Podcasts about judg

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus proclaimed, “When you fast…” (Matt. 6:16). He assumed His followers would fast after His earthly ministry was complete and He ascended into Heaven (Matt. 9:15). Jesus fasted (Matt. 4:2). Anna fasted (Luke 2:37). Cornelius fasted (Acts 10:30). The leaders at Antioch fasted (Acts 13:2). Paul wrote that he was “in fastings often” (2 Cor. 11:27). The Old Testament is also filled with stories of fasting (Ex. 34:28, Lev. 16:31, Judg. 20:26; 1 Sam. 7:6; 2 Chr. 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:16; Isaiah 58; Jonah 3:5; etc.). Join as we dig into the Word and discover why God wants us to fast, the different kinds of fasts in Scripture, and the impact fasting has on our lives.

passage: Judg 6:1-40, service: Sunday School

Should teens be allowed to make their own decision about church? Does forcing them to go lead to them resenting the church? What is a parent to do?!On today's podcast, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through what it looks like to raise up a child and whether or not forcing a child to go to church even when they don't want to is a biblical thing to do or not. There is a lot of energy around this topic, so we hope that this episode can provide some clarity for all you parents out there!The 17:17 podcast is a ministry of Roseville Baptist Church (MN) that seeks to tackle cultural issues and societal questions from a biblical worldview so that listeners discover what the Bible has to say about the key issues they face on a daily basis. The 17:17 podcast seeks to teach the truth of God's Word in a way that is glorifying to God and easy to understand with the hope of furthering God's kingdom in Spirit and in Truth.Scriptures: 1 Sam. 1:27-28; Prov. 22:6; Prov. 29:15; Mark 10:13-16; Heb. 10:25; Deut. 4:9; Deut. 6::4-9; Deut. 11:19; Deut.31:11-12; Exo. 12:21; Joel 2:16-17; Judg. 2:10-12; 1 Tim. 3:4-5; Eph. 6:4; 2 Tim. 3:14-15; Heb. 12:11; 1 Cor. 11:1; Luke 4:16; Psa. 122:1.Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so that we can reach to larger audiences and share the truth of God's Word with them!Write in your own questions to be answered on the show at 1717pod@gmail.com or tweet at us @1717pod on Twitter.  God bless!

     In Scripture, we learn that the Holy Spirit is God (Gen 1:2; Acts 5:3-4), and He always directs believers to think and act in a manner consistent with His holy character. Under the Mosaic Law, only a select few persons received the Holy Spirit (Ex 31:1-5; Num 11:25; 27:18; 1 Sam 16:13), and that was conditioned on God's sovereign purposes. Merrill F. Unger states: "In Old Testament times the Spirit sovereignly came upon a few. Warriors, kings, prophets, and mighty men were temporarily filled to perform some special task, such as Gideon (Judg 6:34), Amasai (1 Ch 12:18), Samson (Judg 14:6), and Saul (1 Sam 16:13). Pentecost, however, marked a new era in which every believer, no matter how poor, humble, or obscure, might be constantly “filled with the Spirit.” This is the reason for the stress upon the infilling (Acts 2:4). What warriors, kings, prophets and mighty men then enjoyed only temporarily can now be enjoyed by every believer constantly (Acts 2:17–18)."[1]      Under the Mosaic Law, the ministry of the Holy Spirit was conditioned upon holiness and could be forfeited due to heinous sin (Judg 16:20; 1 Sam 16:14-16; Psa 51:11); however, the removal of the Holy Spirit as an act of discipline did not mean forfeiture of salvation (Judg 16:28-30; 1 Sam 24:6, 10; 2 Sam 1:14-16; cf. Heb 11:32). During the Church age, the Holy Spirit convicts the unsaved about sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). The specific sin mentioned by Jesus is that of unbelief that He is the Savior.      The indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit for every believer was an innovation that was future from the time of Jesus' ministry on earth (John 14:16-17; 16:7, 13). In the church age, all three Persons of the Godhead indwell every believer (John 14:16-17, 20, 23); however, the Holy Spirit has a special ministry which began on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-4; 11:15-16; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:26-28), and will continue until the church is raptured to heaven (2 Th 2:7; cf. John 14:1-3; 1 Th 4:13-18; Tit 2:13). According to Thomas Constable: "The Holy Spirit of God is the only Person with sufficient (supernatural) power to do this restraining…How does He do it? Through Christians, whom He indwells and through whom He works in society to hold back the swelling tide of lawless living. How will He be taken out of the way? When the church leaves the earth in the Rapture, the Holy Spirit will be taken out of the way in the sense that His unique lawlessness-restraining ministry through God's people will be removed (cf. Gen 6:3)."[2]      The Holy Spirit brings about our spiritual birth (John 3:3, 6-7; cf. 1 Pet 1:2-3, 23), baptizes us into union with Christ (1 Cor 12:13), indwells us (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19), and is Himself the seal (σφραγίζω sphragizo – a mark of ownership) that guarantees our future redemption and glory (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30). These blessings are completely the work of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the Christian and occur at the moment of faith in Christ. These are facts based on objective statements in Scripture and are accepted by faith, not our subjective feelings. As Christians, we can grieve and/or quench the Holy Spirit with personal sin (Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19), and though we may suffer divine discipline because of personal sin (Heb 12:5-11), we cannot grieve Him away. The Holy Spirit works in the life of every Christian to glorify Jesus (John 16:14), to reveal Scripture directly and through gifted teachers (John 16:13-15; Eph 4:11-16), to illuminate Scripture and make it understandable/acceptable (1 Cor 2:11-13), and to promote the use of the believer's spiritual gift for the edification of others (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:4-10, 28-30; Eph 4:11; 1 Pet 4:10).     [1] Merrill F. Unger, “The Significance of Pentecost” Bibliotheca Sacra (1965): 174. [2] Thomas L. Constable, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 719.

Bride Rewarded; Factious and Apostates Judged (13) (Audio) David Eells - 11/6/22 3 out of 4 Will Fall Away Claire Pienaar - 10/26/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was watching three different people in bathroom stalls. (As we will see, these three individuals represent the three out of four in the parable of the sower that fell away. Claire represents a corporate body of the one out of the four that bore fruit 30, 60, and 100 fold. Mat. 13:8  and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Jesus' interpretation: 23 And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.) These stalls were adjacent to a communal dining hall where there was a large wooden table and wooden chairs. (The bathroom stalls represent each believer's call to get rid of the waste of the old man. The communal dining hall with large wooden table represents the Body of Christ coming together to feast on the Word, by resting on the works of the Cross). (Riaan: The bathroom stalls not only represent a place where you are supposed to get rid of all fleshly waste, but they can also represent cubicles of self-works, like working in an office). (Gal. 5:4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.) This area looked like a rehab center. (The rehab center represents the rehabilitation process of the washing of water with the Word which delivers us from our fleshly idols and sinful addictions.) It appeared to me that these people were in different stages of “sanctification” or rehab. (There are many stages of sanctification after our initial salvation experience, but if we don't endure in our trials until the end we won't keep our salvation. Mat. 10:22 ...he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.) It looked like the first one (Ella) had overcome the initial addiction or sins and replaced it with something else. (The flesh is always looking for something to hang onto so that it can live. Many times we get rid of one fleshly vice only to find something else to entertain our flesh and allow it to keep on controlling us. Mat. 13:3-4, ...Behold, the sower went forth to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them. Jesus' interpretation: Mat. 13:18-19 ...When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one , and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. ) The second one (Daniel) was still struggling with his initial addictions or sins. (These are the people with the “once saved always saved" false doctrine. They don't ever receive the power to overcome their initial sins because they only believe that your are perfected when you die and go to heaven. Mat. 13:5-6,20-21  and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away… Jesus' interpretation: 20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; 21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. ) The last one (Linda) was completely given over to many other sins because she failed to recognize them as sin in the first place.  Mat. 13:7  And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them. Jesus' interpretation: 22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.) The first person's name was Ella (In Hebrew this name means “goddess”, and in German it means “Other” or “Foreign”). (These worship a false Jesus and receive false seed that bears fruit that doesn't look like the Father. Hos. 5:7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields.) Ella was preoccupied with her nails. She used to be an addict, but now she was addicted to doing her nails. (Riaan: [Keratin is dead cells that make up the fibrous structural protein of our nails.] Being pre-occupied with nails represent dwelling on the works of dead flesh.) I had flash visions of her doing her nails everywhere: In the car, with her mom, in the shower, at work. She wasn't trying to cut off her nails and keep them short and neat. She had a preoccupation with false nails, and making her nails appear more beautiful than is naturally or humanly possible. (This represents the vain works of the flesh that make people look good outwardly to others.) When I went into her stall, I showed her my own bare nails and said, “Look, it really doesn't look that bad”. She smiled weakly but could not commit to changing her habits. (1Co. 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.) I walked into the next stall and the person's name was Daniel. (This name means “God is my judge”). (John 8:15-16,23-24 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me… 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he , ye shall die in your sins.) He was a recovering drug addict, like Ella. (These “drug addictions” represent, “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.”) He had showered, and was now praying, and he was dressed in a big grey bathrobe. (As we will see, he had been washed by the water of the Word but was still clothed in death because of his unbelief.) He was saying that he knows God can take it away from him and was pleading with God. I told him that it had already been taken care of at the cross 2000 years ago. It was finished. (He likely represents those who lack faith in the completed works of the cross). (The condition of salvation is that you must believe. Rom. 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...) He asked me if I had ever dealt with addiction and I said “yes” because I've dealt with sin, and that is the same thing. Daniel then put the gown on me, wanting me to join him in this dark comfortable misery, but I said, “Oh no thank you!” and put the gown back on him and walked out of his stall. (Misery loves company and we can not allow others to drag us down with their evil hearts of unbelief.) (Riaan: This one was washed clean initially, accepting the cleansing power of God but then went back to what is “comfortable” for the flesh and covered the “cleanness” with darkness.) The third stall belonged to a person named Linda. (Her name means beautiful serpent.) Linda was not in the stall, but was, instead, walking between the dining table and a cupboard, packing things in a bag. (Packing things in a bag represents carrying a lot of “baggage from the past” i.e. bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness and guilt.) She used angry and biting tones in response to all my questions about her addiction: First denying, then blaming, then getting angry. I asked her, “Why are you so hurt? Who hurt you?” And she replied, “His name is Davis, and he really hurt me." (Davis means “son of David”). (Riaan: She represents faction [and anger towards God].)... I did what I knew was wrong to please him, and now he's left me. I can't understand it” (This represents a misunderstanding of what is pleasing to God because of ignorance of His Word. God's presence leaves us when we grieve His Holy Spirit.)  ... I wanted to hug her, as I knew she needed much love. She used profanity out of sheer frustration at her own weakness and lack of good character. She was remorseful but did not know how to be freed from this sin. (Again this third one represents those in Mat. 13:22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.) Then I woke up. I asked the Lord for a verse by faith at random for this dream, and I received John 1:1, (in context 1,4-5) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. I asked the Lord for another word by faith at random to help understand this dream. I received Isaiah 5:3, (in context 1-6)  ... My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2 and he digged it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.     Very Few Will Climb Mt. Zion Samuel Fire - 10/25/22 (David's notes in red) I saw Tiannah and I as little children running on this hiking trail. We ran casually and gracefully on this trail. It went through this big forest and ended at the top of a mountain. (This trail represents the straight and narrow path that leads up to the top of Mt. Zion, the New Jerusalem Bride.) While on the track we ran through forests and crossed rivers by jumping on rocks. (The rocks represent our Rock of salvation, Jesus, on whom we stand to keep us from being swept away by the current of the curse represented by the river waters.) There were difficult areas to get through but some were easier. We were acting very playful and joyful, with no fear or worry, like simple-minded, young children. (Rom. 16:19  For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.) On this trail, we came across all different types of other people, on all different sections of the trail. We were kind to all of them, but they didn't want to go any further up on the trail. (These people are similar to the different people in Claire's dream above. They are all on the "salvation trail" but at some point in their walk they find a comfortable spot and decide that they don't want to go any further, since this leads to “death to self.") Some of the people kept trying to get us to stay with them but we didn't want to. (As in Claire's dream above, misery and complacency loves company and these people will try to derail your journey of sanctification and pull you down with them. Gal. 5:7 Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?) We just wanted to keep running along the trail, climbing up the mountain. (1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.) We came to this open park area where I saw a group of people... They were all stopped and chatting with each other; having a picnic. They were acting very comfortable and relaxed, as if they thought that was the end of the trail and that they don't need to go any further. We just ... kept running on the trail, and in the distance behind us, we heard them telling us to ‘Stop running', ‘That's crazy', ‘That's dangerous' ‘Whoa! I wouldn't do that!' etc. (This represents apostate Christians who are in dead religion and they don't see a need for perpetual sanctification. They think the Bride is a fanatic and excessive like in Sos 5:9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, That thou dost so adjure us?) At one spot there was another couple... They told us that we are crazy for wanting to keep climbing up the mountain and that it is too dangerous for us to keep running on the trail. We just wanted to keep running and we said to them “Come with us!” but they didn't want to come, they were comfortable where they were. (Continuing in sanctification is uncomfortable to the “old man”.) So, we kept on going and eventually got to the top of the mountain, where there was this beautiful waterfall. (The Bride has rivers of living water flowing out from her. John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.)  While at the top, we went to one side of a cliff and looked down. We saw from far away the last couple that we had met. We yelled out to them, “Come up here!” But they didn't say anything, they only shook their heads to say ‘no'. (Rom. 10:21 ...All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.) Then the scene changed and Tiannah, our son David, and I were much older than we are in real life. (Representing that we and our fruit, of Christ in us, has matured through the sanctification process.) All 3 of us were now muscular, more mature and were equipped with everything we needed: a backpack, food, water and tools. We had everything needed to survive in a wilderness. We were still on top of the mountain but were equipped to walk back down the trail again that we had walked as children. (The Bride has gone through her trials and is now strong, mature, prepared, and equipped with the Word that she has put down into her heart to minister to others during the Tribulation.) We went again to the cliff  and looked down and saw that the last couple were still standing there; not having moved at all. We set up a zip line and swung down to where they were. (The zip line represents the supernatural anointing that the Man-child will receive to bring the good news of the gospel to those in tribulation. But as we will see, just as in Jesus' day, many will not have eyes to recognize the Man-child or their reformation in the Tribulation.) We were encouraging them to come up the mountain, [of sanctification] and speaking to them with pure love, mercy and grace to encourage them to take the next step. We gave them some bread. We spoke with scripture so simply and gently. They took a few more steps but they didn't want to go any further than that. We gave them everything that they would accept, but when they didn't want to take any more steps, we kept walking back down the trail to find others. We found more people that we had previously seen on the trail, some still in the same spot where we last saw them and some had walked a little further up the trail but others were further back than before. (Mark 4:24-25 ...Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you. 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.) We gave one of the groups of people we saw some food and water and spoke about The Lord with them and lead them across a river until they didn't want to walk any further. Some other people followed us for a while, others only moved a little bit further and some didn't want to move at all. After we spoke to everyone that we found we went back up the mountain to the top. (The old saying is so true, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.” Psa. 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; Whose trappings must be bit and bridle to hold them in, Else they will not come near unto thee.)     Apostates are Climbing the Wrong Mountain Claire Pienaar - 10/26/22 (David's notes in red) I had a quick vision of a couple named Eddie and Andie. (Eddie means “wealthy friend”. He likely represents those who are strong in the world. James 4:4 Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. (Mat. 19:23 And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.) (Andie means “man-like” and represents the Jezebel daughters of the Harlot, as we will see.) They were climbing a very rocky, desolate mountain. It had broken branches, dead tree stumps and many rocky and craggy places. Nothing green grew on this mountain. (This could represent the wilderness tribulation [that many apostate Christians will have to go through].) (Riaan: This particular mountain represents works of the flesh [which separate us from Christ as in Gal. 5:4.].) (John 15:1-2,5-6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: … 5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Primarily, we abide in Him by faith that we were crucified with Christ and He now lives in us. This faith entitles us to power from God to bear fruit.) They were dressed in what looked like the exact same wedding attire Riaan and I wore for our wedding, except Andie's dress was not pure white, as mine had been, but an 'off white' color. (Claire represents the Bride because her name means “brilliant” and the Bride's garments are bright and pure as is spoken of in Rev. 19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. This 'off white' wedding dress represents those who have yet to attain to a 'leukos' garment like in Rev. 19:14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. Both of these groups have a lesser garment than the Bride.) (Sometimes those walking in the flesh look more pious than they really are. 1Sa. 16:7, ... Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature... for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.)   She was holding a small bouquet. (This represents branches being cut off. It makes a nice bouquet initially, but we want to be attached to the “vine”, otherwise we will wither and die. John 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.) They looked dishevelled, and dirty from climbing. Ed was slightly further along, but he was not waiting for his bride and he had a scowl on his face. Andie looked very fearful of falling and they both looked laser focused on not falling. Andie's wedding dress was torn at the bottom. I looked down at her feet and saw she had the finest, black, fancy shoes on, with little diamond gems. The soles were red though, and I heard the words, “Trampling the blood of the saints.” (Ed represents those distracted with worldly riches and Andie represents the “manly” Jezebel spirit who is a daughter of the Harlot. These types are leavened to the Body and they are climbing the wrong mountain that produces no fruit.) Rev 17:5 and upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.). I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random for this dream, and received John 5:37, (in context 37-40)  And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not. 39 Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; 40 and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.     Moving to the New House with the David's   Claire Pienaar 11/2/22 (David's notes in red) I had two dreams that followed one another and seem to be connected. Dream #1: I dreamed that I was asleep and dreaming that David Eells was packing up his house and moving, but my family was not there yet. I was distraught as I needed to be where he was. In the dream I woke up and scheduled a call with him, and we chatted. David was very excited. Then I was transported through Zoom to David's house. He told me that a factious man had sold the house that UBM was in, and they needed to be out by Wednesday morning. (The factious man represents the house of faction. This means their time of oppressing and slandering us is almost up and their judgment comes.) (This was a sly, underhanded move it seems, from David's reaction of excitement and quick movements in the dream, initially. (It's good for us to be out of the faction's influence and we are excited that our testing is over.) But finding a new home was no challenge for David and his friends.) I received by faith at random Zec 14:14 (In context, 10-14) And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem. ...11  And men shall dwell therein, and there shall be no more curse; but Jerusalem shall dwell safely. ... 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from Jehovah shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor. (God will turn our factious enemies against each other as with Gideon and Jehoshaphat. And they will no more harass us as in the dream.) 14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the nations round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.  (We will plunder the factious in Church and State and will have our new houses.) In the dream, it was Monday afternoon. (From Monday to Wednesday is very quick. We will be “out by Wednesday”). David had many sweet people living with him: A few that I remember were: An old lady with a Greek name that I cannot remember, as well as Michael and Eve. (David represents the David Man-child reformers whom "the Bride" represented by Eve and those "who are like God" represented by Michael, dwell with.) Eve, as a type of the Bride, lived in a separate loft, and she had some people she was helping to move, although they were moving to a different place. These people were still in the world, but she was acting in faith and being patient with them, and it seemed they were maturing right before my eyes. Their place would be somewhere between the old house and the new house. (Meaning, they will not yet be escaping tribulations.) It was amazing to watch how efficiently these people got rid of stuff (baggage) and how the house they were in cleared out supernaturally. It wasn't cluttered to begin with, but by the time I walked to Eve's portion of the house and back to where David was, everything had been cleared or taken away. (Representing that God will do a quick work.) The Greek lady, especially, seemed very helpful and cheerful (I think she represents the "Good News" that David preaches and teaches, since it was written in the Greek). David was saying that the new home was smaller but nicer and “all white”. (This new spiritual house has been delivered from the factious apostates and the unity and peace is greater.) The new home could not have as many people in the house as the old house did, but these good people could rent or purchase homes very close to David. (These new personal homes are built together in unity as in Eph. 2:21 in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.) All those homes were white too. He was telling me how it had worked out perfectly. It was a 3-hr drive to the new home, and David said the house was “perfectly white”. (Notice: We arrive at the third hour!! Mar 15:25  And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. Act 2:15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day. [filled with the Holy Spirit]) I had a vision of this house then, and it was picture perfect. Not flashy, but more like a large cottage. It was perfect. It seemed closer than a 3-hr trip to me. (It is very close) I told David I am relying on God solely for us to come over there. Then he said, “You can buy the house next to me”. And I said, “David, I have no money. Even if I did, God would have to multiply everything so I could live there”. David laughed and said, “And He will”. I laughed too, in agreement. (Amen!! Father will be our provider!) I asked the Lord for a verse by faith at random for this portion of the dream, and by faith at random I received 2Ti. 1:13: Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (i.e. Confess your needs are received. “Hold fast the confession of your hope that it waver not, for He is faithful that promised.”)     We Must Fix Our Vehicles First Claire Pienaar - 11/2/22 (David's notes in red) Dream #2: I woke up out of the previous dream and immediately dreamed I was with Riaan in our house, although this house looked different to the current one we live in. He needed to get the van's axle fixed and we took it in to mechanics that were a 3-hr drive away. (The same third hour of crucifixion and filling with the Spirit will fix the Van.) Before we left for the mechanic, I had lamb shanks cooking in my slow cooker. (Eating the legs represents partaking of the walk of the Passover Lamb, Jesus. This was the last meal before the Tribulation wilderness.)  This was going to be the last meal in our old home with our children. All the boxes were packed to go. So we drove to the mechanic's shop. When we got there, they said, “Nah mate, it's all good. She'll be ‘right'!” (Aussie slang for “there's no problem here”). (As we will see, the mechanics represent preachers who lower the bar so that everybody is okay.) On the way in the car to the mechanic, Riaan said to me, “I left the pot on, don't tell my sister”. I was so upset, not because of fear, but because he thought it was funny. I said that we need to get home as it could cause a fire, as the pot could not be on for so long. (This is flawed thinking in my dream because my slow cooker can be on for longer than 6 hours and everything would be a-ok). (The Lamb can be on the fire for as long as it takes for us to come to crucifixion and resurrection.)  I only had his mother on my phone to call, but she was at a beach holiday and could not go help. (The apostate mother is resting in the world and will be no help to anyone to arrive at Crucifixion and Anointing.)   When we got home, the lamb shanks were all slushy, but I was happy our home and kids were safe. (We must be crucified until our legs are “slushy” and Christ's walk in us is strong.) Then, in the dream, I went to bed and during the night Riaan tossed and turned and got up. I eventually woke up and went to where he was. He  had been wringing his eyes and was wearing his orange mine clothing (Representing a warning). He was so frazzled about the van. It seemed he had received a revelation about the van not being right while sleeping. He said, I could roll this car on the way to the airport and kill us all. It is so unstable”. (He seemed gravely concerned about doing anything that could harm us). (Our mode of operation must be stable so that we can make it to the airport representing mounting up to heavenly places in Christ.) He was really upset with the Australian mechanics and that they'd lied to him, because the van was not right at all. However, the fault was truly with the van, and he knew that. ...I said to him soothingly, “We can drive in it until we get to the airport. (It wont be necessary when you rise into heavenly places.)  But let's trade it in or scrap it and we don't care what we drive in afterwards.”... We got the children ready and prayed over the car that it would be safe until we got to the airport. ... And then I woke up.       A House Fitly Framed Together Gabby Dibble - 10/30/22 (David's notes in red) I had this dream where there was a giant honeycomb in the sky. I was at my parents home (familiar place) with a sister Egzona and other disciples. I walked outside to look at the sky, knowing something was there. As I looked I saw an open honeycomb. The honeycomb then zoomed in and I could see there were people standing in each cell (the different sections). (A honeycomb could represent many houses joined together into one as a holy temple in the Lord as Ephesians speaks of: Eph 2:20-22 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. We just had a dream from Claire that we were moving to small houses in a tight group all next to one another.) There was one person per cell and there was motion. They continued to move to different cells. When I first saw the honeycomb about 60% of the honeycomb was filled, then there were less people (Representing the faction removing themselves), then more people were added (Representing the revival bringing those who received the crowns that the faction lost.) and soon within a few moments it was completely filled.  I then saw a man and a women underneath the honeycomb, holding hands with someone inside to stay connected. (The faction will have someone inside as a spy. It could be someone spying on our emails.) They were preventing more people from coming in, kicking them down yet they had a smile plastered on their face. (Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. 18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.  As I was seeing this in my dream I was wondering if this represented the true body of Christ or something else. (Those in the honeycomb are the true body of Christ but the traitors who leave are the Judas', sons of perdition, betraying the true Body. They have tried to turn many away from the Gospel.) My vision then flashes to something else: I see men going to war in water with Jesus symbols around them (don't remember what they looked like whether it was crosses or something else. (Imposters playing Christians.)  This was showing two types of people. They looked like tribes as the men fighting had old weapons such as sticks or something related and were only wearing a loin cloth. Many of the men in charge were visibly older (grey hair, bit of a belly, etc.). (The leftists have already done false flags impersonating Christians in a negative light for the leftist news media like on Jan 6th.) I'm now back in the house and I'm standing in front of a tv with others. The government and civilians were going downhill. I'm not political anymore but on the news it showed the effects of having the democrats rule, only they were in charge at this point. Several (maybe 3 or 4) negative effects were being shown on the news.  (The declass is beginning to come out on all the destruction the democrats have brought to our country and the world. At this point they appear to be in charge but it is not so.)   One example I remember is the news reporter was standing with a mic in his hand dumbfounded because there was a fire going on for several days (3 or 4) that they couldn't put out. (The fire is the chaos, anarchy and destruction they are going to bring when they hear the Supreme Court decision to annul the 2020 vote is released. I believe they will come against the Christians too.) I then switched to a scene where I was heading to a disciple school with a ministry. I went to my room and Egzona, my sister in Christ came for the LONG ride. (Egzona means, joy and contentment. She went to disciple school with joy and contentment.) It took hours to get to this school and it was a ride with many things that were scary along the ride as it seemed dangerous but we kept going.  (Riots and Martial Law is coming.) I remember my mom and sister were in the car (neither of which are born again). I remember seeing my sister in the passenger seat up front with my white pair of sneakers on that were too tight for her. (Gabbys walk of purity is too restrictive for her because of too much flesh. She must be born from above.)   I wasn't the one driving and neither was Egzona, must've been my mom. When we arrived at the discipleship house I was trying to convince Egzona to stay because it seemed to be what the Lord was leading, I reminded her of desires she's had and shared with me about life.       Joel's Army and Gideon's Army A vision given to Robert I. Holmes (David's notes in red) (In late October 1996 I had a startling vision. (Remember, this vision was in 1996 and things have progressed since that time.) I was looking down from a high place and I saw a mighty army. It was marching in a long line, like a great column snaking through the jungle. It looked for all the world like a serpent. At its head was a banner, which read “Joel's army”. Behind them they left a swath of destruction, a road of sorts cut through the jungle. I was made aware that this army was ‘now marching' or had already mobilized. (Joel's army was the Assyrian army that conquered the apostate Northern tribes of Israel and apostate Judah, which they are in the process of doing with their vaccine plagues and others. These tribes represent apostate Christianity, both non-Spirit filled and "Spirit filled”, who have no faith in God to heal or to deliver from their curses. When they are finished with them, they will attempt to attack Jerusalem, the Bride, and God will destroy them.) I also saw off to one side, hidden in dense undergrowth, a battalion. This group stood quietly, waiting in the jungle. They were assembled in a square, and they were awaiting instructions. At the head of this smaller group was a banner which read "Gideon's army”. (Gideon represents the Man-child head of the Bride who will bring the Beast down.) Then I looked and saw a single platoon, off to the side of the battalion. It stood divided. I looked carefully at this group, feeling at first that it represented the local body of believers I belonged to at the time. They were standing in mud, in two ranks facing each other. The Spirit expressly said, "Many have passed through their ranks” and I began to realize they were (are) the prophets. These troops were stuck in the mud, and had not moved on for some time. (The prophetic voices are scrambled. The apostate are false prophetic. the true prophetic Spirit-filled are in the minority.)     Joel's Army Joel's army has been promoted widely as being a good army, an army of the church. Many songs, sung in Pentecostal and mainline Evangelical churches even quote the warrior Scriptures as relating to the church. However I do not hold to that understanding. To me, Joel's army is one of terrible locusts, "a great and powerful army... before them is like Eden, after them is desolate" (Joel 2:2,3). This is similar to the picture I had. Joel says they are "a powerful army, drawn up for battle, before them the nations are in anguish" (5,6). Why are the nations terrified of this army? Because they are an instrument of judgement. [against the apostate people of God.] Note that the Scripture does not say, "God's enemies are in anguish before them." Nor does it imply that the devil is afraid of them. It is the nations who are afraid. This army is made up of "the cutting locust... the swarming locust... the hopping locust... the destroying locust" (Joel 1:4). This is not a picture of the Bride of Christ. Evidently the army first destroys or bring judgement against God's own people because later in the book of Joel, God consoles His people saying, "I will repay YOU for the years the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer and the cutter, that great army I sent against you" (Joel 2:25). This is clearly God's instrument of judgement against both his church and the nations (peoples), not a great or good army in the church! The passages relating to Joel's army confuse some, because it is said that the Lord is at the head of HIS army. He is in control of them. But that no more makes them the church than it made Babylon or Assyria the church! Jeremiah depicts Babylon as God's own instrument, his servant (Jer 25:9), just as Isaiah depicts Assyria as being a weapon in God's hand (Isa 7:20). God used them, as He uses the army depicted by Joel, to berate and scold an unrepentant Israel. In the same way, Joel's army is marching in the end times, to scold and rebuke, to consume and devour the unregenerate church. (Amen! This is the Assyrian army who first conquered all of Israel and Judah and in Joel 2 was approaching Jerusalem whom John was told is the Bride.  As they called on the Lord, He smote 185,000 of their best warriors and the rest fled. Today this beast is conquering the apostate people of God but will be destroyed before Zion, the Bride, as the Man-child groom and Bride are revealed for the first time.)     Gideon's Army The second army I saw however, portrays an altogether different picture. Here is an army fully prepared, awaiting instruction. It is not yet mobile. The battalion (in military terms about 10,000 men) was labelled Gideon's army. It represents the refined, the chosen, the remnant church. This second army is not yet marching. They are stable, focused, balanced and awaiting instruction. They have NOT been given their marching orders! (That was in 1996. Gideon's army has been conquering the enemy; bringing down the DS faction and the Church faction by spiritual warfare.) Gideon and his men were exhorted: "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel... I will be with you and you shall strike down the Midianites" (Judg 6:14,15). Note there is an explicit command to strike down the enemies of Israel, or for the church, the devil and his powers- not the church! (It is the Man-child and Bride Bodies that strike down the Assyrian empire, representing the Beast of our day. Many apostates believe it is man who is bringing down the Beast empire but Jesus said, “What you bind on earth is bound in heaven” and “I give you authority over all the power of the enemy.") As I read through the account of Gideon in Judges 6-8 several things strike me about them. If this army is a picture of the remnant, then it will help to see what they had, and what they did. Firstly, they were twice refined. At first a great number of men gathered to fight (32,000 in all). During the first purging the Lord removed those who had the fear of man. This took their number down to 10,000. In my vision I saw the battalion (10,000 men) labelled as Gideon's army. This seems to indicate that the assembling battalion has already been refined of the fear of man. The second purging Gideon's army underwent was to remove those who trusted in their own strength. This took their number down to 300 which is the present Gideon's army; the one of my vision. (Many expect this second purging next. This purging and refining is finished and they are in the process of spiritual warfare to bring down this Beast who is attempting to destroy the Bride.) The next thing we notice about Gideon's army (and from now on these things are to come to the Gideon army gathered today) is that they were fewer in number than would be expected. Their number was so few in fact, that the move of God could not be blamed on them! The glory could only go to God and Israel would not be able to boast about the strength of her right arm. This fits well with my vision, as the assembled crowd represented only one battalion, not a whole army. The mighty triumphs and victories destined for this group can only be laid at the feet of Jesus. In their first battle, Gideon moved only according to God's command. It was at God's initiative, at His request, and by His plan only. It was interesting that as an army, they carried no swords! How could they possibly win the battle without weapons? Their battle cry was “a sword for the Lord and Gideon" (7:20) and the enemy "feared the sword of Gideon"(7:13). Yet in actual fact their hands were full. They went into battle with a shofar in one hand... and fire in jars in the other. The shofar symbolizes the prophetic clarion or the watchmen, used to sound the alarm and awaken the city. (The shofar represented turning breath or spirit, same word in Hebrew, into what can be heard. It represents the prophetic commands against the enemy and not warning the city. They did not want the help of the city.) The fire in jars may well speak of this very great treasure we have within us, this precious truth about Christ which shall demonstrate his very great power: "we have this treasure in clay jars", so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us." (2 Co. 4:7). Likewise the secret to our warfare is also that the weapons of our battle are not merely carnal, they are divine to the tearing down of strongholds (2 Co. 10:4). (The earthen vessels represent the carnal man, which has to be broken so that the fire of the Spirit can go forth through the spiritual man who has been given authority over the enemies.)     The Sons of Ephraim After winning an amazing victory in their first battle, Gideon's army pressed the defeated enemy far into the Northern region. They passed through into the land of Ephraim, toward Penuel. The inhabitants of this region - the sons of Ephraim, were accomplished soldiers. Over the years they had managed successive enlargements of their territory, and were powerful enough by Isaiah's time for him to even call them the Northern Kingdom! (Isa 7:28,29). They had defeated the princes of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb (Jud 8:3) and were furious that Gideon had left them out of the battle! Gideon must have considered taking such fine fighting men along to route the enemy, yet we read that he proceeded on without them (v 4). Whilst Gideon acknowledges their superior strength in battle (Judg 8:2), he in fact uses this as a way of diplomatically declining their implied offer of help. He proceeds without the prestigious fighters. It would have been tempting to take them along in his battle. There were, and are many good reasons to bring along people who seem to have a fruitful ministry (the name Ephraim means "fruitful place” in Hebrew). (It was said to represent the fullness of nations.) They may have prestige, they may have power, they may be experienced in battle and spiritual warfare, they may have ruled in the previous moves of God yet we, like Gideon, should deny their aide. Gideon did not choose their help at all. They do indeed have a special place in God's heart and plan, but not in His present plan for the army of Gideon. They are to route the enemy with the help of Jehovah alone! In conclusion, my vision, lastly, is a warning that we must clean up, and move on. We must not pretend we are clean when in fact we are dirty. The call of the hour for those who call themselves prophetic is ‘holiness unto the Lord'. Holy so that we may prepare and join the gathering, training, waiting army of Gideon in battle. (The battle represented spiritual warfare. If it was only physical warfare, Ephraim would have been valuable but God's power is made perfect through our weakness.) This reminds me of Eve's revelation about Gideon's 300:     UBM is at the Red Sea Now Eve Brast - 9/2/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that all of local and larger UBM who had obeyed Father's commands for the 8 day fast and the angel's command for the “last century Book of Acts Church" were gathered at the edge of the Red Sea. Those who had forsaken all the ways of Egypt and had completely come out into the wilderness were gathered there. No one had anything with them except their clothes. Everyone was dressed like Israelites of old in clothing that was in different shades of blue. (The shades of blue represent being dressed up in heavenly works.) (I only saw men in the dream because my view of the people didn't extend beyond those that were closest to the rock that David and I were standing on. I didn't see women or children in the dream.) (The David Man-child reformers and Eve representing the Bride are typed here.) Their numbers weren't in the thousands but only a few hundred. (I asked the Lord what the few hundred (or 300) that were next to the Red Sea represented and I heard, “The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” I believe they represent those who aren't fearful to engage in the battle and also those that the Lord has tried by the Water, representing the Word. (Each man is tested by the Word as to their obedience.) These are the over-comers who have obeyed the Lord and not their flesh. Jud. 7:2-14) (This could be the men of leadership under the Man-child David's who are prepared for the wilderness tribulation before the Church arrives. Gideon was a type of the Man-child and his 300 tested men who blew the shofars and broke the pitchers were a type of the Bride, the disciples/apostles. These went out to conquer the enemies for God's people. "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" was a powerful and exciting announcement of the beginning of the battle to divide and scatter the demonic enemies of UBM and the David ministries. This announcement signaled the breaking of the clay pitcher, representing the flesh, so the torch, as the light of God's life and Word, could shine out. This made it possible for the shofar, symbolizing the "breath", which in Hebrew is the same word for "Spirit", to be audible in the physical realm. This is the true prophetic Word of God which is spoken to bring every victory. This is the "Sword of the Lord and of Gideon" to scatter the demonic enemy.) The waters of the Red Sea were calm at the moment and it was dark out but, I could see everything by the bright light of the moon. I was standing on top of a large rock that was near the water's edge observing the whole scene and I was dressed in some type of sheer material that was flowing and full of wind although everything else around was still. I saw David, representing the David Man-child reformers, on the same rock further down, closer to the people. He was speaking with some of the men who were closest to the rock's edge. David was dressed in modern blue jeans and a light blue colored, short sleeved, Polo shirt. (What? No suit! Lol.) Egypt was behind us, at our backs. There was no danger from enemies or fear that they were going to trap us there in the dream. Everyone was at peace and waiting on the Lord. (I suppose they were waiting for the rest of the Church to show up so we could all cross the Red Sea together and see their enemies decimated in time for the Tribulation.) Then the voice of God spoke out of heaven to David and all the people from the direction that was between us and Egypt. He said, “These are My people who have obeyed all of My commands and have left Egypt behind to follow Me into the wilderness. I will provide for your every need from now on. I have scattered and defeated your enemies and they are no longer any threat to you. (This is true of the first fruits Man-child and Bride but not yet true of the remaining Church.) Do NOT look back towards Egypt. Do not heed the voice of man or pay attention to their leavened speech. Do not look to their ways or consider their lies and their deceptions. You will hearken unto My voice alone and be led by My Spirit alone.” Then I woke up. Father continued to speak to me after I woke up, "No other information or direction of man pertains to you. My ways are above their ways and My sons hear and consider My voice alone. Continue to put away the devices of Egypt that bring distraction and separation from Me and My Spirit. Cast down and reject all the voices of vanity, deception, and the reasonings of men that cause you to err in your minds and dull your hearing and your understanding. What I Am doing with My Bride and for My people has nothing to do with the vain plans or ways of men. Only My purposes will succeed. Only My plans will stand. I will cause you to walk above this earth in My heavenly places. You are not on their timeline, nor are you subject to the things of this world or the wicked plans of men who don't consider Me or call upon Me. I will be your All in All; your only source and provision in My wilderness, for the wilderness and everything in it belongs to Me and not to wicked men. Refrain from looking backward and going backward only to meet with the same destruction as Lot's wife, for you ARE in the days of Lot. Destruction is coming quickly to Sodom and Gomorrah. This is it. Only those who completely divorce themselves from Egypt and climb the mountain to remain continually in My presence will be hidden. The rest will fall in this wilderness tribulation due to the wavering of their faith, a lack of obedience and succumbing to their enemies. You will no longer be as the Israelites of old who refused to climb the mountain with Moses, to come into My presence and hear My Words for fear of death. Everyone will climb the mountain and enter into My presence and hear My voice and My Spirit. Ask of Me all things that pertain to your lives and godliness and I will give it to you in abundance. I Am for you and I wish that none of you perish. Hold fast to My promises and don't be slack to perform all that I have commanded you through My messengers. My peace will rest upon you and great success will be yours, in your obedience, as you continue to seek My face and draw close to Me.”   Be Careful What Water You're Swimming In   Claire Pienaar - 10/15/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was with my parents and my little family on vacation. (This represents resting from our works). My parents did not like this vacation. (This shows that the apostates don't know how to rest in the promises of the Gospel, [it makes them uncomfortable]). We wanted to swim and be in the water the entire time. They made continuous excuses and rejected us at every turn about everything we suggested during this vacation. (The apostates are of a different spirit than true believers and they reject the good news of the Gospel and the continual Sabbath rest because they believe they are justified by their works.) However, we were undeterred. My son, especially, was in the water like a fish the entire time. (Riaan: The ones that have come out of the apostate mother church only want to rest in the water of the Word while the apostate mother church makes excuses to not get “into the Word”). We walked along a beach and we saw a kelp forest peeking out from the surface of the ocean. My son told me, “Mommy… there will be many predators in the water there. We won't go in there. We'll stick to clear water”. (We must exercise discernment). (There are many predators in the murky waters which represent a mixture of the Word which the predators use.) I agreed, but the strange thing was that NOW my folks wanted to swim. They did everything to manipulate, control and coerce us into that murky ocean water with the kelp. (The murky waters invariably allow the flesh to live. It is trash doctrines.) We did not go into the murky water, even after they displayed anger towards us for not going. (Riaan: They only know the polluted water with false doctrine and that's where the enemy hides.) My son, Daniel, took my hand and led me back to the fresh clear water of a large pool. Then I woke up. (Riaan: Follow the Man-child, Jesus, and He will lead you to still, clear waters.)   Select Language Afrikaans Albanian Amharic Arabic Armenian Assamese Aymara Azerbaijani Bambara Basque Belarusian Bengali Bhojpuri Bosnian Bulgarian Catalan Cebuano Chichewa Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Corsican Croatian Czech Danish Dhivehi Dogri Dutch Esperanto Estonian Ewe Filipino Finnish French Frisian Galician Georgian German Greek Guarani Gujarati Haitian Creole Hausa Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Igbo Ilocano Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese Javanese Kannada Kazakh Khmer Kinyarwanda Konkani Korean Krio Kurdish (Kurmanji) Kurdish (Sorani) Kyrgyz Lao Latin Latvian Lingala Lithuanian Luganda Luxembourgish Macedonian Maithili Malagasy Malay Malayalam Maltese Maori Marathi Meiteilon (Manipuri) Mizo Mongolian Myanmar (Burmese) Nepali Norwegian Odia (Oriya) Oromo Pashto Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Quechua Romanian Russian Samoan Sanskrit Scots Gaelic Sepedi Serbian Sesotho Shona Sindhi Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Somali Spanish Sundanese Swahili Swedish Tajik Tamil Tatar Telugu Thai Tigrinya Tsonga Turkish Turkmen Twi Ukrainian Urdu Uyghur Uzbek Vietnamese Welsh Xhosa Yiddish Yoruba Zulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.Third John is a personal letter written from one friend (the elder) to another (Gaius).Gaius was a common name in the ancient world.For example, it was the name of the emperor Caligula (37-41 AD).A conflict has arisen between supporters of Demetrius and supporters of Diotrephes.This little letter yields many insights into early Christianity.First, John emphasizes his love for the Christians to whom he is writing.Loving relationships are rooted in truth (v.1).Without truth -- and this includes others' being truthful -- a solid relationship is not a realistic possibility2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 I was overjoyed when some of the friends arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, namely how you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.Health is a legitimate concern (v.2). Do we inquire after people's physical condition, or only after their spiritual health?"Friend" (v.3) is a technical term.Truth is something in which we "walk" (live in day to day), not just something to which we give assent (v.3).With regard to verse 4, Paul had similar sentiments in 1 Thess 3:8. The "children" are probably not be John's literal offspring, but rather children in the faith.With regard to verse 3, what do we call fellow believers?There are many acceptable words to describe followers of Jesus Christ: disciples, friends, believers, the church, the assembly, the Way, brothers, and more.Our term of choice reveals how we conceive of our relationship to fellow believers.Note: the term "disciples" seems to have been current in the book of Acts, yet not once does it appear in any of the letters. This would suggest that our options are considerably broader than we may have been led to believe.5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends,even though they are strangers to you; 6 they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God; 7 for they began their journey for the sake of Christ,accepting no support from non-believers.8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become co-workers with the truth.That "friends" may be strangers (v.5) strongly supports the special use of this alternate term for Christians.Financially supporting true disciples, even those they have never met, is commendable (vv.5-6)."Sending them on their way" indicates financial support (Matt 10:10; 1 Cor 9:14; Gal 6:6).Evangelists often (if not usually) were compensated for their work, since they moved from city to city and needed room and board. Elders too seem to have been paid (1 Pet 5; 1 Tim 5).These early missionaries did not accept assistance from non-believers (v.7). The church family takes care of the church family.One way these men were assisted was in room and board (v.8). Hospitality is a high virtue in the Bible.In v.7, "for the name of" has been rendered "for the sake of" (NRSV). If we follow the Greek NT more literally, the phrase the name (v.7) probably refers to the divinity of Christ.See Deut 12:5; Exod 23:20-23; Judg 2:1-5; Deut 4:37; John 17:11.God gave his "name" to Jesus.This is only one of many NT passages supporting the truth that Christ is God.9 I have written something to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with those charges, he refuses to welcome the friends, and even prevents those who want to do so and expels them from the church.Diotrephes is unfortunately not so generously minded (v.9).He "loves to be first."Ego is a driving factor in much of church history and church politics.John uses the rare word philoprōteuōn, appearing only here in the NT.In classical Greek it means "strive to be first or in the front rank."In ecclesiastical Greek (well after the 1st century), the word came to mean "love to be the leader."Striving to be first is a negative leadership quality. Modesty more often than not characterizes the men and women of the Bible whom the Lord uses to do great things.Diotrephes' doctrinal persuasion is a matter for speculation (v.10). This letter does not seem to be connected the world of Docetism. It's Diotrephes' world that is the issue -- with Diotrephes as star actor and lead commander. He expels those who disagree with him from the church.These were false instances of church discipline.Click for more on the subject of church discipline.John has no hesitation in dealing publicly with the wicked actions of Diotrephes.This ego-driven leader seems to pervert the good principle of 2 John 10 for his own purposes.Before siding with a teacher, we should examine the fruit of his life (v.11). (See also Matt 7:15-20.) There is a connection.11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Everyone has testified favorably about Demetrius, and so has the truth itself. We also testify for him,and you know that our testimony is true.Demetrius, the righteous leader, has a good reputation (v.12).This was a requirement for overseers and ministers (deacons, servants) in 1 Tim 3 and TitusThere are three reasons Gaius and his friends should trust Demetrius:He is highly regarded by the church at large.Demetrius' life is in accord with the truth.John speaks well of him.The friends should weigh this triple testimony: that of John, the church, and the truth itself."Whoever does good is from God" (v.11) refers to Demetrius. Moral character lies at the heart of Christian leadership, not forcefulness, persuasiveness, good looks, or popularity.13 I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; 14 instead I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.15 Peace to you. The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by name.As he indicated in his previous letter, John prefers to deal with certain matters face to face (vv.13-14)"Pen and ink" here, "paper and ink" in 2 John 12.See also 2 Cor 10:9-11."Friends" (v.14), once more, was an epithet of the early Christians.The friends were to be greeted not generally, but by name (v.14). There is something special about remembering people's names and praying for them by name (2 Tim 1:3).Finally:Though 3 John is quite a short letter, there is much for us today.Every chapter of the Bible -- 1189 in all! -- is inspired and useful (2 Tim 3:16).That means we need 3 John. Without it, our Bibles would not be complete. This letter anticipates many situations facing us today.Thought questions:Do we care about how others are doing physically, emotionally, and spiritually? (See 1 Thess 5:23.) Spiritual interest alone is lopsided. God created the body and its emotional, volitional, and intellectual faculties, not just the spirit.Am I a Demetrius, or a Diotrephes? Do I love to be first, or are am I well spoken of by others for being selfless? Am I a team player?How do we feel about paid staff? Christian workers are worth their wages. It is also right for us to support (at a distance) Christian workers we may never have met.What is our "favorite" term for a follower of Christ? There are many available designations for a Christian. Biblically there is no warrant for limiting ourselves to just one term (like disciple or Christian).

INTRODUCTION Remember that the point of this epistle is for Paul to defend the authenticity of his ministry. There are three groups involved. There were the false teachers, the agitators that stirred up the trouble. They had initially swayed the whole church, but after Paul's severe letter, the bulk of the church had come back into their loyalty to Paul. That is the second group. The third group was made of saints in the church who were still rattled, who still had the wobbles. These were the ones that Paul beseeched to “enlarge their hearts.” And in this passage, we get to Paul's basic “call to action.” We have come to the thing which they must do. THE TEXT “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1). DEBRIS CLEANING Before summarizing the text, there is an important misunderstanding to get out of the way. In this section, Paul famously says that we are not to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers.” This is regularly applied to marriages and/or business partnership, and while this is a legitimate application, it is not what the text is talking about—and we have to be careful not to lose the original meaning. When Paul tells Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments (1 Tim. 5:23), he was not trying to refute teetotalism. That is a legitimate application (by extension), but not what Paul was talking about. It is the same here. The original meaning was the summons that Paul was delivering, urging the remaining wobbly Corinthians to make a complete break from the false teachers (whom we will get to know much better in later chapters). For now it will serve to distinguish the wolves from the sheep who have been mauled by wolves. Paul is appealing here to the latter. SUMMARY OF THE TEXT Paul starts with the principle. Do not be in harness together with unbelievers (v. 14). The reason is then given in a series of contrasts. Is there fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness (v. 14)? Communion between light and darkness (v. 14)? Concord between Christ and Belial (v. 15)? Faith and infidelity (v. 15)? The temple of God with idols (v. 16)? These destructive false teachers want to set up their idols in the Corinthians, saints who were the Temple of God (v. 16). What looks like a solitary quotation from the Old Testament starting in v. 16 is actually a complicated mashup of quotations from about six different places in the Old Testament. The first two are promises of close and intimate fellowship (Lev. 26:11-12; Eze. 37:27). Then came the promise of adoption, and this is taken from four distinct places (2 Sam. 7:14; Is. 52:11; Eze. 20:34; Is. 43:6). Overwhelmingly, the six cited passages are talking about Israel's restoration to the land, brought out of exile. The Corinthians were the heirs of these spectacular promises and, as such, had an obligation to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of spirit and flesh, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (7:1). That is the call—to break with these sons of Belial. SONS OF BELIAL We can tell that this is the import of this passage from the overall flow of the argument. Dealing with these false teachers is, after all, the theme of the entire letter. But we can also see it in his use of a word like Belial. The word probably means worthlessness, and is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to covenant losers. In other words, we are talking about covenant members who were wicked louts. See, for example, the following: Dt. 13:13; Judg. 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:17,25; 30:22; 2 Sam. 20:1; 1 Kings 21:10,13; 2Chron. 13:7. This is precisely what Paul was dealing with at Corinth, and so he asks the rhetorical question—what possible fellowship can there be between Christ and Belial? THE PRESSING NEED FOR MORE CHURCH SPLITS The “unbelievers” Paul is talking about are his adversaries within the church. These are false brothers. Do not be “yoked with” means do not pal around with, enable, encourage, or otherwise link to these people. The driver of all such splits, however, needs to be holiness. If they pursue holiness in the fear of God, a lot of the separating will take care of itself. Paul is reminding the Corinthians of their identity in Christ. Now, in Christ, what are they? They are the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). They have been made light (2 Cor. 4:6). In Christ, they are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). By direct implication, Paul includes them as being among those who believe (2 Cor. 4:4). They are the Temple of God (2 Cor. 6:16). So the Corinthians are or have each of the characteristics that have no fellowship, communion, concord, part, or agreement with the corruptions offered by the sons of Belial. Those corruptions would unrighteousness, darkness, worthlessness, infidelity, and idolatry. And it is holiness of life that drives all such things away. DISEASED EVANGELICALISM Satan has two basic strategies for attacking the church. He attacks it by persecutions from without, and he attacks it by introducing corruptions from within. The latter has been his tactic of choice in the American church, and it has worked very well for him. The bottom line of all such corruptions is unholiness, and usually with a sexual component. This is why vast swaths of the evangelical church collapsed almost overnight when the challenges of the last two years first appeared. And so the application today should be obvious. Separate from—do not have anything to do with, do not follow, do not fellowship with—the ministries of anyone who is woke, or semi-woke, or is effeminate, or who compromises on theistic evolution, or who makes room for homosexuality as an identity, or who ordains women to be pastors, or who advances any form of critical theory, or who would otherwise invite this generation's Clown Car Review into the church. Tragically, this list is not limited to mainline liberal churches. Because we did not heed the warnings of the apostle, the evangelical movement is shot through with the cancers of unbelief. But do not just turn away. That is insufficient. Pursue holiness. Pursue righteousness. Pursue Christ.

On this weeks episode of The Gay Guy and His Hag, Happy Birthday to The Gay Gay!! And to Bird! The Gay Guy is extremly tired!! We listen to Adam Levine's DM's are put to the Maroon 5's Girls Like You by SongsbyAlex on IG.  The Hag needs a new name for her boom mic, send her some names!! The Gay Guy watched Kanye West's Interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight. It was a doozy. Did Kris Jenner forget about a Condo she owns?? Yes she did, because she's so out of touch with reality! Megan Kelly goes after the Kardashians calling them a force for evil. They Gay Guy and His Hag totally agree!! The Hag is excited because Comic Joe Koy messaged her back on IG. The Hag tells us all about him and why we should watch his Netflix Specials. Piers Morgan is at it again! He interviewed a Vegan activist on his show Piers Morgan Uncensored and well he decided to take it to a new level by eating a McDonalds Big Mac on set infant of her!! Hear all about. Masterchef Season 12 Back to Win has come to an end. Who won?? The Gay Guy and His Hag announce who has won!! Will a gavel get thrown in Judgement Zone??? Odds are YES it will. Did The Hag really crank call The Renaissance Hotel?? You'll just have to listen to find out!! Then put on your Boll and Branch Lap Blanket & house shoes to slip on down to Hag Corner to see which inner Hag you are.

Introduction      Moses had previously addressed God's goodness to provide for His people since leaving Egypt (Deut 29:2-8), and called for them to commit themselves to the Lord for their own good (Deut 29:9-13) and the good of their children (Deut 29:14-15). Now Moses addresses the consequences of disobedience to the covenant if the people turn away from the Lord and adopt the idols and values of the pagan nations which surround them (Deut 29:16-29). Context      Moses opens this pericope by calling the people's attention to those spiritually poor nations who did not know the Lord or His blessings, saying,  “For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; 17 moreover, you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which they had with them” (Deut 29:16-17). Here, Israel's relationship with God was contrasted with Egypt from which they came, as well as the pagans nations through which they'd recently passed. Israel's spiritual health and blessings could be seen in comparison to the surrounding pagan cultures. According to Kalland: "The statements “How we lived in Egypt” and “how we passed through the countries on the way here” (v.16) provide the locale and historic background for the people's knowledge of the gods in those places and the nature of their worship. This is evident from the definite reference to the detestable images and idols that they saw among the people there (v.17).”[1]      So that there would be no individual or national corruption, Moses said, “there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood” (Deut 29:18). According to Radmacher, “Every individual man and woman was responsible to the community as a whole for his or her relationship to God. Since the entire community was covenanted to God Himself, every individual had to follow Him…Tolerance for idolatry and pagan practices would always corrupt the community, and therefore the covenant relationship with God.”[2] And Kalland states, “The source of ‘bitter poison' (v.18) was the person who turned away from the Lord to worship the gods of Egypt and those of the other nations that the Israelites passed through on their journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab.”[3]Choices have consequences, and to worship idols is to sow the seeds of darkness and poison into one's own heart, which not only corrupts the individual, but negatively impacts others.      The arrogant person who chose idolatry was his own worst enemy and would bring God's curses upon himself. Moses said, “It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry'” (Deut 29:19). For that person who walks in the stubbornness of his pride and pursues idols without repentance, Moses said, “The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven” (Deut 29:20). God is always opposed to the proud, and as long as recalcitrance persists, there will be no forgiveness. God's love reaches out to everyone, but when the prideful person rejects the Lord and His love, there is no other recourse to be saved or blessed. Rather, such a one will experience the Lord's anger, and the curses mentioned in the law of Moses will fall upon him. To have one's name blotted out from under heaven meant that he would die and not be remembered among his people, which was a grievous matter for those in the ancient world. If Israelites acted like pagans and devoted themselves to idols, they would, by their own decision, experience the same fate that Moses described would be for the Canaanites (Deut 7:24) and Amalekites (Deut 25:19), whose name and memory would be blotted out. Moses continued, saying, “Then the LORD will single him out for adversity from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant which are written in this book of the law” (Deut 29:21). To be singled out for adversity meant God targeted His judgment against the offender to deal with him according to the requirements of the law.      God's judgment upon the disobedient was a display of His holy and righteous character, but it also had pedagogical value, to help future generations know how not to behave, and to see the consequences of sinful choices. Moses said, “Now the generation to come, your sons who rise up after you and the foreigner who comes from a distant land, when they see the plagues of the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it, will say, 23 ‘All its land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, unsown and unproductive, and no grass grows in it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and in His wrath'” (Deut 29:22-23). Because of the extreme wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, God had destroyed those cities, as well as the two neighboring cities Admah and Zeboiim, and He did this as a display of His righteous judgment against them (Gen 19:24-25). Similarly, if God's severe judgment were to fall upon Israel, it would draw the attention of surrounding nations. Moses said, “All the nations will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?'” (Deut 29:24). God intended for Israel to know His blessings, which would have testified positively to the surrounding nations (Deut 26:19; 28:1); however, by turning away from the Lord, He would use their destruction as a lesson to those who would see and question their downfall. God's outburst of anger against His people would come if they violated the terms of the covenant and pursued idols. The surrounding Gentile nations would properly conclude, saying, “Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Deut 29:25). Breaking the covenant meant that His people “went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they have not known and whom He had not allotted to them” (Deut 29:26). Israel was a theocracy and God was their King, Lawgiver, and Judge (Isa 33:22), and to worship idols and serve other gods was tantamount to treason.      The choice of ongoing sinful actions would have very negative consequences for God's people, as it would bring His judgment upon them, and rightfully so. Moses said, “Therefore, the anger of the LORD burned against that land, to bring upon it every curse which is written in this book; 28 and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and in fury and in great wrath, and cast them into another land, as it is this day” (Deut 29:27-28). According to Radmacher, “The nations were supposed to learn about God's grace from Israel's example; what a shame if they were to learn of His wrath instead!”[4] It is true that God did display His anger among His people, and this because they repeatedly turned away from Him and pursued sin and idolatry. However, because it's His nature, God was very slow to become angry with His people (Ex 34:6; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Psa 86:15; 103:8; 145:8-9; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2), and He was quick to forgive and show kindness when they humbled themselves, even in the slightest way (Neh 9:9-33). For example, King Ahab was a wicked ruler who reigned over Israel for twenty-two years (1 Ki 16:29), and Ahab “did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him” (1 Ki 16:30). By the end of Ahab's life, it is written, “Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him. 26 He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the sons of Israel” (1 Ki 21:25-26). However, even wicked Ahab, after hearing God's judgment against him (1 Ki 21:20-24), responded in humility and “tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently” (1 Ki 21:27). And God, because He is quick to show grace and mercy, turned from His anger against Ahab, saying to His prophet Elijah, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days” (1 Ki 21:29). Even the most wicked, as long as they have breath, may taste the Lord's goodness if they humble themselves before Him. God has certainly been patient with us (2 Pet 3:9).      Moses closed out this pericope, saying, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deut 29:29). Concerning this verse, Peter Craigie notes, “The law placed upon the people the responsibility of obedience, the result of which would be God's blessing in the land they were going in to possess. This general principle was clearly revealed; obedience would lead to God's continuing blessing, but disobedience would bring about the curse of God. To go beyond that and speculate about the future things (the secret things) was not man's prerogative.”[5] As Christians, we possess God's Word to us, which provides particular insights into realities we could never know, except that He has spoken and His Words have been inscripturated (2 Tim 3:16-17). Charles Swindoll notes: “God keeps some knowledge to Himself. There are people who will tell you that they have access to this knowledge, claiming that God has given them a special revelation of His teaching. But God never contradicts Himself. The things He holds in secret are not a different truth that will erase the things we now know. They are simply things that only the Lord, in His infinite wisdom and power, can know. Everything that is essential for life has already been stated in God's Word. We do not have need of any ‘extra' revelation. It is enough to be accountable to all that He has already told us within the pages of this Book.”[6]      Sadly, we know from Israel's history, that the majority in Israel, from the leadership down, chose to turn away from the Lord and to walk in the stubbornness of their own hearts. And if we're honest, this is the history of us all.  Historical Review of Israel      Factually, we know that after Moses died, God brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua (Deut 31:23; Josh 1:1-9), and there the land was divided, giving a portion to each of the descendants of Jacob. After Joshua died (Josh 24:29-31), Israel failed to obey the Lord and did not drive out the Canaanites as He'd instructed (Judg 1:20-21; 28-33; 2:1-4). By allowing the Canaanites to live among them, the Israelites were influenced by their pagan values and, over time, were corrupted by them. These sinful choices had an impact on their children—the third generation of Israelites since the exodus—and they turned away from the Lord and radically pursued idols, thus provoking the Lord's anger (Judg 2:10-12). This went on for roughly 300 years as Israel fell into a pattern of idolatry (sin), after which God would send punishment (suffering), then the people would cry out to God (supplication), Who would relent of His judgment and send a judge to deliver them (savior), then the people would obey God for a time (service), and then fall back into idolatry (sin). The period of the Judges was generally marked by people who did not obey the Lord, but “did what was right in their own eyes” (Judg 17:6; 21:25).      Israel's history changed during the time of Samuel, who was the last of Israel's judges. The people of Israel cried for a king because they wanted to be like the other nations (1 Sam 8:4-5). God gave them their request (1 Sam 8:22), and Saul became the first king in Israel (1 Sam 10:1). Though Saul started well, he quickly turned away from the Lord and would not obey God's commands. Saul reigned for approximately 40 years and his leadership was basically a failure (1 Sam 13:1; cf. Acts 13:21). Later, God raised up David to be king in Israel (1 Sam 16:1-13), and David reigned for 40 years and was an ideal king who followed God and encouraged others to do the same (1 Ki 2:10-11). God decreed David's throne would be established forever through one of his descendants (2 Sam 7:16; Psa 89:3-4), and this is Jesus (Luke 1:31-33). Solomon reigned for 40 years after David (1 Ki 2:12; 11:42-43), and though He was wise and did many good things (ruled well, built the temple, wrote Scripture, etc.), he eventually turned away from God and worshiped idols (1 Ki 11:1-10), and the kingdom was divided afterward (1 Ki 11:11-41). The nation was united under Saul, David, and Solomon.      Israel—the northern kingdom—had 19 kings throughout its history and all were bad, as they led God's people into idolatry (i.e. the “sins of Jeroboam” 1 Ki 16:31; 2 Ki 3:3; 10:31; 13:2). The ten northern tribes came under divine discipline because of their idolatry (2 Ki 17:7-18) and were destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Judah—the southern kingdom—had 20 kings throughout its history and 8 were good (some more than others), as they obeyed God and led others to do the same (they were committed to the Lord like David, 1 Ki 15:11). However, Judah repeatedly fell into idolatry—as the 10 northern tribes had done—and, because of their disobedience (Jer 11:6-11; 22:8-9), they were eventually destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The dispersion of Israel was promised by God if they turned away from Him and served other gods (Deut 28:63-68). Since the destruction by Babylon, Israel has been under Gentile dominance known as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24; Rom 11:25). After a temporary regathering under Ezra and Nehemiah, Israel continued under Gentile dominance with the Medes & Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Because of their rejection of Jesus as Messiah, God disciplined Israel again in AD 70, and the Jews were scattered all over the world (Jam 1:1; 1 Pet 1:1). Israel's current state is one of judgment (Matt 23:37-39), and a “partial hardening” (Rom 11:25). Israel will be restored when Messiah returns to establish His kingdom on earth (Rev 19:11-21; 20:4-6). Present Application      As Christians, God calls us to holy living (1 Pet 1:14-16), and to serve as lights in a sin-darkened world (Matt 5:14-16; Eph 5:8-10). Such a life is based on good choices we make, as we daily learn God's Word (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18) and walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6). And, if we turn away from the Lord and commit egregious sins, or a lifestyle of ongoing carnality (1 Cor 3:1-4), then God will administer corrective suffering to bring us back into His will (Heb 12:5-11).      Living in a fallen world that is currently under Satan's rule (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; 1 John 5:19), it is imperative that we live wisely (Eph 5:15-16), choose our friends carefully (2 Cor 6:14), and not allow ourselves to be corrupted by Satan's world-system. And when we sin, it's important that we keep short accounts and confess our sin regularly (1 John 1:9), are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), and resume our walk with the Lord (Gal 5:16). In this way we will glorify God and be a blessing to others.   [1] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 182. [2] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 264. [3] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3, 182. [4] Earl D. Radmacher, et al, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 264. [5] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 360–361. [6] Charles R. Swindoll, The Swindoll Study Bible, (Carol Stream, Ill. Tyndale House Publishers, 2017), 245.

     As Christians living in the dispensation of the church age, we are not under the Mosaic Law as the rule for life (Rom 6:14; Heb 8:13), but are under the Law of Christ (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2). Israelites, living under the Mosaic Law were promised physical blessings if they obeyed the Lord's directives (Deut 28:1-14), and physical curses if they disobeyed (Deut 28:15-68). For Christians, our blessings from the Lord can be physical (1 Tim 6:17-19), but are primarily spiritual in nature (Eph 1:3). And we are not said to be cursed when we disobey, but we do come under God's discipline (Heb 12:5-11), and this because ongoing sin impairs our walk with Him and stunts our spiritual growth.      As God's children, He has equipped us with the knowledge and power to live righteously (2 Tim 3:16-17; Tit 2:11-14; 2 Pet 1:2-3). Daily sin is handled by means of confession directly to the Lord, who always forgives (1 John 1:9). However, unconfessed sin and failure to advance spiritually can bring God's discipline. He loves us enough not to leave us where we are, and desires that we advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1; cf., 1 Cor 14:20; Eph 4:11-13). This means we learn to deal with our sin based on His resources (so that we sin less), and pursue the Christian virtues He desires to see in us.      Hebrews 12:4-11 is a key passage related to God's discipline in the life of a Christian. In the letter, the writer states, “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (Heb 12:4). According to Zane Hodges, “By ‘sin' the author probably primarily meant that of ‘sinful men' who opposed them, but doubtless also had their own sin in mind, which they had to resist in order to maintain a steadfast Christian profession.”[1] Biblically, we should personally strive against committing sin; however, the reality is that we do not. Some of us barely struggle at all. Where we break down in our personal efforts, God will work in and around us to help us grow. It is written, “You have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives'” (Heb 12:5-6).      In these verses, the writer uses the Greek word for an adult son (υἱός huios) and not that of a newborn (βρέφος brephos) or young child (παιδίον paidion). According to Warren Wiersbe, “A parent who would repeatedly chasten an infant child would be considered a monster. God deals with us as adult sons because we have been adopted and given an adult standing in His family (see Rom 8:14–18; Gal 4:1–7). The fact that the Father chastens us is proof that we are maturing, and it is the means by which we can mature even more.”[2] The noun (παιδεία paideia) in Hebrews 12:5 refers to the process whereby adult children are groomed for holy living. It is “the act of providing guidance for responsible living, upbringing, training, instruction, [which] is attained by discipline, correction, of the holy discipline of a fatherly God.”[3] The verb (παιδεύω paideuo) in Hebrews 12:6 means “to provide instruction for informed and responsible living, educate…to assist in the development of a person's ability to make appropriate choices, practice discipline”[4] Wiersbe states: "Chastening is the evidence of the Father's love. Satan wants us to believe that the difficulties of life are proof that God does not love us, but just the opposite is true. Sometimes God's chastening is seen in His rebukes from the Word or from circumstances. At other times He shows His love by punishing (“the Lord…scourgeth”) us with some physical suffering. Whatever the experience, we can be sure that His chastening hand is controlled by His loving heart. The Father does not want us to be pampered babies; He wants us to become mature adult sons and daughters who can be trusted with the responsibilities of life."[5]      As Christians, we must learn to expect God to discipline us, as He uses His Word and the hardships of life to mold our characters. God's discipline is a sign of His love for us, and “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Heb 12:7). MacDonald states, “when testings come to us, we should realize that God is treating us as sons. In any normal father-son relationship, the father trains his son because he loves him and wants the best for him. God loves us too much to let us develop naturally.”[6]      And God does not discipline the devil's children, but He does discipline His own; for “if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons” (Heb 12:8). There may be times when unbelievers get away with certain sins and even seem to enjoy the blessings of this life without hardship (Psa 73:1-12). But this is not so with God's children, as He desires greater blessings for us, both in time and eternity. The wise gardener never spends her time pruning the neighbor's weeds, but only her roses, and this because she desires greater beauty from them.      God's loving discipline is consistent with that of a good father who loves his children and trains them in righteous living. For “we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness” (Heb 12:9-10). God's desire is to refine us into the godly persons He wants us to be. By means of discipline, He seeks to burn away the dross of weak character and sinful habits and to refine those golden qualities He wants to see in us; the godly qualities that make us better. God always disciplines us for our good, that “we may share in His holiness” (Heb 12:10). According to John Jowett: "The purpose of God's chastening is not punitive but creative. He chastens “that we may share His holiness.” The phrase “that we may share” has direction in it, and the direction points toward a purified and beautified life. The fire which is kindled is not a bonfire, blazing heedlessly and unguardedly, and consuming precious things; it is a refiner's fire, and the Refiner sits by it, and He is firmly and patiently and gently bringing holiness out of carelessness and stability out of weakness. God is always creating even when He is using the darker means of grace. He is producing the fruits and flowers of the Spirit. His love is always in quest of lovely things."[7]      As God's children, we must learn to operate by divine viewpoint and live above the daily grind of life with all its difficulties and hardships. When we operate by divine viewpoint and live by faith, we can be thankful for God's loving work in our lives which, over time, yields godly fruit in the lives of His humble and obedient children. It is by divine viewpoint that we realize, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful” (Heb 12:11a). It is the natural proclivity of a person to maximize joy and minimize sorrow, and the Christian is no exception. We must never think the absence of joy means the absence of God, for though we often praise Him in the heights, He is with us in the valleys (Psa 23:4), and it is there His work is most impactful. And when God's discipline has taken its course, when we “have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11b). It's always the afterwards that matters most to God, for when the Pruner has done His work in cutting away useless branches that bear no fruit, the benefit is a harvest of right living.      As God's children, He expects us to live holy and righteous lives that conform to His will (Tit 2:11-14; 1 Pet 1:15-16). When we sin, we can be restored to fellowship with God by means of confession (1 John 1:9). If we fail to confess our sins, and choose a sinful lifestyle, we put ourselves in real danger of knowing God's discipline. The wise believer accepts God's correction. The psalmist wrote, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psa 119:71), and later said, “I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Psa 119:75).      Suffering is sometimes removed after the believer confesses his/her sin to God (1 John 1:9). However, sometimes God leaves the suffering, which means His corrective suffering becomes perfective suffering to help us grow spiritually. In corrective suffering, we are outside God's will and are governed by our sin nature and human viewpoint, which cannot sustain the believer in times of trouble. But when we confess our sin to God (1 John 1:9), any residual suffering can be dealt with as we are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walking by means of the Spirit (Gal 5:16), and living by faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6). The Sin Unto Death      There is a point when a believer can sin and there's no recovery. When that happens, God will bring His child home. The apostle John wrote, “If anyone sees his [Christian] brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him—to those who commit sin that doesn't bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that” (1 John 5:16 CSB). It happens from time to time that a Christian will see another Christian “committing a sin.” The apostle John distinguished two kinds of sin in the life of the Christian: the “sin that does not bring death” and the “sin that brings death” (1 John 5:16-17). The “sin that does not bring death” is any sin the Christian commits that does not warrant physical death from the hand of God, though it may bring divine discipline if the believer continues in it. John does not specify which sin leads to death and which sin does not, as the punishment is finally determined by the Lord.      It was a terrible sin when Aaron led the Israelites into idol worship (Ex 32:1-6), but God did not call for Aaron's death. Samson slept with prostitutes (Judg 16:1-4), and though he was disciplined, the Lord did not kill him. When David had an affair with Bathsheba and murdered her husband Uriah, it was a rotten sin that brought divine discipline. The Lord told David, “I will raise up evil against you from your own household” (2 Sam 12:11); however, the Lord also told David, “you shall not die” (2 Sam 12:13), but then disciplined him with the death of his son (2 Sam 12:14). Later, after David confessed his sin, he was restored to ministry (Psa 51:12-13). It was evil when Solomon worshipped idols (1 Ki 11:1-10), but even here the Lord did not pronounce death for Solomon's sin. Peter argued with Jesus and tried to prevent Him from going to the cross (Matt 16:21-22), and later publicly denied the Lord three times (Matt 26:34-35; 69-75), but Peter was allowed to live. The apostle John twice worshiped an angel and was rebuked for it (Rev 19:10; 22:8-9), but the Lord let him live and used him in ministry. God's grace and mercy is very prominent throughout the Bible, and He repeatedly gives us ample opportunity to confess our sin and turn back to him. We know from Scripture that “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness” (Psa 103:8). Because of this, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psa 103:10). Thank God for His great grace.        But there are sins a believer can commit that can result in physical death. The sin that leads to death, according to Paul Karleen, “denotes a sin habitually practiced by a believer, leading to God's removing him from this life, but not taking away his salvation.”[8] It refers to the believer who has become so sinfully rebellious that God disciplines him to point of death and takes him home to heaven. There are references in the Bible where God personally issued the death penalty for one or more of His erring children who had defied His authority. Examples include: Nadab and Abihu, who disobeyed the Lord in their priestly service (Lev 10:1-3), Uzzah, when he touched the Ark (2 Sam 6:1-7), and Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). The Christians at Corinth experienced stages of discipline which included weakness, sickness, and eventual death (1 Cor 11:30). God's discipline is never to condemn, which cannot happen (Rom 8:1), for “when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world” (1 Cor 11:32).      Under the Mosaic Law, God willed that sin be punished, but only some sins were punishable by physical death.[9] Sometimes God Himself executed the punishment (Lev 10:1-3; 2 Sam 6:1-7), and other times it was carried out by Israel's leaders (Ex 32:19-28). In the New Testament, God does not call Christians to put anyone to death, but has delegated that authority solely to the governments of this world (Rom 13:1-6), or He does it Himself (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor 11:30; 1 John 5:16). Personal sins that impact only the believer are differentiated from sins that harm others. Divine discipline is only related to our time on earth, as there will be no need for discipline in the eternal state (Rev 21:3-4).      Many Christians rightfully suffer because of their sinful lifestyle (1 Pet 4:15), and those who persist in their sin will eventually die by the hand of the Lord. Such a death is the pinnacle of suffering in this life, but we should never conclude that it means suffering for eternity. All believers are eternally secure in Christ. At the moment of salvation, all believers are given eternal life and imputed with God's righteousness (John 3:16; 10:28; Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). They are forever kept by the power of God and cannot forfeit their salvation (John 10:29; Rom 8:38-39). This means that when believers die—whatever the cause—they are guaranteed heaven as their eternal home. At the resurrection, the Christian is guaranteed a new body just the like body of our Lord Jesus, which has no sin (Phil 3:20-21).  Summary      It is possible for a Christian to sin, and to sin as badly as any unbeliever. However, unlike the unbeliever, God disciplines His own (Heb 12:5-11), and, if necessary, disciplines to the point of death (1 Cor 11:30; 1 John 5:16). This need not be the case. The Christian is called to a life of holiness (1 Pet 1:15-16), and this means learning to walk with God and do His will. Though we still possess a sin nature, Christians know victory because of our union with Christ (Rom 6:6, 11-13), and our walk of faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6). When filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), and walking by means of the Spirit (Gal 5:16), we can learn to embrace trials and even rejoice in them (Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4). Dr. Steven R. Cook _______   [1] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 810. [2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 324. [3] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 748. [4] Ibid., 749. [5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, 324. [6] William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2203. [7] John H. Jowett, Life in the Heights: Studies in the Epistles (New York, Bible House Publications, 1925), 260-261. [8] Paul S. Karleen, The Handbook to Bible Study: With a Guide to the Scofield Study System (New York: Oxford University Press, 1987), 359. [9] There were certain laws under the Old Testament that brought the death penalty: intentional murder (Ex 21:12-14; cf. Gen 9:6), attacking or cursing a parent (Ex 21:15), kidnapping (Ex 21:16), habitual rebellion against God (Deut 17:12), sacrificing to pagan gods (Ex 22:20), cursing God (Lev 24:15-16), working on the Sabbath (Ex 35:2), being a false prophet and leading Israelites into idolatry (Deut 13:1-5), religious human sacrifice (Lev 20:2), the practice of divination, sorcery or witchcraft (Ex 22:18; Deut 18:9-14), adultery and premarital sex (Lev 20:10-14; 21:9; Deut 22:20-22), sex with an animal (Ex 22:19; Lev 20:15-16), incest (Lev 20:11-12, 14), homosexuality (Lev 18:22; 20:13), and the rape of a married woman (Deut 22:25-27).

September 6, 2022 Judg. 21:1-25; Ps. 104:31-35; Prov. 22:22-23; John 3:31-4:3

September 6, 2022 Judg. 21:1-25; Ps. 104:31-35; Prov. 22:22-23; John 3:31-4:3

September 5, 2022 Judg. 20:1-48; Ps. 104:24-30; Prov. 22:20-21; John 3:22-30

September 5, 2022 Judg. 20:1-48; Ps. 104:24-30; Prov. 22:20-21; John 3:22-30

September 4, 2022 Judg. 19:1-30; Ps. 104:8-23; Prov. 22:17-19; John 3:16-21

September 4, 2022 Judg. 19:1-30; Ps. 104:8-23; Prov. 22:17-19; John 3:16-21

September 3, 2022 Judg. 18:22-31; Ps. 104:1-7; Prov. 22:16; John 3:1-15

September 2, 2022 Judg. 17:1-18:21; Ps. 103:13-22; Prov. 22:15; John 2:12-25

September 3, 2022 Judg. 18:22-31; Ps. 104:1-7; Prov. 22:16; John 3:1-15

September 2, 2022 Judg. 17:1-18:21; Ps. 103:13-22; Prov. 22:15; John 2:12-25

September 1, 2022 Judg. 16:10-31; Ps. 103:1-12; Prov. 22:14; John 2:1-11

September 1, 2022 Judg. 16:10-31; Ps. 103:1-12; Prov. 22:14; John 2:1-11

August 31, 2022 Judg. 15:1-16:9; Ps. 102:23-28; Prov. 22:13; John 1:43-51

August 31, 2022 Judg. 15:1-16:9; Ps. 102:23-28; Prov. 22:13; John 1:43-51

August 30, 2022 Judg. 14:1-20; Ps. 102:18-22; Prov. 22:10-12; John 1:29-42

August 30, 2022 Judg. 14:1-20; Ps. 102:18-22; Prov. 22:10-12; John 1:29-42

August 29, 2022 Judg. 13:1-25; Ps. 102:1-17; Prov. 22:8-9; John 1:19-28

August 29, 2022 Judg. 13:1-25; Ps. 102:1-17; Prov. 22:8-9; John 1:19-28

August 28, 2022 Judg. 11:29-12:15; Ps. 101:4-8; Prov. 22:7; John 1:1-18

August 28, 2022  Judg. 11:29-12:15; Ps. 101:4-8; Prov. 22:7; John 1:1-18

August 27, 2022 Judg. 11:1-28; Ps. 101:1-3; Prov. 22:5-6; Luke 24:35-53

August 27, 2022 Judg. 11:1-28; Ps. 101:1-3; Prov. 22:5-6; Luke 24:35-53

August 26, 2022 Judg. 10:1-18; Ps. 100:3-5; Prov. 22:2-4; Luke 24:13-34

August 26, 2022 Judg. 10:1-18; Ps. 100:3-5; Prov. 22:2-4; Luke 24:12-34

August 25, 2022 Judg. 9:22-57; Ps. 100:1-2; Prov. 22:1; Luke 24:1-12

August 25, 2022 Judg. 9:22-57; Ps. 100:1-2; Prov. 22:1; Luke 24:1-12

August 23, 2022 Judg. 8:18-32; Ps. 99:1-4; Prov. 21:28-29; Luke 23:26-43

August 24, 2022 Judg. 8:33-9:21; Ps. 99:5-9; Prov. 21:30-31; Luke 23:44-56

August 24, 2022 Judg. 8:33-9:21; Ps. 99:5-9: Prov. 21:30-31; Luke 23:44-56

August 23, 2022 Judg. 8:18-32; Ps. 99:1-4; Prov. 21:28-29; Luke 23:26-43

August 22, 2022 Judg. 8:1-17; Ps. 98:1-9; Prov. 21:27; Luke 23:13-25

August 22, 2022 Judg. 8:1-17; Ps. 98:1-9; Prov. 21:27; Luke 23:13-25

August 21, 2022 Judg. 7:1-25; Ps. 97:1-12; Prov. 21:25-26; Luke 23:1-12

August 21, 2022 Judg. 7:1-25; Ps. 97:1-12; Prov. 21:25-26; Luke 23:1-12

August 20 Judg. 6:33-40; Ps. 96:1-13; Prov. 21:23-24; Luke 22:54-71

August 20, 2022 Judg. 6:33-40; Ps. 96:1-13; Prov. 21:23-24; Luke 22:54-71

August 19, 2022 Judg. 6:1-32; Ps. 95:1-11; Prov. 21:21-22; Luke 22:39-53

August 19, 2022 Judg. 6:1-32; Ps. 95:1-11; Prov. 21:21-22; Luke 22:39-53

August 18, 2022 Judg. 5:1-31; Ps. 94:14-23; Prov. 21:19-20; Luke 22:35-38

August 17, 2022 Judg. 4:1-24; Ps. 94:1-13; Prov. 21:17-18; Luke 22:24-34