Podcasts about jesus who

God's Great Plan (1) (audio) David Eells 6/18/25 Many prophetic words are not understood in the day they are given. Just as the scriptures show, they come ahead so that warnings are taken and spiritual warfare done. Also, many more people can partake of them this way.   Now Is the Time of My Great Plan Glynda Lomax - 10/01/2012 Now is the time of My Great Plan for the people of the earth. For thousands of years, I have planned the victory of My people in great detail. Now it is time for My people to rise up and walk as I have called you to walk, talk as I have called you to talk, for I have much to accomplish through you, My people. Cast your burdens to Me and walk forth as I have called you to do. Those I have called to ministry will now be positioned to move forward as never before. A great and glorious destiny awaits you, My people, such as you cannot imagine. Great shall be the reward of all My people who serve Me in this time. Yes, there shall be many trials and much tribulation also, but My glory through My people will outshine the darkness in the final days. Look up, My people, your redemption draws near! Glynda gives these verses: Heb.12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 1Pe.5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1Pe.4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Rev.22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Deu.4:29-31 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Isa.60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. Luk.21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.   Strategic Couplings Glynda Lomax - 09/26/2012 My children, the heat is being turned up in your lives and in your world. I will soon begin to place My devoted ones into position for battle as I have called them to stand. Some of you I will place in pairs - strategic couplings for the battles ahead. I have chosen mates for you that complement your weaknesses. They will be your rear guards on the earth as you march forth into all I have called you to do. Many of you I will pair with unlikely counterparts, of which the world around you will not approve, nor understand. Those near you cannot always see My mighty hand in all I am doing in your lives. Be careful, My children, of judging with your eyes or your hearts - judge only by My Spirit, for you walk in danger of calling My plans evil when you do this, and I do not consider lightly those who call My good evil, just as those who call evil good. Refrain your lips from speaking evil and seek Me only. Judge not what does not concern your own lives, for you shall see much around you in these end times you will not understand. The times approaching are perilous indeed, and I have a plan for each of your lives. You will not always understand what I am doing or the many ways I shall bless you through it. Many plans of the Evil One are being hatched behind the scenes, the horrors of which many are unaware. My children who have been watching and praying for My Son's soon return shall not be caught unawares. Rest now while you can, My children, for a fierce battle looms on the horizon of your lives and will soon be at your doors. Glynda gives these verses: Isa.58:8-10 (NIV) 8 and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isa.55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa.5:20-21 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 2Ti.3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Mat.7:1-5 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Rom.14:12-13 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.   The Master's Plan Is Given G. W. - 11/21/2010 (David's notes in red) Part 1: I went to pray on Saturday night for full reconciliation for someone who was falling away. I could not pray. As I tried, my prayer returned to me. The word came to me, “I'm moving him out of the way to make room for another from the West”. Part 2: I had a dream Sunday night. It took place in the future. David had just received this email from me, which I wrote above as Part 1. David responded to the email by handing me a master plan. (Note: The email was sent to me on Monday, 11/22/10. I responded by sharing this interpretation of the parable of the master plan. This is the David's/Man-child's mission to receive and give revelation from the throne of God's plan on earth. Moses went up the mount to receive this and came down with his face glowing. Jesus also received this master plan and gave it to the disciples.) G. W. - I knew this master plan was the work that needed to be done by the people in the ministry. The master plan appeared to me in a hologram in the shape of a square. As I looked at the square before me, I knew it to be the uncomely parts of the body. (Note: There are many, many uncomely parts now but they will change through the Word from heaven. Remember this started with a falling away in Part 1 and now we see a raising up in Part 2. Luk.2:34 ... Behold, this [child] is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against... This is the master plan.) G. W.- The hologram began to change, like a slot machine changes its images as it goes around. Different numbers began flashing, and in my mind I knew them to be the different workings in the ministry. (Note: The falling of the old order and raising up of the new five-fold ministers, the deacons [ministries] and the gifts in the ministry.) G. W. - I also realized that the positions were growing into greater honor in the body and they started to become chess pieces. (Note: Those who are growing in the image of Christ.) G. W. - I was waiting for the hologram flashes to go up to the highest honors in God. But as I was watching it go up, it came to the Rook piece and I was taken out of the dream. That was the last thing I recall from this dream. (Note: The revelation didn't go up to the king, who is normally the highest honor, because in this dream, the King gives the highest honors to those “in God”, as the dream says. The game is centered around the King and He is never taken. The highest honor didn't go as high as the queen because the Man-child is the head of the Queen on earth, just as David was the head of Jerusalem, which is the Bride, according to Revelation 21:9,10. The Rook is the second most powerful piece on the chess board and has the highest honor, the revelation went to, and represents the Man-child. G. W. - Excerpt from Chess Rules for Movement of the Rook: The rook, shaped like a castle, is one of the more powerful pieces on the board. (Note: The rook is represented by the lookout portion of a castle. Where the “watchman” would stand and fight to protect the castle. A Man-child has power to defend the Castle of Zion.) G. W. - The rooks, grouped with the queen, are often thought of as the “major pieces”. (Note: A Man-child can be seen with the queen and has a major advantage against a foe.) G. W. - Rooks are worth a bishop or a knight plus two pawns. (Note: Man-childs are greater than bishops or overseers and knights or warriors.) G. W. - The rook can move any number of squares in a straight line along any column or row. (Note: Man-childs only move on a straight path that is not impeded.) G. W. - They CANNOT move diagonally. (Note: Never a crooked path.) G. W. - The rook can move or capture only on this straight line. (Note: One can only take leadership by walking on the straight path.) G. W. - The simplicity of the rook's movement is indeed what makes it powerful. (Note: Man-childs, like Jesus, have a simple life and walk with power.) G. W. - It can cover a significant area of the board, and there are no areas which an opponent's piece -- moving one square at a time -- can slip through. (Note: Man-childs can move supernaturally to far places. The enemy cannot deceive them or outmaneuver them.) G. W. - The rook may also make a move in conjunction with the king. (Note: Like Jesus said, “I do always those things I see of my Father”.)   Bride Prepares for Man-child Deborah Horton - 09/20/2010 (David's notes in red) As David has said, something wonderful is going to happen. :) (Looking forward to it.) In a dream, I was inside a large building, on the bottom floor, with people everywhere. They were all waiting for a Jewish man and while they were waiting, they were very busy all through the building. I have no idea what they were busy with -- can't remember. (The coming Jewish man is Jesus, Who will inhabit the Man-child as “Christ in you the hope of glory”. The building is the House of God, His people, which is being prepared for His coming habitation. I was just saying to several brethren that I hope we can prepare it ahead of time.) Then, as I looked around, I saw the Jewish man come in, along with a young woman/girl, who was his assistant somehow. I think she was setting up some audio equipment (speakers, etc.) (The Bride is making ready for the Man-child to reach many people.) Even though I saw him, no one else seemed able to do so. (He is coming in the heart of the true  House.) It wasn't that he was invisible; they could look at him and see him, but at the same time they didn't see him (this is hard to explain and doesn't make a whole lot of sense), and they kept on with whatever it was that they were doing. (We can see the body He will inhabit but many don't recognize Him to the extent He is in it now.) The next thing I can remember is that I walked over to him and he asked me to sing with him, but I told him that I couldn't because I didn't “know the language” or “speak Hebrew” (can't remember exactly how I worded it). (Singing with Him means to be in harmony with Him.) I think he was a little disappointed by that. (Reminds me of Miriam's song about Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea into the wilderness tribulation and the destruction of the old man, or, as you say, the song only the 144,000 first-fruits could sing.) His assistant was still working on getting everything set up. As I looked at him, I absolutely had to give him a great big hug, which I did. I squeezed him like there was no tomorrow -- poor guy! And then I let go, although I didn't want to let go of him. He was completely ordinary-looking, about two inches taller than me, I think he was wearing a work shirt and jeans -- very informal. He was so ordinary that there was nothing you could say about him to describe him. (As Isaiah 53 says, the first individual body Jesus came in was unremarkable, so the corporate first-fruits body will be plain folks.) He had dark hair; I can't remember if he had a beard, but I don't think he did. He reminded me of a teddy bear and there was no way I could ever be afraid of him. He wasn't skinny or fat, just had a tiny bit of extra weight on his belly, so you could tell that he wasn't a very physical person. He radiated such confidence, such peace and such love! (The anointing of the latter rain is coming to manifest the attributes of Jesus in His first-fruits body, like Hosea 6:1-3 says.) The last scene I remember is that somehow pigeons were all around us and they kept landing on him. They didn't want to get off. He was petting them and let me pet them, too, and then he'd put them down where they would walk about and coo. There were three specific pigeons with beautiful markings, as gorgeous as any pigeon is ever going to get without being a specialty-breed show pigeon. He handed me one that had some dark black markings on its back and it felt like velour; it was so soft. (Maybe these are the overcomers, 30-, 60- and 100-fold. According to Romans 8, the whole creation is awaiting the manifestation of sonship or Christ in you because it too will be delivered.)   White Horse Prepared for Rider Linda L. Gray - 09/29/2016 (David's notes in red) I had this dream where I was inside my home when I noticed an unusual white cloud formation through one of my windows. To get a better look at the cloud formation, I went outside. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds elsewhere but this particular large formation in front of my house. (Nothing else will be more significant concerning changes in the world for God's people.) Within the formation of clouds, I saw a white horse. (The Bride who lives above this evil world in heavenly places by abiding IN Christ. Eph.2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. The Bride as a cloud will water the earth with the Word of God. The rest of the Church has not arrived at this place and not chosen to be in the Bride.) There was no rider on the horse that I could see as the clouds kept going around the horse, making it difficult to get a clearer view. Psa.48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (The white horse is the Bride or Zion, as John was told in Revelation. All of the horses in the seals of Revelation 6 are white (representing holiness conquering the Beast), red (war), black (famine and economic collapse) and pale (death and Hades). The hoses represent the flesh of men who serve the spirit and leadership that rides them and rules over them. All of these horses are people who bring these judgments to the world. When they are empowered, they will have riders upon them. The first rider is the Lord in His first-fruits Man-child body who will ride/rule the Bride white horse and through them the Church. At the time of this dream, this first rider is not anointed or set on the horse. When Jesus was anointed to lead the first of the disciples to recognize Him, John said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom”. But that rider is coming, according to this next verse Linda received.) Rev.1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds (notice, the white horse); and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. This verse has a more literal interpretation at the end of the tribulation, but it accurately describes in the spirit what will happen when the white horse rider, Jesus in the Man-child body, leads the other horse judgments in the earth, which is exactly what Moses the Man-child did. He brought the other judgments. “He cometh with clouds”. The Gematria for “clouds” here is 144 x 10. 144 is the number of the Man-child and 10 is the number of the Word or law he obeys and teaches. “Were purchased from among men to be first-fruits” is verse 14:4. Notice the verse number 144. Rev.14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 4 These are they that were not defiled with women (sects or denominations); for they are virgins (not having received the seed or word of man). These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. Both Jesus and Jesus in the Man-child as a repeat of history fit this. Psa.118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner. Circling the outer perimeter of the cloud formation was a large plane, which apparently had seen this formation (surveillance) and was trying to get a better view. (Haman attempted to bring down the Bride before Mordecai came to leadership; before the Man-child was anointed to rule in the Book of Esther. The white horse rider is typed by Mordecai, Moses, Joseph, David, Jesus and many more. This was a judgment on Egypt, as a type of the world. Each of these men and many like them led the Bride, and through them the Church, to freedom and power. Each of these also brought judgment on the Beast body, as a type of the world Beast body of seven heads and 10 horns.) I was very excited and wanted a photo of the beautiful white horse, so I went inside my house to retrieve my cell phone. When I came back outside, the airspace was filled with war planes covering the entire field of vision, flying in a grid formation heading from south to north. It looked like a tic-tac-toe-type grid with the planes in perfect formation. Rev.12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. And the Dragon or Satan was cast down to rule over his world body of seven heads and 10 horns, which is beaten by He who “came with the clouds”, the Man-child, and saints in whom the Lord lives. Jesus in the Man-child reformers will conquer the world beast. Dan.7:13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ... 22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. The dream then ended. (Whatever was in the clouds, the powers that be didn't like, and they were ready to wage war against it.) (Yes, the powers that be are the head of the Dragon body on earth. They are Satanists whom we are casting down.) This preparation for the Bride to receive her head fits well with this next dream of the Wedding Feast.   Wedding and Temple Cakes M.L.- 09/22/2016 (David's notes in red) I woke up from a dream, and was taken back by it, but in a good way. I was in a huge room with many very sturdy tables. They were all square with white tablecloths. Each table had an extremely large wedding cake on it. (Time for the Wedding Feast to begin, the tribulation seven days before the bride is escorted by the virgins to the Groom's home in Heaven.) These cakes seemed to be about four feet tall and many inches round, coming to about two inches to the edge of the table all the way around. They were multi-tiered and in various designs and were all decorated white-on-white. Nothing stood out that would distract the eyes from one cake to another. Flowers in white in all sizes, small pillars of white, miniature fountains, white ribbon, white doves. Looking at all this, it was magnificent, all made according to their Creator's desire. After taking all this in, I looked to the right and saw the most magnificent of all cakes: a replica of the Temple. (The temple of God's presence is in the Jerusalem Bride, who is born from above.) It resembled light gray marble stone and was very smooth without a flaw in the icing! It stood about five feet high (representing grace), with the outside perimeters a square. And it was all cake. It was displayed on a very sturdy table with a white tablecloth draped to the floor. It had ornate gold trim work on top of the roof line. It reminded me of the points on a “king's crown”. (The Bride is a crown in Isa.62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. At the base of these points was a wide piece that looked like “crown molding”, the color of the building itself. In the same width of the molding above was a decorative, gold ornate area going around the top. On the two front corners were pillars, and a pillar on each side of the door. On top of each pillar were gold embellishments. Then I woke up. The wedding cakes are made ready. (For the Marriage Feast.) I didn't see any tables that were “set”. (Yet). The Bride has made herself ready. She is in fine linen, pure and white. Eph.5:27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. These are the righteous acts of the saints. Obedience: Jas.1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. 4:17 To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Faith: Heb.11:6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. Fruit: Mat.7:20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Love: 1Jn.4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. The temple cake: The temple is where God dwells. We are also God's temple, for He dwells in us. 1Co.3:16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; 17 ... for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye ... 19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness...   It's Not What They Thought Sandy Shaw - 09/21/2016 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I landed on my feet in a big city (Babylon/US), for I was translated there. Immediately, I felt the earth quake and I could tell by the surroundings that there had been others. (The time is the great earthquakes just before the tribulation; some will help others through translation, as happened to me.) I can see a road buckled, and the top half of a skyscraper had fallen to the ground. People were running and screaming, and I saw two little girls to the right. The five-year-old (five is grace) had long blond curly hair (1 Corinthians 11: submission to the sun/Son) and deep dimples and wore a blue dress (dressed up with heavenly works). The other little girl was black (representing walking in darkness) and seven years old. She wore a red dress and had dark pigtails with red ribbons (the color of the red Dragon body). I walked to them and asked them where their fathers were. (Fathers represent heads of churches.) They didn't know. The black-haired girl said that they were there for Daily Vacation Bible School. I asked, “Where are your mothers?” The seven-year-old black girl said, “She died a few months ago”. (The apostate Church mother is dead.) And the five-year-old very excitedly said, “Oh, my mom has already been with Jesus”. (Her mother is the early Church because she abides in Christ. 1Jn.2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he promised us, even the life eternal.) The ground started to shake some more and I knew that they were not safe. (At the time of the great earthquakes many will be helped to escape by the righteous.) So I grabbed the two little girl's wrists and started to fly over the city. (Although I have only done this instantaneously, I believe translation can happen slowly like flying. It is in the Spirit, though, and unseen by the world. It is without wings or propulsion, so it is not literally flying. Flying also represents overcoming the world and its law of sin and death, represented by gravity, to ascend into heavenly places in Christ by abiding in Jesus Who is the Word. Eph.2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. The woman in the wilderness tribulation was given the overcoming wings of the eagle by the Man-child to escape the Dragon/serpent and his works. Rev.12:14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time [by the Man-child body], from the face of the serpent.) The seven-year-old said, “I don't understand”. Then she asked, “What is this ...the tribulation?” We landed on a suspension bridge stretched out over the water. All of a sudden, the bridge became a slide (falling into the water) and before we got to the bottom, we started to fly again. (The way of escape is cut off as in Jer.25:35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. But the righteous always have a way of escape, even if by flight. 1Co.10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.) We flew over the city and into the country, where there was a huge red barn, and we landed. Cars were coming up on both sides of the barn. People were coming up to it because they knew it was a refuge and a safe place and all the people around were in a state of confusion. These people were Christians and yet confused. The seven-year-old said, “Hey, that looks like my church barn!” And she let go of my hand and started running. (Many of the Church are confused by their doctrines but if they have walked with the Lord in a righteous life, they will escape. Even those who are chosen to come to understanding and holiness later will escape like the seven-year-old who walks in darkness.) The blond girl said, “There's my daddy!” He was sitting down on a folding chair inside the barn, elbows on his knees and head in his hands, and he said, “I don't understand. I don't understand”. The five-year-old shook his arm and said, “Daddy! I'm here! I'm here!” He mumbled, “Yeah, yeah”. She said, “No, Daddy, she brought me here (pointing to me)! We flew! We were flying! And we were on a big slide (toward death)”. The dad reached out and touched my hand and said, “Thank you. Thank you for bringing her here”. Then he said, in a daze, “Lord, I thought my heart was right with You”. I said, “If you were waiting for the rapture, it's not going to happen now or in the way that you think”. (At the time of the great quakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, economic collapse, chaos, many will see that they have not escaped tribulation and will repent of this deception.) I heard the seven-year-old say, “Daddy! Daddy!” And he hugged her. She asked, “This is tribulation?” She waited for him to respond and said, “Jesus didn't come yet”. He fell to his knees crying and asking the Lord, “I thought I was in right standing with You. I thought my heart was right with You. I have been preaching for 35 years”. I grabbed his hand and said, “This isn't the rapture you're waiting for. That's not happening”. I said, “You come with me”. And we walked over to the other preacher who was sitting down. (The great earthquakes are at the beginning of the tribulation, as in Rev.8:5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth (meteors striking the earth): and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Notice that this came just before the first trumpet of the tribulation. 6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.) I told the two little girls to stay in the barn. Then I took them to the corner of the barn. I reached to the floor, pulled open the door to a root cellar, and grabbed two bottles of water. There was food there also. Then I took the preacher's hands and we went up and through the roof of the barn! (Meaning not physical flight.) And we flew to Tennessee. David and Michael were standing outside. They saw that we had landed. The preachers were confused about what had just happened. Then I said, “Now these two men can answer any questions you have about the rapture or anything else you think you're going through”. Michael asked, “Sandy, where have you been? Where were you?” I said, “I don't know. I was translated.” Michael said, “I should have known that.” Then I went back and got the girls and brought them to Tennessee. Then I woke up. By faith at random I received Isa.49:1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye peoples, from far: JEHOVAH hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name: 2 and he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me: and he hath made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he kept me close: 3 and he said unto me, Thou art my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with JEHOVAH, and my recompense with my God. The rest of this chapter tells the magnificent story of His people being used to restore those of God's people who have been in captivity to the nations. 5 And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength); 6 yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 7 Thus saith Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Jehovah that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee. 8 Thus saith Jehovah, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages: 9 saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them. 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 12 Lo, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. 17 Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee. 18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride. 19 For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. 20 The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell. 21 Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they? (Converts coming from all over the World!) 22 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame. 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered? 25 But thus saith Jehovah, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. 26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Send us a messageAs the Prophetic Word of God unfolds dramatically before our very eyes, His Holy Remnant is being alerted to the many technological advancements that are preparing the world and its inhabitants for the Antichrist's arrival - with more success than most people probably realize – as deceived ones fall prey to great delusions and doctrines of demons.And as these deceptions increase, it is becoming increasingly evident how AI is fashioning the “Great Deception” that Lord Jesus warned us about – and how this will all lead to the “One World Religion” of the  Antichrist that will be built upon the common denominator of another Jesus Who will be proclaimed from within a false Gospel that will fit all sizes - and satisfy every perception of a higher deity that is held by fallen man.With this certainty in mind, we will be giving our attention to the “Church of AI”and how it has joined the ranks of the “Great Deception” and how this is all leading to the soon Return of Jesus!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Soul Winning: Church, I can say with confidence, that God's will for all men, all women, for all of us, who will profess Christ as Lord, it's all about soul winning. Matthew 4:21-22 says, And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.  Have a Passion for Winning Souls: There should always be a willingness to seek after the richness of the word of God, to stir the hearts and challenge people to seek after Christ and His will for the human race. Everything that Christ had in mind, and everything that has to do with the church of Christ, it has to do with winning souls. Whenever people ask me, what is God's will for my life, my answer is, winning souls.Now this is a crazy response to following Jesus: Who in their right mind, would just up and quit their job, because some stranger said follow me. Not only did this stranger say follow me, but he also said follow me and I will make you a fisher of men. In the natural way of looking at this situation, yes it is crazy, weird, bizarre and stupid. But in the supernatural realm this was brilliant, magnificent, courageous and out right bold. When God asks us to do something, how come we don't respond as quickly to His come and follow me. Can you imagine what our lives would be like, if we responded to God just as fast, as James and John did? John 6:63 says "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.John 15:26 says "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

Send us a textIn this episode, Pastor Rick Vinson shares on working with volunteers. Smaller churches in particular rely on a lot of volunteers. If you don't have the resources to pay for the different ministry positions yet, then you will need to focus on recruiting volunteers. There are ways to compensate the volunteer staff other than a salary where they will feel appreciated, for example receiving a special love offering for them. Do as much as you can to honor them and show your appreciation to them.Begin praying earnestly for God to send workers and volunteer staff to your church now. Many times the Lord draws people specifically to your church who will be an answer to your prayer. As pastors, we need to be keen observers, identifying people and the giftings God has placed in them, and helping them cultivate and use those giftings. This is a great responsibility.Also, there are many who feel unworthy and incompetent when it comes to serving in church. We as pastors need to let them know why you have confidence in them, and point out their specific attributes and skills. This will give them the affirmation and desire to want to serve as you recognize the gifting in them.Next, you need to give them authorization and endorse them as a hard-working volunteer. It is important for them to know that they will be accountable to you as their pastor who assigns their duties and works together with them, versus a committee or board. Motivation, support and incentives are what volunteer staff need. For example, let them set their hours for volunteering that work well with their full-time job.Give them titles for the volunteer positions and a realistic job description that is fashioned and tailored for their strengths, along with reasonable goals they can accomplish. The job description needs to be one that helps them succeed.Invest in their growth with continuing education. This is another way for you to compensate them, for example paying for them to attend a conference.Trust them and let them make some mistakes. The church needs to be a safe place for people to grow and learn. We all want excellence but it needs to be balanced so the staff can learn and grow. We need to be able to show grace and mercy. If they make a mistake, you can then point out how to correct it.As a part of growing a staff, empower them and point them to Jesus Who is the head of the church, and connect their job to the entire vision of the whole church. You can't allow your staff members to separate their ministries from the whole church. They can't build a wall around their department, and think that nobody else can touch it. They need to have the vision of the whole church and the entire Body of Christ.Encourage and build up the volunteer staff, show them appreciation, celebrate them, applaud them, send hand-written notes, commend the volunteers and invite them to a staff meeting. It is so important to meet with the ministry staff on a regular basis so that you can celebrate their accomplishments and allow them to talk, ask questions and present challenges they may be facing.As a pastor, you need to shield and protect your staff from complaints. Make it clear to any person who complains that the staff member answers to you as the pastor. If you need to discipline someone or address a situation, do it privately and respectfully, as it says in 1 Timothy 5:1-2.Challenge your volunteer staff to grow, maximize their efforts, grow in the ministry that God has given them and walk in unity. When a church staff functions in unity and love as they go about their labors, the result is a powerful testimony to the kingdom of God. 

Scripture: Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Galatians 1:18-19, 1 Timothy 1:13-17. In today's study we take a look at a Credal Statement. What is a Credal Statement?      ⁃    It is a fundamental of faith     ⁃    It enable people to talk about what they know and believe     ⁃    It is easily memorized     ⁃    It is easily understood     ⁃    It is easily shared Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 “What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles.” (The Credal Statement in bold.) Then Paul continues with verses 6-8, “After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn't born at the right time.” Paul mentions three men in these verses: Peter, James (Jesus' 1/2 brother) and himself. 2000 years later we have evidences of authenticity: There is convincing physical evidence of Peter's home in Jerusalem.  Pastor shares pictures.  There is a bone box, The James Ossuary, which has also been discovered and has an inscription, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” The basic consensus of scholarly opinion is that this is very likely authentic.   Who were these men?  Peter: denied Jesus publicly three times James: his brother, was an unbeliever - did not believe Jesus was who He was, and James ridiculed his brother Jesus Paul: persecuted and killed believers and denounced Jesus Who did they become?     ⁃    Peter became an apostle of Christ and bold preacher of God's Word. Even arrest, beatings, and threats didn't lessen Peter's determination to preach the risen Christ.     ⁃    James, after seeing Jesus risen from the grave, became a believer and also became the leader of the early Christian church in Jerusalem.     ⁃    Paul was born Saul and he persecuted believers, but after meeting Jesus on a walk to Damascus Saul became Paul the Apostle and defender of the Gospel. What did these three have in common?     ⁃    They had all failed Jesus     ⁃    A denier     ⁃    A radical     ⁃    A persecutor     ⁃    All come to faith in the Risen Lord      ⁃    Their lives are changed     ⁃    They give powerful testimonies to Christ's love  for all sinners What else do they have in common?     ⁃    The PARDON of Christ - Forgiveness in full.     ⁃    Each of their stories is a story of redemption in Jesus and a testimony that not a single one of us is beyond the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.     ⁃    In these three men we see that God saved the worst of us so that He might save all of us. Their changed lives are a testimony to the heart of God wanting us all. How do their stories speak to us today? Applications of the Pardon of God     ⁃    Christ's mercy and grace is for us too - 1 Timothy 1:13-14 “I used to speak evil things against Jesus. I tried to hurt his followers. I really pushed them around. But God showed me mercy anyway. I did those things without knowing any better. I wasn't a believer. Our Lord poured out more and more of his grace on me. Along with it came faith and love from Christ Jesus.”     ⁃    Christ's saving power is for us too - 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the worst sinner of all.”     ⁃    Nothing we have done can cause Jesus not to want to win us over to Himself     ⁃    Nothing that would cause Him to say He's done with us     ⁃    God wants ALL to be saved.     ⁃    Christ's patient renewal is for us too- 1 Timothy 1:16 “But for that very reason, God showed me mercy. And I am the worst of sinners. He showed me mercy so that Christ Jesus could show that he is very patient. I was an example for those who would come to believe in him. Then they would receive eternal life.” Incredible Love - Incredible Grace - Incredible Pardon And Jesus' mercy and grace, saving power, patient renewal and incredible love are for us, too! Paul, Peter and James were living examples of God's incredible grace - we too are living examples of His incredible grace. Pardon - God offers pardon, forgiveness to all who will repent and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and we become the children of God…. FOREVER!! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

••• The Importance of Soul Winning, Segment-C . ••• Bible Study Verses: John 1.45-46, Mark 5.1-19, John 3.16, Mark 16.15-17, Luke 15.7, Daniel 12:3, Matthew 4:18-19, Luke 11:21 . ••• “The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation", Pastor Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005, Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, & decided to enter into the Christian ministry at the age of 19. He graduated from Stetson University, Deland, Florida. Rogers was ordained by Northwood Baptist Church (now known as The Village Baptist Church) in West Palm Beach. In 1972, he became the senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist in Memphis, TN, till his passing. His church's membership grew from 9k to 27k, & moved into a new, megachurch facility. Rogers was instrumental in the SBC's shift towards the right that began in the late 1970s, as he was elected president of the denomination during a theological controversy within the denomination. He published 18-books & is featured internationally on the radio & television program, "Love Worth Finding". † ••• “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalms 126:6, KJV . ••• What is the most effective way of introducing the gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the ones closest to us? ••• What is personal evangelism? ••• What are 3-reasons why personal evangelism is so effective? ••• What are 5-reasons why personal evangelism is a must for the child of God? ••• What are the 3-steps to minister the gospel to those closest to you? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about personal evangelism through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on June 7, 2025 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible. ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ .••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Tima Miroshnichenko Photography, Warsaw, Poland, Tele:+48-572-319-055, mproductionart@gmail.com, https://www.instagram.com/tima_miroshnichenko/, vimeo.com/user89443702, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes .••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/250517-kingdom-advancement-principles-pt3-seg-a-ep381a . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Adrian-Rogers-Quotes/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 .••• FERP250517- Episode#381a GOT250517 Ep381a .••• Principles of Kingdom Advancement, Part-3: The Importance of Soul Winning, Segment-A . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Read OnlineJesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. John 21:12–14The appearances of Jesus after His Resurrection were cloaked in mystery. Not a mystery of confusion, but a mystery of profound depth and awe. On this, the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples, Jesus first spoke to them from the shore after they had been fishing all night without catching anything. He told them to try again and to throw the net over the right side of the boat. They did so without even realizing that it was Jesus Who was speaking to them. But upon catching more than they could handle, they realized it was the Lord.The “mystery” present in this resurrection appearance has many aspects. Why did the disciples not recognize Jesus at first? Why did Jesus instruct them to throw the net over the right side of the boat? Why was Jesus made known through this catch of one hundred and fifty-three large fish? Why was Jesus cooking breakfast for the disciples on the shore? And why did John record that “none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?'” Though all of these mysteries have answers that have been offered over the centuries by the saints and great Scripture commentators, it's useful to also simply ponder the fact that Jesus' resurrection appearances were, indeed, cloaked in mystery.In a mystery novel, the reader is given various vague clues to help them try to figure out the mystery and solve it. The clues are vague intentionally so as to make the solving more enjoyable and challenging. However, when it comes to a “mystery of faith,” such as the mystery of faith surrounding Jesus' resurrection appearances, the mystery is of an entirely different sort. In these cases, the mystery is one of depth and breadth and is something that has the potential to draw us deeper and deeper into the infinite nature of God and His saving action.Take, for example, this one line quoted above: “And none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?' because they realized it was the Lord.” It appears that the disciples gathered around Jesus as He was preparing breakfast on the shore and sat there in awe of Him. Their silent awe of Him in this appearance reveals that words are not sufficient. Normally, when you see someone whom you are happy to see, you greet them and start talking, asking them how they are, etc. But here, the disciples remained in this holy awe, listening to Him, receiving this meal and pondering the mystery of His resurrected presence.Reflect, today, upon the ways that our Lord comes to you. It's easy to miss Him since His ongoing presence in our lives is also mysterious. Imagine if the disciples would have ignored Jesus' call to “Cast the net over the right side of the boat…” If they would have ignored that command, they may have never come to realize it was the Lord. Reflect upon the ways that our Lord speaks to you. Do you respond? Do you recognize Him? Do you allow yourself to be drawn into this holy awe of His divine presence? Follow the example of the disciples and be on the lookout for the ongoing presence of our Lord all around you.My divine Lord, You are constantly present to me, day and night, and yet I so often fail to perceive You and adore You. Help me to become more aware of Your presence in my life. As I do, help me to enter more deeply into these holy mysteries with love, devotion and awe. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Sin City needs a Savior and Jesus is The One! When you're running out of hope, run to Jesus Who is your Savior! Listen and see what He does for people trapped in Sin City!

In this message, Pastor Chan leads us into Holy Week by teaching on Jesus' triumphal entry found in Matthew's gospel. In it, we seek to answer the question that everyone was asking about Jesus: "Who is this?"Today's Message Text: Matthew 21:1-11 Thanks for listening in to The Ridge's Sunday Audio podcast! Although we hope you are greatly blessed by listening to this message, we also believe it's important to belong to a local body of believers. If you live in our area, we would love to worship with you on Sunday mornings at 8:00a, 9:30a, or 11:15a!

Continuing with our Easter series “Last Supper with The Chosen”, Pastor Jodi teaching on Jesus~Who is this King? When the name “Jesus” is mentioned, there are a variety of reactions. Some respond with great love and admiration, some with a misunderstanding, and some with disdain. On the day Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, referred to as “Palm Sunday,” the first day of Holy week. Many people laid palm branches on the path before Him to celebrate Him. Yet there were several differing reactions to Him, as well. In this story, we can learn so much about Who He truly is and what our reactions should be in response to His triumphal entry, which ultimately led to His crucifixion and His resurrection from the dead.Key Scriptures:John 12:12-19, Psa 118:24-26, Luke 19:36-40,44b, 1 Sam 8:4-7

Send us a textIn this episode, we offer our answer to the question a lawyer presented Jesus with one day long ago. He asked Jesus: Who is my neighbor? In response, Jesus told the lawyer and all of us who a neighbor is, but more importantly, how we are to be a neighbor. Our Lord then told the story of the man on the Jericho Road, and He gave the people of that day a lot to think about. We believe this wasn't just for those people that day though, and because of this, we feel a need for all of us to be neighbors. This episode is challenging, convicting, and uplifting all at the same time… come study God's Word with us today!

Jesus Is The Way – Humility To Glory (4) (audio) David Eells – 3/23/25 I'd like to start today with the Beatitudes because they speak to a great extent about who it is that God blesses. (Mat.5:1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: (2) and he opened his mouth and taught them… Well, no man is our Example. Our Example is the Lord Jesus Christ, and it doesn't take very much study to discover that Christianity has put more emphasis upon its traditions than upon the Example that's given us in the Scriptures.    When I started to look in the Scriptures for the examples I was seeing in Christianity, what the preachers and the religions were following, I discovered very quickly that I just couldn't find them. For instance, we read, “When he had sat down, his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and he taught them.” Jesus never spoke from a pulpit, yet that's become an institution in Christian churches these days. So after the Lord showed me this and I was invited to a church to speak, I just pulled up a chair in front of the congregation, sat down, and began to share with them. Well, that shocked some of them and they looked at me as if they'd never seen such a thing, but others seemed to enjoy the freedom of less formality, possibly because they thought it was more Biblical. The truth is that nowhere in the Scriptures do we see an example of the mourner's bench, the altar, or the taking up of collections at every meeting (Oh, I'm probably getting in trouble with some of you now!) or even wearing suits. Many people think you're just not holy unless you wear a suit, but Jesus didn't have one. I thank God I broke that tradition. I hate suits with a passion, though I have been weak to the weak and worn a suit to preach, but I don't like it. So we have to be free to do this too. Jesus commonly, all through the Gospels, just sat down and taught. He didn't get red in the face and unnecessarily loud and prance up and down to emulate the “anointing” like some “Hollywood” preacher. And woe be unto you if you are in the front row: they can spray spittle all over you. Jesus was just a quiet teacher with no theatrics. But the anointing isn't in any of that; the anointing is on the Truth, and here it says Jesus sat down and He gave the Sermon on the Mount. All through the Scriptures He sat down and taught them (Matthew 5:1, 24:3, 26:55; etc.) When the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people came to take Jesus in the middle of the night, (Mat.26:55) In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not. And He never used a pulpit, and He never wore a “suit.” So how did these things come to be so important? It reminds me of when Jesus said in (Mat.23:23) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone. (24) Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel! Things that really aren't important seem to be very important to religious people just as it was in Jesus' time. We need freedom from all that law of traditions to just follow the Lord as He also showed. We need to get back to the Example Jesus gave us. (Mat.5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When I read this, I asked, “Lord, now what does ‘the poor in spirit' mean? I need You to explain this to me.” Of course, one thing we know it means, follow the example Jesus gave us. He is the Example of someone Who is poor in spirit. He is our Pattern to copy (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 2:5,3:17; etc.) because there is something about the spirit of the poor that God wants in all of His people. Let's examine a few scriptures and see what this “something” is. (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 (That's the Greek word harpagmós (Meaning to hold on to His original position.), (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. Now Jesus said the Gentiles love to lord it over one another (Matthew 20:25; Luke 22:25; etc.). However, it shouldn't be so in the Church, as said in (Mat.20:26) Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; (27) and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: (28) even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. So the greatest “among you shall be your servant,” but men love positions of authority, places of esteem, and the respect of the multitudes. And when they come into the Kingdom, they think they need to climb the corporate ladder just like they do in the world and seize the prize of a prestigious church role. Well, a prestigious church role is the very opposite of what the worldly mind thinks it is. My good friend, Bolivar, once shared a dream with me in which he was searching everywhere for the Lord, like the Shulamite searching for where the Lord taught His sheep in (Song of Solomon 1:7,3:1-3,5:6). And so Bolivar went into this skyscraper, thinking, “Surely Jesus is on the top floor and teaching His disciples in the penthouse” because, of course, that would be a suitable location for royalty according to the way a lot of church people think. They believe that it takes a fancy building to really honor God, but buildings never impressed Jesus, did they (Luke 21:5-6)? Anyway, Bolivar got in the elevator, went up to the penthouse, and opened the door, but when he went inside and looked all around, he didn't see Jesus anywhere. Well, the penthouse window was open and suddenly a dragon came flying in through the window. It was the devil, and Bolivar quickly jumped back into the elevator. He went down to the basement and there was Jesus, sitting in those very humble surroundings and teaching His disciples, just as He always did throughout the Scriptures. Jesus preferred humble surroundings, and He preferred the company of those who were poor in spirit. As Jesus told us in (Mat.23:10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, [even] the Christ. (11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted. The Lord loves a humble people who are not exalting themselves, not putting themselves before God, not putting themselves over and above God.    Mark speaks about that in (Mar.9:35) And he sat down (There it is again.), and called the twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all. (36) And he took a little child, and set him in the midst of them: and taking him in his arms, he said unto them, (37) Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. A child is humble, and someone who is willing to be the least important and very comfortable to just be a child in the midst of people who are larger and more mature. Jesus said, “That's what I'm like,” and it should be that way among us, too. When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, He was very comfortable about it but Peter thought, “No, this is beneath Jesus,” and he said, “Lord, not so! You're not going to wash my feet.” And Jesus answered, “If I don't wash your feet, I don't have any part in you,” obviously meaning sanctification by cleaning up our walk in this world (John 13:8). Jesus became a Servant, and He commanded us to have that same mind. (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 (Meaning to hold on to His original position.), (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. (As He also said we are to do.) (9) Wherefore also God highly exalted him. Praise God! If we have this same mind, then we are here to be a servant to God's people, not a ruler over them. For people who are running after the Lord with all their heart, God may open the door and give them a position, but we don't first the positions in the church. Those people who lust after a position are not qualified. The promises in the Word are made to the poor, who are used as a type and shadow all through the Scriptures. The Old Testament speaks much of the poor, especially in the Psalms, and if we see the spiritual revelation as a parable of those who are poor in spirit in the Church, then we can better understand what that means. (Mat.5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The poor in spirit are always dependent on God, and in need of God's provisions but feel it important to serve others. The poor are always humble. They consider others to be more important than themselves. As we saw, Jesus wasn't trying to cling to His omnipotence and kingly position in heaven. (2Co.8:9) For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor… He laid all of that aside for our sakes. He came down to become a servant and He tells us this is what our mindset must be. Each of us has to become a servant. We have to be willing to be the lowest, the very least, because the servant of all is the greatest among you, as Jesus said (Matthew 20:26;23:11; Mark 9:35; etc.) (2Co.8:9) For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. (The Bible calls it “poverty,” although some people say Jesus was rich because of His seamless garment. What silliness can you get out of that? The Bible says He was poor.) (10) And herein I give [my] judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. In other words, He is commanding us here to walk in His Steps in (1 John 2:6). You can't abide in Christ unless you walk in His Steps. I once had a pastor ask me, “David, would you say that poverty is a curse?” And I said to him, “Well, it's definitely listed there among the curses in Deuteronomy 28. But here's the way I see it: forced poverty is a curse because you're brought under its dominion. You don't have any choice. However, we see in the example of Jesus and the example of His disciples, that they willingly took up a position of poverty because they didn't want to be distracted by the world, the things of the world, nor the love of the world.” As you know, in times of prosperity is when the Church goes through its greatest trials. If you can't destroy the Church by temptation, all you need to do is bring them into prosperity and peace and, pretty soon, they're just as lukewarm as they can be. History has proven this. Bring them into trouble, the true Church grows up, the tares are separated, and you have a holy body. Bring them into peace and prosperity, and that's the best way to corrupt them. The devil knows that. Jesus wasn't tempted with all those things that tempt most people. (1Ti.6:9) But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. … (11) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Jesus didn't have to “flee these things” because He never wanted them in the first place, nor did His disciples love the world or have any use for the things of the world. They wanted to be servants of God, and they were because they served the people of God everywhere they went. They didn't rule over them; they served them, and the Lord Jesus says that that's exactly what He did so that we, through His poverty, might become rich. No, not rich in the things of the world but rich in the things of the Kingdom, rich in the fruit of God, rich in the righteousness that the Lord gives. He tells us very plainly there that He wants us to walk in that same fruit and become servants to God's people. If we will do that, God will promote us to positions in His Kingdom, although they won't look like the positions of the worldly church or the leadership of the worldly church. He will promote us in His Kingdom. He will give us authority. The Lord said in (Rev.2:26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. Authority doesn't come from a certificate and it doesn't come from going to a Bible school. Authority comes from overcoming, and that means we have to be tried and proven to hold God, the Word and the Kingdom first. We all have to be tried, and one way that we're being tried is, “Are we going to walk in the Steps of Jesus?” Are we going to be humble servants, as He was a Servant? Are we going to be poor in spirit, as He was poor in spirit? (Mat.8:20) And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Sounds like Jesus was really poor! He didn't even have His own donkey (Matthew 21:2-3; Mark 11:1-7; etc.) but, although Jesus wasn't rich in the things of the world, He wasn't poor in the blessings of the Kingdom. Everywhere He went His needs were always met because He was a man of faith, but He didn't need what He didn't need. He wasn't competitive. He took all of His pleasure in serving God's people and had no greed for material things that would only distract Him from doing that. He was poor in spirit, and He's called us to be poor in spirit. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Let's look at a parable about Jesus and His poverty that's hidden in Ecclesiastes. (Ecc.4:13) Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more. Jesus lived as a poor and wise youth and yet He was and is truly the King of this world. He was truly a king and He was truly anointed to be King, just like David was anointed to be king. Before Jesus started His ministry, He was anointed, like the kings in the Old Testament were anointed in a type (1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Chronicles 14:8; Psalm 89:20; etc.). Jesus was the real King of this world, yet look at how He lived His Life. The King of kings was Someone Who sought to serve people. But look at King Herod, who was much older, a very foolish king, with all the accouterments of a prosperous life. He had anything he wanted. He had total authority, which is very dangerous to put in anybody's hands because they'll just bring themselves straight to hell with it. You can't give authority to a carnal man, even in the Church, because ultimately, they'll bring judgment upon themselves and others. And we read, “Better is a poor and wise youth.” The Sanhedrin and those Pharisees, the leaders of the people, most of them were older than Jesus and considered to be wise men according to their religion. But Jesus was a very young man, only 30 years old, when He started His ministry, and the Bible says He was poor, according to what the world considers “poor,” yet He was very, very rich according to Kingdom thinking. (Ecc.4:14) For out of prison he came forth to be king… In other words, Jesus manifested full Kingdom authority in Heaven after He came out of prison where He was “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). Here He preached to the spirits in prison.  (1Pe 3:19) in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison…, who were the righteous dead in Sheol. Sheol, the place of the dead, was divided into Abraham's bosom and Hades, or hell as in Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the rich man.  He then led those captive in Abraham's bosom. (Psa 68:18)  Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives. (Act 2:24) whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (Eph 4:8)  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.    It was here that He was fully manifested again as omnipotent King over all creation.   Of course, we can also see Joseph here as a type of Jesus, because Joseph also came out of prison and became king (Genesis 41:14,38-44), which is also Jesus in the Man-child's ministry in the end time. [I want to note here; that history always repeats on a larger scale, as it says in Ecclesiastes. (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (10) Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us. For example, Jesus first came in an individual body, but in the New Testament He is coming in a corporate body of believers called the Body of Christ, (Col.1:29) … Christ in you the hope of glory. The Man-child of Revelation 12 is a body of first-fruits apostolic reformers in whom Jesus lives by His Word and Spirit, that will be worldwide in raising up the Church as Jesus did, but beyond its former glory. All of the entities in Revelation are bodies of people who cover the earth: the Woman, the Harlot, the Dragon, the Beast, the Witnesses, and the False Prophet. In the Old Testament, Israel was the first Church, meaning the “called-out ones.” They were a tiny nation but in the New Testament Church, the circumcised in heart are worldwide and will be brought to their spiritual cross to manifest Jesus. In our book, Hidden Manna for the End Times, all of this is proven with scripture. This book is available on our site in PDF at ubm1.org/book.] Continuing in (Ecc.4:14) For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor. Why didn't God choose better than what Jesus received when He came into this world? Joseph and Mary had to lay Him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn (Luke 2:7). You would think God would have provided better for Jesus if He were a prosperity-minded God, but, no. The Lord wanted Him to be a Servant. He wanted to liken Him to humble people. He wanted Him to be an Example of the kind of King He was sending. Naturally, the prosperity folks of that day didn't expect a humble servant. They expected a king to come and rule over the Romans. They wanted a king like that “old and foolish king,” King Herod, somebody who would give them authority over the Romans, and the Pharisees of today are still looking for somebody who has that kind of authority. They attempt this through politics. They try to find positions there that give them authority over the world, and they exercise worldly authority in their organizations like the Pharisees did. However, Jesus' authority came because people willingly submitted to Him for their own good. That's the kind of authority He had, which was quite contrary to that of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Continuing in (Ecc.4:15) I saw all the living that walk under the sun (That's both a play on words and a parable because all the living do walk under the Son.), that they were with the youth (Jesus), the second, that stood up in his stead (Jesus in the world wide Man-child reformers that are standing up in this day.). They are going to be born of the woman in travail in our day. Joh 16:16  A little while, and ye behold me  no more (Jesus) ; and again a little while, and ye shall see me (In the Man-child reformers) . …19  Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? 20  Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament (At the loss of Jesus), but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21  A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. Notice that after the death of Jesus, He will be seen again as a man-child born to a woman Church. Then He confirms this. 22  And ye therefore now have sorrow (At His death): but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. This is the repeat of history that must come as we showed. Rev 12:1  And a great sign was seen in heaven: a woman arrayed with the sun… 2  and she was with child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered. …5  And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. This throne is the throne of David, which is authority over the house of New Testament Israel, the grafted in Church. We will be able to recognize these people because their ministry in our day will be in the likeness of Jesus' ministry and greater works shall they do as He said. They're going to be greatly used of God but it's the King of kings Who's inside them that does the work. It's not the flesh that He lives in; it's (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the One Who is coming to rule. This will confirm what I have said to you. Continuing in (Ecc.4:16) There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Isn't it true? Many of the so-called “people of God” are not celebrating and rejoicing in the real Jesus, the true Jesus. They have quite a different “Jesus,” one that's in agreement with the lifestyle they desire to live. These people are not humble and poor servants who are willing to give up their lives in order to serve God. They're too busy competing with the world and striving after material possessions, unlike Jesus Who willingly gave up the blessings that He had and could have had. As eloquent a speaker as He was and able to reach out and touch people, Jesus could have done what many other “kings” have done and are doing in our day. He could have built an awesome kingdom. He could have had the nicest church in town. Of course, none of those unbelieving Pharisees or Sadducees would have set foot in there, but the multitudes liked to listen to Him. He spoke as one that had authority (Matthew 7:29; Mark 1:22; Luke 2:47). If He got down on their level so they could understand the teachings (Matthew 13:34-35; Mark 4:34; John 10:6; etc.), He could have filled churches and He could have accepted what the devil offered Him. The devil offered Him authority over all the kingdoms of the world and He turned it all down (Matthew 4:8-11; Luke 4:1-8) Not only did Jesus come as a humble Servant, but those are the only people He really came to talk to. (Luk.4:18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (There's His anointing.), Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor… If we want to be blessed, then we need to be among those who are poor in spirit. The poor in spirit can receive Jesus' Words. They're not offended by the kind of Jesus that offended the Pharisees and Sadducees. He was quite a different Jesus, and He is quite a different Jesus than is being preached nowadays. He is going to have a people who recognize Him and walk in His Steps (1 John 2:6). They are going to manifest His Life. He is going to live in them. Oh, glory be to God! This is the really Good News! Let's look at an example of how the Lord describes those who are poor in spirit. (Isa.41:8) But thou, Israel, my servant (The poor in spirit are servants of the Lord and He will bless them.), Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, … (10) Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. He's giving all these blessings to the poor in spirit. He's assuring and comforting those people who are His servants, but are we really His servants? Are we really poor in spirit so that we will hear and obey His Words? (Isa.41:14) Fear not, thou worm Jacob … Now He's likening the poor in spirit to worms, and we know a worm is about as low as you can get, but remember Jesus said the very least among you will be the greatest (Matthew 20:26,23:11; etc.) A worm is also a very weak creature but, as Paul said, God's power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) and we shouldn't make any bones about it. “Lord, we're weak. We're lowly. We know we can't do it, but You can do it through us as we believe You.” (Isa.41:14) Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel (A type of the Church); I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. (15) Behold, I have made thee [to be] a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. (16) Thou shalt winnow them (The only way a “worm” can do all this is by the grace of God.), and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. (17) The poor and needy seek water (This is still talking about these “worms” here, who are being blessed by the Lord.), and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I, the Lord, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. (18) I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. (19) I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree… Everybody is a “worm” in the wilderness because it is a place of need and weakness where only God can supply through our faith in Him. And whom is He blessing in this wilderness but these “worms,” these very lowly people, the poor and the needy? Are you poor? Are you needy? David said in (Psa.17:15) As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with [beholding] thy form. In other words, “Lord, I won't be satisfied until I awake in Your likeness.” He always felt that he didn't have enough of God, and for those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, they feel poor in the things of the Kingdom. They cry out to God and God is there for them; He is a faithful Savior in the things of the Kingdom. However, far too many people are quite satisfied with mere religion. They're just sitting in a pew and waiting for the rapture to happen, thinking they're going to fly away. Other than that, seeking God is the farthest thing from their mind and it's almost a chore for them to fellowship the righteous.  God promises His blessings upon the poor in spirit, for those who are of like mind with Jesus. They have chosen to be servants who serve God with everything that they have. They've put their lives in the Hands of the Lord and God said that He would deliver these people. He said that He would provide for them, richly, everything that they need (Isaiah 41). And apostle Paul repeated that promise to the servants of God in (Php.4:19) … my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Psa.35:10) All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him (These “worms” are not strong creatures, are they?), Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him? The Lord is a Deliverer to the poor. He takes the side of the underdog and God's people, in many cases, are in that position, because all those who forsake the world to run after Jesus and be servants are putting themselves in that position. Even if they don't put themselves in that position, God has a way of putting those, who are truly His, into that position. Now, we're headed towards a tribulation in which God's people will be put in a place of weakness, a place of worldly weakness. But God says that He is going to be their Savior and deliver them. With that in mind, who would you rather be? Would you rather be the rich that are crying out for the rocks to fall on them (Revelation 6:16)? Or would you rather be the poor who know they need God? Now I don't mean “materially” poor here, because I know that many people who come into the Kingdom and are financially well-off and use their money to make sure that the needs are met in the Kingdom. They're faithful servants of God Paul said, (1Ti.6:17) Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (18) that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute (This is eumetádotos meaning “give from a generous attitude”), willing to communicate (The Greek is koinōnikós meaning “ready to impart; beneficent; willing to share.” (19) laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is [life] indeed. I'm talking here about the poor in spirit. God is going to be their Savior for the very reason that they are weak and their trust is in God. (Psa.12:5) Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in the safety he panteth for. God is going to protect the poor in spirit. In other words, they are blessed in God's deliverance, they are blessed in God's safety in the days to come. (Psa.12:6) The words of the Lord are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, Purified seven times. (7) Thou wilt keep them, O Lord, Thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever. (He's going to preserve those that are poor in spirit from this wicked generation.) (8) The wicked walk on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men. Oh, aren't we seeing that today? There's corruption and wickedness everywhere. The wicked are taking advantage of others and when they can, if they're in a position to get away with it, they'll persecute and kill them. And it's only going to get worse, but as we see, having that spirit of the poor is a place of safety. After all, who did Jesus say He was going to preach the Gospel to? It was the poor because they could understand much more about the Kingdom. They're much more humble concerning that. When I was young in the Lord, I used to go door-to-door and talk to people about the Lord, and I found that I was much happier going into the poor parts of town because people would listen. In the rich part of town, people didn't want to hear it. I wanted to talk to them about Jesus, but they just wanted to tell me what religion they were. In the poor parts of town, it didn't matter what religion they were; many times they wanted to talk with me. And so, when a group of us divided up to go to different parts of town, I'd pick the poorest part because it was much more fruitful. Let's look at another Psalm. (Psa.107:40) He poureth contempt upon princes, And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way. (41) Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction (In other words, they are “above affliction,” so whose shoes would you like to be in?), And maketh [him] families like a flock. (42) The upright shall see it, and be glad (Notice the upright respect and favor the poor.); And all iniquity shall stop her mouth. (43) Whoso is wise will give heed to these things; And they will consider the loving kindnesses of the Lord. Those who are wise will think carefully about these things. Don't worry about not being rich in the eyes of the world. Don't worry about not being respected by the world because the world is not supposed to respect you. We need the respect of God, and we're looking here at whom He favors. Wouldn't you rather have the favor of God? (1Sa.2:8) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dunghill, To make them sit with princes, And inherit the throne of glory: For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, And he hath set the world upon them. (9) He will keep the feet of his holy ones (Oh, glory be to God! He is going to enable them to walk a holy and sanctified walk in the Kingdom.); But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness… God is going to lift up, He is going to exalt the needy. Praise be to God! He provides for His people! The Lord is going to cause them to inherit the throne of His Kingdom. That's a wonderful blessing! (Psa.68:7) 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. We see so many promises concerning the poor, and if we bring them over as a type and shadow into the New Testament, we can see exactly what Jesus is talking about. Again, we're not speaking against the rich who serve the Lord, we're just saying that the spirit the poor have is the one that Jesus is after. He wants all of His people to have such a spirit as that. The Bible says in (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? (6) But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats? (7) Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called? The poor need to trust in God and walk by faith in God because they have no other choice. They don't have any worldly ability to provide for themselves, so they cry out to the Lord and the Lord always answers them. Next, I want to share a testimony with you from Sister B.H. that exemplifies this. In the fall of 1988, after a tragic and unforeseen event, I found myself alone and responsible to raise my two daughters, ages 2 and 12. I turned to the Lord and He drew closer to me than any human could ever have. In those days of great despair, the Lord became my best friend, husband, a father to my kids, confidant, defender, provider, and comforter. (Isaiah 54:5,6) For thy Maker is thy husband; the Lord of hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off, saith thy God. With the constant care and direction from the Lord also came many miracles during this time of my life. As finances were very slim, I had to trust God for many of the very basic needs of life and He never failed me. One of the miracles was how God returned my stolen car to me. During this time, my sister-in-law and her two children had moved in with us to help share expenses as she too had found herself alone. We had gone to the grocery store that evening and bought milk, diapers, and a few other necessities. We then went to another store to see if we could find an inexpensive telephone as mine had quit working. We only had $10 left between us, and even though I had never seen a phone sold for that little amount before, I had a feeling we would be able to find one that we could afford. I knew that God said he would supply all our needs and this was a need. My oldest daughter had to babysit the younger children for a little while each day and needed a telephone in case of an emergency. As it happened, the store we went into was no longer going to carry telephones and had them at close-out prices. We were able to get a $50 telephone for $7. (Keep in mind this was in 1988.) While we were leaving the store and praising the Lord for supplying our need again, we looked into the parking lot and could not find my car. It was gone. When the realization hit me that someone had stolen the car, a miracle happened within me that is hard to explain. (Well, didn't God choose them that are poor to the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom?) The best way I can describe it is an unbelievable joy and confidence rose up within me, coming up from out of my belly. Like John 7:38 says: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. With excited expectation, I knew that I was about to see a miracle. God was going to either bring my car back to me, or He would provide us with another car with milk and food in it. It really didn't matter to me how He did it, we needed a car and we needed the groceries that were in the car. Praise God, we knew it was coming our way.  When the police came, they put the description of the car over the police radio and so officers in the area were looking for the car. The officer that responded to our call allowed us to ride around with him and look for the car for a while. He said he had never met anyone like us before in his life. He had responded to many calls like ours before, stolen vehicles and such, but never had anyone acted the way we were acting. He could see that we were very happy and excited; we told him that we were going to see a miracle. We told him that the car was coming back or God would send us another one with the groceries already in it. He was being very nice and patient with us. He also did not want to discourage us, but he said the chances were very slim we would be able to recover the car. I told him not to worry, that God had it under control. I asked the officer what thieves did with the stolen cars. He said a lot of times they would break them down and sell them out as parts; they also could be used in a robbery before they are torn down. My sister-in-law and I immediately agreed together in prayer that the car belonged to the Lord and could not be used in any crime. I am sure the officer was thinking we were crazy by this time, but he seemed to be enjoying the change from the norm. By this time the car had been missing for over an hour. The store where the car was taken was at the edge of town and at a fork in the road between two highways leading out of town, so the car could have been in the next county and in another town by this time. Then a call came in over the radio saying the car had been found and pulled over just a mile from the store. It was on one of the highways headed back towards the grocery store. It turns out it was a professional car thief with a long record of such crimes. When they were caught, they told the police officer that when they saw the baby car seat in the back seat, they had an overwhelming feeling that they HAD to return the car. Praise God, the car was in perfect shape and the groceries were fine. The milk was as cold as if it just came out of the refrigerator and the police officer knew that he had just witnessed a miracle. Yes, God WILL supply ALL our needs! Well, glory to God! Everything on this earth serves Him, and you can't get anywhere where God can't save you, but He loves to save the poor. He loves to save those who can't fend for themselves and can't take care of themselves. They're at His mercy but they trust in Him. God can, and does, cause faith that He can save them in every situation to rise up in the heart of His people. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? The Lord is our Savior in all things. He will never fail us. He will never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5; Acts 17:27; etc.) He is there all the time (Jeremiah 23:23- 24) and, according to these many Scriptures we've looked at, He is a blessing to the poor. Considering the days that we're coming to, I don't know why you would want to be anything but poor. Put your life in the Hands of the Lord. He brought His people into so many very hard places in the wilderness when He brought them out of Egypt, and each one of those places was a revelation of their weakness and His Strength. Believe it or not, where we're headed, folks, almost everybody is going to be poor in the material resources of the world, but some people are going to be poor in spirit and those people are going to have the help of the Lord. They're going to have the provision of the Lord. He's going to be their Protector. He's going to be their Deliverer and He's going to exalt them. He's going to provide for them and give them faith. If you're poor in spirit, this is what it is to be blessed of the Lord.  If you are weak, know that you're in the place of miracles. If you are poor, know that you're in the place of miracles. If you are a servant of God, one who desires to serve only Him and puts that above everything else, know that you're in a place of miracles. God is going to bless you. He's going to provide for you abundantly. Put your trust in Him and worship Him. God bless you, saints! Now I'd like to share some more miraculous testimonies with you of God meeting the needs of the poor in spirit.     The Lord, Our Provider Greg & Anne Kohls - 12/03/2010 I hope this testimony is as much of an encouragement to those of UBM as it has been to our family. I am very grateful for God leading us to this ministry, for my faith has taken root and I am learning the full truth of the Gospel for the first time in my life! Although I must say that God was already at work in my life before coming to UBM, for this was merely the confirmation I needed of what He was showing me. This ministry took me to an even deeper level. I remember one day while I was driving, I began thinking over our finances and wondering how we were going to make ends meet with our oldest son now in his first year of college. Our van was over 10 years old and, although it ran well, it was getting close to needing to be replaced. Right then I just said, “Lord, we are going to need a new van soon and I do not know how we be able to afford it. Could you please provide a van for us; I don't know, maybe through Greg's dad or something?” Well, about two weeks later, I saw my father-in-law and he said to me, “Oh, I happened to be talking to a friend of mine, and he mentioned in conversation that he wanted to trade his van in for a new car but he wasn't going to get much for it. I saw what a great van it was and decided to offer him a little more than the trade-in price and he took it! Have Greg go down and pick it up!” When my husband drove into the driveway with this new-looking van with only 50,000 miles on it, I was in awe! This was more than a van; it was a gift from God Himself! Later on, I started hearing more and more about the economy and began wondering, 'Lord, we need to pay off our house. Could you help us be really disciplined and work really hard to do it within a few years?' ... knowing that would be a miracle in itself. Well, that was in October. At Christmas time (of which I am not really a fan), my mom, stepdad, and brother's family came for a visit and my parents asked just the adults to come for a meeting in the living room. They began to unfold the story of how my sister-in-law had been watching the French news (they were living in France) and saw that the French could be entitled to funds if they had been victims of atomic fallout. She wondered if this would be the case in the States as well and asked my mom to check it out. Yes, she found it to be true. (My dad had been exposed to atomic bomb testing in Nevada and later died of leukemia.) She then handed us a check that covered most of our house payment! About three months after that, I asked the Lord to help us get out of our family stock club, which I did not like since we were unequally yoked with unbelievers. Due to family circumstances, everyone unanimously voted to cancel the stock club and cash in on our earnings. This was the exact amount we needed to not only pay off the house but also pay cash for my daughter's braces! It didn't take years to pay it off; it was a matter of months! All the while during this year, we somehow had enough to cover the college tuition! It seems to me that God is providing His children for what is to come and for us to not lose heart but to trust in His sovereignty and to be strengthened in spirit. I know we have many challenges yet up ahead but God is faithful to meet our every need as we continually surrender our lives unto His. It was also during this time that we had left the local church and God miraculously led our family home to worship together under the teaching of David and the Unleavened Bread Ministries. I can see the transformation taking place in our household. Again, I am so very grateful for all of you. May this be an encouragement to you to “lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight”. It is important to mention that none of these needs had been spoken of to anyone beforehand so it was purely a blessing from God and my father-in-law is definitely not in the habit of buying cars for people, nor did our family or extended family ever think we would receive retroactive pay for something that happened so long ago! “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory!” It makes it a great object lesson for the times ahead to, 'Trust in Thee'.     God Understood My Needs Michael Doty - April 2011 This is my testimony about God giving simple and understandable answers to my questions about things I need and need to know, such as how He answered my living situation question. God required me to humble myself, to stop blaming my problems on others, and to realize that it was my “self”, my old self. And I also asked for forgiveness. After that, things changed, and God granted me favor from people who did not even know me -- Alan and Jill Kennedy. As young and immature as I am in my walk with the Lord, I still don't know anyone who has been given favor like I have received: 1) The Kennedys lowered the rent so that I could pay my share on my old rental until the lease was over. 2) The Kennedys did not require me to sign a lease agreement. 3) They also did not require a deposit. 4) The utilities are still in the Kennedys' name and they have not asked me to change it in any way, just to pay it. (Deposit for utilities is high here.) 5) It was also completely furnished and has a beautiful back porch deck which is also furnished. 6) My dog is also at peace after moving to the hill, but she has put in the request box the need for her own bed in her own bedroom if I want peace in my bed and room. Word for Mike: 1 Corinthians 12:18-23 on April 6, 2011 (1Co.12:18) But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him. (19) And if they were all one member, where were the body? (20) But now they are many members, but one body. (21) And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (22) Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary: (23) and those [parts] of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness ...     Can't Afford NOT to Give A sister in Christ - 09/24/2007 Hello, brothers and sisters! The Lord put it in my heart to bless a Christian family in need. I don't have much money but am very, very rich in the Lord and have my needs met abundantly. I was given a certain sum for my day and was looking forward to using it to bless a Christian family in need because I almost never have the opportunity to give money, as I am a stay-at-home mom and do not handle the finances. Giving is such a joy in the Lord. A few days later I received a check as a gift. Then today my family received a large gift of money that was 20x larger than I had given away. I have also been given clothes, many brand new, for my newborn. God's provision for our family is so evident and I praise Him for it. My husband is not yet walking in obedience to the Word, but God still honors my faith and provides miraculously for our family. Last year our tax return for a family of five was under $20,000 and we lived in an area where the median income was $90,000. He certainly has been multiplying for us. He is faithful, true and a GOOD Father.     God Supplied and Fixed Everything Doris Zambrano I am so happy to say that I am seeing miracles in my life, living here in the wilderness! I praise You, Lord! Anyway, due to limited income right now, I ran out of propane and just decided to let God show me what to do until I had the resources to get more. I did, however, have electricity, so I was able to have heat from a small heater and the fireplace. Bless God! I went without propane for almost a week and then I was blessed with some money to get more. The company that had been delivering propane to me since May did not return messages regarding my situation, so I was led to another company in another town. The propane delivery man came and since I had run out, he had to check all the connections and equipment before filling my tank. He discovered many leaks and a regulator that was outlawed some 10 years ago. Well, he was so wonderful, he replaced the regulator and did not charge me yet (he just said that he made note of it and would bill me when I could pay, praise God) and worked to fix the leaks and then filled the tank. Since he has been here my propane usage has gone down tremendously! I know that God has a reason for everything He does, although we do not always understand, He knows what He is doing. I know that if I had not run out of propane, I never would have gotten a new regulator or had the opportunity to fix any leaks. How awesome is our God! Lord, bless Mr. Riley, bless this oil company for their kindness and thank You for Your protection and provision! o/ Bless David, UBM, and all those You call Yours. Thank you, Father! In Jesus' name, I pray.     Thanking God and Being Blessed Keith McIlroy - 08/17/2009 I am thanking God for my trials. It is a new concept for me. My earthly father comes to visit me almost every year in July to pick raspberries and black currants. We have a few hundred acres where the raspberries grow wild. There is also about a five-acre plot of black currants planted near here where we go and get the black currants from. The first nation's band (politically correct way of saying Indians) had a government grant to plant them about six years ago. The money was wasted before they were picked, so no one has ever picked or maintained them since they were planted there. One morning, we went down there and started picking. My dad was complaining about how few berries there were, compared to the previous year. I had just read a really good book called Prison to Praise and was learning to thank God for all things good and bad. So I started praising God and thanking him for the berries and for the bugs that were living up to their name: bug. Then God brought it to my mind that I was plundering the world system of my day to have these berries. I never planted or worked in any way for these berries; God had especially planted them for me. No one else goes there to pick them. I was awestruck. So I praised Him! It really reminded me of the Israelites going into the Promised Land -- it was all planted and ready for them. I could just rest; in the meantime, I had just stayed in one area and the more I thanked God for this blessing, the thicker the berries were. The other family members who were also picking there were walking all over, not finding many berries, but the plants I was picking from were just loaded! I don't think I went 20 feet and picked six pails of berries in a few hours. Every time I thanked Him for creating the mosquito biting me, there seemed to be less of them bothering me. It was an awesome experience for me.     Prayer and Patience Produce Provision Melody - 09/18/2012 It has been on my heart since yesterday to write this praise report. Exactly one year ago yesterday, my son Nathan and his friends Sean and Austin moved two provinces away, which is about 1800 miles from us. They didn't have much money, and their vehicle broke down upon reaching their destination. It was starting to get cold and they were just wandering. (They all know the Lord but I sometimes wondered how well.) Anyhow, I put in a prayer request to UBM for them. After exhausting all their funds at a motel, they had no place to live. Here are the answers the Lord provided, right after I sent the prayer request. A family took them in, in exchange for some chores and babysitting. So, even though they were not a Christian family, the Lord used that situation to meet their needs and also help them to meet others' needs and to really open their eyes. Shortly after that, Austin and Sean each got jobs as cooks in a hotel restaurant. Then Nathan got a job with a large company and was hired to weld various equipment as needed (he always liked welding but was not ticketed). Not long after, the mother of a friend he worked with wanted to move into a facility for seniors. So the boys helped her move a couple of hours away. They had purchased an older truck by then and she didn't want to leave her house empty, so she rented it to the boys for $250 a month; which is unheard of. Rent for a three-bedroom home with a double car garage would normally go for $1100-$1200 a month. In exchange, the boys look after some of her belongings which she stores in the basement, and bring her anything she needs when she asks. They've also built shelves for her at her new place and look after the flower gardens. Last July, my husband, Shawn, and I went to visit our son and his friends while they were at work. We started working in the flower gardens at the boys' “greatly subsidized home from the Lord.” An elderly neighbor lady came out to talk to us. She said she would love to help but she was feeling very ill. Shawn asked her if we could pray for her and she said yes. After we finished, she started to tear up and said she felt better almost immediately! She is a retired nurse. I imagine how she had tended to others' hurts for years. Our Jesus wanted to minister to her. It is just amazing how far the prayers reached and probably reach even further than we know! Sean exchanged his job for a better one a few months ago with better pay and working hours. Yesterday, our son called to say that he just started working his first day at a new place, the same place Sean is working. They really needed a welder and couldn't find a ticketed one, so because he passed their welding test on the interview the previous week, they are putting him in at millwright wages, which he told us was $27 an hour. These are just amazing answers to the prayer I asked for these boys one year ago. Because of the great feeling of the need for prayer I had at that moment for these wandering boys, I then became a prayer partner, as well. It's so exciting to know our prayers make a difference and our God is so wonderful. I know that sometimes people expect instant or quick answers, but His answers and timing are important, not only for our needs but the character He wants to develop in us. I can surely see His hand in all of this and I wanted to share this praise report and to encourage you in all your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and may God richly bless you all. The scripture on my heart is: (Eph.3:20) 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...     Your Debt Has Been Paid! Jay & Niki Nara – 1/4/23 I want to share something that just happened to me this morning. In a few short weeks my car registration should be renewed, so in order to do that you have to do a safety check. Yesterday I went to the nearest mechanic, and he gave me the bad news. He listed things that should be fixed on the car, up to $ 4,000 plus, which is an amount that I am not able to afford since I am a single dad and a pensioner. After that, I saw a little insignificant mechanical shop nearby and I booked another appointment for this morning. I was a bit worried after that, and through the night thinking of the outcome, because I really need a car to drive and to pick up my teenage son from school after the holidays, which finish in a few weeks. I was even thinking not to go this morning, doubting the outcome. Still, I got up and decided to try once more. On the way to the mechanic, I was listening to the last UBM post on 1/04/23. Then, I came to the part where you were talking about the debt and debtors, how they are trying to make us feel guilty for the debt that has already been paid by our Lord, and I got inspired by that to put it on my Facebook page (photo). I briefly prayed to God to help me in this very important situation for me. So I left my car in the shop and went home for a short time. When I went back, feeling anxious about the outcome, the mechanic (a sweet little old man) asked me how I wanted to pay, and when I asked how much I owed, he said: $47, which was just the price for the labor! I was overwhelmed and so relieved since it meant so much to me, and I went on my way praising and thanking our good God for everything. Hallelujah!!

20250323 6PMp RI Romans 6 – More Really Good News Dead & Free from the Penalty of sin.  Free from the Dominion of sin. And now alive in Jesus --- Who are we? .. how do we describe ourselves? In Romans, Paul talks about sin … and he also talks about grace. He talks about sin increasing, and about grace also abounding. “How do we define ourselves in terms of sin and grace?” In our experience, do we see a gradual change from sin toward grace?  … otherwise called sanctification? Here Paul sees it from a different perspective not just of our experience, but of our viewpoint: He says: ‘Count yourself  “dead to sin” and “alive to Christ … alive to grace” ‘ The grace that flowed to change my heart, also flowed to change my identity. Grace is not the reason to continue in sin, Grace is the reason to live a new life… Dead to sin, but alive to grace in Christ Jesus.  The :metaphor of baptism” is not just washing away of sin, but also being baptised into Christ's death,  and rising with him in new life.  Pardoned sinners, but more than pardoned sinners .. In the symbolism of slavery .. We may choose the old way of the old master, or we may choose the new way of freedom, of a new master.  We can choose to be slaves to righteousness, and reap holiness as a result.  Speaker: Ron Irving.

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (3) (audio) David Eells – 3/16/25 We've noticed that Jesus taught a lot on humility, although He didn't necessarily always use that term, so today, I'd like for us to look at humility as the demand of discipleship because humility is the process of crucifixion, the process of taking up our cross and following Jesus (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). So how do we take up our cross? The main way that we take up our cross is through obedience to God's commands, because His commands are humbling to the flesh, which is crucifying to the flesh. We have to lose our life to gain our Life (Matthew 10:39; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:25; etc.), and Jesus' commands were designed to cause us to lose our life; they were designed to humble the old man and bring him to naught. Let me share with you a few places where I think Jesus particularly pointed out this humble walk to us. (Mat.5:1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: (2) and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, (3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What does that mean, “the poor in spirit”? Well, we're warned by Scripture to beware of the rich because they usually exercise their authority and their power to take advantage of the poor (James 2:6-7; 5:1-6; etc.) And so the poor in spirit is a people that have been humbled because they don't have the authority, they don't have the means by which to take full advantage of the world, or to be peers with the rich of the world. For God's people to be poor in spirit is obviously to be a humbled people.   (Mat.5:4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   Obviously, we mourn. The world is full of laughter and enjoying everything that's going on around them but, like Lot (2 Peter 2:7-8), we're grieved in our hearts. When we put the Word of God in our heart, the Jesus Who is in us is grieved at the things that go on around us, is grieved at the advantage that the wicked take of us, is grieved at the persecution that they bring against us. Losing your life can be painful, of course, but if we obey Jesus' commands, He will make it as quick as possible. Thank You, Lord!   (Mat.5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. There's something about the meek that the Lord loves, and the ones whom He picked to be His disciples that weren't meek, He humbled. He doesn't want people to be bold and demanding their own will, their own way, using their own strength to negotiate with the world. That's not the way of the Lord. That's not the way of His people.   (Mat.5:6) Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. That's a good promise, although obviously the great majority of God's people don't “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” No, they're quite satisfied with what they have. They believe they've been told the Truth, so they think they have it all summed up, but God doesn't want us ever to be satisfied. I like what David said, “I'll never be satisfied till I wake in thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). That's the kind of thinking that God wants us to have. He wants this desire to be in us, this hunger and thirst to be full of His righteousness.   (Mat.5:7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. The Lord is teaching us that if we show mercy, forgiveness, and grace towards others, He's going to multiply it back to us. (Luk.6:37) And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: (38) give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.   (Mat.5:8) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Who are “the pure in heart”? It's the people who have a heart that has been renewed by the Word of God, who have hungered and thirsted after righteousness, who are convicted by the Word, who read it for the advantage of gaining Christ (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; etc.)   (Mat.5:9) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. So many people are picking sides nowadays! And sadly, many of God's people choose a worldly side; they want to fight with the world against the world. They're confused about where the Kingdom of God stops and the kingdom of the world starts, and that's why we need discernment from the Lord, a discernment that only the Word can give to us. We're here to make peace. We're here not to choose between the lesser of two evils, but to choose God's Kingdom in the midst of all evil because it's all evil. All the nations of the world are evil; they're all fallen.   (Mat.5:10) Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Another Scripture tells us, (2Ti.3:12) Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. If you're going to live Godly, as Jesus walked, you are going to suffer persecution, and it's for the purpose of crucifying that old man. But notice He said, “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake” because if we suffer for doing evil, we don't receive glory or gain any advantage for that (1 Peter 2:20,3:17). And many of us do suffer God's chastening for doing things that are contrary to His Will, but that's because He loves us and wants us to turn and go the other way.   (Mat.5:11) Blessed are ye when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. We don't like to suffer persecution, or people speaking lies against us, and so on, but God said, “Blessed are you.” This is more of God's humbling process, that we should accept what's being spoken against us. Jesus told His apostles, (Joh.15:20) Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. If they did it to our Lord, they'll do it to us and so we should be rejoicing in our persecution. In fact, look at what the very next verse says.   (Mat.5:12) Rejoice, and be exceeding glad (Notice that's our command from the Lord.): for great is your reward in heaven… We're going to receive a reward because of all the things that the wicked, and wicked Christians, and wicked worldly people, say against us. We're going to get a reward for that and so He tells us to rejoice and give thanks to God. I don't believe when we're on the other side of our trial looking back, brethren, that we're going to think, “Boy, I'm sorry I went through that!” It says in (Heb.12:11) All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. Obviously, we're going to see the results of God's blessings and the things that He's provided for us because we have gone through that, and because of the peaceable fruit that God is working in our heart by our going through this. No, I believe we're going to thank God.   (Mat.5:23) If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, (24) leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. God doesn't want to accept anything from our hand as priests of the Lord, until we make things right with anybody that we have offended. Now we know there are ways we offend people that are perfectly legal and right. Jesus offended people quite a bit, but He offended them by speaking the Word of the Lord. He didn't offend them by foolishness and sin, which is what this is talking about. We will offend people, but Jesus didn't ask forgiveness for speaking the Word of the Lord and speaking the Truth, even if it hurt.   However, some people are a little overbalanced in speaking what they call the “truth.” They don't have grace in what they say, and they don't build people up in what they're doing, which is wrong. And when we outgrow that, we should go back and tell those people we're sorry that we did such things, because our youthful exuberance sometimes causes trouble, and hurts people more than it helps. (Mat.5:25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.   Yes, if we have offended someone, we need to quickly go and make it right. If not, God may make us pay because of the damage that we've done to somebody else. Also notice that if someone doesn't make things right, they'll be “cast into prison.” Do you know who serves as God's “officers” in prison? It's the tormenting spirits that people labor under, and are chastened under, and so forth. (Mat.5:26) Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. We have to pay for some sins. We need to repent quickly before God calls in our debt.   The same thing is seen in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where the servant was forgiven by his master, but afterward wouldn't go on to forgive his fellow servant. Let's read that in (Mat.18:32) Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: (33) shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. “Tormentors” is the word basanistḗs; the “place of torments” is básanos. These tormentors are the demons that God permits to torment people because of their evil works until they repent and humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God.   (Mat.18:35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. There is no choice; we have to forgive. We may feel that these people are not worthy of our forgiveness. They did us wrong, and they were evil, they really hurt and abused us, and so on, and all those things could be true, but it doesn't make any difference. We did all those things to God. We were wrong; we were evil; we deserved what we got and yet, He forgave us. And Jesus came and bore the penalty for our sins, thank God! We'd all be destroyed otherwise. God is humbling us, and He gives us help with this humbling process. When we're not willing to do it ourselves, He causes us to count the cost for our low living until we realize, “Well, it's not worth it, so I need to turn to the Lord.”   (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. We often need to be reminded of this because it doesn't come naturally to us and it really irks the old man to “resist not…evil.” We think that we self-righteously deserve God's goodness since, in our eyes, we've been good, but God sees otherwise. He sees that down inside of us, there is something that would rise up to defend self and, of course, self cannot be defended in any way, legally. In the Name of Jesus, self cannot be defended because self is the enemy of God and must be crucified. And our Lord Jesus, Who went to the Cross, didn't deserve what He got but He bore it for us. Praise the Lord!   Now, “resist not him that is evil” doesn't mean to “resist not the devil,” because the Bible says, “resist the devil” (James 4:7). Nor does it mean that we don't resist false prophets who come in to teach lies and take advantage of the people, because we see that Peter, Paul, John, and Jesus Himself spoke against false prophets to defend the disciples from the faith (Matthew 17:15, 24:5,24; John 5:43; etc.) What it does mean is resist not the evil that comes against you personally, because these are the times when “self” rises up and really wants to fight back. And we're going to reap what we sow if we do that (Galatians 6:7) since the people of the world don't have any restraint upon them to fight, nor do the wicked so-called “Christians.” And you're going to always keep reaping from these people what you sow. They'll just continue to fight, and continue to fight. You're the only one that can stop it, and as you deny the old man the right to defend himself, he dies a little bit more each time and it becomes easier and easier.   (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Years ago, a good brother I knew was plundered by some people who were working with him. They stole all his machinery and other equipment, then they lied to the police and said that he owed it to them. So he came to tell me what happened and asked, “What am I going to do?” I replied, “Well, I can only tell you what Jesus told us. It's one of those ‘bitter pills' that doesn't go down easy, but it's what Jesus said.” Just as when the wicked came and robbed Job, and Job said, (Job.1:21) … Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.   Again, in (Mat.5:40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. (41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. These things are all very humbling, are they not? These commands put us in the place of weakness; they put us in the place of crucifixion when we obey them.   (Mat.5:42) Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. That's another command, but sometimes we wonder, “Should I or should I not?” Well, sometimes we become judges instead of just obedient servants, and the Lord doesn't want that of us. He says, “Give to them that ask of thee.”   (Mat.5:43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you… Of course, this is another one of those bitter pills that goes down hard, but I tell you, the best thing to do for your own heart, and for theirs, is to pray for them. And another text that's very similar is, (Rom.12:38) Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Notice, it's those that persecute you. Now there are places in the Scriptures where what people would consider to be curses were spoken, even by disciples of God. Were they disobeying this command? No.   When Paul turned a man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, it was so that the man's spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5). Paul didn't have any personal thing to gain by doing this; he did it because it was good for this man. So you see, there are some curses that are not curses at all. They're blessings. A chastening from the Lord is a blessing. If you don't chasten your child, he gets worse and worse (Proverbs 13:24), therefore it's not a curse when it's a blessing, even though it may function in effect as a curse. So “Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not,” is saying, “Don't resist personal affronts against you. Bless and curse not.”   Here's another example of a curse, which is actually being a blessing. (Act.13:6) And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus; (7) who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. (8) But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.   (9) But Saul, who is also [called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, (10) and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? (11) And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. (12) Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.   Certainly, most people would consider that a curse, but Paul didn't speak that because someone was persecuting him personally; it was to defend a man from another, wicked, man. God Himself delivers us over to the curse, and He can use vessels like the apostle Paul, or like us, in the Spirit, but He's never going to do it if we're retaliating or fighting against people whom God has sent to crucify us. We see Jesus didn't resist crucifixion. He could have called down a curse on all those people that were being used to crucify Him, but He didn't. He said, (Luk.23:34) … Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…      (Rom.12:15) Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. (16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. (These are all good attributes of humility.) (17) Render to no man evil for evil. (In other words, anybody that brings evil to you, render not evil back to them. Trust in God. Let God retaliate if He wants to.) Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (Make sure you're representing Christ before others; make sure that you are being a revelation of God to them.)   (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath (Give-in to whatever wrath man brings against you, because it goes on to say,): for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.   All of this brings us into the place of humility, the place of crucifixion, and it's a work of God in our heart. He wants to put “self” to death. Now it's not necessarily what we have done; it's who we are. God is dealing with the man down on the inside of you that is called “self.” The old man, the carnal man, has to be put to death. Even if you have never let him live through you, it doesn't make any difference. God wants to kill him, and we need to give God His way, because this is what yields that peaceable fruit, that humility in our hearts. People don't know what a selfless man is; people need to be able to see that in us. They need to see Jesus in us.   Returning to Matthew 5 again, Jesus says, (Mat.5:43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; (45) that ye may be sons of your Father (This is what a son of God is.) who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. (46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the Gentiles the same? (48) Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. What would bring us to perfection? Undoubtedly, it's this crucifying of the old man by loving your enemies, turning the other cheek, and resisting not the evil. All of these are the most powerful tools that God uses to crucify the old man.   The next chapter is also very good concerning humility, because we love to take the glory or the credit for doing things, but God constantly tells us to deny that in ourselves. Jesus said, (Mat.6:1) Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them… Now God wants righteousness to be manifested through us and He wants it to be seen. If we go back to chapter 5, we read, (Mat.5:16) Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. These two verses may seem contradictory; however, God does want us to show forth good works so that men would give glory to God but not glory to self. Chapter 6 is speaking here about doing good works so that we may receive glory.   (Mat.6:1) Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them (Just like the Pharisees, who always wanted to be seen for the good things that they did.): else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (Whenever we glory in what we're able to do by God's grace, we'll lose our glory because we're robbing God.) (2) When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. (If you receive the glory of men, then you have the only reward you're ever going to get.) Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. (3) But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: (4) that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.   Do you want a reward from the Father? Then do your best to find the shadows, kind of like the Lone Ranger. He would always do good works and help people out by saving them from the villain, but when people would turn to give him credit for it, he was gone. He had already slipped out the back door or whatever, and we have to be that way, too. The only thing phony about the Lone Ranger was he was the only one who got to wear the white hat, and so everybody knew he was the good guy all the time but, be that as it may, he tried to avoid the limelight, avoid the credit, and slip out. [Editor's Note: Wikipedia says: “The Lone Ranger is an American Western drama television series that aired on the ABC Television network from 1949 to 1957.”]   (Mat.6:5) And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. (Oh, yes, there's a lot of that nowadays, too, “official prayers” that you know are only skin deep and not really coming from the heart.) Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. (6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.   (7) And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. God makes it clear that He doesn't want us to take credit for praying, or brag about praying, or brag about fasting, or any such thing as those. He wants us to keep all that between us and Him. Anything that would build up the flesh and give it reason to be proud or give it reason to claim credit is the opposite of humility, is it not? God wants us to be humble. (8) Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Amen, He does.   We all have to be very careful that what we think justifies us before God. We need to be careful of our attitude. We should make sure we're being humble before God and not taking any credit or robbing Him of any of His glory. The Law does that; it robs the glory of God. That's why God found fault with the Law and He brought us under grace, where we can receive no credit; everything comes from the Lord. (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous…   Now I don't know if you've ever been there, but I have. The first full-Gospel religion I was in taught me to trust in myself that I was righteous because I had done certain things, all of which were good things, but the things that we've done are not our justification. Our justification is because we've received the Lord's mercy and He's done it all at the Cross. If we take any credit for anything that we've done, what we're saying is we've done it and He's not done it.   (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought… Isn't that the way of religion? And we did that a lot in that first religion I was in over 40 years ago. We “set all others at naught.” We judged others just like those Pharisees did. But after getting out of that religion, I saw that their judgment was coming back upon them, and it was coming back upon me, too. God was showing me that I was a Pharisee and that I needed to repent.   Reading again, (Luk.18:9) And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: (10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (Publicans were traitors to the Jews.) (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself (I underlined that in my Bible. He prayed “with himself,” in other words, God wasn't there. God wasn't hearing it. He was just all by himself since God was ignoring him.), God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week… Did you ever fast twice a week? I usually leave it up to the Lord now, but I used to fast regularly twice a week. I did it to pray and get close to God, but then I felt like I was under the Law, so I decided I'd let the Lord tell me when to fast and I learned as I grew up a little bit in that.   (Luk.18:12) I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. You've been lied to, people, from a lot of preachers who say you're not going to have the favor of God unless you tithe. That is not the truth of the New Testament. Tithing is of the Law. Jesus told the Jews, not the Christians, not the people who were following Him, He told the Jews in (Mat.23:23) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done (Notice that's past tense.), and not to have left the other undone. So Jesus said tithing was of the Law, and He never put the tithe on His people.   In fact, He also said in (Luk.14:33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. This humbles us even more because we're not even owners of the 90%. Now we're stewards of the 100% and we have to put it all in God's Hand. He's the One Who tells us what to do with it. Well, this Pharisee was seeking to be justified by works of the Law, something that we're told over and over in the New Testament is impossible (Acts 13:39; Romans 4:2; Galatians 2:16; etc.) You cannot be justified, you cannot be accepted or favored by God, because you tithe. God wants you to get away from that and start listening to His Spirit and find out what He wants for you in the New Testament.   Back to our text in (Luk.18:13) But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful to me a sinner. See, he was not doing all the things that were considered correct “Christianity”, and he was failing God a lot, but he recognized himself as a sinner and he humbled himself to ask for mercy from God. (Luk.18:14) I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled (It doesn't matter how many good things he's doing.); but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. If we want to be exalted by God, the way is to choose to be humble, and to choose not to be proud that we're being humble, either, but to choose to be humble because God loves that and God will lift us up and bless us, and we need that desperately.   Now you may have heard the saying that “with knowledge comes power,” but with knowledge also comes responsibility, as Scripture says. Let's read that in (Luk.12:47) And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes]; (48) but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.   So I'd like for us to go back and look at this text in Matthew. (Mat.11:20) Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. (21) Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. (23) And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day. (24) But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.   You see, God makes people responsible when they see the glory of God, when they see the works of God; He makes them more responsible than others. A so-called “Christian nation,” although I don't believe there exists such a thing except for the spiritual nation that covers the earth, is more responsible to do something with the Word than a lost nation. It will receive more judgment than a so-called “wicked” nation. In fact, the so-called “Christian nation” that's going about doing their own will and following their own agenda will receive more judgment.   And then people don't connect this next text with the previous one. (Mat.11:25) At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes. What are “these things”? All of God's wondrous wisdom is hidden from those whom the world considers to be the “wise and prudent,” but in this particular case, He's also talking about the text before it concerning “the day of judgment.”   Have you ever noticed how most apostates nowadays don't believe that their nation can be judged? They're more a part of their earthly, physical nation than they are a part of the nation that they're supposed to belong to, which is New Testament spiritual Israel. The demon spirit of patriotism, that's killed even more people than religion, creeps in and they take sides with their natural nation against their spiritual nation. They're thinking according to the flesh. Far too many Christians in America are very prosperity-minded and they don't know anything about the crucified life.   They teach against, they even rail against, the fact that, yes, God is judging and will judge this nation. It's hidden from them, hidden from the proud “wise and prudent.” (Matt.11:26) Yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. (27) All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him]. And, of course, God will reveal Himself to the humble babes, those who just trust in their Father.   (Mat.11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (If you're toiling under the heavy burdens of the curse of this world, if you're being crushed by your sins, Jesus gives you the cure. He gives you rest. How?) He says, (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (Our problem is we're prideful and puffed-up. We're strong to do our own will, and it brings a heavy curse upon us.): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. The Lord wants us to humble ourselves so He can show us the coming judgment, and cause us to avoid it, if we will humble ourselves.   Can God deliver His people from the coming beast if they will just humble themselves? Yes, and here's a story that teaches exactly that. It's something which I believe is happening even now. Let's go to (2Ch.12:1) And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of the Lord (He wasn't depending upon the strength of the Lord. He was strong, and he forsook being obedient to God's Word.), and all Israel with him. (So as went the leadership, so went the people.) (2) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the Lord… Notice it's always for that reason. The enemies come up to conquer us and to bring us under and to bring us to our cross, because we have trespassed against the Lord.   Shishak represents the beast kingdom of that day, which was the Egyptian empire that conquered Israel of that day. Rehoboam represented the leadership of Israel and Jerusalem represented the leadership of God's people in Israel. They were strong, but God brought the beast against them to bring them down and we have just such a thing happening in America today. The government is going after the greedy preachers who have kept a whole lot more than they should have kept as their own. They don't believe in participating in equality among the brethren, which is commanded in 2 Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9. And the government, the beast kingdom, is coming against them to conquer them.   (2Ch.12:2) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the Lord, (3) with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen. And the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. (4) And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came unto Jerusalem. The Lord told me years ago what Judah represents in the New Testament. “Judah” means “praise” and it represents the Spirit-filled people. Now I know “Spirit-filled” is a term that's used very loosely, because we see in the Old Testament they sinned, too, and they brought the judgment of God upon themselves, too. However, they had less of an excuse because they were the people who worshipped at the true Temple and the Presence of God was in their midst, as the in-filling of the Spirit represents.   (2Ch.12:5) Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. (We know God is raising up a beast kingdom right now that's a worldwide kingdom, so notice that those who forsake the Word of the Lord, and those who are strong in themselves and think they can defend themselves, will be conquered by the beast kingdom.) (6) Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, the Lord is righteous.   (2Ch.12:7) And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance… The phrase “some deliverance” could also be translated as “deliverance within a little time or a little while,” or “a few that shall escape.” But notice that the king, the man who was strong in himself, the king humbled himself along with the leaders, and God had mercy. He didn't totally destroy them. He wanted to crucify them; He wanted to chasten them because of their evil.   Saints, nobody ever gets away with anything. The Bible says clearly in (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. But if you humble yourself, it won't be total destruction, either. And that's what we need to do, because there's a great beast kingdom on the horizon and it's rising up against God's people even now.   (2Ch.12:7) And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. (8) Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. In other words, “Who would you rather serve? Would you rather serve the Lord by humbling yourself, or would you rather have to serve the nations?” Many times God's people ended up under the thumb of the nations, under the thumb of the beast kingdoms, because they didn't take the easy way of humbling themselves and serving the Kingdom of God.   (2Ch.12:9) So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house… I've mentioned before, in this particular country, the beast kingdom is rising up against the greedy preachers because of their fleet of airplanes and their castles that they're building all over the country. And notice here that the beast kingdom took away the “treasures of the house of the Lord.” Now listen, very soon they're going to take away the tax exemption “and the treasures of the king's house,” too. It's all going to happen exactly the way the Bible says.   (2Ch.12:9) So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. (10) And king Rehoboam made in their stead shields of brass (He wanted something to possibly fool the people and save some face for himself.), and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the door of the king's house. (11) And it was so, that, as oft as the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and bare them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber.   (12) And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him… Now this was not a good king among the kings of Israel. If he could do this, then anybody who is truly the called and blessed of God can do this. Are you living under any kind of a curse, even though you're walking by faith in the promises? One of the most important things you can do is to humble yourself.   (2Ch.12:12) And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things [found]. Again, this is talking about the Spirit-filled people. And it's true that there are good things to be found among God's Spirit-filled people, but there's also a vast rebellion going on so there needs to be some humbling.   (2Ch.12:13) So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. (14) And he did that which was evil, because he set not his heart to seek the Lord. Well, this was an evil king, yet he was capable of humbling himself because he knew what it would take for God not to let His full wrath come upon him. In other words, to him it was “fire insurance,” but still the Lord didn't pour out His full wrath upon him because he humbled himself. And notice, “He did that which was evil, because he set not his heart to seek the Lord.” That's evil in any of us, if we set not our heart to seek the Lord. You don't have to necessarily go out and do many bad works or evil things, but if you just set not your heart to seek the Lord, that's evil before Him.   (2Ch.12:15) Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. (Pay attention to that now. Here's a person who was evil before the Lord and God never let him get out from under the curse of warfare; it was nothing but war, war, war, all the rest of his life.) (16) And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.   If we're living under any kind of a curse, we can see 2 Chronicles 12 is a good advertisement for us to humble ourselves before the Lord. Of course, we should still continue to walk by faith and confess the promises, those things are all necessary, but also anything that we can do to put down this old flesh is pleasing to God because the mind of the flesh is the enemy of God. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Our battle is to crucify that old man. Humbling ourselves is the process of crucifying that old man, and all of Jesus' teachings demand that as disciples. We humble ourselves, we accept the crucifying Nature of Jesus Christ as our own.   Jesus and His disciples were a demonstration of humility to the people of their time. History must repeat so: The Man-child reformers and their disciples will be in our time. So, I will share a few revelations concerning this.     The Davids Send Disciples from Zion Kendall Remmick - 10/08/2009 (David's notes in red) In a dream, David and I were standing in a house of an old friend of mine (This is the old man; self) whom I hadn't seen in a very long time. He wasn't there, but David (representing the end-time body of Davids prophesied to lead God's people out of corruption, as Jesus did) David and I had met there to have dinner together (feasting on the Word with the Davids). I was a bit confused at how I got there with him. As I was looking around, I noticed large bugs were starting to surround us and the room was littered with trash and old leaves (This is corruption, the old house of the old man). I said, “I think we need to get out of here,” and in a flash we were in a very nice house. (We must leave the old house of corruption for the new house of “Christ in You”.) This was a Frank Lloyd Wright-style house. David was sitting at the dinner table, just smiling, and hadn't said anything in this dream. I walked over to the table and sat down; right then my phone rang, and it was an emergency. I was frustrated and a bit embarrassed. I answered and said, “I told you I had to take care of this, and it would be just a moment”. (I feel this represents the world interrupting my Bible studies -- having to go to work or running errands, when I would rather be studying the Word coming from UBM; like the riches and cares of the world.) (There's no time to waste; seek to be in God's Word now.) Then I raced back inside and I saw a butler standing by the table, but David was gone. The second I asked, “Where is David?” I was on top of a mountain and David was strapped into a red hang glider, getting ready to launch. (This represents being caught up to the throne of David ministries on Mount Zion by overcoming the world and its gravitational allure. Hang gliders are not man-powered but wind-powered and lifted. Wind and Spirit are the same original word in the Bible. From Zion, disciples, in whom Jesus lives, will launch out to the rest of the world with the Gospel. (Rom.11:26) ...There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. (Psa.53:6) Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad.) Now, back in the '80s, in my younger days, I had a hang glider and I used to launch off a mountain at the foot of Golden, Colorado. The locals called it Lookout Mountain, but the official name of the mountain is MOUNT ZION! (Representing the Bride, according to John in [Rev.21:9,10], who, under the Man-child, will save God's people, as in the prophecy of Esther and Song of Solomon.) This mountain is also the grave of Buffalo Bill, who is a cowboy famous for killing thousands of buffalo (killing our fleshly beasts). So, here I am on Mount Zion (the Bride city where David, Jesus in the Man-child rules) looking at David strapped into a red hang glider ready to launch. I asked David if he needed some help launching and he just smiled at me and lifted the hang glider up and as he did, the wings started to get bigger, bigger and bigger! Then the color changed to a crimson (washed in the blood) and covered the top of the mountain. David then pointed to the left where there was an entrance into the hang glider made out of the red cloth. Some other people and I walked in. Here we sat down and rested (Resting is ceasing from man's works to keep the spiritual New Testament Sabbath) and we were all looking out over the valley and commenting on what a nice view it was from there (Meaning ready to launch out overcoming the world below and seeing this from heavenly places in Christ).   Disciples Going Forth with Miracles Michael Duncan - 10/06/2009 - 3:16 AM (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was with some clients in a different -city. (Michael was with UBM but others were listening to him.)  I was asked to take them home. I told them I only have a little room in the car but they could squeeze in. We went into a house and they all fell asleep. (These people represent those who inspect our teachings and the city of God but are not interested and return to their spiritual sleep.) I never made it back to work. I was then in a field (Jesus said, “The field is the world.) where there were lots of people milling about what looked like a catastrophe relief refuge, like at wartime. (The right and the left are at war now in 2025) I saw a woman named Eleanor Clayton (this is the receptionist at my job - her entire name means shining light in a clay settlement) who was there trying to load up a mail sack onto a mail pole at a train station so a passing train could pick it up. (This represents those who are a shining light, who will send out the Word to the world in the ancient fashion of the early disciples of Christ.) I watched as the train was racing past, and it was almost at the end, and Eleanor barely got the mail loaded just as the caboose was passing by, but she successfully loaded it in the nick of time. (The end-time message gets out.) The people in the camp began to clear out and I saw the clients in my car waiting for me. (After judgment, the clients become interested. In the natural, America is becoming a nation of refugees after the many attacks of the DS. Looks like communications may be reduced to more simple methods in this refuge. The DS has already tried to take down the electrical grid.) I was then at a gas station (a place where power is stored). I saw David Eells there with some people. (Representing the David ministries and their disciples of Christ.) There was a certain woman with no arm; she had a small nub of an arm on her left shoulder. (The worldly church will have no power to do the works of God for they lack the arm of the Lord Jesus.) She was explaining to everyone how something in the womb (perhaps a chemical reaction) prevented the arm from growing to completion. David asked the woman, “Have you believed God for healing?” (They never grow to maturity through trusting doctors, with their drugs or pharmakeia.) David and I walked over to the woman, and I grabbed the nub and we began to pray. I was praying in the Spirit and, as we prayed, a demon came out of her, causing us to let go of her. I made a motion of pulling the nub, as if I was pulling it out. As I did that, I watched as the arm grew out and was completely whole. (Through the revelation of the Word, witnesses will raise up many from the apostate church and restore their power to do the works of Jesus. They will destroy the beast kingdom. Isa.51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster? Isa.53:1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? Once the “arm” of the Lord's strength is revealed to God's people, they will become the “hand” through whom it is manifested to the world. 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days [in His seed], and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand [His seed].) I was crying and thanking God and we were rejoicing. David looked at the arm and when he saw that it was whole his eyes opened wide and he smiled with great contentment and nodded his head, saying, “That's our God!” I began to tell everyone about this awesome miracle of God. It seemed like a beginning of many more to come. (Probably the latter rain will come after the earthquakes. Davids will train and send disciples to heal and cast out demons and do mighty miracles, just as it was under Jesus, the son of David.) I was then on my old road, called Harper Road. (meaning “minstrel or harpist”; which is seducing the people through music) I was in my front yard with my daughter, when a whole parade of red convertible corvettes with seductive decals of women on the sides began to drive by. These cars were low to the ground and were very decorative. At a closer glance, I saw young kids doing sensual stuff in the cars. (The immature Christian organizations will become more and more worldly in attempts to seduce the worldly with their harlot ways.) I tried to protect my daughter from seeing it (Those groups born of true disciples will not want to be polluted with their sins.). I told my oldest daughter about the miracle healing of the woman at the gas station. It was as if I was trying to get her mind on heavenly things. Next, I was driving, and I received a cell phone call to see if I wanted to do a concert, so I drove over to where the concert would be, and I saw thousands of people waiting around; it was a college campus atmosphere. (There will be great hunger for truth from those who discern it and an opportunity for discipleship.) I drove through the crowd and came to a group that would not move out of the way, and they were selecting new wheels and rims for their car. (There will be some who try to hinder the way because of their love for the ways of the world. We see now in 2025 people who are rioting and blocking highways.) I saw my friend David Faulk (meaning “falcon”, a bird that preys on other birds) and we went into a room and I began to tell him about the miracle healing of the woman at the gas station as we were rejoicing. (Even some shepherds who have plundered the flock will turn to righteousness when they see the miracles, like Nicodemus.) I noticed there was a girl in the room who began to manifest demons as I spoke. She was stopping her ears and began to be in torment. (Many apostate assemblies will hate to hear the truth.) We began to rebuke the demons in Jesus' Name. She ran out of the room and then the evil spirit seemed to get stronger as it was trying to break down the door to get back in. (1Jn.2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.) We were holding the door shut and saying, “In the Name of Jesus!” (Without [speaking of the bride city] are the dogs Rev.22:15.) As we were attempting to say, “In the name of Jesus”, it seemed we could not get the name “Jesus” out. It was as if the air in our lungs was restrained. So it sounded like, “In the name of -----”. We eventually squeaked out the name, “Jesus” and the girl with the evil spirit became a small dog and I was slamming the dog around, saying, “In the name of Jesus”. It was a serious battle. (This reminds me of, I fought with beasts at Ephesus in (1Co.15:32). The demon-possessed religious systems try to stop our use of the name of Jesus in their political correctness, just as with the early disciples in [Acts 4:17-19].) Then the scene changed and I was now in a vehicle with David Eells. It was a very large and high military vehicle with an open top (heavenly spiritual warfare). David was behind the wheel and we were leaving very swiftly from the previous place (departing from spiritual Babylon). We were proceeding down Maple Road (where sweetness was, the Sweet Waters) very fast on a curvy, steep hill downward (humbling ourselves). We almost lost control around a sharp curve, but then, suddenly, a lightning bolt struck the power lines above us and it also came into us, preventing us from going off the road. (The power of God in us will keep us on the path.) This strike did not hurt us. David was explaining how the jolt went through us and that it was okay (This is the latter rain anointing of the Holy Spirit, Who will empower the man-child Davids and the two witnesses after them.). I felt a sensation in my head where the lightning bolt went through. We stopped in to a restroom (getting rid of the waste of Babylon, i.e. sanctification). I introduced myself to David as one who helps with the book covers for UBM (And he's done a great job, too). I mentioned to him that it was neat that we have not ever met face to face before, and here we were out ministering together, and God was doing miracles. It seemed as if it was the days of the Book of Acts once again. (The latter rain disciples going forth to administer the benefits of the Kingdom.)

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (audio) David Eells – 3/2/25 Today, I'd like to focus on our Example of humility, Who, of course, is the Lord Jesus. He said He could do nothing of Himself. (Joh.5:19) … The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. Now, obviously, if Jesus could do nothing of Himself, we can do nothing of ourselves. Nothing of any importance in the Kingdom can we do of ourselves because self has no power to do the work of God. Self cannot walk in the Spirit. Self does not have the renewed mind of Christ with the renewed sight and hearing (Ephesians 4:23), having been washed with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). Self has no power to walk in the Spirit or to do the works of God. When men take over Christianity, they bring God and His gifts down on their level and everything about that is just dead religion. It's worthless to God. Look at the huge religious organizations that do not turn out anything that looks like Jesus. There's no reward for it whatsoever, but many people waste their lives in another kingdom rather than the Kingdom of God. Jesus was both a son of man and the Son of God. He was talking about self here. He wasn't talking about the spiritual man that dwelt in that body; He was talking about self. And He said in (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Jesus sought the Will of the Father. (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. He was humble to the Will of the Father. He did not have His Own religious “agenda.” When we're driven by our own desires, our own agendas of ego, pride, and competition, we're not trustworthy, we're not humble, and we can expect problems. We can expect not to have the salvation that we need because we're self-willed and stubborn, and seeking our own kingdom. Jesus said that He could of Himself do nothing. That tells us that we certainly can't expect to do this on our own either. So, let's look to Jesus, Who is our Example of true humility. (Isa.66:1) Thus saith the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? (2) For all these things hath my hand made, and [so] all these things came to be, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. Notice, the Lord is talking about building Himself a house, and He is saying that He doesn't dwell in houses made with men's hands (Acts 7:48,17:24). This is the “house” that God is building, as verse 2 speaks of, but then He says, “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.” That's the “house” of the Lord. He is speaking about the house that He has chosen, and that house is “a man who is of a contrite spirit, that trembleth at his word.” Oh, praise God! Another verse says, (Psa.138:6) For though the Lord is high, yet hath he respect (That's the Hebrew raah, also translated as “to see, become aware, give attention, regard, consider,” etc.) unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar. The bible school graduates of Jesus' day, as in our day, could not do the works of Jesus. Even though God is great and He rules over all and He is to be revered and bowed down to, He respects the lowly. Now we have learned that grace is God's method to give us faith and power. (Jas.4:6) … Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. We also need to understand that the blessings of God are poured out upon the people who will humble themselves. (Jas.4:10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. So our Lord Jesus Christ is our Example. He not only came to be our Savior, to deliver us from ourselves, from the devil, from the curse, but He's our Example of what is true “humility.” (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. We are commanded to walk in the Steps of Jesus because what Jesus gave us was an example of life. I agree we haven't all come into that yet, but the more we study Him, the more we see what it is to be walking humbly before our God. (Mic.6:8) He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God? We are to be transformed into that same Image. (2Co.3:8) 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. Therefore Jesus' walk should be our walk, and we're coming to the time when God is going to fulfill that, when God is going to restore everything that's been taken away from His people (Joel 2:23-29). God is going to bring us back to walking in the Power of the Spirit of God! It will be awesome! So, also, it says in (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (So we are supposed to be thinking the same way He does, with the same ambitions, the same desires, the same humility.): (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. (And we are also to humble ourselves, becoming a servant, taking-up our cross, and following Jesus.) (9) Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name. In baptism, which represents death, burial, and resurrection, He gave us His Name, and as we enter into the manifestation of that death, burial, and resurrection, the Name of Jesus Christ is manifested in us. As we've studied before, the word “name” means “nature, character, and authority.” As we “have this mind...which was also in Christ,” and we take up our cross to follow Him, and we humble ourselves to become servants in this world, that Name is manifested in us. That's the fruit that Jesus is asking for in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15). That's the 30-, 60-, and 100-fold fruit of the manifestation of His Name in us, His Nature, His Character, His Authority. We behold “in the mirror the glory of the Lord,” and are transformed into that same Image, “from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the spirit.” God Himself chose humble circumstances for His Son. Obviously Jesus could have come in all of His Glory and manifested Himself as the King that He is, but God wanted Him to come in humble circumstances. Let's read in (Luk.2:4) 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. (7) And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. God sent His only begotten Son to earth to be the Savior of mankind. He was the most important Person Who has ever been on this earth, and yet God sent Him in these circumstances. Could God have supplied better circumstances to honor the great King? Of course, He could, but it wasn't His plan, because Jesus not only represents the Savior, He represents the body of Christ. He came here to give up His carnal life, His physical, fleshly life, in order to take up His spiritual, heavenly Life, and He came to show us the Way. He was called the Way in (Joh.14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. He said, “I am the way,” and so far what we're seeing is that He came in very humble circumstances, and throughout Jesus' earthly work, He continued in very humble circumstances. He took on no titles or letters behind His name. He took up no collections for himself. He is the way! And it says in (Luk.2:42) And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the feast; (43) and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not; (44) but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance: (45) and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for him. (46) And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions: (47) and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. No doubt, even at twelve years old, He had a lot to teach them, although Jesus was still subject to the moral laws at that time. He was subject to His parents and He was subject to people who were set in authority over Him, just as we are also commanded to be in subjection to those who have been given authority over us. We are in subjection unto the kings and unto the governments. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God. (2) Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. (3) For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same: (4) for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil. (5) Wherefore ye must needs be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake. (6) For this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually upon this very thing. (7) Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. And, if we are servants, we are also in subjection to our masters as we are told in (1Pe.2:18) Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (19) For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. (20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it], ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. And so was Jesus. Even the mighty Son of God had to humble Himself to be submissive because of the body that He was dwelling in. Many people think we have special privileges because we are sons of God, but it is because of this body that we dwell in, we've been given these rules and regulations. Now let's return to our text in (Luk.2:48) And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. (49) And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house? (50) And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. (51) And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all [these] sayings in her heart. (52) And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. “Favor” is the Greek xáris meaning “grace, as a gift or blessing.” You see, because Jesus was humble, He received grace. He showed us how to overcome. Jesus was truly an overcomer. People think, “Of course, Jesus overcame since He's the Son of God.” But Jesus laid aside His omnipotence and omniscience to come down as a Spirit-filled man, the Son of God dwelling in Him just as the Son of God dwells in us. He came down and left that God privilege and ability to be an example unto us and demonstrated to us all that humility is the Way. He was humble, and God blessed Him, and He “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” You would expect that Jesus, being the great King that He was, would have had an awesome palace full of luxuries, with many servants and so on. Some preachers do preach that kind of a Jesus, a Jesus Who was rich, but it's very hard for us to see that anywhere in the Scriptures. It's because of their apostate doctrines and their own selfish desires that they preach that kind of a Jesus, because the Bible tells us why Jesus chose to be poor. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? Jesus wasn't forced into poverty; He chose it. Poverty is not a curse when everywhere you go, God supplies your need. He had a need for an ass's colt to fulfil scripture so He borrowed one instead of raising one, which would be a burden. It's a contentment. Paul said, (1Ti.6:6) But godliness with contentment is great gain: (7) for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; (8) but having food and covering we shall be therewith content.  God translated Jesus because He didn't have airplanes. (Mat 6: 33) But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. God will give you what you need to do His will but we don't need the burden of idols. However, just “food and covering” aren't enough for most people. (Luk.9:57) And as they went on the way, a certain man said unto him, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. (Well, it's easy to say that, but when you find out the conditions, you might not want to go with Him, and so Jesus began to explain the conditions of His lifestyle.) (58) And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Did this potential disciple know what he was getting into? The Lord wanted to make sure that he did before he went, and do we know what we're getting into when we claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ? That's the important thing because God expects and wants us to follow the Lord no matter what, with no excuses, with no looking back at our former life, as the rest of the text says. And yet these are the people who live by miracles. (Luk.9:59) And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. (Notice “me first”.) (60) But he said unto him, Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God. “Publish” is diaggéllō, which properly means to “thoroughly declare (publicly herald); fully announce {throughout the world}, ‘declaring far and wide,' i.e. widely (profusely) proclaiming.” (Luk.9:61) And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house. (62) But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Jesus wanted them to go and spread the Good Tidings, but they had very human excuses, which Jesus was not accepting in the least. He told them, “There's something more important than your family or your houses or anything you can think of.” Of course, most of society, and even religious people, will tell us, “Oh, no, these things are very, very important.” We need to have our mind renewed to deliver us from many such traditions that get in the way of our doing what is truly important, because as the Lord Jesus teaches us in, (Mat.6:33) … seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus wasn't sorry that He chose poverty. He was happy for the joy that He was able to bring others through deliverance, healing, provision, and so on. He chose this lifestyle, and, for those who have in their heart the same mind as was in Christ (Philippians 2:5-8), it's their desire, too. The most important thing to them is not the things of the world, but to humble themselves to the Will of God. The rich are distracted by their toys. We're told in, (2Co.8:9) For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. Some rather near-sighted people read that and say, “Oh, boy! The Lord became poor so we could become rich!” But, read very carefully, “that, though He was rich.” Now, where was He rich? (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 (Jesus had to humble Himself, and we have to humble ourselves.), becoming obedient even unto death (Humility is denying ourselves to take up our cross and follow Jesus.), yea, the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name. We can see plainly where He was rich. He was rich in the Kingdom of Heaven with His Father before He laid it all aside and came down here to be a Servant, and to humble Himself unto the death of the Cross in order to bear that Name. While He was down here, He wasn't rich. So notice, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.” Jesus became poor in order to meet our needs. He sacrificed His whole Life, not just when going to the Cross, but His whole Life, in order to make sure that the Good News of God's all-encompassing provisions was proclaimed far and wide. “That ye through his poverty might become rich.” The “rich” this is talking about is the same kind of “rich” that Jesus laid aside in order to come down here. He's bringing us to His heavenly Kingdom. (1Jn.4:17) … As he (Jesus) is, even so are we in this world. He's not talking about riches down here and none of His disciples understood this to be riches on earth. There is no promise for the rich of the world who are not rich in the provision of the heavenly Kingdom of God. Jesus pointed that out in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, where the rich man didn't see to Lazarus' need (Luke 16:19-31). (1Ti.6:6) But godliness with contentment is great gain. In the New Testament, we are called to be rich in spirit, rich in the gifts of the Kingdom, rich in the “gold and silver” of the Nature of Jesus Christ and, yes, have all material provision that we need to build the Kingdom. This was clearly seen in the lives of Jesus and His first disciples. They were unencumbered by the distracting things of this world. (1Jn2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The promises are for the poor. He preached the Gospel to the poor. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? (2Co.8:10) And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you (So this needs to be fulfilled in us if we are to have the Mind of Christ, Who laid everything aside to become a servant of God and do the work of the Kingdom for our sakes.), who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. (“God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure,” will put this in our hearts as in Philippians 2:13.) (11) But now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. In other words, “Hey, let's not be just hearers of the Word, but let's be doers of the Word in providing the needs of the brethren.” Then as we read on down, Paul speaks about how the Lord wanted equality in His people regarding material possessions. (2Co.8:12) For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not. (13) For I say not this that others may be eased and ye distressed; (14) but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality: (15) as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. That's referring to the Israelites gathering manna in the wilderness, and it's the principle Paul was using about there being equality among the people. (Exo.16:18) And when they measured it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. When they gathered the manna, they would measure out an omer-full. Then they would put any excess into the container of somebody else who hadn't gathered quite enough, and that way everybody got their needs met. In the Parable of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30), who couldn't give-up his riches to enter the Kingdom, Jesus said (Mat.19:24) … It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (25) And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved? (Meaning, of course, that they knew this was impossible.) (26) And Jesus looking upon [them] said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Jesus knew God could put the generosity in the heart of the rich to share their riches, as it should be done. (Ecc.5:11) When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes? … (13) There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt. However, to their shame, the rich then made one of the Temple gates the “eye of the needle” because, of course, they wanted to get all the rich people through the Door of the Kingdom more easily.    Jesus was a humble person. Earthly riches were not something that Jesus preached anywhere in His ministry and He rejected it for His Own Life. He raised His disciples to be humble people with a simple lifestyle in order to focus on building the Kingdom. Everything else physical was just a means to an end, but like the Pharisees of that day, the Pharisees of our day are still trying to make Jesus rich. (Joh.19:23) The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. I'm sure you've heard some of the prosperity preachers who say Jesus was rich because of this garment that was completely woven without a seam. That's interesting, though I don't know how anybody could say that made Him rich.  I guess they think He had something that nobody else had, but I submit to you that there's also another reason God describes Jesus' garment in this way. In Revelation, the Bride is clothed with a lampros garment. (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright (That's lampros and it means “shining, magnificent, bright, splendid.”) and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. A seamless garment represents not having mans works involved.. A garment also represents covering-up nakedness, which God likened unto sinfulness (Genesis 3:7,10-11). And also the Scripture teaches, (Isa.59:4) None sueth in righteousness, and none pleadeth in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. (5) They hatch adders eggs (In other words, that's their fruit.), and weave the spider's web (A spider's web is very porous, and notice it is woven but you can see nakedness or sin.): he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. (6) Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. So notice in Revelation that the righteous works or righteous acts of the saints are what the lampros bridal garment represented, but here, these people whose works are wicked, don't have enough works to cover themselves. They are exposed for what they are. We, too, are weaving a garment by our works, and it has to be one that covers our nakedness. The Lord Jesus had this wonderful coat that was woven throughout with no seam of man in it, and it doesn't represent riches at all; it represents righteousness, One Who is walking in truth and righteousness and purity. The wisdom and righteousness Jesus had was not from man, but from God. As a matter of fact, we can see as we read on in our text, that Jesus had no riches. (Joh.19:24) They said therefore one to another, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my garments among them, And upon my vesture did they cast lots. (25) These things therefore the soldiers did. (They were casting lots for probably the only thing of any value that Jesus had.) But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (26) When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved (That suggests this is John the apostle, himself.), he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! (27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home. What did Jesus provide for His mother during His ministry? He didn't seem to be making a living, and some people would say He was not really successful. We know He was totally successful because, as He told the Father, (Joh.17:4) I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. He raised up a worldwide church but He didn't seem to worry about providing for His mother. When He was leaving, He hadn't arranged for her to have a home or any of the things that a successful preacher would obviously give to his mother. Instead, He passed on His responsibility for taking care of her to one of His other disciples, and that disciple didn't seem to be any better off than He was. Of course, Jesus had taught His disciples that God would supply their every need. (Luk.9:2) And he sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. (3) And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staff, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats. … (Luk.22:35) And he said unto them, When I sent you forth without purse, and wallet, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. That's because everywhere they went, God supplied their need. They freely gave, and they didn't charge a tithe, as some people say. There's not one place in the Scriptures where they ever did that. Jesus said tithing was of the Law (Matthew 23:23). They went by faith and God supplied. It's good to live by faith. (Mat.6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. It's good to walk and to trust in God, but of course, you can't do that if you're materialistic and you want to live on a higher level than God wants you to live. We see plainly in the life of Jesus that the Father did not desire for Him to walk in the way of riches, nor is that healthy for anybody to do. God has called us to walk in the steps of Jesus, in His humility to the Father, and His humility to not try to impress the people around Him. He didn't care anything about being what the world called “successful,” and I think this proves that Jesus wasn't a rich person and wasn't interested in those things, nor was His mother. The physical things, the food, the covering, all these things are necessary but they're just a means to an end, not a love of our life. We're told in (1Jn.2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Jesus' love was God's saints. He was interested in raising up the saints to be able to walk in obedience to the Will of God and to be sanctified and to be pleasing unto the Lord. And we're told that if we have His wisdom, we won't have the wisdom of man. (1Co.1:30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: (31) that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Now let's go to (Mat.13:54) And coming into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? (That's the Greek dýnamis meaning “power, might, strength,” and it's where the word “dynamite” comes from. This is more accurately read, “Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty powers?) (Mat.13:55) Is not this the carpenter's son? In other words, “We know who his father is, so where did He come up with this wisdom and mighty powers? It doesn't make any sense because He's just the son of a carpenter.” Well, it doesn't make any sense only if you were used to nepotism, which they were. All those rich Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes passed on the “family business” to their sons, just like a lot of the churches do nowadays. When the old man's gone, the son takes over. He's now chosen to be the pastor, but why is it that God always seems to choose the son to be assistant pastor, and then the pastor? Is this not nepotism? Isn't there somebody more qualified who's available? Well, you'd never find it out because of that spirit. Nepotism is the story of the High Priest Eli. (1Sa.2:12) Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not the Lord. … (17) And the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord; for the men despised the offering of the Lord. … (22) Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting. (23) And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people. (24) Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. (25) If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord was minded to slay them. Obviously, raising up his sons to take his place didn't work, because they didn't walk in the ways of the Lord and they grabbed for the physical as much as they could, and we're seeing the same thing today. We're seeing Eli ministries everywhere that walk in nepotism and in lust for the things of the world. And God destroyed Eli's sons, which are a type of far too many ministries today. And so, people were questioning how Jesus was teaching and healing and working miracles. They were implying, “Hey, this is not a son of a Pharisee. He's not a son of one of our scribes. He's not a son of a Sadducee. How does the son of a carpenter get all this wisdom and power?” Those Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes had rich parents, so they went to their Bible schools and entered into the family business, because that's what it really was. Yet, here's somebody that didn't have the same “opportunity” their preachers did. Well, to Jesus, and to the Father, that wasn't an opportunity and that wasn't a blessing. Jesus was in a position of weakness because He was raised up in a family that wasn't well-to-do and didn't have connections, but it made no difference because He wasn't after what those people were after. (Mat.13:55) Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? (56) And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? (They knew His humble family and wondered, “How did this man get this wisdom?” because the only way they knew you could get it was to go to Bible School.) (57) And they were offended in him. (You have heard that familiarity breeds contempt. In other words, “Poor Jesus! He is just a commoner and has no credentials. He has no ‘pedigree.' And His father has no important connections.”) But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. (58) And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. How foolish that people would question the gift because of the way that it came! Even today, that happens. People want to know if you have any “letters” behind your name. They ask, “Are you important?” and “Where did you get this wisdom?” Cannot God just give it to you by studying the Bible on your own? Cannot God lead you by the hand and make you a disciple? We read in (Heb.13:8) Jesus [is] the same yesterday and to-day, [yea] and for ever. He still takes people by the hand and makes disciples of them when they have a personal relationship with Him through the Word of God. Jesus had a personal relationship with the Father. He didn't need any go-betweens. He didn't need any Nicolaitan preachers that were between Him and the Father. He had a personal relationship with the Father and that's where He got His great wisdom and power. It came from the Father. So because Jesus had no credentials, it offended the Eli ministries of His time. Unlike the common people, they wouldn't just sit and listen and accept the gift of God that was coming through Him; they expected something more. Well, God is justified of His awesome works. Glory to God! If you want God's Will, you don't need to be raised up in a mausoleum. (Joh.7:14) But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. (15) The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? (By that, they meant He didn't go to their seminaries.) (16) Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. (17) If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself. He didn't say they had to go to a seminary of man to get it like the Pharisees did. He said if a person desired God's Will, they would know of the teaching. God will raise you up as a disciple of Jesus Christ. He will take you by the hand. He will lead you. Of course, this is a humbling way, because the world and the worldly church don't recognize you, but the Lord does. He opens doors to the humble people and He will bring it to pass. Amen! Jesus was made known to the righteous because God opened their eyes to see Him, but we know He was rejected of the proud and the religious leaders and the rich people. They just wanted to walk in materialism and so He wasn't recognized of them. (Mar.12:35) And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David? (36) David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. (37) David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the common people heard him gladly. You know, it takes a lot of effort to get a worldly education and you want to believe it's valuable. All those religious leaders had gone through a lot of trouble to get to that place. They didn't want to be humbled; they wanted to be seen as the great people that they thought they were. But the humble people, the common people, they loved to listen to Jesus. Even though He wasn't raised up in their seminary, that made no difference to them. Humility is not an outward show. We read in (Mar.12:38) And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and [to have] salutations in the marketplaces… Oh, they love to dress “snazzy,” don't they? You have to have a nice suit and stand behind a pulpit but Jesus didn't hold to their traditions of men. That's important to some people, but God said, (1Sa.16:7) … Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. God's not interested in the riches and the finery that a lot of the religious world is interested in. None of that makes you righteous, or smart, or a good teacher. Again in (Mar.12:38) And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and [to have] salutations in the marketplaces (39) and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts. In the Parable of the Guests (Luke 14:7-11), didn't Jesus teach us to be content in a lowly place, and not to go up higher unless you are called? He said to beware of putting yourself in too high a position because somebody more honorable may come to take your seat, but these people chose for themselves the chief places in the feasts. Well, Jesus wanted to share His gift with people. That was the most important thing to Him. Promoting Himself above people was something He considered totally fleshly. Continuing with (Mar.12:40) They that devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation. (41) And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. (42) And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites (At current valuation, one mite is approximately 1/16th of a penny.), which make a farthing. (43) And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury: (44) for they all did cast in of their superfluity (That's perisseúō meaning “overflowing abundance, excess, lavishness, prosperity.”); but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Glory to God! We tend to judge in the flesh what humility is, and what submitting to the Will of God is. Jesus complained that all of these people who put in their over-abundance were not sacrificing anything because they still had all of their needs met, but this poor widow gave more than all of them because of what she had left. She knew that God would meet her needs and this is the kind of faith that impressed Jesus. Can you imagine, this poor widow, who humbly gave two mites to the Kingdom, is more famous throughout all of history than any of those unmentioned rich show-offs, who gave to the Kingdom in a display of pride. You know, it is truly what you have left that proves your sacrifice, not how much you give. This lady gave more than all of them according to God's accounting and that was true humility on her part. This impressed Jesus more than the Pharisees and the Sadducees and their ways of dealing with God. You know, Jesus didn't seek the honor that comes from man. He didn't even seek for God to honor Him, but when He didn't seek the honor for Himself, God sought it for Him. (Mat.21:4) Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, (5) Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek (The text that's being quoted here is from Zechariah 9:9 where “meek” is translated as “lowly.”), and riding upon an ass,  (Mat.21:5) Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, And riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass. And notice, He even had to borrow this foal of an ass, so we can't say He was rich in the way of the world. However, when Jesus does come back in Revelation 19, we see that He's on a big white horse. Now, I would say, if somebody was rich, and wanted to impress the multitudes, He'd certainly be riding on a big white horse, not the foal of an ass. What was the point He was making? He was making the point that, even though He was King, to be King does not mean materialism in God's Kingdom, and it doesn't mean pride, boastfulness, or being lifted up above anybody in God's Kingdom on earth. He came “lowly...riding upon an ass,” and if our Lord King would do this, what does God expect of us? Does He expect humility of us? I guarantee it. (Mat.21:6) And the disciples went, and did even as Jesus appointed them, (7) and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments; and he sat thereon. (8) And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. Jesus said, (Joh.14:6) … I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. He is the Way, and He showed us the Way. His method is humility. He expects it of everybody. He doesn't care what the preachers nowadays think. Many are high and lifted up, but in the Kingdom, if they make it, they will be the least because they've disobeyed the principles that Jesus has laid down, the Nature and Character that He's passed on to us, and this humility that He carried throughout His earthly ministry. (Mat.21:9) And the multitudes that went before him, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David… Even though He was King, Jesus wasn't seeking any worldly kingdom, but here the Lord honored Him from the simple people. “Hōsanná is a transliteration of the Hebrew hôsî-âh-nā meaning ‘Oh, save now!' or ‘Please save!' It comes from two words, Yahsha, which means ‘O save, deliver,' and nah, which means ‘I pray.'” In both Aramaic and Hebrew, it was originally a cry for help, but then also became used as a cry of happiness. (Mat.21:9) And the multitudes that went before him, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. (Mat.21:10) And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this? (11) And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee. So Jesus continued on to Jerusalem and entered the Temple. (Joh.2:14) And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (15) and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers money, and overthrew their tables; (16) and to them that sold the doves he said, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. (Jesus complained that the priests and scribes had made the Father's House a “house of merchandise” to profit for themselves.) (17) His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for thy house shall eat me up. He defended the Father's House. He wanted it to be a humble place, a place of prayer for all nations, but they had made it a den of thieves. These days, what is loosely called “Father's House” is once again a den of thieves. It's a place for materialism and for worshipping men who don't share the humility that Jesus has and don't see the importance in it. All worship goes to God; all praise goes to God. He is the supplier of every thing. It doesn't do our flesh any good to be lifted up because, as the Bible says, (Mat.23:12) … whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted. Also, (1Pe.5:5) … all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. And so we have a whole generation of ministry that knows nothing of these principles that Jesus is laying down for us. He said, (Mat.10:9) Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. And, (Mat.10:8) … freely ye received, freely give. But they know nothing of this and they're not following the Master. They're not disciples of Jesus Christ. A true disciple is a “learner and a follower.” He is somebody who studies the Master in order to walk in His Steps and to do what He did. Notice that when we study the Master, we don't see the mansions that the leaders of Christianity have raised up unto themselves. And sometimes one mansion is not enough for them, neither is one jet plane enough for them, or one Rolls Royce enough for them. (Isa.56:11) Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds (He's calling the leadership of the church “greedy dogs.”) that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. What about the equality that Jesus desired to have on this earth? What about the desire for His disciples to share and share alike so that everybody's needs would be met?    Jesus did not want people to profit or to be lifted up in the Father's House. He didn't want people to be esteemed for their physical attributes. Even the Body that God gave unto Jesus was not to be admired. (Isa.53:2) For he 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. (Jesus was not good looking because He did not want to be followed for that reason.) (3) He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. God didn't want anybody to follow Jesus for the wrong reason. The apostle Paul, one of the greatest writers of the New Testament, wrote things “hard to be understood” (2 Peter 3:16). He wasn't evidently, even a good speaker (2 Corinthians 10:10), but it didn't make any difference. God wanted people to listen to Paul for the value of those words that he got across to them. God wants His ministers to be humbled. It's the reason Jesus sent His disciples forth without all the provision of the world. Jesus was a King; He had authority. He could multiply the fishes, the loaves, the gold. He could have filled churches. He could have made Himself a Name in the earth. The people wanted to make Him a King, but He refused. (Joh.6:14) When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. (15) Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. It was something that the devil had offered unto Him, and Jesus had refused him, too (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). But, you know, there are many people today, even leaders of Christianity or members of the body of Christ, who would take that in a minute. They would be kings and lords over God's heritage. They don't know the principles of God's Word and the principles that Jesus was trying to get across to us in order to humble this old flesh. We have to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. It doesn't do us any good to let this flesh come down off the cross and have its own will. We deny it. We fast. We refuse it to be fed and to live. Thank You, Father, that You give us the ability, Lord, to deny the old man a right to live, a right to speak, a right to lift himself up, a right to pride. We deny it, in Jesus' Name, Lord. Amen! Now, I'd like to share a few revelations with you.     Jesus Is Again Coming in Humility June Johnson - 07/29/2008 (David's notes in red) In a very vivid dream, I saw a donkey in the middle of a road with a baby on its back. It is Jesus birthed in the end-time corporate man-child, whose beastly flesh is in servitude and humility by God's grace. Mat.21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass. Jesus is coming as the latter rain on this morning of the third thousand year day. Hos.6:2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 6:3 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. He will anoint the first-fruits man-child first, as it was with Jesus. Just as the Jews expected Him to come as a reigning king over their enemies, the Christians do today. “The things that have been are the things that will be”. Instead, He will come once again in the form of humble servants before coming personally. Next, I heard a car coming and thought to myself, “I had to get the baby out of the road before the car came closer.” The dragon will seek to destroy the corporate man-child, as with Jesus and Moses, but he will be anointed with authority to rule from the throne, as they were. Rev.12:4 And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child. 5 And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days. The donkey then knelt down and I grabbed the baby and ran. End of dream Jesus will come wherever the beastly flesh is in submission. Others will partake of the Spirit of Christ in them. The fruit of Christ will be served to God's people through a humble body.   Sad State of the Church Michael Boldea I had a dream where I was in a hospital room; it was very clean, and freshly painted. In the room there was a bed with a woman in it. I approached the bed and took a closer look at the woman. She was dressed in a gray robe, and she had a ring on every finger of her hand. From time to time, she would raise her hand, look at her fingers, and smile. For some reason, that smile was the saddest thing I've ever seen. It was crooked, and it exhibited no real joy. As I looked at her the sadness in my heart grew to such intensity that it woke me up. Even awake I could still feel the sadness, and as much as I tried I couldn't get back to sleep. For six days in a row I had the same exact dream; I would see the woman lying in bed, I would be overwhelmed by sadness, then I would wake up. I was so frustrated, not knowing what this meant, that on the seventh day I decided to fast. That night as I went to sleep the dream started again, the same as before. I looked at the woman, she smiled, and the sadness overwhelmed me, but I didn't wake up. The door to the room opened and a man dressed in a white smock walked in holding a clipboard. Before he could say anything, I began asking a barrage of questions. “Who are you? Why am I here? Who is she? Why have I been dreaming this for almost a week?” “Because you waited almost a week to fast”, he said. He must have noticed the stunned expression on my face, because his eyebrows arched upward. “I am a friend”, he continued, “I was sent with a message, be at peace servant, all will be revealed in due time”. “How do I know you're a friend”, I asked. “Because, Jesus is Lord”, he answered. Then he smiled, and I recognized him. I had seen that smile before. Suddenly I was eight years old again, sleeping in the top bunk of the bed I shared with my grandparents, on a cold winter night in Romania. I will remember that night for as long as I live. I had woken up to go to the restroom, but before I could get out of bed, I heard talking below me. My grandfather was talking to someone. I went to peer over the edge to see who it was, and found myself face to face with this same man. He'd smiled at me, and I'd instantly gone back to sleep. “I know you, don't I?” “Yes, we've met once before, but I see you often”, he answered. “Why am I here?” I asked. “Because you murmur, because you have said in your heart that you are on a fool's quest, because you think no one hears, that the message is falling on deaf ears. It is not for you to judge the success the message has in the hearts of others; you were called to be a servant; serve. I was sent to rekindle the fire of compassion in your heart. Compassion for the wayward and the lost, compassion for her”, he said, pointing to the woman in the bed. “Who is she?” I asked. “She is the church”, he answered me. “Content only with the things of this earth, absent of spiritual strength. She is the reason you and others like you were called to forfeit your lives. The sadness you feel when you behold her is nothing compared to the sadness the Father feels for her condition. If she is to stand in the fire, if she is to be victorious, she must be strengthened. She has been in this condition of spiritual paralysis for so long, she believes this is her natural state. If only she knew the power she has access to, if only she knew obedience. The wolves have gathered unhindered, and soon they will strike at her with violence. What will she do if she is unable to defend herself? What will become of the house of God?” “Be faithful, for faithfulness is rewarded. Why do you say in your heart that God should make it easier, that He should ease your trials? Would you rather that pride find its way into your heart when the Father endows you with the gift He has promised? Keep humility as your constant companion, for the humble receive an abundance of grace. Remember if just one soul is spared from the eternal flame, if just one soul is reached and brought to salvation, it is worth a lifetime's labor and sacrifice. One day you will know the number, receive your reward, and be astonished. I must leave now, but whether in the waking hours, or a dream, we will meet again”. The man walked to the bed, looked down at the woman, smiled a sad smile and walked out. As soon as he walked out of the room, and I was alone with her, the sadness began to invade my heart, and I woke up. The reason I share this with you is to ask for your prayers. It is a difficult thing to go to church after church, night after night, and speak a message of repentance that to the hearts of many, has become a foreign concept. The knowledge that if just one heart is reached, if one returns to the narrow path of faith, it is worth it and gives us purpose and new strength. May the light of God shine brightly in your hearts, and may you exhibit Christ wherever you are. Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent”.

The Yearning for Jesus Who's the Door to the More Ephesians 3:19

Read Online After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. Luke 5:4–6 Jesus had just cured Simon Peter's mother-in-law as one of His first miracles. As a result of this and other miracles, Peter's entire hometown of Capernaum, as well as many of the surrounding towns, were quickly coming to faith in Jesus. Today's Gospel takes place during this initial excitement over our Lord. In it, Jesus personally invites Peter to become an Apostle, promising to make him a fisher of men.There is much symbolism in this passage worth pondering. First, notice that Jesus uses something very familiar to Peter to invite Him to become one of the Twelve Apostles. He used his trade of fishing. This is similar to the way God used a star to draw the Magi, who were astrologers, to Bethlehem.Another symbolic action Jesus uses is that of putting out “into deep water.” It was not enough to simply go a short distance from shore. Instead, the deep water was to symbolize the fact that the Gospel was to go forth to the ends of the earth, just as the fishermen were to fish in the depths of the sea. Finally, the fact that they “caught a great number of fish” symbolizes the superabundance that would come forth through Peter's apostolic ministry. And the fact that the “nets were tearing” points to the fullness that everyone will experience when they embark upon the mission of Christ.Though the symbolic aspects of this Gospel passage are worth much prayerful pondering, there is another line within the Gospel that might speak to you just as powerfully. Peter had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. The fact that he relates this to Jesus suggests that he was tired and perhaps even discouraged. Any fisherman could relate to this. But the important lesson Peter teaches us is that he does not give in to that discouragement. And the reason he doesn't give in to discouragement is because it was Jesus Who commanded him to lower the nets.In our own lives, we can all get discouraged at times. But the real test of our fidelity to God is whether or not we continue to listen to His commands of love and respond generously, dispelling any temptations to discouragement when things do not seem to be going our way. If we can do this, it is especially in these moments that God often uses us in powerful ways. Reflect, today, upon the voice of God in your life. What is it that you sense Him calling you to do? What is that “deep water” to which He is calling you? As you ponder this, reflect especially upon the words of Peter, “Master…at your command I will lower the nets.” Say “Yes” to the command of our Lord. Do so even if it is difficult, and especially if you do not feel like doing what He asks of you. If you do, you will find that in this act of fidelity, God will bring forth an abundance of good fruit. My miraculous Lord, You gave a command of love to Saint Peter, and he obeyed You with generosity. As a result, You brought forth an abundant catch. Please give me the strength of will to obey all that You speak to me, so that You will bring forth an abundance of good fruit in my life also. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Image via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Read Online“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17Saint Paul (who in Hebrew was known as Saul of Tarsus) was a devout Jewish Pharisee who vigorously defended the law. After Jesus' Ascension into Heaven, the newfound Christian faith began to grow rapidly. As a result, Saul of Tarsus vigorously tried to end this new religion which he perceived as erroneous. He traveled about looking for followers of Jesus to arrest and imprison. Saul even gave his consent to the stoning of the deacon, Saint Stephen, the first martyr. However, on one of his journeys, Saul had a vision of the risen Christ Who spoke to him gently, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). It was in that encounter that Saul was left blinded for three days.The line quoted above are the words of Ananias, a devout disciple of Jesus. Ananias had also received a vision from Jesus Who told him to go to Saul of Tarsus and to lay his hands on him so that he would be healed. Ananias was also told that Saul was “a chosen instrument” through which the Gospel would be preached to the “Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel.”Though there are many fascinating aspects to the story of Saint Paul and his conversion, it is also inspiring to reflect upon the way in which God first converted him. Jesus was not harsh with Saul. He was not condemning. Instead, he saw the goodness and vigor of Saul and knew that he would respond if he were given the opportunity. Though Jesus used the powerful action of striking him blind, He did so because He saw so much potential for good within Saul.This same truth applies to our lives. Each one of us has incredible potential for good, and God does see this. God is aware of all that He can do with us and is seeking to draw us into His mission of sharing the Gospel with those in need. The question to ponder is whether or not you have responded to the ways that God has spoken to you and invited you to serve Him with your life. Saul's encounter with Jesus was powerful and transforming not only because he was blinded by this vision—it was powerful and transforming, first and foremost, because Saul wanted to serve God but was trying to do so in an erroneous way. And once that error was corrected, Saul responded in an immediate and complete way. As a result, Saul became one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the Church.Reflect, today, upon the desire in the heart of Jesus to invite you into His mission. Though you may be unaware of the many ways God can use you, Jesus is fully aware. He sees all of your gifts and knows who He wants to draw to Himself through you. Say “Yes” to Him this day and do so with every fiber of your soul. Doing so will allow God to do great things through you. Lord, I do love You and desire to be used by You in the way that You choose. Help me to convert my heart more fully to You so that I can be led by Your gentle and powerful hand. I accept whatever mission You give to me and pray that my life will give You true glory and further Your glorious Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Calling of the First Apostles By Domenico Ghirlandaio, via Wikimedia Commons

How the Epiphany season and its gospel readings ask and answer the essential question about Jesus: "Who can this be? What sort of man is this?" (Mt 8:27) … GUEST Rev Eric Andrae ... Campus pastor, Lutheran Student Fellowship of Pittsburgh (LSF) & First Trinity Lutheran Church, North Oakland. Suffering is…gift?… GUEST Caleb Davis … founding and lead pastor of True Life Church in Arvada, CO … He blogs at Biblical Help and his own website pastorcaleb.org .See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read Online“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” Mark 6:50Fear is one of the most paralyzing and painful experiences in life. There are many things we can fear, but most often, the cause of our fear is the evil one trying to deter us from faith and hope in Christ Jesus.This line above is taken from the story of Jesus walking on the water toward the Apostles during the fourth watch of the night as they were rowing against the wind and being tossed by the waves. When they saw Jesus walking on the water, they were terrified. But when Jesus spoke to them and got into the boat, the wind immediately died down, and the Apostles remained there “completely astounded.” The boat on the stormy sea has traditionally been understood to represent our journey through this life. There are countless ways that the evil one, the flesh and the world fight against us. In this story, Jesus sees their trouble from the shore and walks toward them to come to their aid. His reason for walking towards them is His compassionate Heart.Often in times of fear in life, we lose sight of Jesus. We turn in on ourselves and focus on the cause of our fear. But our goal must be to turn from the cause of fear in life and look for Jesus Who is always compassionate and is always walking toward us in the midst of our fear and struggle.Reflect, today, upon whatever it is that causes you the most fear and anxiety in life. What is it that leads you to interior confusion and struggle? Once you identify the source, turn your eyes from that to our Lord. See Him walking toward you in the midst of whatever you struggle with, saying to you, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”Lord, once again I turn to Your most compassionate Heart. Help me to lift my eyes toward You and to turn away from the sources of my anxiety and fear in life. Fill me with faith and hope in You and give me the courage I need to put all my trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Jesus Walks Water, via publicdomainpictures.net

Send us a messageAs God's ambassadors of Truth, we must all the more be stationed in that unadulterated Word of Truth, following Paul's instructions in 2 Corinthians 11:4 to be on guard against anyone who comes preaching another Jesus or another gospel – and that warning has never been more urgent than it is today.Therefore, in these last prophetic minutes of the Last Hour, every spirit must be tested cautiously (1 John 4:l) to be sure it is of God – and to discern if the person has been “born again” from above  and that they worship the genuine Jesus Who alone is the Living Word and Great I AM. For many false Christs have arisen – just as Jesus prophesied that they would – and are being followed by many who have been deceived by them.In this message, we continue to contend for the True Faith while exposing the many counterfeits - and the agents of darkness - who are being used by the enemy to promote the “One World Religion of the Antichrist” with “Be Ready” warning that the Ark of Salvation is soon to depart!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Before we finish our study and thoughts on Luke 8, I want us to go back to verse 16, where after Jesus shared the parable of the Sower, the Seed and the Soil, He makes this statement: "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.”  And then in the rest of this chapter, He proceeded to manifest that light on a stormy sea, delivering a demon possessed man, healing a poor hopeless woman, and bringing a 12-year-old girl back to life! Today, I want to talk about letting the Light of Jesus Christ shine through you!  There is no place on planet Earth, there is not anyone who is too far away for Jesus to love and care for and touch. But they must come in contact with Jesus, with His love, and with His Person. And it is only through believers today that this can happen.   Today, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. But remember that in John 14:12, Jesus said to His disciples, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” How is that possible? When Jesus was on Earth, He could only be in one place at one time physically. If He was in Bethlehem, He couldn't be in Jerusalem. If He was in Nazareth, He couldn't be in Bethany. He could only be in one place at one time. If He was in Gadara healing a demon possessed man, He couldn't be in Capernaum helping and healing people there.   But today, while Jesus is seated in heaven, He lives in every believer (Colossians 1:27)!  This means that wherever a believer is, there can be manifest the presence and power of Jesus Christ. That is why when I walk through my neighborhood or I'm walking down the dirt streets in a village in a foreign country, I'm praying continuously for everyone in every house or hut. In my neighborhood, I've learned and memorized the names of almost all my immediate neighbors, and I am praying for them by name. I'm asking the Lord to meet their needs and that God's grace, and His wisdom will be upon them, and if they need salvation, their eyes will be open to Who Jesus is. Not a religion, but a Savior Who they can have a relationship with in an intimate and personal way! Wherever you are, you are the Light of the world! We should not hide it under a basket or a bed but put it on a lampstand so that everyone in that house can see because of that Light and be guided by that Light and not be stumbling around in the darkness.   You and I carry the only hope they have, as Jesus, the Light of the world shines in us and through us! How do they see this Light? It is when we have been knocked down and we are hurting as we go through a difficult time, when everything falls out from underneath us, instead of griping and complaining and blaming everybody, but we respond with His peace and joy and confidence that despite the pain everything will work together for good! We admit that it is hard and difficult, but we are sure that His grace is sufficient, and we will make it through! And then when they ask us how we can have this peace, we can testify and tell them about Jesus Who is with us in the storm! And they see the manifestation of Jesus in our life! (2 Corinthians 4).   Just this week on Christmas Eve, one of my dearest friends, Elaine Brugh, went to be with the Lord. I was able to pray with her and her children over the phone just before she passed. Even over the phone, 300 miles away I could sense the presence of the Lord as I heard her sweet voice say very weakly, “Thank you”. Yesterday I was able to minister to her husband, Henry, who is in deep sorrow over saying an earthly good-bye to his precious wife of 65 years. I'll never forget what he said as we talked about her life and passing. He said, the greatest joy in his and her life together was bringing precious souls to Jesus! How is His Light shining in your life today?   God bless!

True Leadership and Revival (2) (audio) David Eells – 12/8/24   The great anointing of the beginning of the Latter Rain is coming for the purpose of first empowering the Man-child, who will then be used to bring the Bride into her ordained calling. It will be as it was in Jesus' time where John said of Jesus' disciples in Joh.3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom…. The anointing of wisdom and knowledge and power of Jesus will be theirs for He lives in them. Glenn H. Jackson received just such a prophecy in July 2006. (This speaks of the anointing of the Man-child reformers.) Jesus said, “I am going to ‘bring you up' with Me for a time, My beloved one, and I shall show you supernaturally in this time all that you need to be shown and truly I say to you, you will never be the same and I shall lay My hands upon you and thus I shall ‘impart' to you the ‘special anointing' that shall enable (empower) you to carry out powerfully and gloriously every facet of My will for your life and ministry and you shall help ‘elevate' My Church to the place that I have called her to! Do not fear, My beloved one, only put yourself in a position continually to receive all that I have for you!” The Jewish Feast of Hanukkah typifies the time of the anointing of the Man-child at the beginning of the Tribulation in order to spread that anointing throughout the Bride and the larger Church. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. [In 2024, 5,6,7,8, Hanukkah starts at nightfall on Dec 25th or Christmas, when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus, the Man-child. Jesus was really born in the fall when the shepherds, who visited the birth, were still in the field with their sheep.]  Hanukkah is a Hebrew word meaning “dedication”. It celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Grecian beast kingdom of 165 B.C. and the rededication of the Temple that had been defiled by that kingdom. Their situation typifies the same spiritual situation we are seeing presently in the Church. The beast kingdom of this world has defiled the Temple of God's people with its thinking and ways. The Hellenists, who were a type of the worldly Christian and their leaders, felt that their brethren were not a modern sophisticated society like the Greeks and so did everything they could to merge Israel into the Grecian beast kingdom in culture and thought. As a true type, the light of the menorah of Israel was put out during those days when God's people indulged in the lukewarm darkness of the world even as today in spiritual Israel, the Church. The Maccabees were a priestly family of Jews whom God used to cast off the bondage of Antiochus IV Epiphanes at the head of the beast kingdom. Judas Maccabaeus and his army recaptured Jerusalem and reconsecrated the temple. We are told that he wanted to light the menorah of the Temple but they had only one small flask of oil, which would last for about a day. God answered their prayers with a miracle and the oil lasted for eight days. The Feast of Hanukkah celebrates this miracle of the multiplication of the oil for the light of the Temple, which is now the people of God. Hanukkah is also called the “Feast of Lights”. As Jesus told His disciples, “Ye are the light of the world” (Mat. 5:14). The one small flask of oil was a remnant in Israel and represents the Lord Jesus birthed in the anointed Man-child of our day. The first seven days of Hanukkah represent the miraculous revival of that light through the Church in the seven day/years of the Tribulation. This was symbolized by the lighting of the Temple menorah, a seven-branched lampstand representing the seven Churches. Jesus, as a type of the Man-child, was circumcised eight days after His birth, symbolizing the cutting off of the flesh on the eighth day/year, called the Day of the Lord. This will be after seven day/years of the Man-child's Tribulation ministry when the old body is cut off and the new body is received. I do not know if the First-fruits Man-child will be anointed during the Feast of Hanukkah but God is still about to fulfill that sign in the days to come by rededicating the New Testament Temple and multiplying the oil of the First-fruits Man-child in them. As Jesus multiplied His anointing through His apostolic witnesses to the larger Church, so the Man-child will multiply that anointing through end-time witnesses to miraculously restore the light of the Church. On the evening of the 24th of Kislev begins Hanukkah on the 25th when Haggai was told by the Lord that He would bless them “from this day” by shaking the heavens and earth and breaking the power of the nations over them, sending them into the wilderness tribulation behind the man-child. Hag.2:10 In the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth [month-Kislev], in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet... 19 ...from this day will I bless [you]. 20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth [day] of the month (Kislev), saying, 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; (During the 8 day/years of Tribulation/Day of the Lord. Also, our dreams show the New Madrid goes off at the time of the birth and anointing of the Man-child ministry.) 22 and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; (Kingdoms of Deep State Babylon fall to the One World empire of Cyrus as a type of Trump.) and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (This is as when Egypt's power was broken over the called-out ones of Israel as they went into the wilderness tribulation to learn to walk by faith in God. At this time Israel was led by their Man-child, Moses, who is being typed here as the first-fruits Zerubbabel, meaning “born from Babylon”. War may very well cover their flight into the wilderness.) 23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts. Notice “In that day” of Hanukkah, Zerubbabel will be a signet, which is a seal of authority such as kings have. The Man-child will come with the authority of God to bring God's people out of bondage to the world and through the wilderness tribulation. Also on this day the foundation of the Lord's house, not made with man's hands, is laid again after a great falling away since the time of the Apostles. Hag.2:18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth [month], since the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider it. It is through the shaking of the nations in the tribulation that God's “desired” people come out of them to become the temple of peace. 2:7 and I will shake all nations; and the precious (Hebrew: desired) things (Not Numeric) of all nations shall come (Jesus); and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts. In the former rain, Jesus, the Man-child, laid the foundation of the former glory house. 1 Cor.3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. So also in the latter rain, Jesus in Zerubbabel, as a type of the Man-child, will lay the foundation of the latter, greater glory house. Zec.4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you”. Notice this verse is saying that it is the Lord who is coming in Zerubbabel (first-fruits born from Babylon) to build the house of God.     Man-child Sends out the Witnesses Amos Scaggs (David's notes in red) I received a vision from the Lord showing two stages of His work in and through His last day disciples. The first stage was these modern disciples were being gathered, including myself. Preparations had been made well in advance by the Lord. We were adequately taken care of and our needs were met without asking. We gathered together in fields, feasting and listening to JESUS while he taught us his ways. (This is a repetition of history. Jesus, manifested in the first-fruits/man-child, will teach and protect the disciples for the first three and one half years of the tribulation just as it was in the Gospels. They will be trained to be his witnesses and signs and wonders will follow their teaching just as it was with the first disciples.) We were going through different parts of the world but seemed to be in the same field. (“the field is the world”) We were also given protection well in advance. We were being given monetary things from Christians who believed in and were sympathetic to our cause but stayed in their prosperous communities. They were good people and kind to us. When we left this first teaching stage, they even came to see us off on our journey. (These brethren were not called to be among the Man-child or witnesses, who are God's apostles to raise up the end-time Church but they are called to support these ministers. Just as the witnesses were handpicked by Jesus in the Gospels, so it will be this time.) The second stage was that we were gathered into groups of two's and three's and being sent out into the world. Some would never return to see their families ever again. (Some will have translation powers and may return that way.) We were being sent into different groups and then being dispersed. One had the same spirit and anointing as John. Another had the same spirit and anointing as Peter. Another had the same spirit and anointing of James and so forth. (The two witnesses who have the spirits of Moses and Elijah also have the spirits of the Apostles. As Jesus sent out the corporate two witnesses two by two in the Gospels and then in the Book of Acts, so in our day will the Man-child send out the corporate two witnesses. They will give their life to raise up the Church and the true five-fold ministries according to type.) I also saw two rich people that were in government power. These were two older friends who partially raised me when I was younger and have been dead for 30-40 plus years. He was the Lt. Governor of Ohio and his wife. I was finishing up some meaningless work that I was doing for them so I could leave in a rush. She said, “I will have a baby by another means if you won't help me.” He said, “It will have to be by other means because I can't help you”. She said, “I think I'll have one by a Cherokee.” (The woman here is a remnant of the apostate Church, which will realize that it could not bring forth the fruit of Christ through their patriotic, allegiance to their husband, the beast government, so it will be done by “other means”. The Cherokee represent the witnesses who, like them will hold tenaciously to the roots of their forefathers, the apostles and Christ Himself. The Cherokee are an oppressed minority who live in camps separate from the world representing these coming witnesses of primitive Christianity. These will rise up and sow the seed of their forefathers into the apostate Church to bring forth the fruit of Jesus in them. These are a weak people in themselves who lost their land to the American beast but have held to the “Great Spirit” whose power will bring the true Church back to her roots.) Amos goes on, I thought the Cherokee child would be born mature as Adam was. (God will do a very quick work in His people. Rom.9:28 for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.)   Latter Rain Anointing Rex V. - 06/05/2005 (David's notes in red) While asleep, I heard a voice say: “Remember the linen ephod and the number 6427”. A few minutes later I heard the voice say the same thing again. I began to think about the number; then the third time I heard, “Don't forget the linen ephod and the number 6427”. The ephod was a garment made of linen, woven with gold, purple, blue and scarlet in Exo.28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. (An ephod was a sacred vestment worn by the high priests (Exo. 28:4-14, 31-35; 25:7; 39:5). It was used as a prophetic mantle by David in the wilderness to know what Saul's armies were doing so that God's people would escape him (1Sa.23:9-14). Saul represents the old-order leadership that is keeping God's people in bondage to Babylonish religion. God spoke to me many years ago that, “I am moving the Sauls out of the way to make room for my Davids and you are one of my Davids”. Saul's death represented the spiritual death of the old-order leadership as they opposed David. This prophetic mantle was worn by David when He brought the ark to Jerusalem in 2Sa.6:14 …and David was girded with a linen ephod. And he said “let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul” (1 Chr.13:3). The Saul ministries of our day do not have the presence of the Lord in their midst nor do they seek his direction. This prophetic mantle was used by David for wisdom and direction to conquer beast armies who had captured God's people in 1Sa.30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and shalt without fail recover all. Jesus was the Son of David who received the anointed mantle to be the Man-child of His day for the first 3 1/2 years of their tribulation. God is saying through Rex's revelation that He is about to return the mantle of the ephod, which is a prophetic anointing for the spiritual seed of David in our day, to begin our tribulation. It will be for wisdom and direction to deliver God's people from bondage to the Sauls and the beast system.) Rex: I felt impressed that the numbers 6427 represented Isaiah 64:2-7, which says, 2 as when fire kindleth the brushwood, [and] the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! (As in Jesus' day, God is about to reveal his name, i.e. nature, character, and authority, manifest initially in His first fruits Man-child, and then in His disciples. This will bring judgment to the beast kingdom of this world. He will be seen in the earth again, manifested in His people.) 3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. 4 For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him. (Jesus said He was coming again manifested in a Man-child born to a woman church who is in travail in Joh 16:19-22 Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. He said he would come as the latter rain on the morning of the third day in Hos 6:1 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. 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. Notice Jesus is coming as the latter rain and this will be on the Man-child reformers. We are now at the morning of the third, thousand-year day when Jesus will come in His saints before He comes for His saints. He said He would come to minister to His flock when the Man-child is born in Mic 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4 And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. He will work for those who have waited by faith for their help from above. The first tribulation judgment will be the white horse rider, whose words from God will spread the latter rain. This is the first fruits Man-child ministry, for those who are now awaiting this anointing to shake the earth.) Going on in 5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways (An obedient first fruits company is about to meet their Lord face to face.): behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them [have we been] of long time; and shall we be saved? 6 For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us by means of our iniquities. (As in Jesus' day many have waited “of long time” to see God once again do His mighty works in the earth and now God is about to answer the prayers of those who are waiting in faith. Like in Jesus' day, many are waiting for their provisions, healings, and deliverances from the curses upon this world. God is about to answer in this way which perfectly repeats history (Ecc.1:9). Because of unfaithfulness to the Word, the ephod was absent from Israel - who lived in her sins “of long time”. So it has been with the Church. Hos.3:1 And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, and an adulteress, even as Jehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins. The King of Babylon (Isa.14:4,12-13) that the adulteress Church has loved is none other than Satan who said, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (who are Abraham's seed in Gen.22:17); and I will sit on the mount of the congregation”. Christianity has been a harlot bribed by God so that she will even profess Him for “many days”. 2 So I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley; 3 and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man's wife: so will I also be toward thee. For almost 2000 years Christianity has been missing anointed, Christ-like leadership. 4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim: These are the days when God's people will return from Babylon to the city of God, heavenly Jerusalem. 5 afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and to his goodness in the latter days. These are “the last days” when New Testament Israel will “return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king” who will be anointed with the ephod of God to lead them. This anointing will be passed on to them as they present their bodies as living sacrifices and they will shake the earth. Glory to the living God!)     The Greater Anointing Is Coming Amos Scaggs - 06/03/2007 (David's notes in red) The separation is coming. I saw a new bottle of HD (high detergent) oil opened and the top portion poured out on the ground, as if to skim off the impurities. The major portion of it was to be poured into the oil tank where it belongs. The top portion was skimmed off to make sure there was no impurities mixed with the oil, although there were no impurities in the new oil. A little of God's anointing oil is being poured out on the earth now among all believers, even the ones with impurities in them, but the two will soon separate to expose the true vine. The separation to expose the false believers is happening. The balance of the oil is to be poured out upon the true believers to do His work. “HD” or Harley Davidson dominated the 1/2 mile dirt track races in my time. The HD oil was poured in for the final run to win the race. Yes, I am a Harley rider, although I used to ride the fast Japanese bikes. God communicates to us in a fashion so we can understand. (I guess the small amount of oil poured on the earth is for the earthly Christians and the great amount poured in the engine is for the anointed to win the race to the end. High Detergent oil is for cleaning up engines, too. Pour the whole bottle on me, Lord! I need to keep this engine running. :o)     True and False Leadership Seen Jan Albayalde (David's notes in red) I dreamed the following two dreams back to back on 08/28/2007. The Fasting Dream I was sitting on the front row of a huge church that was the true church of the Lord Jesus. The Church was very plain with white walls with a little wood trim but nothing ornate and no stained glass. A man I don't know walked to the podium to address the people. He was a small man in stature, almost frail. He said just a couple words, called forward a large man who was about his age, around 45, had him face the crowd and began to introduce him. Suddenly, the man at the podium fell on the floor weeping under the presence of God. At the same time, the man standing to be introduced, who was a Jew in a business suit with an azure blue shirt, was also filled with the Spirit and began speaking in tongues. This man was slightly overweight, let's say he was hearty with a rosy robust complexion. He had a lot of snow-white hair, so much I'm sure the Lord wanted me to notice (i.e., it was very high on his head). I rushed forward to help the man on the floor but before I got to him, as I passed the man speaking in tongues, I became filled with the Spirit, fell on my knees, and began worshipping God. A man in the congregation, a man I DO know as pastor of a local church here, came forward, looked at the man weeping on the floor, the Jew speaking in tongues, me worshipping, and said, “This is what happens when you fast and pray; this man on the floor had been in a long fast before the Lord, seeking the face of God and is why the power and glory of God are falling”. An interesting thing about the dream: the man at the podium who had been fasting and fell weeping on the floor was dressed in a suit as he stood, but when I rushed forward to help him, as I fell to my knees under the anointing, I saw he was naked. (The man standing behind the pulpit was fasting to weaken the old outer man and so he fell. He was small because “the outer man is decaying yet our inner man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor.4:16). The man introduced represented the new inner man because he had gained what the outer man had lost. He stood in the fast and had a lot of perfectly white hair, meaning much submission to holiness. As in 1 Cor.11:1, the hair is a sign of submission to authority. He had a blue shirt representing heavenly works. He is the spiritual man because he spoke the words of the spirit and is a spiritual Jew because he is circumcised in heart, not flesh. Fasting is so that the old man, who is naked, because he is not dressed up with the works of Christ can be removed so that the new man who is dressed up with Christ in his heavenly works would face the congregation. (Rom 13:12-14 The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.) This is a good exhortation for the coming new Church leadership to deny feeding self and pray so that Christ through them can minister to His people.     The Snake Dream Immediately after the above dream, I dreamed this: I was in my spirit looking down over an orchard of pure white trees which represents the true Church. A huge green snake with huge muted splotches of black along its body appeared at the edge of the grove of white trees. From this point I no longer saw the trees, the focus was on the snake. Next, the snake turned totally blue. Then the snake turned totally black. End of dream. (The green snake is the false leadership of the church or false prophet. In Acts 16:16 the spirit of false prophecy or divination is translated in Greek as “a spirit; a python”. It is green because it is the natural man ministering and not the spiritual. He stands outside of the white or holy trees but not in their midst for he is not holy. The black splotches represent its works of darkness that are plainly seen. His turning blue as a chameleon represents deception in that he is attempting to be seen as heavenly but he serves the (black) darkness and will be seen that way. God is raising up a new leadership for the true church that refuses to feed the flesh (fasting) and the old leadership will be plainly seen for what it has been all along. They will bring a great persecution against the holy as it was with the Pharisees in Jesus' time.)     Unity Coming to the True Body Brandon Corsi - 03/01/2008 (David's notes in red) In my dream, my friend (a friend in real life). and I were in a shopping mall of some sort, purchasing some items. (This symbolizes the 'buying and selling' done in the 'merchandising' church.) We noticed two little girls fighting over some kind of object, I think a stuffed animal, and they were each tugging at it. (The immature children in the church squabble over relatively insignificant doctrines and things.) The next moment, my friend and I were in front of a large group of young children, and the two girls were among the crowd. Their attention was directed toward us. One of the girls who was arguing earlier spoke up and asked us what Jesus would have said about the disagreement they had. (Some of the immature will be convicted of their petty divisions and seek the wisdom of the unity of body from those who know better.) My friend and I looked at each other, both of us amazed that such a young child was inquiring about Jesus. Then, all of the children started to sing a song about Jesus in unison, in perfect harmony, as if the anointing came over them. My friend and I looked at each other once more in astonishment. We said to each other, “I can't believe it”. Then the anointing came over me from watching them, and it was very strong. It was so strong that I began to cry, and then I knelt down on my knees and laid my hands on the ground in front of me as an act of submission to God. (The unity of the true body will come then by the anointing of God in a surprising way.) A moment later, my friend and I were in the cockpit of a plane (overcoming the world) that was crashing into the side of a snowy mountain. (The purity of the Kingdom of God.) I said to him, “I guess we don't have to wait any longer to meet God”. (Death to self through overcoming the world brings us into God's presence.) I was very scared, and it seemed so real. Along with intense fear, I remember feeling a bit excited and anxious to meet my Maker, thankful the time was finally here. I prayed to God as we descended. And then we crashed, and I woke up, thankful to be alive. (Resurrection life comes through death to self as we wake up in a new Kingdom.)     Promise of Return to New Leadership Eve Brast - 07/25/2015 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in a building with many connecting rooms. (The body is many houses made into one.) I was going around and checking on all the local UBM brethren and talking with them. There was a huge waterslide that many children were playing on in this building. (This building could represent the body of Christ all being connected to one another and the waterslide the water of life that keeps us connected.) After I finished talking with a brother, I went out and got in my car to drive back into town. (My car is a Mazda Protégé. The meaning of protégé is: “A person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé's career”. We are disciples and protégés of Christ.) It was early morning (the morning of the third day) and the road was a freshly paved, narrow, two-lane blacktop road with a newly painted double yellow line down the center. (Meaning, “Stay to the right where the sheep are.  The freshly paved road represents the Highway of Holiness. The narrow road of a holy life.) Suddenly, I realized that David Eells was in the passenger seat of my car with his Bible in his lap. He said, “I'll bet they're thinking that I'm going to send a word over there to them”. I asked, “Well, what is it?” And he said, “Psalm 85!” (I believe David here represents the Son of David, Jesus (in the Man-child), and he was referring to the UBM brethren when he said “them” because I had just left them in the building to head back into town.) He then started to hand me his Bible and I just casually took my hands off of the steering wheel and took the Bible, as the car continued to drive itself as if this was normal. As I was looking up Psalm 85, I was thinking, “Psalm 85 and verse 13”. Psa.85:13 Righteousness shall go before him, And shall make his footsteps a way to walk in. (This verse is referring to the Man-child ministers.) Then I woke up. (This first part is about the captivity returning and the last part is about God giving them the Man-child leadership.) Psa.85:1 Jehovah, thou hast been favorable unto thy land; Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people (Some are coming out of fleshly, beast captivity now and some later, as it was in the history of Israel.); Thou hast covered all their sin. (Because of repentance and faith towards God.) 3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath; Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. 4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, And cause thine indignation toward us to cease. 5 Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 6 Wilt thou not quicken us again, (revival) That thy people may rejoice in thee? 7 Show us thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, And grant us thy salvation. 8 I will hear what God Jehovah will speak; For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: But let them not turn again to folly (which would bring captivity). 9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, That glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven. 12 Yea, Jehovah will give that which is good; And our land shall yield its increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him, And shall make his footsteps a way to walk in. (Man-child ministry will be an example.)   Vision: Religions Serve Religious Spirits Tim Mathis Several years ago, I found myself in the middle of an open vision. As I looked, I could see the backs of a crowd of people to my left. They were intently looking in the same direction away from me. It was obvious they were engaged in worship--some with hands raised, some with bowed heads, and most were singing. I watched myself disappear into the crowd and reappear dragging a dead person by the collar. I dragged the person across the street and laid him on his back with his head against the curb. I continued to enter and reappear with more dead people until there was a long line of bodies lying side by side along the curb. All at once, I began to weep over them because they were dead. Then, I walked out before them, raised my hands and spoke over them. I could not hear what was said, but immediately, they all sat up. For the next few minutes, they began to recover and make their way, one by one, to a standing position. It took some longer than others, but eventually, they were all standing. As their recovery process was proceeding, I disappeared once again into the throng and began dragging more dead people out. When those from the first group were able to stand and then walk, they joined me in dragging more and more bodies out of the throng. Each time the area along the curb was full, I stepped forward, raised my arms and spoke. The whole line of bodies would sit up alive, work their way to a standing position, and eventually help us in our work. Before long, my view began to pan back to see the extent of the crowd worshiping off to my left. There were hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, gathered around a circular object in the middle. This object was domed toward its center and was turning very slowly around, much like a merry-go-round. It emanated a bright light that the people worshiped. At the center of the object stood a brilliant angel with his arms outstretched receiving the adoration of the crowd. The people were worshiping the angel in a myriad of worship styles and traditions, from the solemn to the exuberant. As I looked closer, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see that the angel was not an angel of light after all but a dark angel appearing as an angel of light. The people were worshipping this dark angel, not knowing that it was a spirit of false religion. Then, Father showed me what it meant: The crowds of people were not the throngs of some cult religion. Rather, they were major portions of the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth. They were actively involved in their own methods of worship without regard for the source of the light. They were going about their church business--some vigorously, some lethargically--but all with some level of commitment. Most of the worship and church business was being done out of guilt without a true and intimate relationship with the one honored. These are the religious lost. I was sent into the crowd to retrieve those who had died in the middle of worship of the dark angel. They were the ones who KNEW they were dead, not those who thought that their religious activities still held some life. This is a picture of the people and denominations that no longer make any hypocritical pretense of spirituality. They knew there was no life there and they had become desperate for the return of the Holy Spirit breathing life into their dried bones. It is a mystery how I knew which ones to drag out of the crowd, though it was evident this identification came from the Holy Spirit. The act of speaking to the dead bodies brought them back to life. This pictures the mission statement of Jesus when He read Isaiah 61 for those gathered in the temple. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19 KJV). As the people became whole enough to stand, they were immediately put to work dragging more dead out of the crowd and bringing others to wholeness. A spirit of false religion, that is, witchcraft, has deceived much of the Church. This spirit appears as an angel of light, but its true motivation is binding the worshipers in darkness. I began to understand that the spirit of witchcraft was manifesting in the Church as control and religious spirits, using manipulation and false spiritual authority. Well-meaning leaders had taken control of the sheep in an effort to keep them on the path of righteousness. However, this control and manipulation is what keeps the Church impotent as an army and distances them from the One with Whom an intimate relationship should be developed. The man-made religious system designed to maintain the sheep is the very thing that has drained out the power and intimacy of the Body of Christ. Our mission is made crystal clear in this vision: to reach into the organized religious system and bring out those who have been made desperate to know the life-giving breath of the Living God in spite of the bondage of their doctrine and in spite of their theological training. The harvesters miraculously find those who are dead and desperate, raise them from the dead, and the Lord of the Harvest sends them into the harvest fields to bring the true light of salvation and wholeness to the multitudes who will otherwise die in their deceptive religious stupor.   Set Free By the Real Jesus B.A. - 08/01/2013 (Notes: David | Ellie) This dream is prophetic. Many are going to hear the Word of truth from anointed people of God and they will recognize it, as many did in Jesus' day. They will depart from Babylon and its whoredoms. Keep praying and believing for your lost loved ones, saints. The day is drawing near. I dreamed that it was Sunday evening (darkness) and my husband, Allen, was sitting in the family room watching TV. Being an obedient wife, I went into the family room to serve him his dinner. I glanced up at the TV screen and I saw a preacher standing at a podium and I noticed that the podium was monogrammed. (A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos.) (Monograms identify people and belongings: Joh.8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Rom.6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?) I thought that was very odd; I've never seen that before. Then I noticed that this preacher's suit, tie, the collar of his dress shirt, and wing-tip shoes (representing unclean spirits) were also monogrammed. As I served my husband his dinner, he said, “Hey, sit down for a while and watch this with me”. Well, I really didn't want to do that, but just then I heard in my spirit, “It's okay, go ahead and sit down. You are protected by the blood of Jesus”. So I obeyed and sat down. 1Pe.1:2 …in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:… I noticed immediately that this man's face looked funny. I asked my husband, “Does that man's face look funny to you?” He studied the man's face and then said, “I don't think so. Why? What's funny about his face?” I got up and said, “Oh, that's okay. Hand me your dirty dishes”. So he gave me his dirty dishes and I took them into the kitchen to be washed. As I was standing at the kitchen sink, I began to pray for my husband and I realized what was wrong with that man's face. His nose was spread wide across his face, distorting his features and my husband didn't appear to notice. A week went by and again it was Sunday evening and my husband was watching this same TV preacher. I went to serve my husband his dinner and he said to me, “Sit and watch with me for a while”. So I did and I noticed upon closer observation that not only was this man's nose unusually wide across his face, but it was rather long for a human nose. Again, I asked my husband, “Do you notice anything strange about that man's face?” Again he studied the man's features and then said, “Well, there is something different about him but I'm not sure what it is”. I gathered up the dirty dishes and got up and took them into the kitchen to clean up. This same scenario played out for a few more weeks. Then one day I was taking my husband his lunch (lunch is usually served around noon, representing no shadows). Psa 37:6 And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noon-day. I noticed that he was watching a much younger man (Man-child) on TV. As I was serving my husband his lunch, he said, “Sit down and watch with me; this man's message is really good”. So I did. As I listened to this young man, my heart leaped for joy, as this young man's words were so familiar to me; they were the TRUE GOSPEL and the REAL GOOD NEWS! I sat there and watched with my husband until the program was over. Php.4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Psa.40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified. I said to my husband, “Wow, he was really good!” and my husband said, “Yeah, I liked him, too. He was different and there was something about him that just drew me to him”. I got up to take our dishes to the kitchen and tears of joy were running down my face, as I realized that the Father had revealed His Son, the real Jesus, to my husband. Joh.6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. As I was standing in the kitchen washing the dishes, my husband came in very excited and said, “I need to call Daniel McBride and talk to him about this”. I said, “Okay”, but I was a bit puzzled as to why my husband wanted to call Daniel. (In the natural, my husband does not know Daniel. I believe the Lord used Daniel because Daniel represents one who walks by faith and not by sight, as he had spiritual eyes to see.) My husband went into the den and picked up the phone and called him. When Daniel answered the phone, my husband said, “Hi, Dan. This is Allen and I need to tell you something”. As Allen began to explain this young man preaching the Gospel on TV to him, Daniel stopped him and took him to some Scripture, read it to him and asked, “Is this who you saw?” Allen said, “It could be. I'm not real sure”. Daniel took him to more Scripture and asked, “Is this him?” Allen said, “It sounds like it is”. Then Daniel quoted more Scripture and then asked, “Okay, Allen, is this him?” Allen shouted, “That's him! That's him! That's the man!” (The true, sent minister of God has Jesus or the WORD living in Him.) Then I heard my husband tell Daniel, “You know, my wife and I were watching a TV preacher who has a Sunday evening program and my wife mentioned that this man had a strange face” (he didn't look like Jesus). “I didn't see it at first but now I do” (his spiritual eyes were opened by the real Jesus Who spoke the truth of the real Gospel from the beginning). “I know what's strange about that man: he has a Pinocchio nose. And as the story goes, we know Pinocchio's nose grew longer (Exposing his sin) every time he told a lie.” (Which represents the false apostate leadership today.) Joh.8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Upon hearing my husband's exclamation, I ran to get my cell phone and called Dan's wife, Ellie. When Ellie answered the phone, I asked, “Ellie, did you hear that? Did you hear what Dan and Allen were saying?” Ellie said, “Yes, I did and praise the Lord!” I said, “Oh, yes! Praise the Lord, as my husband can now recognize the REAL Jesus!”  End of dream. 36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.   Dream of the Two Witnesses Daniel Potvin (David's notes in red) I was in a Middle Eastern place, possibly in Israel, a desert environment. I saw a group of men standing around, discussing an empty grave, mentioning that one of their patriarchs was missing. I had the impression they were Israelites. (These people who are observing represent New Testament Israel, the Church, who are circumcised in heart not flesh and know that Jesus was their patriarch Who was resurrected. They are about to enter into the desert wilderness of tribulation, worldwide.) They began looking up at the sky. As they were looking up, I saw great fear come over their faces. I looked up as well and saw two men coming down from the sky dressed in sackcloth. We all instinctively knew that these men were Moses and Elijah. Elijah landed first and within seconds, Moses landed. (Obviously, Moses and Elijah are not going to physically come down from the sky but their holy anointing will be born from above into the hearts of men who will then return the fear of the Lord to the Church as the Lord also interprets at the end of this dream. This will happen the same way that it happened when Jesus walked the earth. Peter said that Jesus was the “prophet” that Moses said would come - just like he did in Act.3:22 Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me. To him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. 23 And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. In Hebrews 3:5-6, Paul compared Jesus to Moses in that both were heads of their houses. As a type for the end-times, Jesus raised up a corporate body of two witnesses that went forth two by two and confessed several times that they were His witnesses. He said to them, “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life”. Jesus sowed the Word of the spirit and life of Moses and Elijah into the two witnesses of His day. The great patriarch that was resurrected from the grave and caught up in this dream, returns as the spirit of Elijah and Moses first in the Man-child of our day. Moses and Elijah individually are types of the Man-child but combined they are types of the two witnesses. As it was with Jesus, the Man-child will sow this seed and anointing in the corporate body of the two witnesses of our day. We shouldn't confuse types here. In another type, Jesus revealed that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. Although John preached repentance as Elijah did, he spoke no miracles or judgments like Elijah. The prophetic difference for our time between these two separate manifestations of Elijah is that one came before the Man-child, Jesus, and a much greater group came after Him. The later manifestation is accompanied by Moses' and Elijah's miracles and the judgments they pronounced. John represented those in our day who come before the Man-child and faithfully preach repentance but the miracles and judgments will come through the Man-child and the witnesses afterwards.) Back to Daniel's dream: We also knew instinctively that if these two men were impeded or restrained in any way by any individual, the consequence would be death. As Elijah and Moses started to walk, the men dispersed on either side, like the parting of the Red Sea, for their own safety, as if to recognize the holiness of these men. This is the strange part of the dream. I well knew that I could be killed by touching either of these two men. I thought to myself, ‘This man Moses was just in the presence of God Himself.' So I hugged him. I waited for the consequence of my actions and saw in his face that it was permitted by God and I was spared. He smiled and then walked his way. (Only those who are holy among God's people will both love and have no fear of the anointing of the witnesses. These witnesses will have the total protection of God until they are finished with their testimony. Rev.11:5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 6 These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.) Elijah and Moses went on separate paths into the desert. Two different groups followed each man. They each set a tabernacle (podium) and started preaching to their respective crowds. Immediately, a bleacher appeared behind me, so I sat down and started to listen to what they had to say. (I was at a distance witnessing the whole of both groups). (This symbolizes that two corporate bodies will receive the anointing of both Moses and Elijah. You will notice in the above text from Revelation that all of the witnesses had power to do both the signs common to Moses and the signs common to Elijah; not some, ‘the signs of Moses' and some, ‘the signs of Elijah'. These witnesses will not only bring repentance, miracles, healing, deliverance, and provision to the body like the witnesses of Jesus did but will also bring the miracles and judgments of Moses and Elijah.) Appearing beside me was a beautiful woman who started talking to me. I ignored her because I wanted to hear what Moses and Elijah had to say. Her words then turned into flattery, saying how special I was and what a great guy I was. As I continued to ignore her, her flatteries became more flirtatious. As I turned to her, I wondered why she was doing this because I wanted to listen to the preaching and she was distracting. So I told her, “I am trying to listen to these men of God”. I turned my attention back to the preaching. She then responded with a sexual proposal: “I would not stop you if you want to have me”. (The harlot of apostate Christianity, who receives the seed of men and not her husband, will attempt to seduce many from hearing the witnesses with her flesh-pleasing doctrines.) As the dream ended, I asked the Lord, “Who is this woman?” The Lord replied, “Jezebel”. And then I heard from God that Jezebel hates men who have the anointing of Elijah and Moses. (Notice that the way the Lord uses “men” here is to indicate many. He didn't use “the men” which could indicate two. The Jezebel harlot of Christianity, worldwide, will seek to hinder the witnesses who are also a worldwide body.) PS: It is beyond my words how to describe how Technicolor and vivid this dream was. It felt as if I actually met Moses and Elijah.     Your Way Is Marked Sandy Warner - 10/17/2005 I have heard your anxious worries over walking to the tune of My Spirit and walking with others of like minds. I know who and what has been missing in your life, dear one. I understand the pain. You have been sent like a pioneer into non-charted territory and few have walked this way. They have not recognized this great drive that is within you to see what is beyond the next valley. Come walk with Me. Your way is greatly protected and sheltered. I have given you My Word which you have hidden in your heart. I have covered you and shaded you. Resist carrying too much weight, dear one, for such encumbers your way. Instead, travel light and easy and become so sensitive to My leading that I can lead you with My eye. Look up, change your focus, for it is faith that causes you to rise above all that encumbers you. You belong to Me, My love. I belong to you. Fear not, for your prepared way has an impenetrable fence against the dogs or wolves who devour and bite. I am taking you cross-country and bringing you along the path of laurels, the overcoming ones. Also, you need not fear deception from the wolves, for I have paved the trail before you. Your path is well marked with signs of My Word liberally sprinkled to your right and to your left. I have also sent others before you and they have given much in order to leave a trail of breadcrumbs and seeds for you, My precious hungry birds. And even as you have followed the signs and been faithful with what I have given you, you shall be promoted. I will send you into the marketplace to release My Words to those who are starving and, yes, they will listen. In the past, they did not heed My Word and grew hungry while they walked in circles. You are My chosen generation who walked ahead of them. You shall walk out of the wilderness pioneering, leaning upon your Beloved. A great company travels with you and you shall never be alone again. (SoS.8:5-7 NKJV) Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.     The Worm Has Turned Graham - 08/04/2005 The worm has turned. The poor, and the downtrodden are about to rise. This new hour about to dawn is all about the Hidden Manna. Those who receive this ('the love of the truth') will be kept from the hour which is to try every man on earth, The Hidden Manna is Jesus Himself - His spirit. This truth answers all the scriptural questions about 'the restrainer', the reason for the tribulation, why there are believers mentioned in the tribulation time, why the Holy Spirit will be present during that time, the parable of the ten virgins, etc. I wrote the following recently on a Christian board: There is a great change coming, and people will again see the real 'power' (for want of a better word) of true gentleness. It will be in the Hidden Manna which will be so delightful to the heart that you'll feel that you've eaten the whole Bible in a few words. You will never be the same again, and you will understand how Jesus walked in the truth like you've never known before. You'll see miracles happen, but these will not mean as much to you as knowing the Lord even closer and closer. This Hidden Manna will sanctify the body/the flesh - that which presently holds sincere Christians back from gaining the victories that they so long for. The arrogant in the church will either withdraw or soften their hearts - there will be great consternation for many who have become hardened and thereby (sadly) destroyed many enquirers. There will be such a natural humility, understanding, and harmony that will baffle all the powers of darkness, and as “the city rejoiceth when the wicked are overthrown”, so the true sincere believers will rejoice to see the Lord working to overthrow the strongholds of the enemy. For that is what the Hidden Manna is - it is Jesus Himself. We will be one with Him as we have never known before. Worship will gradually become different. Just as a person may quietly within themselves admire someone seated at the same table - so worship will become so quiet, so rich, so heavenly. You will know exactly what is required of you and it will be without pressure or force of any kind for it will be from within - suited exactly to your individual personality and ways. Sincere Christians will gladly and willingly do the Lord's will His way. Some things you will understand immediately and just be amazed how God works so gently and other things you will understand after a time. The words He will give you from the Bible may well be a compilation of words from a number of verses which you, or no man could ever bring together. These words will so perfectly answer all the questions and needs of your heart, that from this basis the Lord will gently bring you round to understanding how things have happened the way they have in your life. Friendships will change and you will see people lighten up in their eyes to you by just a word or so that just happens and endears their heart to you. And that is what it is all about -- Brotherly/Sisterly Love which is a pure blend of His will and yours without the restrictions upon you or the Lord of an unsanctified body. Those receiving the love of the truth will embrace all this like a young child grabs a beach ball at the beach. Children will be drawn by your joy and those sweet glimpses/dreams/visions of glorious colors etc. which are so pleasant to the heart - thus drawing their hearts by means of beauty and lovely impressions of Heaven. The impulses of the flesh being overcome are no longer an advantage to the enemy, battles are raised to a different level (spiritual) so that false seeds of elevation do not grow. However, these are not to be feared at all for they are those things which will be welcomed to keep sincere believers dependent upon the Lord. These small perplexities are also means of revealing which words the Lord has for you, and many other things. The Lord will not leave you comfortless as you see Him working saving and restoring families with much Joy. Why is it urgent that we walk in the path of Jesus now?   Nazis Will Return, Stronger Marie Kelton 12/2/24 (David's notes in red) During the meeting, I had an open vision of huge field (“the field is the world”). The whole vision looked like a black and white photo but with a light brown tint (Nazi) over it.  I saw a crowd of little boys dressed from the 1940s, they had little suits on with newsboy caps on. The little boys then turned into Nazi soldiers wearing the Nazi uniform and marching. (When we were dealing with our un-Christian faction God likened them to Nazis in our dreams and revelations. Then we saw them in the political realm. The DS Nazi Satanists have sowed their seed of demons into their captives who grow up to be just like them, whether still physically captive, or set free. The reason that the DS perverts must molest their captured women and children is because Satan uses this method to get their demons in them. Take for example Diddy and Hollywood. So, getting rid of the sowers by tribunal is not getting rid of the problem, only delaying it for a season, until mid-trib, when their crop comes to maturity at the mark of the Beast. Spirit filled Christians should cast these demons. You can do this remotely and on a mass scale as we have proven.)   I then saw what look like huge concentration camp, behind the Nazi soldiers. There was a chain link fence up. In the concentration camp I saw Jewish people (spiritual Jews are Christians) they had on the blue (Dems) and white (Rino's feigning righteousness) striped clothing. (Again we will see the Nazi crucifiers of God's people in the Christian and secular realms.) A little to the right of them in a separate area was this huge round building that was a dark brown color. It had smoke coming from the chimney. But I couldn't remember if it was a gas chamber or an incinerator. (They will force a decision with the mark of the Beast in mid-trib. Those who have not born fruit beforehand will have to lose their carnal life to gain their spiritual life.) In the distance behind the concentration camp. I saw a black dragon land on the field. (The first beast of the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation is the dragon in whom Satan lives – Revelation 12.) The black dragon then turned into a multitude of black people after it landed. (Black is walking in darkness. This is the Beast of the second 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation under the mark.) Rev 13:4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him? The black people began to run toward the concentration camp. I knew in the vision it wasn't for a good reason. (Jesus said we would be hated of all nations for His name sake. Meaning so His name would be manifest in us.) I knew from the vision that history would repeat. (Now they are killing the sowers but their spiritual children will not forget or forgive without deliverance.) I asked the Lord why did the Holocaust happen and the scripture came to mind.  Mat 27:25 And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (This is true of all Christians too who walk in willful disobedience. Heb 10:26-29  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,  27  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.  28  A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses:  29  of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? )     Casting Out Demons Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. So, Anything you ask will happen if you believe, even mass deliverances. Mar 16:17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues… Mat 18:18-19 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  19  Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. Luk 10:19-20 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions (orders of demons in the next verse), and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.  20  Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Can the demons return? Mat 12:43-45 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places (Wherever the “water of the Word” isn't present.), seeking rest, and findeth it not.  44  Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (Not filled with the Word and Holy Spirit) 45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. (They have already been through hell so the cure is for us to pray and believe for the called and elect among them to be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Please command the demons out of the captives and pray for them to be filled with the Spirit and Word.)

America's Nuke War with Russia   (audio) David Eells 10/23/24   Pastor Phillip Barnett - Azovmena 1 Prophecy   https://youtu.be/ip4xEGh-u5M?si=50v6E8B-WtybEHpb  Recorded 4/27/2022 in Tulsa, OK at Lewis Ave Church of God of Prophecy   Transcription: Pastor Phillip Barnett begins saying, I would always keep a pad of paper and pen on my nightstand so I could write down any thought, or Word from the Lord. On this particular night I had this dream and it was amazing with a lot of scenes and it was very long. I knew it was from God, but I laid back down and fell asleep without writing it down and when I woke up I could not remember anything. I fasted and prayed for 2 weeks what the dream was about and I left it with the Lord. Then on January 18, 2007, I went to bed and I dreamed the dream all over. In the dream I knew what the next scene would be because I had seen it in the dream before. I realized while dreaming that God was giving me the dream again that I had 10 years ago that I had forgotten!   In this dream I saw 8 large rocket-shaped mountains and the tops had a nuclear warhead. They were in crescent shape and they were frozen. (Saved for a later time.) Over the next few days, God revealed to me what these rockets were and that there would be a war between the United States and a reformed Soviet Union, including Russia, Belarus, and eastern Ukraine. (Where the Russians are at the time of this attack.) Those rockets would be American nuclear missiles that would destroy eastern Ukraine; the first one would hit Kiev and then it would circle around to Sumy, Harkoff, and all the cities to the bottom of Odessa. All of eastern Ukraine would be destroyed.  (Warheads peeling off a multiple warhead ICBM missile. Did the (DS) Deep State steal the launch codes for these missiles?) I was in central Ukraine and a few days later, I'm thinking about how there's no mountain like what I saw in central Ukraine. I'm on a bus and so I asked somebody on the bus, “What is the name of this mountain?” A woman said what sounded like an Italian word, like ‘Azolemna' or something which sounded like it had a lot of vowels. I tried to repeat what I thought I heard and she said again, “Azov Mena”.   Later as I was on the floor praying to the Lord about the name of this mountain, God said write it down. So I wrote down the letters of the name: A, Z, O, V, and then, M, E, N, A. I connected AZOV to the Azov Sea and then I connected “Mena” to the interpretation of the handwriting on the wall in Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end; I then heard the Holy Spirit say, “From the Azov Sea to the Belarus border, from the Dnieper River over to the Russian border (Kiev is on this river), all of eastern Ukraine will be destroyed by these 8 American nuclear missiles.”  (All the evidence of human trafficking and labs creating biological weapons the DS wants destroyed and of course depopulation.) God revealed in the dream that Russia would invade Ukraine, there would be a holocaust against the Jews, (Two signs before the nukes go off; Russia did invade Ukraine and the nations are attacking Israel now.) and He urged people to flee, especially from the heavily populated Donbass area with approximately 11 million people. God spoke to me for five hours during the night and gave me four visions. The day after I had the dream, which was exactly the same as the first one 10 years prior except I was much closer to the 8 nuclear missiles that were going to be launched…   That night I was praying and the Lord spoke something to my heart and I went to write it down and I had a vision. I saw that all eastern Ukraine from the Azov Sea up to the Belarus border, and from the Dnieper River to Russia was black; it had been burned black by nuclear bombs that had fallen in that area.   The Lord gave me 4 visions this same night and after each vision, I asked the meaning of the vision and the Lord would give me the meaning. This went on for four hours. Then the Lord told me to go into the kitchen and when I went into the kitchen, I looked out the window and see several clouds in the sky, each in the shape of cars, buses, and trucks, and they were moving in two distinct lines from downtown Kiev towards southwestern Ukraine. I saw one huge cloud in the shape of a large bus over downtown Kiev. The wind had blown these clouds to the southwest.   God then spoke to me, saying, “There will be two evacuations from Kiev. The first one will take place when the Russian army is about to occupy Kiev and the second one will come when the nuclear war between the reformed Soviet Union and the United States takes place.” About 3 ½ - 4 weeks after this war started. There were hundreds of thousands of cars in deadlock trying to get out of Kiev. I saw this on TV and realized the next part of the prophecy would come next.  (The third sign comes to pass.) This paragraph is a summary (Pastor Barnett recounts going all over preaching his prophecy about Russia invading Ukraine and the reactions it received. He had preached this prophecy at various churches in Ukraine where he was invited. He received many death threats on social media. Many people thought he was crazy and did not believe him and thought it all was impossible. He continued to preach his prophecy. The end of 2013 comes around and a revolution begins in Kiev and then early war begins. The then-President Yanukovych of Ukraine made a public plea on Russian television for Russian troops to invade Ukraine. Yanukovych's request came before the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which had already resulted in thousands of deaths. He shares how the governor of the Donbas region in Ukraine had made a plea on Russian national television for President Putin to intervene and "destroy the fascists," who are ruining this country and killing children.)   My family and I left Ukraine after God had given me 17 dreams urging us to return home in the United States. The fighting began in Donbass after President Yanukovych had requested the Russians to come in and take Ukraine. Donbass is where all the mineral resources in the industry and the metal industry's at in Ukraine. This is what the Azovmena Prophesy in 2007 said would happen. These things began in 2014, 7 years later.   A man contacted me from Ohio who had watched the Azovmena Prophecy in 2007 and he was living in Kiev at the time, and the Holy Spirit spoke to him that this is true; this war is going to happen. Russia is going to invade Ukraine. He told me he moved to Levi in western Ukraine and then thought that wasn't far enough away, and he needed to move to America. So they're now in Ohio because he believed the prophecy. Another family who heard the prophecy and believed it, moved their family to California and they escaped the invasion of Russia. Many thousands of people who heard this prophecy including many Jews were saved because they moved before Russia invaded.   Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets.   God told me that I could not leave anything out of this prophecy and I can't add anything to it. He said, “If you preach it just the way I gave it to you, I will give you more.” He told me that I need to share these prophecies, not just in Ukraine but to many other countries.   So next I'm going to share now about the nuclear war that is coming to America. What states and cities that will be destroyed and what states and cities that will not be destroyed. (He doesn't share “cities not destroyed” in this video.)   In Azovmena 1 Prophecy, God put me on a building in Mobile, Alabama. As I'm on this building, I see (in vision) Russian ICBM missiles coming across Canada to America. I could see from the Rocky Mountains all the way to the East Coast. From where I was standing, I couldn't see Florida and I couldn't see anything on the west side of the Rocky Mountains.   The first ICBM to hit America destroyed Chicago. The next one hit Milwaukee WI, but it was way up in the air; it didn't come down lower in the air, but was way up in the atmosphere, where it blew up over Milwaukee.  (This would destroy Milwaukee and EMP a large portion of the country.) The next one I see hits Cleveland OH, then St. Louise, MO, Memphis, TN, Nashville, TN and New Orleans, LA, then Little Rock, AR, Denver, CO, and Albuquerque, NM.  10 warheads Later on God gave me a dream and in it, I saw two sets of flights of Russian bombers and they weren't the big giant bombers, they were medium range bombers that would have to fly off of an aircraft carrier and be refueled in the air. One flight had four planes, and the other flight had two planes. They all had nuclear cruise missiles, and they dropped the missiles. (I believe the Lord told me in His mercy this part would not happen.)  Here's what I understood of what I saw in the dream. Three nuclear bombs will hit New York City and two will hit Washington D.C. One will hit Baltimore, MD and one will hit Boston, MA (He misspoke “Maryland” in the video, but correction is made to Boston is on screen.) Now that's seven nuclear missiles, but six planes that I saw. So evidently, one of the bombs to hit NYC, will be an ICBM because I only saw six of these planes with nuclear cruise missiles to hit cities in the northeast. Cincinnati… (He gets off track here and doesn't come back to these missiles in this video. Possibly because the Lord said these bombers will not fly in His mercy.)   (He shares how he faced opposition and death threats for sharing this prophecy, particularly from people in Russia. Then he goes on to preach the tribulation begins … He states how the Bible is no longer U.S.'s foundation and the Obama administration has made law that men can marry men and a women can marry women. He states that 62 million babies have been murdered…and America will pay the cost in blood. (As it did to Sodom and Gomorrah and it is beginning with the DS's weather warfare. Abraham bargained with God and an angel took Lot and family out of Sodom before the cities were destroyed. [Come out of the big sin cities.] So I asked God would He delete this judgment and only got that He would lessen it because of His mercy. Since I have seen extreme mercy from God on the world lately, I jumped right to the end of the bargaining and asked if one missile from U.S. and one missile from Russia would be enough and He said “Yes”. I was surprised but God said He wanted to show His mercy again. Keep in mind that the U.S. ICBM's have 5 warheads and the Russian ICBM's have 10 warheads. But God will be in control as His Word says.) …       Russian Nuclear Exchange with U.S.   Garrett Crawford- 4/29/22  (David's notes in red) I dreamed that everyone was stocking up on food at a grocery store late at night. (Insiders are warning to have at least 3 to 6 months of food stored up. As far as believers go, we know that God shall supply our every need according to His riches in Glory.) I saw many people rushing at the last minute to get prepared. There was a general sense of uncertainty in the air. Many who had been expecting an event to happen were already prepared. (And it may be that these will have to help those around them and miracles will happen.)   For some reason Sylvester Stallone was in the dream and he was getting prepared too, but he had lost heart and his courage had left him. He was not mentally or spiritually prepared. (Sylvester plays the part of a strong warrior, so to speak, but it appears even they will lose heart through the things coming.)   I told him he could stay with me as I had been preparing for this for some time. (The most important way to prepare is spiritually, for the Word says, “Righteousness delivereth from death.”)   As we were leaving the store, I noticed many people's cars had been stolen from the parking lot while they were buying supplies. People came out to find their cars were gone, they were in disbelief. Sylvester and I thought that my car had been stolen too but we eventually found it. (Having their cars stolen out of the parking lot represents that rest and peace will be taken from the vessels of many. Also in the natural the DS would do this to put people at their mercy which is nil.)   We were somewhere talking and he could not understand why I was happy and not scared. He felt he had so much more to live for on this Earth and he was upset that it was all being taken from him. (Many lives will be turned upside down in order to get their attention and cause them to seek the Lord once He has destroyed all their worldly idols.)   I, on the other hand, had no love for the world and the things in it, I could literally feel nothing because this Earth had no hold on me. I felt freer than any man alive. (John 12:25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.)   Around this time, I had a flashback to the beginning of the day. It was light outside and the sun was out. I was walking through the parking lot of the grocery store and the Word of Lord came to me saying, “At this time the wise will shine brighter than the sun and will instruct many.” (The wise will be anointed with the wisdom of Jesus and will instruct many in the way of righteousness.)   The next thing I knew, the scene changed and I was at my dad's house in Bethel. (Representing the Father's “House of Bread”. Those feeding on the Bread from Heaven, Jesus Christ, the Word of the Lord, will be in the rest.)   I was all alone with my dogs and cat. (The elect among all the factious dogs and the rebellious cats to God and His Word will return to the Father's house.)   I remember watching the war in Ukraine taking place over my dad's house, like an open vision, but it was something tangible that I was actually experiencing. (Like the death angel that passed over the houses of the Israelites, this “war” and its fall-out will pass over the elect of God.)   I saw that America had been assisting Ukraine. I even saw America launching attacks to aid Ukraine, but there was a grave mistake made and an American missile had been launched accidentally and it hit a Russian target. (Notice, “one missile” as I was told although I did not remember this dream. Will this be accidental or on purpose? The DS has been provoking the nuclear option and would love to escalate this conflict to continue to deflect away from the declass of all their evil crimes that are coming to light and to depopulate and to try to derail the elections so that they can hold on to power. Also it was admitted that the U.S. helped the Ukrainians sink the Russian flagship Moskva and it was an American missile. No one would admit this unless they wanted the Russians to retaliate against the U.S. as the DS does. Moskva led the naval assault during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, from February 2022 until her sinking on 14 April 2022.)   This so called, ‘accidental' Missile strike caused the whole world to stop. Everyone wondered what Russia would do, but no one expected that Russia would retaliate against America. (Putin has come out publicly and warned that any attack on Russia by NATO or U.S. and Western forces during this Ukraine conflict would be reciprocated, presumably against the DS, since he knows they are the real enemy.)   Then I watched what appeared to be a large missile silo open and a projectile came out and was fired at America. (Notice one missile) The missile hit America inside her borders and everyone was in a state of shock. No one actually believed Russia would retaliate but they did and with fierce wrath. (Putin and Russia have been fighting the DS and they would know this missile is coming from them. They would pick their targets accordingly. Get out of blue cities and states.)   The weapon they used made 7 waves of fire blast throughout America like fiery shockwaves. The sound of the weapon was like a siren. Every blast was accompanied by the most ominous siren sound; seven blasts and seven sirens. (This is a multiple warhead missile. Also, could seven blasts announce the approach of the seven trumpet judgments of the Tribulation as in the first dream?)   After the last blast I looked outside and America was on fire. It was just 1 missile launch from each side and after Russia struck with their missile they did not continue. (A measured response to stop the war.) It was like an eye for an eye. I felt in the dream that America was playing a dangerous game with Russia that backfired. (Even though the military has moved interceptor missiles to the coast in the night, they evidently didn't intercept this. The Russian ICBM missiles have 10 warheads that spread out to different cities and are considered by many to be unstoppable due to its evasive maneuvers. The U.S. ICBM's have 5 warheads so it's not an equal response but God who “works all things after the counsel of His own will” can easily change this unbalance.)   Everyone in America was in complete disbelief. I heard a man say, “I can't believe they did it, I can't believe they actually attacked us!”. After the blasts I surveyed the damage and my dad's house was still standing. Both my dogs were in the house with me and survived. I opened the front door (Jesus) and my cat was there. (Many of the rebellious who are God's elect will return to the Father's House of Bread.) He had survived the carnage even though he had been outside of the house. Then I woke up.   Let's pray and ask mercy of the Lord on this.   Here is the war that begins the seven year tribulation, which two of these dreams speak of. Rev 6:3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.       An Angry Bear Awakens   Excerpt from Dumitru Duduman's Prophecies   April 1997   I knelt by my bed to pray, as I do every night before going to sleep. After finishing my prayer, I opened my eyes, but I was no longer in my room. Instead, I found myself in a forest. I looked around, and to my right I saw a man dressed in white who pointed his finger and said, “See and remember”. It took me a while to find what he was pointing at. It was a small bear who seemed half dead lying on the ground.   As I continued to watch this bear, it began to breathe deeper. With every passing minute it seemed to revive itself, and, as I watched, it also became angrier. It then began to grow. Soon it was larger than the forest floor, and as it grew larger, it continued to become angrier. It then began to paw the ground, so that when its paw would hit the ground, the earth would shudder. The bear continued to devastate all that stood in its path until it came upon some men with sticks trying to fend it off. (Don't pay any attention to the lies, the Russians have won this war in Ukraine but the DS needs a bigger war that hurts the US and Russia, their two worst enemies. The Russians have taken down the Nazi's, the bio-labs, the tunnels and dungeons with the captive children, and the evidence of DS crimes, etc.) By this time the bear had grown so large that it simply crushed the men underfoot and continued its rampage.   I was stunned by what I saw and asked the man standing beside me, “What does this mean?” “At first they thought the great bear was dead,” the man said. (If you listen to MSM's silliness.) “As it will begin to stir once again, they will consider it harmless. Suddenly, it will grow strong once more with purpose and violence. (They have made tremendous advances in weaponry.) God will blind the eyes of those that continue to trample on the sacrifice of Christ's blood, until the day the bear will strike swiftly. This day will catch them unprepared, and it will be just as you saw”.   The man then said, “Tell my people the days are numbered and the sentence has been passed. If they will seek My face and walk in righteousness before Me, I will open their eyes that they may see the danger approach. If they only look to the approaching danger, they, too, will be caught up and trampled underfoot. Only in righteousness will they find safety”.   Suddenly, I was once again by myself in my room, on my knees, with sweat covering my face.       Five Major U.S. Cities Nuked   Richard Swanson   Author of the book Spare Your People     In 1971, I saw, in a dream, limited nuclear war in America. (Or one missile with multiple warheads) I beheld two or three short successive orange-colored flashes of light off in the distance towards the north. These flashes, which produced a strobe-light effect, literally lit up the nighttime sky.   As they occurred I could briefly see the outline of some mountains from beyond which the flashes came. The next morning - in the dream - as I was walking through a field of swamp grass, I heard a news report over a transistor radio which was attached to a corner pole of a lean-to. The news report said: “Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco have been struck by thermonuclear warheads”. (Five DS strongholds the Russians would target. In 1971 the Russians likely had mostly 5 warheads per ICBM. They have been updating these to 10 warheads. But they could use a five warhead missile which would even the odds and bring peace.)   By the time the broadcast said “Denver” I was in the Spirit. I was standing beside Jesus. I then realized it was Jesus Who was giving the news report, and what I was hearing over the transistor radio was the Word of God. As He spoke, His words could be heard throughout eternity.   As Jesus said “Denver,” He pointed there, and as He did, the Holy Spirit showed me, though it was not quite dawn, exactly where Denver was. It was still night in San Francisco, yet the Holy Spirit showed me where that city was too. I then looked back toward the East Coast. The sun had already risen there and through some cirrocumulus clouds, I could see the Florida area. I suddenly realized I was up in the heavens looking down.   I also knew that during this limited nuclear attack I would be in Florida, very close to the Alabama border. (Phillip Barnett was in AL too) Several years later I discovered that this part of Florida is indeed swampland, just as in the dream.       Bride Protected as the Wicked are Nuked   Bill Steenland - 4/23/22 (David's notes in red)   I dreamed I was in my kitchen preparing dinner. (Representing the preparation of the spiritual food to feed God's elect.) I was suddenly translated to a place in the mountains. (This represents the choosing of the Bride by bringing Her to Mt. Zion which is a place of safety from the Beast?) Although I was incredibly surprised about the miracle, I knew why the Lord had done it. I had a horrible feeling and immediately started searching the skies. I said to myself, “Oh my God! This is it and it must have started!”   There was a light orange flash way, way off in the distance. (The people to be judged will be spiritually far from Zion and the presence of God.) I saw the top of a mushroom cloud. The Lord was letting me know nuclear weapons were going off in a distance that I couldn't physically see. (Back when this dream was given: I asked if we should pray this down by faith and got a “NO.” When I forwarded this dream to Eve, she cast lots asking the Lord if we can pray this down? And she received 3 Tails for “NO”. ... Has God planned to chasten the U.S. in spite of their silly thousand years of peace on a wicked nation?)   Back when this dream was given: I asked, “Is this the DS cities being destroyed?” And got “Yes”.) As in a nuclear attack there will be desolation, waste, and astonishment as the Lord said in Eze 35:2 Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir and prophesy against it, (The leadership of the Edomites who are Esau's seed who persecuted and betrayed their own brother, Israel.),   3 and say unto it, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, O mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against thee, and I will make thee a desolation and an astonishment. 4 I will lay thy cities [or congregations] waste, and thou shalt be desolate; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.)   Little mushroom clouds appeared in the background and stuck in the sky as if it was some computer program that pinned the location of the blasts in the distance. As I moved around the symbols would stay in their places. There were many, many of these nukes going off.   I continued to walk up this hill to an abandoned house with no windows or doors. It was made of concrete and looked like the place the Lord was sending me to hide. (Representing the refuge that God has prepared for His people to be hidden in the Rock. Their freedom to come and go is unhindered by doors.)   The house had a bunch of silver everywhere. (The Lord will supply for the financial and physical needs of His people in the times ahead. Some say ultimately silver will be more valuable than gold.) I thought I could barter using them, so I started to break them apart and put them in a backpack. It struck me odd that whoever was there previously didn't see the value in the silver. (Because escaping is overwhelmingly more important. And silver will only later skyrocket.)   Then I looked out of the little concrete building and there was a massive food processing plant nearby. I remember almost laughing because the Lord had put me right next to a food processing plant. I thought, “Oh wow! That's that! Thank you God!” (Food and money will be plentiful among the Bride as the Lord spoke. Isa 61:5-8 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers. 6 But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.   7 Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8 For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery [the factions in Church and state have stolen from their brethren] with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth (God will re-pay), and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.)  Back when this dream was given: I asked, “Will this devastation come after the redistribution of wealth planned in the GCR ?” And received a “Yes.” Eve asked for a confirming word for this and received, Psa.81:5 (in context 5-7) He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, When he went out over the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language that I knew not. 6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: His hands were freed from the basket. 7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah   As the dream changed I was still in the house but was talking to a woman dressed in camouflage. (The Bride is hidden in the “secret place of the Most High.”) She was explaining to me where we were in the mountains. She told me the state, the mountain range, and the roadway. I can't remember what it was but I knew it was somewhat iconic, well known and popular for mountain travel. There was a Native American word she told me and I remember thinking, “I need to look that up and find the meaning.” but I cannot remember the name. I knew more people were coming; some of them good and some of them bad. (Many will come and be saved in the revival.) Then I woke up.   Eve asked for a word by faith at random for Bill's dream and received: Eze.21:28-32 And thou, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning the children of Ammon (A faction who turned against the people of God like the DS has.), and concerning their reproach; and say thou, A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is furbished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning; (I asked is this representing a swift taking down of those who factioned against their own countryman? And got “Yes.” This could be so-called Americans against Americans the Alliance against the DS as is happening now.)   29 while they see for thee false visions, while they divine lies unto thee, to lay thee upon the necks of the wicked that are deadly wounded, whose day is come in the time of the iniquity of the end. 30 Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy birth, will I judge thee. 31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee; I will blow upon thee with the fire of my wrath; and I will deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, skillful to destroy. 32 Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I, Jehovah, have spoken it.   (I believe the fake nuclear war will turn into a real nuclear war by the DS hands. The world knows that President Trump's base are Christians and they do not differentiate Christians from New Agers, who have lied to them about “peace and safety” because they do not believe in the book of Revelation. This will set the stage for the “sudden destruction”. And in the second 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, the world Beast will make war against the Christians in Rev 13.)       From The Edge Hyssop Chronicles   Larry W. Taylor - Sept. 21, 2002   I saw an Eagle standing proud and tall and the Eagle was turning to fight some enemy that was before it. (The DS) The proud Eagle, all dressed for battle, turned and faced the enemy before it and just as the Eagle started forward toward the enemy; I saw a knife being thrust into the back of the proud and surprised Eagle. (The DS Judas' start a limited nuclear war with Russia?) As the Eagle staggered from the knife wound to its back, I saw (nuclear) arrows come from the enemy it had been facing and hit the Eagle. (The DS caused the retaliation against the U.S.) The vision faded at this point , so I did not see the result of the attack on the Eagle.       MISSILES OF OCTOBER! Sept. 7, 2002 Thought I would relate a dream to you I had in the early 1980s. I had been in prayer for about a week and on the last day of my prayer fast, I became very sleepy. So sleepy, that I couldn't keep my head up. I struggled against sleep as I was trying to hear the Lord. I lay back on the bed for a minute, but as soon as my head hit the bed I was asleep. I immediately had a dream.   In the dream I saw a long line of missile silos. I had the knowledge in the dream that these were missiles no one ever thought would be fired! I could not tell who the missiles belonged to. As the dream progressed, I saw the missiles begin to fire and lift out of their silos. I noted that not all the missiles were fired, but only a certain number were fired. I saw the missiles fired, go up into the sky and reach a peak; then start to arch and fall back towards the earth, towards its target. I did not see who or what the target was but as the missiles began to fall towards their targets, I heard in my dream what sounded like a loud audible voice, "THESE ARE THE MISSILES OF OCTOBER!"   This voice woke me up fully awake and I sat up with a start! I still remember in vivid detail the dream of the Missiles and the voice that declared they were of October. (No year was given)  (If the DS was going to fire at the Russians to make a war, wouldn't they do it before the election to stop it? Since they are too far behind to get away with cheating this time?) 1 THESSALONIANS 5:3 For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.   2 CHRONICLES 20:20  Believe in the LORD, your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets so shall ye prosper.   AMOS 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto his servants, the prophets.   (Note: I shared this with President Trump and General Smith.)

What could be more important than enriching one another in our common salvation-- Jude v1-4 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must contend earnestly for faith in a Jesus Who is our Master, both as our God and as our King.

What could be more important than enriching one another in our common salvation? Jude v1–4 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must contend earnestly for faith in a Jesus Who is our Master, both as our God and as our King.

What could be more important than enriching one another in our common salvation? Jude v1–4 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must contend earnestly for faith in a Jesus Who is our Master, both as our God and as our King.

Jesus (Who doesn't want in on that?) - Andrew Mook by

Read OnlineHe said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:48–50These loving words from Jesus were spoken to a sinful woman who showed up unannounced at a dinner Jesus was having at the house of a Pharisee. The Pharisee looked down upon her in judgment, but she didn't care. In sorrow for her sins, she anointed Jesus' feet and humbled herself before Him, bathing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair.The conversation ends with Jesus looking at her and telling her “Your sins are forgiven.” Note the reaction of those who were at the table. We are given an insight into their interior thoughts. They said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Those who have been born and raised within the faith have always understood that God forgives. We were taught this from an early age, learned much about it in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and have heard this message throughout our lives in one form or another. But imagine never hearing about or experiencing the forgiveness of God throughout your life, and then suddenly one day you do. Imagine what these people must have been experiencing as they encountered the forgiveness of sins for the first time in the Person of Jesus as He forgave this sinful woman. They may have been a bit confused by this, but, perhaps more than anything else, they would have experienced a holy awe and amazement at what God had done. They saw this sinful woman come in, they sensed the judgment and demeaning attitude of the Pharisees, they saw her express sorrow and humiliation, and then they saw Jesus forgive her.Are you amazed at the gift of the forgiveness of your sins and the sins of others? Or do you take forgiveness for granted? The wonder and awe that the people manifested at the forgiveness of the sins of this woman should help us to examine our own attitude toward God's mercy and forgiveness. We need to continually foster within ourselves the same amazement at God's mercy that these people had. We must work to never take forgiveness for granted or to see it as just one more normal part of life. Rather, we must see it as extraordinary, ever new, ever glorious and forever awe inspiring. Reflect, today, upon the awe-inspired words of these first followers of Jesus: “Who is this who even forgives sins?” As you do, let God fill you with the deepest gratitude for the forgiveness He has offered you. Renew your appreciation for this unmerited gift from God and allow that gratitude to become the source of your ongoing amazement at the mercy of God.My forgiving Lord, Your mercy and compassion for the sinner is truly awe-inspiring. Thank You for loving me and all Your followers with a love so deep. Please fill my heart with a holy awe at Your incredible mercy. May I always be amazed at Your forgiveness and always be filled with the deepest gratitude as I experience it in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee by Paolo Veronese, via Wikimedia Commons

Read OnlineHerod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:1–2Herod the tetrarch was one of three brothers and a sister who became 1st-century rulers to succeed their father, Herod the Great, when he died in 4 B.C. Herod governed much of the territory west of the Sea of Galilee, which was the territory in which Jesus spent most of His time during His public ministry. He also ruled a territory just east of the Dead Sea, which is where he had imprisoned and ultimately killed John the Baptist. Herod was known for being a very busy builder and is prominently known for his role in the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.Recall that Herod had taken his brother's wife, Herodias, as his own, and John the Baptist publicly opposed this. For that reason, Herod had John arrested and ultimately beheaded at the request of Herodias, who took the Baptist's criticism very personally. Herod, on the other hand, had a strange sort of admiration for the Baptist.The Gospel passage quoted above reveals a somewhat unusual statement by Herod. After he had killed Saint John the Baptist, he heard about the reputation of Jesus Who was traveling throughout Herod's territory preaching and performing many mighty deeds. Word spread fast about Jesus and quickly reached even the ears of Herod. So why did Herod strangely think that Jesus must have been John the Baptist raised from the dead? Though we do not know for certain, we certainly can speculate.In the version of this story found in the Gospel of Mark, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod may have been a man who had a spark of faith but was ultimately ruled by his passions and desire for power. Perhaps that is why he initially kept John the Baptist alive in his prison. It also appears that Herod had some form of either regret or fear over his beheading of John. And it is most likely for this reason that Herod immediately thought of John when he initially heard of Jesus and the “mighty powers” that were at work within Him.Regret, fear and guilt are common effects of a conscience that is in conflict. Herod the tetrarch is a good example of what happens when we do not resolve that conflict within ourselves. The only way to resolve the interior confusion of a conflicted conscience is to humbly submit to the truth. Imagine if Herod would have repented. Imagine if he would have sought out Jesus, confessed his sins, and begged for forgiveness. What a glorious story that would have been. Instead, we have the witness of a man who has gone astray and remained obstinate in his sin.Reflect, today, upon this unholy witness of Herod. God can use all things for His glory, and He can even use the example of Herod to reveal to ourselves any similar tendency. Do you struggle with regret, fear and guilt? Does this cause conflict within you? The good news is that this conflict is easily resolved by a humble heart that seeks the truth. Seek the truth by admitting any long-lasting sin you need to resolve and permit the mercy of God to enter in so as to set you free.My merciful Jesus, You desire that all people experience freedom from the sins of the past. You desire to penetrate our hearts and to bring resolution and peace. Please help me to open my mind and heart to You in the areas that still cause pain and regret, and help me to be set free by Your infinite mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Herod the Great By James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons

As we read & discuss Psalm 53 today, I want to encourage you to explore this question with Jesus: Who/what do you rely in? Thanks for joining the podcast, I'm so glad you are here!

Endure to Manifest Salvation (5)  (audio) David Eells (7/3/24)  Let's talk about how our faith transforms us as we endure to manifest salvation. Some would say, David, I know this, but many must be reminded in the midst of their trials, of the good news that they forget so easily. Understand that you can keep God's commandments because of grace and not because of your own ability or lack thereof. You can obey Him, because of the reconciliation Jesus made at the cross. He took your sins and He put them on the cross, and He gave you His righteousness. We are to reckon it done by faith and that's why it's called the Good News! Paul said in (Gal.2:20) It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. Paul was living by faith. He was confessing what the Bible said about him was true, that his old man was now dead. He was confessing that he died at his baptism and that when he came up out of the water, it was Jesus Who now lived in him.   Faith is what empowers you to be obedient to the Word of God and empowers you to see yourself the way the Bible tells you to see yourself. Our problem is that we walk by sight and, if you walk by sight like the world does, that's all you're going to get. We need to see the way Peter says to see and that is by faith. (2Pe.1:3) Seeing that his divine power hath granted (past tense) unto us all things that pertain unto life (God's life) and godliness, through the knowledge of him.... At the cross, Jesus gave you everything you need. It's already yours and you have to accept it by faith. You have to believe that the divine power given to you is everything you need for His life and godliness.   The Bible says that reconciliation was accomplished on the cross. It's a waste of time to not believe what the Bible says is already yours. God is not schizophrenic! He doesn't say one thing in His Word and then do another. He wants you to be (Php.1:6) ... confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. You see, it's His work in you, through faith in what Jesus gave to you on the cross, but remember (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Some people have “faith” that is not faith. What they're calling “faith” is only mentally acknowledging something. We want faith and faith according to (Rom.4:17) calleth the things that are not, as though they were. Faith brings the manifestation we need. If you want more of God's provision, He wants you to have it. Faith does what Jesus said in (Mar.11:24) NENT Therefore I say unto you, All things whatever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them.   The condition here is faith. It was designed to be so simple that a child can receive it, but worldly wisdom doesn't make sense and will block you from receiving it. God made it this way, in order that only those people who received faith could receive the promise and faith is a gift of God so ask for it. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works (Meaning your works.), that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (This second works is God's works.), which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. See, there's a difference between your works and God's works through you. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.  People like to teach the “unconditional love of God,” so you may never have heard that God hates anybody, but God hates all those whose works are evil. (Rom.9:13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. (Psa.5:5) The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. (11:5) The Lord trieth the righteous; But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. There are many verses like that in the Bible. God loves goodness; He does not love sin! God is in the process of creating sons and there must be Christ-likeness born in you. You manifest sonship as you grow in sanctification, which is separation from the world unto God. And if you obey His commandments, you will be separated from the world. (Mat.10:34) Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  And this is to separate the wicked from the righteous. When you're separated from the world, your works are God's works. God's desire is to manifest sonship in order to have fellowship with you. God's the One doing this. (Eph.1:5) Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. So, by faith, we believe that God is the One in (Col.1:13) who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. And have no fear; just believe! The only difference between the person who's chosen and the person who's not chosen is faith, so believe!   People worry, “I wonder if I am one of the elect?” Well, believe that you are one of the elect and take steps toward God! The Bible says in (2Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: (11) for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you know that you can't worry and have faith at the same time? If you're anxious, then you're not having faith. Stop worrying about what you have not done; exercise faith in what Christ has done and you will do what He wants. You have no ability to be anything but what you are, unless something from the outside reaches in and changes you. The Holy Spirit reaches in and changes your heart through faith, as you believe what the Bible says you have been given. It's very simple and it's free. It's not by your works; otherwise, you have earned it and that's not grace.   Let's go to (1Jn.3:1) Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God (The KJV says “sons of God,” but the Greek word there is teknon, which means “children.”); and [such] we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested (That's Christ being manifested in us.), we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. (3) And every one that hath this hope [set] on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. If Christ is manifested, we will be like Him; that's what the Bible says.   The KJV translators put “when He shall appear,” thinking that this is a physical coming. The Received Text, the Nestle's Text and the Numeric Bible all say, “if He shall be manifested,” because this is not talking about His coming in the air. This is talking about His manifestation in us. And what does it mean to “see Him even as He is”? The Bible teaches us 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.... You have to see the image in the mirror as an accomplished fact before you can be transformed. For Christ to be manifested in you, you have to see Him as He is, not the Jesus men have made Him.   When you look in the Word, you become familiar with the face of Jesus. That's your face. (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. By faith, you accept that as your gift from God. It's not because you're able to do that because none of us is able; and not because you're worthy because none of us is worthy, but because it's been given to you through the reconciliation, meaning the exchange of His life for your sinful life.. The “glory” is the righteousness of Christ, the truth of Christ, His being, His presence, but you have to behold Him in the mirror and not some other Christ. We want the Jesus of the Bible; if it's not this Jesus, then you're going to be manifesting the wrong image.   Paul warned us about receiving another “Christ” and another spirit: (Gal.1:6) I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; (7) which is not another [gospel] only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema (accursed). (9) As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema. (10) For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.  Notice, John says in (1Jn.3:3) And every one that hath this hope [set] on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.... How can we purify ourselves? You do it through the promises in the Word of God. (Eph.6:14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. (17) And take the helmet of salvation.... This is the knowledge that you have been delivered, you have been saved and set free from the curse of sin. It's the knowledge of what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross.   (Eph.6:17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. You are to use faith and the Word against the old man, the flesh, the devil and the world. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit.... You see, “these promises” are the sword with which you purify yourself. (1) … let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now that's a good promise! The Bible says to stand and fight! Take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit and use them against your enemies.   Now let's go to (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. So, you have to learn to think the way God tells you to think. This is repentance. Man fell away from God because of the way he thought and God says not to add to, nor take away from, His Words or the curses of the Book are going to be upon you. (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.  The way out from under the curse is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Change your mind; your thinking is wrong! We have to think the way God tells us to think. (Rom.6:11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. I.e., Consider it done because of the reconciliation that Jesus made. At the cross, you were made free from sin. If you don't think like that, you can't walk away from it and you will never be able to stop sinning! I've heard a lot of people say, “I just can't!” Of course you can't because you don't believe that God gave you the power to do it! In the early Church, they were called “believers.” Believers in the Gospel! What was the Gospel? “You have been set free from sin, by the power of God, because of what Jesus did for you!”   A true believer is going to say, “I can!” (Php.4:13) I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. Our attitude has to change about our ability. Folks, our ability is nothing, but God's ability through us because we believe is total. Jesus gave you authority. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. You can change the circumstances around you, if you believe what this Bible tells you to believe. It will change everything, if you think about yourself the way the Bible tells you to think about yourself. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In other words God says, “Think the way I tell you to think.”   If you speak, speak as an oracle of God, which means to speak in agreement with God. This is very important for the manifestation of sonship. (1Pe.4:11) If any man speaketh, [speaking] as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, [ministering] as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. The Greek word for “oracle” is logion and it means “an utterance (of God); a divine utterance.” You don't take away from His Words and you don't add to them; otherwise, you have to live under the curse.   Paul said Christ is coming to be glorified in a group of people. (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. Jesus is going to be glorified in those people because they are going to believe what the Bible says. (2Th.1:11) 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 of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you.... The Greek word for “name” is onoma and it means “all that a ‘name' implies, of authority, character, rank, majesty, power, excellence, etc., of everything that the ‘name' covers.”   Paul is praying that the very nature and character of Christ would be glorified in you. (2Th.1:12) That the name (onoma) 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. Sonship will be manifested because you believe what the Word says. The mind of the natural man is contrary to what the Bible says. (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. When you read the Bible, you have to repent. “Repent” is the Greek word metanoeo and it means “to think differently” or “to change your mind.” Your thinking has been wrong but when you read the Bible and accept what it says, it will change you and it will deliver you. Jesus told us in (Joh.8:32) and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Exercise faith in what the Bible says and you will be set free. Religion does nothing! Religion is just man's ideas about God. Accept God's own ideas about God! Why take someone else's opinion?   Back to (2Th.1:12) that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and ye in him,… Where and how do you receive the “glory” that Paul mentions? Religion teaches that you get the “glory” in the next life, but that's not what the Bible says. I have been reading the Bible diligently for a long time and you can't find in the Bible even one instance where God comes and then changes the soul. Most Christians believe that when God comes, He's going to take away your old dirty soul and give you a new one. But the Word says only that God's going to give you a new body. In (Rom.8:23) And not only so, but our selves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for [our] adoption, [to wit,] the redemption of our body.   (24) For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? (25) But if we hope for that which we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for it. (Eph.1:12) To the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (13) in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,— in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of [God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. We receive the glory here and we receive it by bearing fruit here. Here is where we bear the fruit of Christ.   Jesus said the 30-, 60- and 100-fold fruit that the righteous would bear has to be born on Earth. He doesn't give it to you in Heaven; you get it here. This is our one chance. We're running the race here. To those who are faithful in that race and bear fruit, He will give a new body, but He didn't say He would give you a new soul in the next life. If you believe that, “One day God will come and change me,” then where is the motivation for you to bear fruit? That lie makes it very easy for the people who just want to be satisfied with where they are and then they sit down and stop running the race. Jesus gave you the gift of Himself, freely! Believe that you have the ability of Christ and that His life is in you. The Gospel can be very simple, but it's not acceptable to the carnal, fleshly mind. The Gospel is made so that a child can receive it and children trust their father.   The apostle Paul said in (Col.3:3) For ye died.... He's speaking to people who are somewhere along the process. (3) For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested (and that is in us), then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. And again this “glory” comes as we walk by faith and not sight as 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,… Again, the glory is manifested here. And what does he mean by, “from glory to glory”? This is the three different bodies that people are given as a reward for the fruit or glory born by them in this life. (1Co 15:38)  but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. ..(41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. (49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.   We come into Christlikeness, traveling through those three glories. We go from star glory, to moon glory, to sun glory. If you die or leave this earth as a star glory, you receive a star glory body and star glory is when you are self-righteous. In other words you are not doing things by nature but by religion.  A star has its individual glory shining from it, and there are many, many stars, just as we are separated because of self-righteous denominations when we first come to Christ. Self-righteousness shows star glory. But moon glory is when we become dead to self and become one in unity with each other and only reflect the light of the sun/Son. The moon is dead and does not have its own glory, like the stars, who are separated. This death to self makes us capable of becoming one with each other. Sun glory is then possible. Rom 6:4-7  We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death (moon glory): that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father (Son glory), so we also might walk in newness of life.  5  For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death (moon glory), we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection (Son glory);  6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him (moon glory), that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;  7  for he that hath died is justified from sin.   If you are looking at Jesus in the mirror by faith, you will go through these three stages, from glory to glory. So, whatever stage you leave this earth that is the body you will have, among other heavenly benefits.  Paul is saying, When Christ, Who is our life, shall be manifested in us, then shall we also with Him be manifested in glory.” Praise be to God!  Let us see that God is speaking of fruit and glory born in this life and not the next life. (2Co.4: 11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Mortal flesh is only on earth and is not the new body, so God's purpose is that the life of Jesus would be manifested in this body through the suffering of death to self. The life of Jesus is resurrection life and that's sun glory. You go through death to self and you come to resurrection life. This is what Paul is talking about, the glory of Christ is the righteousness of Christ. We put on Christ by putting on His righteousness!   We put on the robes that the Bride wears. (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And as we manifest Christ through faith in what God has given us, the biggest temptation we have is to look in the mirror and see ourselves. We are told in (Jas.1:22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. (23) For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. If you see your natural face in the mirror, you will be a “hearer” of the Word, but not a “doer” of the Word. The devil will condemn you for your past sins and you will have no faith. How are we “doers”? Let's read in (2Pe.1:5) Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence in your faith, supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge; (6) and in [your] knowledge self-control; and in [your] self-control patience; and in [your] patience godliness; (7) and in [your] godliness brotherly kindness; and in [your] brotherly kindness love. (8) For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. (10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: (11) for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.   He's saying, if you lack any of these attributes of Christ, it's because you are near-sighted. Don't you remember you were cleansed from your old sins? That means the old man is dead! Or, in other words, Peter is saying that if you are lacking these attributes, it's because you see yourself when you look in the mirror. You can't do these things, unless you look in the mirror and see Christ, which is faith. Jesus said in (Luk.6:40) The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher. “Perfected” means “matured.” You have to believe that when you are matured, you will walk like He walked, talk like He talked and think like He thought. You have to see it in the mirror by faith so you can have it.   Contrary to popular opinion, there's a difference of reward concerning sonship? Many have been taught that everybody gets the same reward, but that's contrary to the Scriptures. This motivates each of us to be a “doer” and not just a “hearer” of the Word. (Joh.8:31) Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, [then] are ye truly my disciples. We can see here that if we believe Jesus as the scripture hath said we are now a true disciple? It's not those whom we have loosely called “Christians” who are going to enter into the Kingdom. It's “disciples” who are going to enter into the Kingdom and a disciple is a mathetes, a “learner” and a “follower” of the Word.  It says in (Joh.8:32) And ye shall know the truth.... It's disciples who would know the truth and disciples are those who abide in His Word. (Joh.8:32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Only disciples get set free. Does this give you an understanding of why not all Christians get set free? (Joh.8:33) They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? (34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth forever. We see here that Sonship is the full manifestation of eternal life; a bondservant has not eternal life.   If you ask, “But what if I am a son by faith?” Yes, sonship is two-fold. First of all, it's imputed by faith and, second of all, it's manifested as we walk in that faith. And, if we abide in that faith and walk in that faith, sonship will progressively manifest in us. We abide in the faith that we've been made free from sin, but everyone who continues to walk in sin is the bondservant of sin and the bondservant doesn't abide in the house forever. Paul said the same thing about the bondservant. (Gal.4:30) Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid (bondservant) and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. (31) Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman. If you are a son, then be a son by faith. And if you're walking in that faith as a disciple, you will be manifesting Christ. If you walk by faith in Him, you will do the mighty works of God. Don't try to attain to Christ by your works because that puts you under the Law and turns you back into a servant.   Let me prove to you that “the bondservant abideth not in the house forever.” If you remember in the Parable of the Marriage Feast, many were bidden to the feast. In (Mat.22:11) But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment. The wedding garments are “white” robes as in Rev 3:4-5, 18, 7:13-14, 19:14. We read of the Bride's wedding garments: (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And in (Rom.13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. So Jesus told us of a man who didn't have on this wedding garment! He obviously was a Christian of sorts or he wouldn't have made it into the marriage feast.   The king saw this man, (Mat.22:12) and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. (He obviously thought he had a right to be there.) (13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. Notice, he was called. But only the “chosen” got to stay. The merely “called” came, but they didn't get to stay or, in other words, they didn't have eternal life. This man without the wedding garment was called a Christian, but he didn't have eternal life.   When you walk in faith, you're able to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, but this man wasn't walking in faith and he wasn't putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, so he was broken off as a branch. (Rom.11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. (20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. So, he was called, but he was broken off and not chosen or elect!   Another example that you can be called but not be chosen is in the Parable of the Talents. (Mat.25:14) For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. So these are definitely servants of God who were given the talents. He gave them these talents and the Lord did not return until they brought forth fruit from these talents. The servant who received the five talents brought forth five more and the servant who received the two talents brought forth two more, and their Lord said they were good servants.   But the servant who hid his one talent in the earth and didn't bring forth fruit from what his Lord gave him was an unprofitable servant. (Mat.25:26) But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; (27) thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. (28) Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. (29) For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. “Hath” and “hath not” here is talking about fruit of that which was given by God. The servant with the five talents brought forth five more; he brought forth fruit of what God gave him. But the servant who “hath not” is going to lose “even that which he hath.”   This is talking about those we've been loosely calling “Christians.” If they don't bring forth fruit of what God gives them, they will lose what they have. You are responsible to do something with what God gives you, whether it's “two talents” or whether it's “five talents.” The man with the “one talent” was just a servant; he was not a son because he did nothing with his one talent. He was called but not chosen and his talent was taken away from him and given to the profitable servant with the 10 talents. This is exactly what God is going to do with us. God's hope is to adopt His servants and make them sons, but every servant will not bear fruit and will not become a son. By faith, the adoption happened 2000 years ago and, manifestly, it's when you bear Christ as 30-, 60- or 100-fold fruit. The adoption is fully manifested when God gives you the new body, but in spirit and in soul, it's manifested while you are here on this earth.  

We will follow him. And we will proclaim Jesus as Lord because it is through him that we obtain true life and true freedom. And it is through him that we are forgiven. And it is through him that we are adopted as God's own. And as heirs to the promises of God. For Paul, it is important that we as Christians proclaim not ourselves, but to proclaim Jesus as Lord and ourselves as only faithful servants as messengers or even errand runners of Jesus. Like Paul who gave of himself for the sake of Jesus. Give of ourselves for the sake of Jesus Who is at the heart of the Gospel? As God has given Paul the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus God has done the same for us, so that we see God's glory in Jesus and point to others, not to ourselves, But only to Christ. And in doing so, we affirm God's light, which has continued to shine out of darkness. This message of God's kingdom, Paul sort of equates with a treasure. We are given this treasure, he says, in clay jars. They're not placed in gold vessels. But in clay jars, which are cheap and fragile and symbolize our mortality and corruptibility,

Talk 32   Mark 10:46-52   Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight Welcome to Talk 32 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we are looking at Mark 10:46-52. It's the story of how a blind beggar called Bartimaeus receives his sight. It's a short passage so let's begin by reading it.   46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." 52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.   We'll begin by looking at what this passage has to tell us about Jesus. Then we'll consider what we can learn about Bartimaeus, and finally we'll see how this story may well have an application in our own lives. Firstly, then, what does the passage teach us about Jesus?   Jesus The first thing we notice is that Jesus is accompanied not only by his disciples but by a large crowd. This clearly indicates his popularity. We know from what we have already seen in Mark's gospel, Jesus was opposed by the Pharisees and other religious leaders, but it's also clear that the common people heard him gladly. This was almost certainly because of the miracles of healing he was performing as well as the wonderful things he was teaching.   Secondly, we see indications that people were beginning to realise that Jesus was the Messiah. Notice that in verse 46 the passage makes a distinction between the disciples and the crowd. The disciples had left all to follow Jesus. Many in the crowd would have been following just because they hoped he might heal them, or that at least they might see some amazing miracle. The disciples on the other hand had begun to understand who Jesus was. For most of the crowd he was at best a prophet, known to them simply as Jesus of Nazareth. Some, however, like Bartimaeus we're beginning to wonder if he might be the promised Messiah. Notice that Bartimaeus refers to him by the messianic title, Son of David.   Thirdly, the recognition that Jesus was the Messiah sprang from the authority Jesus clearly possessed. We see this in verse 49 in the way Jesus gives clear instructions and is immediately obeyed – Call him. So they called him… They have just told Bartimaeus to be quiet, but at one word from Jesus they immediately change their tune. And, of course, Jesus' authority is even more evident in his power to grant Bartimaeus his request – Go, your faith has healed you. And immediately Bartimaeus receives his sight.   And finally, our passage reveals the compassion of Jesus, not just in healing the blind man, but in the fact that he stopped (v49) to do so. Remember verses 33-35. He was on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified – probably in only a few days' time. The very next thing Mark records is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem which happened less than a week before Jesus was crucified. But despite the knowledge of his imminent suffering and death, Jesus takes time to stop and to meet the need of a beggar. But what does the passage teach us about Bartimaeus?   Bartimaeus The first thing we notice is his desperate need. He was blind and he was a beggar. In those days there was little else that the blind could do, other than beg. His needs were physical – he was blind. His needs were financial – he had to beg. But less obvious perhaps was his need for acceptance in the society in which he lived. It was commonly believed that blindness was caused by sin – either the sin of the blind man or of his parents. This is very clear in John 9:2 where, in connection with another blind man, the disciples asked Jesus:   Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?   Jesus was quick to correct this wrong assumption, but the fact that even his disciples made it is evidence of the view prevalent at the time. So, although it's not mentioned here in Mark 10, it's not unreasonable to assume that many of the people regarded Bartimaeus' condition as the result of sin. However, as we shall see, it's spiritual blindness that results from sin, not physical blindness.   So the first thing we learn about Bartimaeus is his desperation. Closely connected with this is his determination. Imagine the scene. He's sitting at the roadside begging. He can see nothing, but he can hear. And he hears a commotion. There's a crowd of people coming down the road. He wonders what the noise is all about. And then he hears that it is Jesus. Now he must have heard about Jesus and the miracles he had been performing. He had possibly heard about the blind man Jesus had healed in Mark 8, or the many blind people who had been healed in Luke 7:22. And now Jesus of Nazareth is passing his way. Faith is quickened in his heart and he's determined to be healed. He cries out:   Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.   The people rebuke him and tell him to be quiet. But this only makes him shout louder. And when Jesus calls him, he responds immediately. He jumps to his feet. He wants nothing to hinder him coming to Jesus, so he throws his cloak, possibly his most valued possession, aside, and he comes to Jesus. Why? Because he wants to see (v.51).   But why did he so earnestly want to see? Was it only to meet his physical and financial needs, or could it also be that he wanted to find the acceptance in society that we were talking about earlier? I find it interesting that many people today who were born with a disability have no real desire to be healed. They want to be accepted for who they are, just as they are. And rightly so. But while I understand and respect their position, and certainly have no intention to criticise, I sometimes wonder if one reason we see so few outstanding miracles of healing in such cases is that there is no real desire to be healed – but of course the reason could easily be a lack of faith on the part of those who pray for them. Thank God that in the case of Bartimaeus there was no lack of faith on the part of Jesus or of desire on the part of Bartimaeus.   But that brings us to the third thing the passage reveals about Bartimaeus – his faith in Jesus. We know that Bartimaeus had faith because Jesus said in verse 52 that it was his faith that healed him. Yet we know that it was Jesus who healed him because he asked Bartimaeus, What do you want me to do for you? There is no contradiction here. Jesus healed Bartimaeus because Bartimaeus had faith in him. Faith alone is not enough. What matters is who you have faith in. The evidence of Bartimaeus' faith in Jesus is that he called out to him, he came to him immediately Jesus called him, he took Jesus at his word when he said, What do you want me to do for you?, and he believed that Jesus could heal him – Rabbi, I want to see.   But where did that faith come from? The key is undoubtedly in that little word heard in verse 47. Romans 10:17 tells us that   Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.   Of course, we're not told how Bartimaeus came to hear about Christ, but as we've already suggested, he must surely have already heard what Jesus had been doing for others. And had he heard what Jesus had said in the synagogue at Nazareth when he read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah quoting the words he has anointed me to… proclaim recovery of sight to the blind? (Luke 4:18). We don't know, but somehow Bartimaeus had come to understand that Jesus was indeed the Son of David, the Messiah. His faith sprang from a recognition of who Jesus is and an acknowledgment that what Jesus had done for others, he could also do for him.   And as a result he immediately received his sight and became a follower of Jesus. The NIV translation of verse 52 doesn't quite do justice to the text. Translated literally it says he followed Jesus in the way. Admittedly this could mean just what the NIV says, along the road. But by the time Mark wrote his Gospel, Christians were becoming known as followers of the Way (cf. Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9) and he may well have intended us to understand that Bartimaeus became a Christian.  At all events, he became a follower of Jesus. His faith had not only healed him. It had also saved him. But that brings me to the significance of what Jesus says in verse 52 – Your faith has healed you.   The Greek word used for healed here can also be translated saved.  Sozo is used in a variety of ways in the New Testament. It can refer to the salvation of the soul, or to the healing of the body, or to deliverance from danger, for example. Exactly the same Greek wording is used when: ·      Jesus heals a woman with bleeding (Matt. 9:22, Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48) ·      He cleanses the grateful leper (Luke 17:19) ·      He saves a sinful woman (Luke 7:50). Of course, only the context can tell you whether sozo should be translated heal or save etc. But sometimes it can mean both, and here in our passage the context suggests that Bartimaeus' faith had not only healed him, but saved him too. He followed Jesus in the way. He didn't just go away and do his own thing, as so many seem to after receiving a touch of healing from the Lord. The only right response when God has wonderfully met our needs is to do what Bartimaeus did, to follow him in the pathway of his will for our lives.   How does all this apply to us? The lessons we learn from the story of Bartimaeus apply to all of us, whatever our needs may be. So let's summarise what those lessons are: 1.     Bartimaeus had a desperate need for which there was no human solution. 2.     He recognised his need and wanted to find a solution. 3.     When he heard about Jesus he did not delay in asking him to have mercy on him. 4.     He would not let anything or anyone deter him from coming to Jesus. 5.     He took Jesus at his word believing that he could do whatever he asked him. 6.     So he was specific in his request. 7.     When it was granted, he became a follower of Jesus. If you're already a follower of Jesus, you have already recognised who Jesus is. If you have a desperate need you need to recognise that. Don't pretend you haven't got it. It may be that you need to honestly ask yourself if you really want to be free from it. You need to let nothing hinder you from coming to Jesus and asking him to meet it. Don't let other people put you off. Be determined. Let no one and nothing deter you. Don't put off the decision. Come to Jesus immediately and be specific in your request. Tell him what you want him to do for you.   Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. If he could meet Bartimaeus's need, he can meet yours too. You have already trusted him for your salvation. Trust him for this too. He may well surprise you with an immediate answer. And if the answer is not immediate, remember that Jesus loves you and he will do what is best for you. If he says to you, as he said to Paul, My grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), you need to trust him that he knows what is ultimately best for you. Sometimes our prayers are answered immediately. Sometimes they're answered gradually. And sometimes they're answered later. The important thing is to keep on believing and to keep on following Jesus in the way.   However, there is one prayer that God will always answer immediately. Bartimaeus prayed, Jesus… have mercy on me. Mercy is more than pity. Pity is feeling sorry for someone. Mercy means much more than that. When we ask God to have mercy on us we are asking him to grant us something that we don't deserve. This applies first and foremost to the forgiveness of our sins. You may not be physically blind, like Bartimaeus, but if you have not yet come to Jesus and asked him to forgive your sins, you have a more desperate need than physical blindness. But Jesus can open your eyes to the truth. Do you want to see? The lessons we learnt from Bartimaeus apply to you too. If you recognise your need and realise that only Jesus can meet it, all you need to do is ask him to save you. Resist the temptation to delay. Reject the attempts of others to dissuade you. Rely completely on Jesus – take him at his word, and you will receive your sight. And when you do, become a real follower of Jesus.

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

We break with routine in this episode and focus on the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In it, we see Jesus giving final instructions to his apostles before he ascends into heaven. Looking at subtle clues left by St. Luke, we discover that at his ascension Jesus takes on both the role of the “Son of Man” found in the Book of Daniel and the role of a new and everlasting high priest who fulfills once and for all by his death, resurrection, and ascension the cultic act of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Diving deep into our readings we'll spend our episode looking closer at: - Who the mysterious “Theophilus” is in our first reading - The Old and New Testament significance of the 40 days that Jesus spends with the Apostles before his ascension - Which prophecy in the New Testament was most frequently repeated - The incredible connection between the Old Testament assumption of Elijah and the New Testament ascension of Jesus - Who the fourth beast is in the Book of Daniel and its significance for the Early Church - How our readings coupled with the Letter to the Hebrews show Jesus to be the new and everlasting Jewish High Priest

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

Apologia: Defending the Faith

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. John 21:12–14The appearances of Jesus after His Resurrection were cloaked in mystery. Not a mystery of confusion, but a mystery of profound depth and awe. On this, the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples, Jesus first spoke to them from the shore after they had been fishing all night without catching anything. He told them to try again and to throw the net over the right side of the boat. They did so without even realizing that it was Jesus Who was speaking to them. But upon catching more than they could handle, they realized it was the Lord.The “mystery” present in this resurrection appearance has many aspects. Why did the disciples not recognize Jesus at first? Why did Jesus instruct them to throw the net over the right side of the boat? Why was Jesus made known through this catch of one hundred and fifty-three large fish? Why was Jesus cooking breakfast for the disciples on the shore? And why did John record that “none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?'” Though all of these mysteries have answers that have been offered over the centuries by the saints and great Scripture commentators, it's useful to also simply ponder the fact that Jesus' resurrection appearances were, indeed, cloaked in mystery.In a mystery novel, the reader is given various vague clues to help them try to figure out the mystery and solve it. The clues are vague intentionally so as to make the solving more enjoyable and challenging. However, when it comes to a “mystery of faith,” such as the mystery of faith surrounding Jesus' resurrection appearances, the mystery is of an entirely different sort. In these cases, the mystery is one of depth and breadth and is something that has the potential to draw us deeper and deeper into the infinite nature of God and His saving action.Take, for example, this one line quoted above: “And none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?' because they realized it was the Lord.” It appears that the disciples gathered around Jesus as He was preparing breakfast on the shore and sat there in awe of Him. Their silent awe of Him in this appearance reveals that words are not sufficient. Normally, when you see someone whom you are happy to see, you greet them and start talking, asking them how they are, etc. But here, the disciples remained in this holy awe, listening to Him, receiving this meal and pondering the mystery of His resurrected presence. Reflect, today, upon the ways that our Lord comes to you. It's easy to miss Him since His ongoing presence in our lives is also mysterious. Imagine if the disciples would have ignored Jesus' call to “Cast the net over the right side of the boat…” If they would have ignored that command, they may have never come to realize it was the Lord. Reflect upon the ways that our Lord speaks to you. Do you respond? Do you recognize Him? Do you allow yourself to be drawn into this holy awe of His divine presence? Follow the example of the disciples and be on the lookout for the ongoing presence of our Lord all around you. My divine Lord, You are constantly present to me, day and night, and yet I so often fail to perceive You and adore You. Help me to become more aware of Your presence in my life. As I do, help me to enter more deeply into these holy mysteries with love, devotion and awe. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: Meal of Our Lord and the Apostle By James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

The Apostle John wrote in John 21:25, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." If this verse is true, and it is, then we should study the miracles that we do have record of in the four Gospels because the same Jesus Who performed those miracles then is very much alive and the same today and is willing to work miracles today!

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a - Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus Who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Bishop Sheen quote of the day Matthew Arnold joins Terry to confront the current evils facing the Church today from without AND within

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a - Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus Who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Bishop Strickland and Terry discuss the decision by the Coptic Orthodox Church “to suspend theological dialogue with the Catholic Church after its change of position on the issue of homosexuality” as well as Saint Frances Cabrini, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint John Paul II

First Sunday in Lent Bible Readings Isaiah 35:4-7 Worship Folder Pastor Paul A. Tullberg Sermon text: Romans 8:31-39 31 What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us? 32 God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things? 33 Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself. 34 Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us. 35 Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or having no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war? 36 The Holy Writings say, “Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed.” 37 But we have power over all these things through Jesus Who loves us so much. 38 For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot! 39 The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Take a Moment to recall something from today's message. Ask Jesus to create for you opportunities to use your words, activities and thoughts to glorify Him this week. We value your friendship and the opportunity to share the love of Jesus together with you!

“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17Saint Paul (who in Hebrew was known as Saul of Tarsus) was a devout Jewish Pharisee who vigorously defended the law. After Jesus' Ascension into Heaven, the newfound Christian faith began to grow rapidly. As a result, Saul of Tarsus vigorously tried to end this new religion which he perceived as erroneous. He traveled about looking for followers of Jesus to arrest and imprison. Saul even gave his consent to the stoning of the deacon, Saint Stephen, the first martyr. However, on one of his journeys, Saul had a vision of the risen Christ Who spoke to him gently, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). It was in that encounter that Saul was left blinded for three days.The line quoted above are the words of Ananias, a devout disciple of Jesus. Ananias had also received a vision from Jesus Who told him to go to Saul of Tarsus and to lay his hands on him so that he would be healed. Ananias was also told that Saul was “a chosen instrument” through which the Gospel would be preached to the “Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel.”Though there are many fascinating aspects to the story of Saint Paul and his conversion, it is also inspiring to reflect upon the way in which God first converted him. Jesus was not harsh with Saul. He was not condemning. Instead, he saw the goodness and vigor of Saul and knew that he would respond if he were given the opportunity. Though Jesus used the powerful action of striking him blind, He did so because He saw so much potential for good within Saul.This same truth applies to our lives. Each one of us has incredible potential for good, and God does see this. God is aware of all that He can do with us and is seeking to draw us into His mission of sharing the Gospel with those in need. The question to ponder is whether or not you have responded to the ways that God has spoken to you and invited you to serve Him with your life. Saul's encounter with Jesus was powerful and transforming not only because he was blinded by this vision—it was powerful and transforming, first and foremost, because Saul wanted to serve God but was trying to do so in an erroneous way. And once that error was corrected, Saul responded in an immediate and complete way. As a result, Saul became one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the Church.Reflect, today, upon the desire in the heart of Jesus to invite you into His mission. Though you may be unaware of the many ways God can use you, Jesus is fully aware. He sees all of your gifts and knows who He wants to draw to Himself through you. Say “Yes” to Him this day and do so with every fiber of your soul. Doing so will allow God to do great things through you. Lord, I do love You and desire to be used by You in the way that You choose. Help me to convert my heart more fully to You so that I can be led by Your gentle and powerful hand. I accept whatever mission You give to me and pray that my life will give You true glory and further Your glorious Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Ananias restoring the sight of St. Paul, via Wikimedia Commons

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Matthew 14:22–23Our Gospel today presents us with two different images to ponder. The first one is recorded above, and the second one is the story of Jesus walking on the water. In the second story, the disciples were rowing against the wind and waves in the early morning before the sun rose. Jesus appeared to them walking on the water, and they were frightened. Jesus confronts the fear they experience and calls Peter to walk on the water as a sign of his faith in Him. Peter begins to walk on water, and then in fear, he begins to sink. He cries out to Jesus Who catches Him and then gently rebukes Peter for his lack of faith.It is helpful to understand the first image in this Gospel passage as the context for the second. In this first image, we see Jesus dismissing the crowds after feeding the five thousand and going up a mountain to pray all alone. Though Jesus was always in perfect union with the Father and, therefore, had no need for prayer, He prayed nonetheless because it was His human expression of the deep union He had with His Father. As He prayed, He also set forth an example to all who would follow Him, teaching them by His example about the importance of private prayer. The primary lesson He taught on this occasion was that prayer is the remote preparation we need so as to overcome all apparent obstacles in life and to confront fear with perfect faith.First, the obvious “obstacle” Jesus overcame through His prayer was symbolized by His walking on the stormy sea. No one walks on water. It's physically impossible. But that's the point. When we make our life of personal prayer a priority, God will lead us to accomplish that which appears to us to be impossible. It might not be walking on water literally, but His walking on water after spending the night in prayer is symbolic of every apparent impossibility we face in life. The lesson is that if God wills it, nothing is impossible. We will know that if we make personal prayer our first priority.A second obstacle that Jesus confronts is fear. Fear is paralyzing and results in us “sinking” when life becomes difficult. Again, personal prayer is the necessary preparation for overcoming fear. What's interesting is that we have two witnesses of prayer. First is Jesus' witness. He prayed because it was good and right to pray. The second is Peter. He prayed when he started to sink. He said, “Lord, save me!” This is the prayer of one who failed to have faith and prayed out of a present need rather than out of pure love of God. Too often, Peter exemplifies the prayer life that many Christians have. We often wait to pray until we need help and are sinking. But what if Peter had also spent the night in prayer simply out of love of God? What if he had just finished praying all night when he was invited to walk on water? Perhaps then he would have easily walked to Jesus and would not have given into fear.Reflect, today, upon making your life of prayer the number-one priority in your life. Maybe you have many responsibilities in life. Nothing is more important than praying—and not only when you feel trapped or feel like you are sinking. Instead, we must all establish an unbreakable habit of prayer to God for the singular reason that it is good and right to do so. The fruit of such a life of prayer is that no matter what obstacle comes our way, we will have the faith we need to follow every command of our Lord, overcoming even that which appears to be impossible.My prayerful Lord, You spent the night in prayer to Your Father not because You needed help, but because of Your love. Your prayer was an expression of that love and was a natural requirement of it. Please help me to also establish an unbreakable habit of prayer so that my love for You will remain strong and so that I can follow You through every apparent obstacle in life. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.