assembly where people love and serve God; a place where the word of God is being spoken accurately, you will end up being benefited by it and you'll receive all the rest that you need. When you walk out of the doors of the local assembly you are free to have the rest and peace needed in confronting the situations that life brings. ACT 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the respect for the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. The Greek word oikodomeo means to build a house, here it refers to building a soul structure. So notice a church with rest is edified (that's the soul structure), because of this they walked in reverent respect or occupation with the Lord. They enjoyed and experienced the comforting ministry of God the Holy Spirit (GAL 5:22), who manifests His fruit in us, and they are increased or multiplied. The rest in a local assembly causes the believers to be a soul winners, they want loved ones to have the same thing that they do. The rest comes from the wisdom that is to rest in the believers soul. PRO 14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, but in the bosom of fools it is made known. Whatever rests in the heart of the believer will determine the mental attitude and your overt behavior. Is it guilt, fear, condemnation, or is it the word of God dwelling richly within? It either going to be stress or rest. Each of us has within ourselves the power to decide how to interpret stressful events. We can do it with humor; we can do it with wisdom. Sometimes we can use compassion, sometimes we can use patience and sometimes we can just accept the situation for what it is. But, you always remain humble and at rest. When you have a servant's heart, you're humble and at rest within yourself. You respect those in charge, you serve faithfully and quietly without concern over who gets the credit. That was just how King David was, and God looked at David, out in the fields in the foothills surrounding Bethlehem, keeping his father's sheep, faithfully doing his father's bidding, and God put His approval on him. A true servant doesn't care who gets the glory. A servant has one great goal, and that is to make the person he serves look better, to make that person even more successful. A servant does not want the person he serves to fail. A servant doesn't care who thinks what, just as long as the job gets done. So while David's brothers were off in the army making rank and fighting big, impressive battles, David was all alone keeping the sheep. God loved His servant's heart. Point 9. God's Attitude of Rest Toward the Believer. God's attitude toward the believer is a vital principle for you to understand concerning the doctrine of rest. One of the problems most believers face is talking too much and listening too little. This is why the Bible says that when you come into the house of the Lord your God be not rash with your mouth to utter anything before God (ECC 5:1-2). There are going to be some difficulties you will have to face when you go to the house of God. Everything is not going to be perfect. You can very easily get your eyes stuck on people. In fact, many people withdraw from a local assembly because of personality conflicts with others. But, if you're on the way to the house of God, the place where doctrine is being taught, and the word of God can do all things, then you can bet that the kingdom of darkness has designed a plan to try and distract you from hearing the word of God. If the kingdom of darkness is not successful in hindering you from coming to Bible class, then it will try to hinder you from receiving the word of God once you are in Bible class. That results in cramming your mind with your problems instead of the Divine mental attitude of rest. Remember the kingdom of darkness can hinder you from being at the place you ought to be, 1TH 2:18 “For we wanted to come to you I, Paul, more than once, and yet Satan hindered us. Not only can you be hindered from coming to the house of God, you can also be distracted while you're on your way! It may be the children acting up and fighting in the back seat making you miserable. It might be an argument between the passengers, a disagreement between husband and wife, or amongst friends. The point is that you need to be careful of anything that can distract you and get you involved with the mental attitude sins which will disturb your concentration on the word of God. You may even be all alone, and suddenly these terrible thoughts begin to come to your mind. You don't know where they're coming from, but they are designed to take your mind off the real purpose from coming, which is concentration on the word of God. Remember that the word of God is alive and powerful. So, Solomon puts it this way in ECC 5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; This means that when people go to the house of God, they are to be involved in true worship which is listening. Listening to the communication of the word of God, hearing what God's word has to say. Worship is a very interesting word and many people do not know what it really means. The ultimate form of worship is the communication of Bible doctrine. That's why our Lord said in MAT 15:9 “But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” Note that our Lord equated teaching with worship. In JOH 4:23-24 He said “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Truth is needed in true worship, and it is truth that must be taught! In ACT 18:13 Paul was accused of “persuading men to worship God contrary to the law,” meaning that worship in the Old Testament had to do with the doctrine found in the Law, but now the New Testament form of worship is found in learning the mystery doctrine of the Church-age. The highest form of worship is either teaching Bible doctrine or receiving Bible doctrine. All of the nonsense that you see today with excessive singing and raising hands, and clapping and yelling out pious “amens” is not worship. True worship is either teaching or listening to Bible Doctrine. You do more worshipping by sitting and listening and concentrating under the filling of the Spirit then you could ever do while doing anything else. PSA 138:2 says “I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.” In fact, we should never forget that all of us will be judged and evaluated based upon our love and desire for God's word. In JOH 12:48, the Lord said “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My doctrines, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” So in ECC 5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools for they do not know they are doing evil.” Solomon is saying that true worship is listening to the word of God or your perception of Bible doctrine! The sacrifice of fools is referring to meaningless rituals! The sacrifice of fools is religion! God is not interested in any of these things, He is interested in His word, which is active and living, alive and powerful always changing your life for the better, and giving you the information you need to be at rest in your souls. Knowledge learned and then applied is what gives you rest. Sadly today, worldly problems and human plans are brought not only to the very door, but even into the house of God itself. That's why the house of the Lord is not to sell things. No restaurant or a book store or the selling of tickets etc. And if you say, it's alright if it's for the Lord, JOH 2:16 says “And to those who were selling the doves [the doves were for the sacrifice to the Lord]away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise.” Just think of all the people going through various types of ritual and tradition and the Bible says they do not know they are doing evil! HEB 3:10-11; They always go astray in their heart; And they did not know My ways, therefore, as I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.' Point 10. The Believers Responsibility and The Means to Rest. The Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel that He was going to feed the flock and cause them to lie down. EZE 34:15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord God. Again it is spiritual food which causes us to rest. Now when the Lord gives you rest it's for a specific purpose. What is one of the reasons? 2Ch 14:6-7, And he built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and there was no one at war with him during those years, because the Lord had given him rest, because we have sought the Lord our God; He has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. So because the Lord gave them rest on every side, they took that opportunity to build and prosper. When the Lord gives you rest it's for you to build. No matter what kind of enemy you're faced with, He is our peace and rest. When He gives you rest, it's not a time for you to get lazy and slothful, impassive doctrinally. It's a time to build up your soul with more doctrine! You are the beneficiary of many wonderful blessings from God. Yet like many people if you do not know these things you will lose out. Many people live as paupers on earth when they are related to a God who controls the entire universe. The modern tendency today of apostasy stresses the works of the believer and the production of the believer rather than the rest of God, which is why many people have been denied these blessings. The problem today is the believers ignorance of Bible doctrine. Your biggest enemy is your own ignorance. People constantly live in their relationship to God rather than God's relationship to them. This is why they make so many mistakes. The tendency today in these times of apostasy, is to put all the pressure on you as a believer to get you to work and to get you to perform. HEB 3:7-10, Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. “Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart; And they did not know My ways;” When God gets down to indicting you He doesn't mention your failures to do this or that, He mentions that you have erred in your heart and you have not known His ways. When God gets down to indicting you, He does so for your stupidity and your ignorance. This is because you are living on earth as a loser when He has given you the equipment and artillery to make you an overcomer and a winner. Serving, giving, loving, and praying all happens after learning Bible doctrine. So, the main problem in the life of most believers is no doctrine. The reason why most believers cannot be distinguished from unbelievers: No doctrine. Ignorance of Bible doctrine means a breakdown with the faith-rest life. Grace Bible Church & Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries Copyright © 2022 by Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin Gbible.org LESSON RESOURCES: 2112 123 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. 04 06 08 Rom 9:4; Heb 3:7 13; Heb 4:1 7; Gen 2:1 3. 2112 124 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 2. 04 09 08 Rom 9:4; Eph 2:10; Mat 28:19 20; Deu 6:10 14; 8:7 10. 2112 125 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 3. 04 10 08 Gen 2:1 3; Col 1:9 13; Exo 20:8 11; 16:1 30. 2112 126 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 4. 04 11 08 Isa 58:13 59:1; Exo 23:10 11; Lev 25:3 4; Lev 26:33 37. 2112 127 The Sabbath to remind us of the principle of grace and rest. Part 5. 04 13 08 Isa 58:13 14; 1Co 15:20 23; Jam 1:18; Col 2:16 17. 2112 128 The Doctrine of Rest from the principle of grace and mercy, Part 1. 04 16 08 Mar 16:1 9; Rom 14:4 6; Lam 3:22 25; Heb 4:3. 2112 129 The Doctrine of Rest from the promises of God. Part 2. 04 17 08 Mat 11:28, 29; Heb 12:2, 3 Mat 12:1, 2. 2112 130 The Doctrine of Rest. The guide to lead God's people to rest. 04 18 08 Isa 28:9 13; Psa 95:6 11; Jer 6:16 17; Deu 12:9 12. 2112 131 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 4. The Opposition to Rest. 04 20 08 Rom 7:14, 18; 8:5 14; 13:14; Deu 25:17 19. 2112 132 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 5. Learning the value of authority and humility. 04 23 08 Deu 25:17 19; Rev 14:11; Col 2:14 15; Eph 4:11 13. 2112 133 The Doctrine of Rest. Part 6. God's attitude of rest towards the believer. 04 24 08 Isa 32:17 18; Ecc 5:1 2. 2112 134 The Doctrine of Rest. The believer's responsibility and means to rest. 04 25 08 Heb 3:14 4:12; Heb 5:14; 1Ti 4:7 8. 2112 135 The greater and more perfect tabernacle. 04 27 08