Podcasts about pharisaical

Holy Week Reflection by Rev. Renaldo McKenzie:1/Isn't it ironic, duplicitous and Pharisaical that our President Mr. Donald Trump expects compliance with executive orders… yet POTUS struggles to comply with court rulings and our Constitution?2/We can arrange prisoner swaps like Kseniya Karelina from Russia…But we can't bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador?3/Trump is not a Jew, but he moves like the Pharisees did in the #NewTestament.Jesus said:“Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites!”4/He condemned their hypocrisy, legalism, and failure to uphold justice, mercy & faithfulness.And that's exactly what we're witnessing in this “Neoliberal age”.5/These thoughts are the foundation of my upcoming book w/ Martin Oppenheimer:Neoliberal Globalization Reconsidered: Unfair Competition & the Death of Nations.By Rev. Renaldo McKenzie,Renaldo is Author of “Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance”, available worldwide and at https://store.theneoliberal.comPresidentThe Neoliberal CorporationHttps://theneoliberal.com and https://renaldocmckenzie.comSubscribe on any stream: https://anchor.fm/theneoliberalDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=USSJLFU2HRVAQ

Watch the full video version here:

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMatthew 23In the final week before Christ's crucifixion, He tells His disciples about the dangers of the scribes and Pharisees. After three years of patiently teaching these men, it is time to tell the world about them. Jesus first tells disciples to observe what the scribes teach if it is from God. But Christ warns them not to do what the Pharisees do. They seek to be noticed by men and to have places of honor because they lack humility. Jesus calls them hypocrites repeatedly, speaking about their lack of mercy and the underlying desire of their hearts to serve themselves. He addresses them openly and directly as “serpents”! And yet, as Jesus looks at them and all of Jerusalem, He is sorrowful that they will not repent and be gathered to Him and saved.  It is easy to read this chapter and think about other people. But it is wiser to use this list of the Pharisees' failures as a test for our own lives. In Matthew 5, Jesus told His disciples their righteousness must exceed the Pharisees if they are to be in His kingdom. These men were self-righteous. Jesus calls us to be humble servants. They were hypocritical. Jesus asks us to live out our faith. They were legalistic. We must be led to obey from a God-like heart of mercy. They were superficial. We must be honest about what's happening in our hearts. They became obstacles for others. We must live and speak to draw people to Christ.  Dear Father, we call upon Your help today, to be honest with ourselves and willing to evaluate our motives. Jesus taught so diligently to soften the hearts of the Pharisees, and they fought Him at every turn. Glorious Lord, help us to listen and to learn. May we be humble servants. Empower us to live out our faith with integrity. Build in us compassion and mercy for others. Will You create opportunities for us to help people and show them the way to Jesus? Most of all, reveal to us how much Jesus loves and yearns to save everyone.  Thought Questions:  -       Will you do the hard thing today of looking for Pharisaical tendencies in your own life? How can this be incredibly healthy and needful? -       How would you define “legalism”? Can you see how some focus so intensely on the letter of the law that they miss the love that encircles it? -       What does it feel like to realize that Jesus is always yearning to gather you to Him, no matter what you have done? How will you respond?

It's Mailbag Friday! You've got questions, we've got answers! Segment 1 • How can I pursue good works without falling into Pharisaical tendencies? • What's the right way to interpret and apply the Song of Solomon as Christians? • Should we join a church we're leaving soon just to serve and take communion? • How should Christians, especially women, approach weight loss biblically? Segment 2 • How can I strike up Gospel conversations without feeling awkward or forced? Segment 3 • Is it sinful to decline a baby shower gift if I feel it celebrates past sin? • How do I lead as a husband without making my wife feel forced to follow? • Is it better for a baby to be raised by a same-sex couple or stay in foster care? Segment 4 • Who should select church elders—members, pastors, or Scripture? • Did Muhammad and Joseph Smith encounter demons—or is it all fabricated? • Am I beyond salvation if I'm stuck in habitual sin? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

The Apostle Paul, on his famous trek to raid the church in Damascus, was knocked off his feet, not unlike a rambunctious puppy attempting to out-strain his leash. He reached the limit of his Pharisaical ‘freedoms' and found Jesus waiting for him there. Paul was about to undergo an extreme makeover which would include a radical renouncing of his legalistic beliefs and a humbling acceptance of the grace-filled message of the Father's love and offer of forgiveness in the much-prophesied Messiah, this Jesus of Nazareth. Romans 8:26-39, Philippians 3:12-16, Acts 20:24, 2 Timothy 4:7,8 Romans 8:26-39 – Thanksgiving for _____________________________________ Philippians 3:12-16, Acs 20:24 – Thanksgiving for _______________________ 2 Timothy 4:7,8– Thanksgiving for ____________________________________

This week, live from the Evangelical Theological Society Conference in San Diego, Scott & Sean discuss: West Virginia amends its constitution to ban physician-assisted suicide, sparking a larger discussion on bioethics and cultural trends.Harvard's controversial "Sex Week" and a student's bold critique highlight the cultural longing for deeper meaning in human relationships.The Texas Board of Education backs an elementary school curriculum incorporating biblical content, raising questions about the role of faith in public education.Listener question: Follow up on discussion of genetic privacy and its implications in healthcare and insurance.Listener question: How to give generously without Pharisaical tendencies.Listener question: Recommendations for Bible study tools include the new NIV Application Commentary and Logos Bible Software for deeper scriptural engagement. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. 29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. The events in this passage probably took place shortly after Jesus healed the paralyzed man, for the "official Pharisaical committee" was still there (Luke 5:17). When Jesus called Levi, He accomplished three things: He saved a lost soul; He added a new disciple to His band; and He created an opportunity to explain His ministry to Levi's friends and to the scribes and Pharisees. And it is likely that Jesus at this time gave Levi his new name, "Matthew, the gift of God" (Luke 6:15; Matthew 9:9-12; Mark 2:13-17).   Matthew sat at the toll booth and levied duty on the merchandise that was brought through. Since the tax rates were not always clear, it was easy for an unscrupulous man to make extra money for himself. But even if a tax collector served honestly, the Jews still despised him for defiling himself by working for the Gentiles. John the Baptist had made it clear that there was nothing innately sinful in collecting taxes (Luke 3:12-13), and we have no evidence that Matthew was a thief. But to the Jews, Levi was a sinner, and Jesus was suspect for having anything to do with him and his sinner friends.   We wonder how much Matthew knew about Jesus. Our Lord's friendship with Peter and his partners would put Him in touch with the businessmen of Capernaum, and certainly Matthew had heard Jesus preach by the seaside. Matthew instantly obeyed the Lord's call, left everything, and followed Jesus. He was so overjoyed at his salvation experience that he invited many of his friends to rejoice with him (see Luke 15:6, 9, 23).   The scribes and Pharisees criticized Jesus because they did not understand either His message or His ministry. Jesus simply did not fit into their traditional religious life. It is unfortunate when leaders resist change and refuse to try to understand the new things that God is doing. In order to help them understand, Jesus gave the illustration of a sick person going to a physician.   The scribes and Pharisees saw Matthew and his friends as condemned sinners, but Jesus saw them as spiritually sick "patients" who needed the help of a physician. In fact, He had illustrated this when He cleansed the leper and healed the paralytic. Sin is like a disease: it starts in a small and hidden way; it grows secretly; it saps our strength; and if it is not cured, it kills. It is tragic when sickness kills the body, but it is even more tragic when sin condemns the soul to hell.   The scribes and Pharisees were quick to diagnose the needs of others, but they were blind to their own needs, for they were sinners like everyone else. They appeared righteous on the outside but were corrupt within (Matt. 23:25-28). They may not have been "prodigal sons" who were guilty of sins of the flesh, but they were certainly "elder brothers" who were guilty of sins of the spirit (Luke 15:11-32; 2 Cor. 7:1).   The first step toward healing sin sickness is admitting that we have a need and that we must do something about it. False prophets give a false diagnosis that leads to a false hope (Jer. 6:14); but the servant of God tells the truth about sin, death, and hell, and offers the only remedy: faith in Jesus Christ. The religion of the scribes and Pharisees could offer no hope to Matthew's friends, but Jesus could.   What a wonderful Physician Jesus is! He comes to us in love; He calls us; He saves us when we trust Him; and He "pays the bill." His diagnosis is always accurate, and His cure is perfect and complete. No wonder Matthew was so happy and wanted to share the Good News with his friends!   Are you sharing the Good News of your salvation with your friends?   God bless!

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. Today we will begin looking at the next section of verses in Luke 5:17-26 as Jesus and His disciples continue to minister in the dark region of Galilee. From the other Gospels, it appears that on this particular occasion that Jesus in in the little town of Capernaum. This was Peter's hometown and most likely they were at Peter's house. And on this “certain day, the crowd gathered to see Jesus heal and to hear Him teach.   But a new element was added: some of the official religious leaders from Jerusalem were present to investigate what He was doing. They had every right to do this since it was the responsibility of the elders to prevent false prophets from leading the people astray (Deut. 13; 18:15-22). They had interrogated John the Baptist (John 1:19-34) and now they would examine Jesus of Nazareth.   The rulers in Jerusalem had already been in conflict with the Lord. John's gospel shows an early developing hostility toward Him. The time had come for them to confront this country preacher on His own ground. Members of the religious elite arrived from all parts of the country. Especially visible were the Pharisees, who took the lead throughout the Gospels in opposing Christ. Their very presence and the presence of learned doctors of the Law from Jerusalem itself would, it was hoped, intimidate this man from Nazareth. Nazareth! "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46).   Since this is the first time the scribes, the teachers of the law, and the Pharisees are mentioned in Luke's Gospel, it would be good for us to get acquainted with them. The word Pharisee comes from a Hebrew word that means "to divide, to separate." The scribes and Pharisees probably developed out of the ministry of Ezra, the priest, who taught the Jewish people to obey the Law of Moses and be separate from the heathen nations around them (Ezra 9-10; Neh. 8-9). The great desire of the scribes and Pharisees was to understand and magnify God's Law and apply it in their daily lives.   However, the movement soon became quite legalistic, and its leaders laid so many burdens on the people that it was impossible to "serve the Lord with gladness" (Ps. 100:2). Furthermore, many of the Pharisees were proud arrogant hypocrites and did not practice what they preached (see Matt. 15:1-20; 23:1-36). In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), Jesus exposed the shallowness of Pharisaical religion. He explained that true righteousness is a matter of the heart and not external religious practices alone.   The scribes and Pharisees picked a good time to attend one of our Lord's meetings, because God's power was present in a special way and Jesus would heal a man who had the palsy, meaning he was paralyzed. If leprosy illustrates the corruption and defilement of sin, then palsy is a picture of the paralysis that sin produces in a life. But Jesus would do more than heal the man; He would also forgive his sins and teach the crowd a lesson in forgiveness.   The first thing I notice from this passage is that it says, “Now it happened on a certain day”. Remember the healing of the leper in the previous verses happened “in a certain city”. This reminds me that God is always at work in certain places and certain days!   Today, wherever you might be, is that special certain day for you to trust the Lord and find forgiveness of your sins and to have your life forever changed!   God bless!

Luke 11

Dr. Benjamin Laird, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Liberty University and co-author of the book 40 Questions about the Apostle Paul, joins the Bible and Theology Matters podcast to discuss the life of the Apostle Paul. What do we know for sure? What do we deduce from the biblical, and extra-biblical evidence? And, what is simply conjecture, regarding the life of the most influential theologian and writer of the 1st century? We will discuss this, and much more in this episode!

Where's The Pharisee #NormanKissinger #NK #RTTBROS #Nightlight Where's the Pharisee? A Mirror of Self-Righteousness "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." - Luke 18:10-13 (KJV) In the days of our youth, many of us recall the popular "Where's Waldo?" puzzles adorning cereal boxes and children's books. We'd eagerly scan crowded scenes, searching for that distinctive figure in his red-and-white striped shirt and round glasses. Today, I invite you to embark on a different, more introspective search: "Where's the Pharisee?" Once upon a time, being labeled a Pharisee was one of the worst accusations in Christian circles. It implied hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and a judgmental spirit. We were all on high alert, quick to identify these traits in others while assuring ourselves we were nothing like those biblical figures Jesus so often rebuked. But in our eagerness to avoid the Pharisee label, did we miss a crucial point? The heart of being a Pharisee isn't about adhering to religious practices or following a set of rules. At its core, it's about believing that our own righteousness makes us acceptable to God, apart from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It's a subtle trap that ensnares not only the overtly religious but anyone who trusts in their own goodness or moral standing. Consider this challenging scenario: a kind, cookie-baking grandmother who's an atheist, versus a convicted serial killer who genuinely repents and accepts Christ at the end of his life. Our natural inclination might be to favor the "good" nonbeliever over the "evil" convert. But this inclination reveals the Pharisee within us, valuing human standards of goodness over God's ultimate judgment and mercy. The offense of the Gospel lies in its radical equality. It declares that both the outwardly righteous and the openly sinful stand in equal need of God's grace. Neither the grandmother's good deeds nor the criminal's heinous acts can tip the scales of divine justice. Only faith in Christ's righteousness can bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. This truth should humble us profoundly. It strips away our pretenses and lays bare our desperate need for a Savior. We cannot rely on our acts of kindness, our religious observances, or our moral superiority. In God's eyes, the rebellion in our hearts is just as repugnant as the most shocking crimes that make headlines. The Pharisee test, then, is not about how well we follow religious rules or how "good" we appear to others. It's about our reaction to the idea that God's grace can reach even those we deem unforgivable, while those we consider "good people" might reject that same grace to their eternal peril. If we bristle at this thought, we've uncovered a streak of Pharisaical thinking in our own hearts. So where is the Pharisee? We need look no further than the nearest mirror. Our own self-righteousness, our subtle belief that we're "not as bad" as others, our shock at the extent of God's grace – these all reveal the Pharisee within. Recognizing this is the first step toward true humility and a deeper appreciation of God's mercy. As we minister to others, whether in formal settings or in our daily lives, let's remember our own need for grace. Let's be quick to extend mercy, slow to judge, and always pointing to the righteousness of Christ as our only hope. In doing so, we combat the Pharisee within and embrace the transformative power of the Gospel. Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

Purity of Heart: Seeing God in Our Actions and Intentions - Matthew 5 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard Summary: In this thoughtful exploration of purity in the context of Christian faith, Pastor Donnell challenges the traditional notions tied to external ritual purity, arguing for a deeper, more intrinsic understanding of purity as taught by Jesus. Starting with the historical context where "cleanliness" and "godliness" were associated with ritual and external purity, Pastor Donnell shifts focus to the purity of heart that Jesus emphasizes. This teaching confronts and transforms the Pharisaical obsession with external purity, highlighting a profound gospel truth: what emanates from the heart defines one's purity.   Pastor Donnell delves into the scriptural account where Jesus teaches that true defilement isn't about what enters one's body, but rather what springs forth from one's heart, including evils like greed, malice, and deceit. He articulates how these internal impurities manifest externally and corrupt human interaction and community. By revisiting Jesus' response to the Pharisees—who focused intensely on the superficial—Pastor Donnell emphasizes that the purity Christ seeks is heart-centric, involving integrity, sincerity, and an alignment of one's inner and outer lives.   Concluding the sermon, Pastor Donnell draws upon personal reflections and biblical narratives to illustrate how living with a pure heart influences our perception of God and our spiritual journey. He introduces a compelling portrayal of how individuals who cultivate purity of heart—those whose actions and motives are consistently aligned with God's will—experience a profound sense of God's presence and guidance in their lives. By encouraging the congregation to embrace this inner purity, Pastor Donnell not only redefines the concept of being 'clean before God' but also invites believers to engage in a transformative process that aligns their deepest intentions with divine purposes, leading to a life rich with spiritual insight and divine encounter.

In this sermon, Pastor Tim dives into the importance of understanding and embracing spiritual debt forgiveness through the teachings of Luke 7:36-50. The discussion centers around the story of a sinful woman who demonstrates profound worship for Jesus, illustrating the deep connection between recognizing one's own forgiven sins and displaying great love. The message challenges listeners to reflect on their own passion for Jesus, the nature of their spiritual journey, and how to avoid the pitfalls of casual Christianity and a Pharisaical spirit. For more on LifePoint Church go to lifepointaz.com Find all our links in one easy spot https://linktr.ee/lifepointaz Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lifepointaz Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lifepointchurchaz/ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome 00:58 Questions for Reflection 01:19 The Story of the Sinful Woman 02:04 Jesus' Teaching on Forgiveness 03:14 Prayer and Message Title 03:45 Spiritual Debt and Forgiveness 05:02 Comparing Gospel Accounts 06:37 The Woman's Act of Worship 15:15 Three Types of Christians 18:12 The Pharisee's Critical Spirit 21:25 Discernment vs. Critical Spirit 22:10 Personal Journey of Overcoming Criticism 23:08 The Casual Christian 23:33 Breaking the Hypnotic State 26:48 Understanding the Weight of Sin 30:47 The Dedication of Olympic Athletes vs. Casual Christianity 34:07 The Passionate Worship of the Woman 39:51 Living in the Reality of God's Love 41:55 Summary and Prayer

Talk 38  Mark 12:35-44 Jesus warns against the Teachers of the Law Welcome to Talk 38 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 12:35-44. So far in this chapter, Jesus has faced questions from Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees, all of whom have been trying to trick him into giving an answer that might give them grounds for taking action against him. But on every occasion Jesus' answers have silenced his opponents.   Now, in today's passage, Jesus: ·      asks them all a question which they are unable to answer (35-37) ·      warns the people to beware of these hypocritical teachers of the law (38-40) ·      and draws a contrast between their self-seeking behaviour and the generosity of a poor widow (41-44). 35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."' 37 David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight. Jesus' purpose in asking this question is not to catch his opponents out as they had tried to catch him out. His purpose was not retaliation, but to make them and the others listening think. As we shall see, the implications of his question are enormous. They reveal, without a shadow of a doubt, who Jesus really is. The teachers of the law had rightly understood that the Scriptures predicted that the Christ, God's Anointed One, the Messiah, would be a son (i.e. a descendant) of King David. This view was widely held by the Jews at the time of Jesus, and Jesus is not disputing it. But what he is saying is this:             If the Christ really is to be a son of David (which he certainly is), how is it that David refers to him as his Lord?   Jesus is referring to Psalm 110:1 which says:   The Lord says to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'.   This psalm was widely held to be messianic (i.e. prophesying about the Messiah).  But, asks Jesus, if David is speaking of the coming Messiah, how can he call him my Lord if he is one of his descendants? It would be unthinkable to a Jew that a child could be superior to its father, or a descendant superior to an ancestor. Matthew 22:46 makes it clear that the teachers of the law could not find an answer to this riddle, but the early Christians certainly knew it, as this very verse is quoted in Hebrews 1:13 where the writer is demonstrating the deity of Jesus. And this is what Jesus is trying to show them by his question. If the Messiah was to be David's Lord, he must be more than a physical descendant. He must be none other than God himself. But that was a mystery that the Jewish leaders were completely unable to fathom. Now, in the next section, verses 38-40, Jesus warns the people against the teachers of the law.   38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."   The meaning of these verses is clear. The Jewish religious leaders – the majority, at least – were insincere and wrongly motivated. Note the words like to in verse 38. They enjoyed dressing differently, to show, as they thought, their superiority to others. They felt entitled to have the most important seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets. The motivation in all that they did was to be admired by others, and even their prayers were designed to impress others rather than to seek the blessing of God.   But Matthew's account of what Jesus said is more detailed. In Matthew 23:3-7 Jesus makes the following accusations against the teachers of the law and the Pharisees.   1.     They do not practise what they preach (v3) 2.     They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders (v4) 3.     Everything they do is done for men to see (v5) 4.     They love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues (v6) 5.     They love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi' (v7). And in verses 13-36 we read how Jesus again and again calls them hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools, blind men, and even describes them as you snakes, you brood of vipers! and warns them of the judgment to come as a result.   Of course, it's easy enough for us to identify with Jesus' condemnation of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day, but I wonder how seriously church leaders today take Jesus' words of instruction to us as his disciples. Notice what he says in verses 8-12:   But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.   If you're wondering why Matthew includes these verses and Mark does not, it's important to remember that Mark was writing for a mainly Gentile audience whereas Matthew's audience was largely Jewish. It was important that Christians with a Jewish background should understand that there was no room for such practices in the Church of Jesus Christ. And the Book of Acts and the New Testament epistles bear witness to the fact that Jesus' forthright teaching in these verses was largely followed. For example, unlike the practice in many churches today, the gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 were never used as titles. Words like apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher described a gift God had given a person to fulfil a certain role in the church. They were not used as titles. Paul did not refer to himself as Apostle Paul but as Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Agabus was a prophet named Agabus, not Prophet Agabus. Philip is described as Philip, the evangelist, not Evangelist Philip, and so on. Interestingly, no one is named as a pastor in the New Testament. Pastor means shepherd and it was the elders who shepherded the churches in the New Testament. Yet today the term Pastor is frequently used as a title, a practice completely foreign to the spirit of the New Testament.   But does it matter? Isn't the culture different today? Yes, it is. But we should align our practices with the teaching of the New Testament, not with the culture of the day, or even the culture prevalent in the church. The New Testament does teach us to respect and pray for our leaders, but the culture of honouring pastors in some churches is in danger of encouraging the very things that Jesus was so strongly condemning in these verses.   But it's time to return to our passage in Mark 12. So far we've seen how Jesus asks the religious leaders a question which they are unable to answer, but which clearly implies his deity (35-37), and then warns the people to beware of these hypocritical teachers (38-40) and in Matthew's account telling his disciples that it must not be so among them. Now, in the final section of the chapter Jesus draws a contrast between the self-seeking behaviour of the religious leaders and the generosity of a poor widow.   41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on."   Perhaps you'll remember that in verse 40 Jesus accused the teachers of the law of devouring widows' houses. To understand this fully we need to realise that in those days widows had little or no power in the courts. A husband would appoint a scribe or Pharisee to be the executor of his widow's estate. This gave them authority to deal with the widow's estate and a corrupt lawyer could easily trick a widow out of her house. In doing this they were directly disobeying their beloved Law of Moses which clearly stated in Exodus 22:22, Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. It's not surprising that the word Pharisaical has become a synonym for hypocritical! No wonder Jesus said, Such men will be punished most severely.   So when he sees many rich people throwing large amounts of money into the temple treasury, Jesus takes the opportunity to compare their ostentatious behaviour with that of the Pharisees who prayed long prayers for a show, and to contrast it with the abandoned generosity of one poor widow. Note the contrasts between rich and poor, between one and many, between large amounts and only a fraction of a penny. Yet her offering was greater than all the wealth of all the others put together. If, as we have seen, Jesus told his disciples not to behave like the Pharisees, here he is surely teaching them that they should follow the example of this poor widow. Her commitment was total. NIV translates the last few words of this chapter as everything – all she had to live on, but literally translated the Greek says her whole life! And that's exactly what Jesus demands of his followers. Unless we deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him we cannot be his disciples. And unlike the Pharisees he does not demand of us more than he himself was prepared to give. He threw in his whole life. It cost him everything he had.   So for us the challenge is not merely to avoid the hypocrisy of the Pharisees – and, if we're honest, that's not always as easy as it may sound – but to follow the example of the poor widow, whose prodigal giving is but a picture of the abandoned generosity of Jesus in giving his whole life for us.   As we have seen in previous talks, he was the fulfilment of what Israel was meant to be, he was the fulfilment of all that the temple stood for, and he was the fulfilment of the Law for he loved the Lord his God with all his heart and with all his mind, and with all his strength, and he loved us, his neighbours, enough to die for us.   Surely the least we can do, is live for him.

As the evangelical world rediscovers the Jewishness of Jesus, we enrich our understanding of His full human identity. But it can be difficult to understand his "Jewishness" in contrast to his contemporaries, most notably among the Pharisees. When we find him accused of breaking Torah (Mark 2), and when he criticizes Pharisaical practices in turn, we are thrown into the same confusing debate alongside his disciples: what kind of Jewish rabbi is Jesus? Readings: Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Psalm 81:1-10; Mark 2:23-3:6

Episode 166 Alistair Begg is a well-known and well-respected pastor and Bible teacher who inadvertently set the world of Christian netizens ablaze when he revealed that he encouraged a Christian grandmother to not only attend an LGBTQ wedding, but to also bring a gift. While he had some supporters in this matter, the majority were shocked and appalled by this stance so uncharacteristic of a man who had proven himself to be a faithful man of God for well over 40 years. Responding to the critics, Begg doubled down, rejected calls for repentance, and dismissed them as Pharisaical legalists incapable of nuance and lacking compassion. In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we will address the obvious questions as to whether or not his counsel was biblically sound and whether his response to criticism was right. However, there is another question to ponder: does social media use complicate obedience to Matthew 18:15-20? Join us on this episode to discuss these questions and more.  Listen to the Removing Barriers Podcast here: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cutt.ly/Ega8YeI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cutt.ly/Vga2SVd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Edifi: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cutt.ly/Meec7nsv⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cutt.ly/mga8A77⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podnews: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podnews.net/podcast/i4jxo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ See all our platforms: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://removingbarriers.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact us: Leave us a voice message: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/removingbarriers/message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://removingbarriers.net/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Financially support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://removingbarriers.net/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Affiliates: Book Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bookshop.org/shop/removingbarriers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Answers in Genesis Bookstore: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shrsl.com/2tu8i⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Design It Yourself Gift Baskets: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shrsl.com/2m64o⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BulbHead: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shrsl.com/4ft37⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Share a Sale: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shrsl.com/2jz4f⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ See all our affiliates: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://removingbarriers.net/affiliates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Notes: Does Alistair Begg have a point: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/does-alistair-begg-have-a-point-about-gay-weddings.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/removingbarriers/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/removingbarriers/support

Terry Crist is a husband, father, pastor, and the author of the new book, “Loving Samaritans: Radical Kindness in an Us vs. Them World“. He has a heart for inspiring people to follow Jesus and love others well, and that comes through really well in our conversation today.   What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Terry's new book, what led him to write it, and what readers can expect ~How a love for the church does not negate our passion to call the church up to be her best - that that is actually an important part of loving the church well ~Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4 and what we can glean from it ~How Jesus' whimsical, loving, gracious interaction with the woman at the well enabled Him to touch on the tricky topics of sexuality, religion, politics, power, cultural identity, and more in a way that caused her to open up to Him in conversation; how this is a model for us for cultural engagement ~The folly of making assumptions about people as opposed to asking them questions and getting to know them and why they do what they do; getting to know them as individual persons as opposed to groups; the wrong decisions we make when we fail to do this ~Jesus' model for us that all people are worthy of love and respect, time and attention, of being heard, and of hearing truth without insult ~Asking the question of who the samaritans are in our world and what we may have gotten wrong about them ~Divisiveness now being viewed as a virtue in our day; what our call is instead - to love people on both ends of the ideological spectrum ~Fear and the Pharisaical problem of a “fragile righteousness” and how it can lead to the dangerous desire of eradicating the “other”; understanding that our righteousness is not our own but rather the gift of Jesus' own righteousness and will not be tarnished when we go into the world as He has called us to ~Asking “Where does the Spirit want me to go today?” as a way to model the way and ministry of Jesus; walking through your day with your heart and eyes wide open to where Jesus is already at work and joining Him there instead of thinking it's all on us ~Going from religious, dogmatic strangers to compassionate, understanding neighbors and why this change is so important ~Being in it for the long game and understanding that people are worthy of love and affection even if they never come to Christ ~The importance of having both biblical orthodoxy (truth) and biblical orthopraxy (how we're living out that truth) ~What Pastor Terry would say to those who are afraid that their children will become corrupted by the culture ~The power of the ministry of “withness” ~The problem with being a culture warrior and how it keeps us from from being kingdom ambassadors sent on a mission with a message of peace ~Daniel as a model for cultural engagement ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

In this message, God shows us the transformative power of grace, urging us to heed its call and embrace its life-changing effects. Throughout the message, we learn about the pivotal role of Christ as both the key and the door, inviting us to open ourselves to His grace and peace. Drawing from a variety of biblical passages, we read about the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the process of redemption and sanctification.Moreover, the message delves into the dangers of pride and ignorance, cautioning against the Pharisaical rejection of known truth. Encouraging us to extend forgiveness and love, we are reminded of the importance of letting go of grudges and embracing grace in all interactions.The message also touches on the theme of reconciliation, stressing the need for unity among believers and with God. Additionally, we are reminded of the importance of prayer and seeking divine guidance in navigating life's challenges.As the episode draws to a close, we are reminded of the certainty of eternity and the imperative to live in accordance with God's will. Ultimately, the message serves as a compelling call to embrace grace, reject pride, and live in love and unity with God and fellow believers.Scripture References:Revelations 3:20Revelations 1:4John 14:16-17Galatians 3:13Ephesians 4:32John 8:21, 24Leviticus 1:4John 1:11James 4:171 Timothy 2:8

PHARISAICAL ANTINOMIANISMMATTHEW 5:21-26

PHARISAICAL ANTINOMIANISM-MATTHEW 5-21-26

PHARISAICAL ANTINOMIANISM-MATTHEW 5-21-26

On today's episode, your host Niqueea brings on another special guest, Dr. Latisha Lewis, to talk about all things worldly success vs godly success in entrepreneurship. Dr. Lewis is the founder and pastor of Kingdom Living International Ministries, founder of Kingdom Living Entertainment (a Christian entertainment streaming service), and the author behind her newest book "Too Fly For God" in which she talks about her inspiring journey from worldly glamour to spiritual surrender. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/niqueea/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/niqueea/support

William Wallace, who fought for Scottish independence, recalls this quote his uncle used to tell him: “I tell you a truth: Liberty is the best of things, my son; never live under any slavish bond.”Teach your son to walk in freedom.  Many things in this life will seek to enslave him: twisted immorality, the pursuit of selfish ends and amassing wealth, or a life of ease and pleasure.  But it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Your son is free from the bondage of Pharisaical judgment, Corinthian licentiousness, and everything in between.  Whom the son sets free is free indeed.  So help him fight his battles, help free him from society's grip, and let him soar with eagle's wings so he, in turn, may reach out and help free others.For information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

Series: N/AService: Sun AMType: SermonSpeaker: Jason Shackleford

How are we to deal with the compromise, the hypocrisy, the unbelief (i.e., the leaven) in our lives? In this episode, Nate and Gabe give encouragement on how to allow the Lord to search our hearts, expose us, and bring us back into fellowship and communion with Him in every area of our lives. As we humble ourselves under His Word, He will replace the leaven with His truth.Do you seek to keep certain things hidden so people will have a good opinion of you? Do you care more about looking good on the outside than you do about having a heart that is without compromise before God? This is called hypocrisy and it is something Jesus took very seriously. As you listen, allow the Lord to search you and bring His light to the hidden areas of your life. God longs to reveal Himself to you through a personal and intimate relationship; what will you allow to stand in the way?Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at www.homediscipleship.comStudy guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at www.homediscipleship.comFind us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

What's the harm in being a pacifist?  Many people assume that nonviolence can never be harmful, but the Bible speaks of teachings like these quite differently. In this episode, learn more about why the VC thinks it's worth our time to really consider the truth about the Bible and violence.

It has been said that “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” Beware of the lie that “little things” are not a big deal. In this episode, Nate and Gabe will expound on the fact that, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”Do you seek to keep certain things hidden so people will have a good opinion of you? Do you care more about looking good on the outside than you do about having a heart that is without compromise before God? This is called hypocrisy and it is something Jesus took very seriously. As you listen, allow the Lord to search you and bring His light to the hidden areas of your life.God longs to reveal Himself to you through a personal and intimate relationship; what will you allow to stand in the way?Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at www.homediscipleship.comStudy guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at www.homediscipleship.comFind us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

We Need To Check Ourselves (2) (audio) David Eells 1/14/24 Pray Alone With God David  The Man-child is coming to chose the Bride and we need to be in love with the Lord. Did Jesus teach that we are to have a personal relationship prayer life with God? More than that He commanded it. Or did He call for prayer meetings?  Mat 6:5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  Did Jesus also demonstrate this personal prayer life alone with God?   Mat 14:23 And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone.  Mar 6:45-46 ASV And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.  Mat 26:36-40 ASV Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (So even when His life was threatened He sought God personally.) 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?   Luk 6:12 ASV And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.  Others followed Jesus' command and example to have a personal prayer life to God.  Act 10:9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:  Act 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, 31 and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.  Some are afraid their faith is never enough but it should be so; we should cast off this fear for He loves us and cares for us. Some had a bad relationship to a parent or spouse and see God in the same light and are not sure God loves them and wants to meet their every need as He said. An expectant bride should trust that her groom loves her enough to provide for her like it was with Esther.  We must seek this personal relationship in prayer alone with God not just in a crowd trusting in their faith. “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to God.” When Jesus ministered to others he said, “be it unto you according to your faith.” And “As you have believed so shall it be unto you.” Ask Him for the gift of faith to love Him and respect Him as our provider, our Jehovah Jireh. Cast out double mindedness and doubt demons.  Father is asking us to seek this faith relationship with Him now before the return of the Lord to choose His bride. If you have this faithful relationship with him then adding your faith to others is of worth. Then if any two agree its powerful. Ask Him for this relationship and forgive everybody from the heart.  If you only feel comfortable in a crowd or an eating meeting, then you need to seek this relationship to Him now. He got alone with God for 40 days and forgot about the food.  My best talks with Father are when I am reading the Word or in the middle of the night alone when there are no responsibilities and all is quiet.  Father has been telling me that many are too busy, even religiously busy, to spend time alone with the Lord so check your heart and seek repentance if so.  What is the secret cause of the coming revival? Is it power? No that's a result of the revival. Is it timing? Thats part of it. The Man-child anointing will bring revival and it won't happen before. Is it “vain repetition” in prayer? Jesus said no. We are to believe we have received whenever we pray according to Mark 11:23-24.  How many times have we heard that past great revivals were traced to some old ladies praying on their own and believing God. :0) I have watched pre-promoted church revivals come and go for 54 years and its always the same. A few people get healed and delivered or just saved in some churches who don't believe in the power today. This probably would have happened anyway but they still call it revival. But the people didn't seek deliverance of their sins from and by the Lord. They trusted they were in good standing because of their association with an a church, a preacher, or “what we believe”, etc.  What is the foundation and preparation for the coming greatest revival? It is the condition so often repeated in scripture: “Repent and believe”. The churches are full of “just accept Jesus” converts who will miss this opportunity. Let's look at the cause and foundation for this coming revival.  Exo 19:10-12, 10 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments, (So will it start with the multitudes? No it will start with the anointed Man-child represented by Moses here. No one can prime it until then, as it was with Jesus, The Man-child. But we can prepare to receive it by personal relationship with the Lord and sanctification from our sins.) 11 ASV and be ready against the third day (Here is some timing, plus 40 days (as we shall see). We are at the morning of the third thousand year day from Jesus.); for the third day Jehovah will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. (He is coming in His Man-child reformers by Word and Spirit to begin revival and the timing is set.)  12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: (To ascend the mountain of the Lord's presence represents death to self, I.e. repentance and sanctification. So it is with Paul who said “ye are come unto mount Zion” Heb 12:22, with the presence of the Lord at the top.)  Exo 24:12-18 ASV And Jehovah said unto Moses (The Man-child, but it is true of all who want to come into his presence through death to self.), Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them. (Time alone with the Word prepared Moses to come to the people with the glory shining from his face.)  13 And Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of Jehovah abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day (More timing plus 40 days. We are at the 7th thousand year day from the first Adam.) he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire (Our God is a consuming fire; consuming the wood, hay and stubble of the old man.) on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.   18 And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud (Representing entering the glory of God), and went up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. (Forty is the number of testing. Jesus, the Man-child, also got alone with God and was tested for forty days. Both got alone with God, heard Him, and then overcame the enemy, the flesh and the Devil. They both used fasting too in order to weaken the flesh. So why is food now days so involved with drawing near to God and seeking revival? Busyness, even religious busyness, or constant fellowship, robs this most important time of soul searching with God and prevents the revival in one's heart where it has to begin. I watched for years those who came to the Lord the same time as me and where are they? They spent no time with the two edged sword, one edge being for self.)  Once again the foundation and cause of revival is repentance and sanctification. Didn't God tell Moses, Take your shoes off this is holy ground. He didn't want Moses separated from holiness. He had to stand holy/sanctified to be in God's presence.  Luk 3:2-8 ASV in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; (And he preached this to God's people many of whom turned against Jesus because their repentance from sin was skin deep.)  4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. (Notice: The path from the Word of the Lord to your heart must be prepared by repentance.) 5 Every valley shall be filled (Meaning the humble will receive from the Lord), And every mountain and hill shall be brought low (The proud will hold to their sin and receive judgment instead of the revival of Christ in them just as the faction has.); And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; (Departing from crooked ways to follow the straight path without stumbling blocks of sin is necessary for the Lord to enter the heart.)  6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (All types of men saw Him but not all men saw with the eyes of their heart.) 7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (The Pharisaical didn't believe repentance was for them because of religious pride just as we can have now.) 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (You may think, “But I follow David or Michael or Jesus”): for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees (Have you not seen them cut off? And we thought some were holy.): every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Fruit is proven through testing, which they failed.)  Luk 3:21-22 ASV Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, (John tried to stop Jesus from receiving the baptism of repentance but Jesus said, “thus it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness.” Without true repentance 3 out of 4 fall away.) 22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son: in thee I am well pleased. Is He please to dwell beside willful sin? Luk 4:1-21 ASV And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan (Where He received the baptism of repentance as a demonstration to us.), and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness 2 during forty days (Again timing + 40 days alone with God overcoming the devil as a type of the Man-child to come.), being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered. (Fasting and prayer through alone time with God was the key to overcoming temptations that to us identifies sin that most don't even know are there.)  3 And the devil said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it become bread. (To us this would be the temptation to prove our power for self-glory to feed our flesh in the next verse.) 4 And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone. 5 And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them (Representing temptation to have the glory of men.): for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. (Temptation to gain disciples and authority over them for self-glory like the factious and ambitious always do. This is always bowing the knee to the devil.) 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.   9 And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple (Temptation in a very visible place for self-glory.), and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee: 11 and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Temptation to test God's ability to save while being self-seeking.) 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.   As we can see, most of Jesus' temptations were about seeking the glory of men, which He of course did not do. But there are many who do. There is jealousy, competition, exclusiveness, putting on shows, disrespect, self-seeking, etc., such as those who fall into faction among leadership people or otherwise.  Seeking self-glory is a common temptation for leadership and makes them unqualified for the Man-child status or any other leadership position. Joh 12:42-43 ASV Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God. (Jesus said qualification is to reject the approval of men to confess Him before men.)  Joh 5:41-44 ASV I receive not glory from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (And the wicked with their fear of rejection did receive the wicked testimony of men.) 44 How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?  Joh 7:18 ASV He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (So did God send you to say that against all of God's commands or was it for your own glory?)  Mat 6:1-4 ASV Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  Back to our text: 13 And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season. (After overcoming selfish temptations by drawing near to God alone the revival began through Him as a type for the Man-child today.) 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.   16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (After overcoming all temptations through fellowship with the Father He was anointed to bring the revival.) 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.  So I say that God warned me to tell you this because your time to be chosen to be in the Man-child and Bride body is very short. As we saw with Jesus, when the Man-child came He chose the Bride. Go into your spiritual 40 days, representing a time of testing, alone with God and ask Him to seek out your sin and reveal it to you so you may reject it as Job did and be cleansed with the pure glowing white robe of the Bride. And the Lord and Baruch gave an Amen to this revelation!  We are told that there will be 10 days to 2 weeks of media darkness during martial law except to declass criminal activities in an 8 hour video playing over and over. This is mostly for those who listen to news on TV. The rest of us already know what is going on. I suggest you use this time to draw near to Father and ask Him to show you any sin. Then renounce and forsake them believing they were nailed to the cross as in Rom 6. Shortly after this time the Man-child reformers will begin to appear and the Bride will be chosen. God bless you my friends. The advantages of the Bride are tremendous.    Beware Be Watchful, My Glory  Debbie Fenske 1/8/24  It was on my heart to ask the Lord that in my time alone with Him this morning He would allow me to hear Him speak to me. Thank you, Father.   "Beware of the subtle one. Beware of the pretender who will try to come to you with a voice as the sound of My voice. Beware. He will try to come in your thoughts. He will come with a still small voice. He will come in your flesh. And he will come to try and deceive you in this time. I say to beware. Be watchful unto yourselves. Beware and be careful to do everything that you have been told to do. This time is crucial, and your light will soon shine forth as the stars. Intense, and in great brightness will it shine forth from you; My glory in you, shining forth through you, bringing attention to Me, your Glory and the lifter of your head. So be lifted up, My people.   You have been hearing that the time of My glory coming to be revealed in you is soon. I say, it is here. I am standing at the door ready to make My entrance. This is not the time to yield to temptation, lies, deceptions. Beware. For these will try to speak very loud to you, now, and in the days ahead of you. Much louder. So, as you have opportunity, hold one another up. Be strong for one another.   I say to you, My Glory, beware, be watchful, be obedient and steadfast with a single eye on My glory ready to shine through you. What glory awaits! Keep your eyes on me. Nothing else. What glory awaits!"  I asked Father if He would give me a couple scriptures about our seeking Him and waiting on Him in our times alone with Him, and, about us being His glory. The first place my finger landed in was Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek Me and find Me when you will search for Me with all your heart." I landed on "for Me." Thank you for that, Lord,  The next scripture came to me a little differently. But it was exciting for me how Father did this. I first landed in Isaiah 47:6, which is about God's anger with His people who profaned His inheritance. (When the Lord returns in His Man-child reformers he will judge these Edomite haters of their chosen brothers.) I was like, "No. no. this can't be it!" I turned my eyes to look directly across to the previous page which was chapter 46. (The opposite of them is the chosen.)  How awesome! Isaiah 46:13 "I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation (The meaning of Jesus is “Jah is Salvation” and where is He >) in Zion, and My glory for Israel." Glory to your name Lord!  And I thought it very interesting how He spoke of His glory, "My Glory," in this word, because I almost didn't use it, thinking it may just be from myself. But then I heard, "Use it." Thank you, Lord! (He is the glory of the Lord and His people.) Yes Lord. We want to seek You, to search for You with all our hearts, and come into Your very likeness from glory to glory. We are to be Your glory on this earth, and by faith we are Your glory, Your glorious Bride. Thank You for helping us to give You not just our time, but that all our time with You will be with You and You alone. I thank You for Your great mercy and Your great grace towards each of us. Thank You that in Your sovereignty You desire us to show forth Your glory, to be Your glorious spotless Bride.  Now help us to be obedient to You, to be to so watchful and aware of Satan's devices, his temptations to lure us away from our time alone with You. We can do all things through You, Jesus, Who strengthens us. We thank You that Your salvation and Your righteousness will not delay. Make us understand the urgency in what is required of us if we want to be in Your glorious Bride and be Your Glory as You shine through us on this earth doing the work You have called us to do, all for the glory of Your name. Thank You for Your grace given to all who are called to be in Your Bride, all over the world. Thank you, Father! Amen.    Bike Usage, A Prayer Life Vision  Anonymous 9/1/23  I had a vision of a standard BMX on the floor in a dank gloomy garage. There was clutter and items that had collected a large amount of dust. It was possible to make clear writing in the dust. (The bike ends up being a prayer life that is ignored and the consequences.) Then I saw a young man, he was in his room reading and doing tasks. He would then occasionally pick up a manual on bikes and say he liked a particular model. Then he placed it by his side and slept.  (A bike represents balance and the manual the Bible represents the same thing.) Another day and not many changes. He grew old and rarely even considered looking at the bike manual anymore. (The Bible) He then got old, and declared to throw it all out, his time had gone for that. Then he never thought of it again, he was caught in his impending death.  Then I saw a fit young man who had stories and excitement every moment. All he wanted to do was ride his bike. He shared it with everyone. He rode everyday everywhere. And he was constantly happy.   He had accidents and was seriously hurt but never stopped riding his bike once he was healed. He never changed because of his age or his other life duties.   His family then rode too and independently had a love for it their own way. He got old and couldn't ride but passionately wanted to and would encourage everyone to ride. He spoke and wrote books and submitted articles to enrich lives with the use of the bike.   Then he donated it to young children all just before his death. He and his family all cherished the times together well spent.  I then realized; this is our PRAYER LIFE.  The bike is getting close to God. It's a means and relationship. You can do much more when you use the bike and go places doing more amazing things than it laying on the floor. You could read about a bike but not ever think about where it could take you. Praying is an adventure. It's real and when you keep doing it, it will get easier and more in tune with God. Then when you connect with God, that is all you want to do is bathe in His presence and talk with Him and talk about Him with others. He becomes your all, your desires, wants, He is your only need.   I'm convinced, convicted and a flame kindled to go to the Lord and pray. Pray openly, pray about everything.    Be Ye Separate  David In the New Testament, “sanctification” is the Greek word hagiasmos and it means “separated from sin and consecrated unto God.” This sanctification has been given to us as a gift through Jesus Christ; it is also something that we attain to through faith in that gift. In other words, the Lord will fulfill it in us, if we go after it by faith.  (Rom.5:1) Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We believe the Lord has given us this sanctification and holiness because of His promises. God can't really bless an individual, nor can He bless a body of people, that's been polluted by the world. If we walk in repentance and faith, the Lord will account it to us as righteousness, but if we walk in rebellion and self-will, the Lord's chastening will be upon us.   The Bride will have special protection and provision from the Lord. The Bride is not all the people of God, as much of the Church says. (Son.6:8) There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number. (9) My dove, my undefiled, is but one.… He was speaking about the Bride. There are many people of God whom God loves, but the Bride is a special place because the Bride represents Zion, as we know from Revelation 21.   Zion, of course, was only a small part of the parable of God's people in the Old Testament. There was all of Israel and there was all of Judah, and then there was Zion.   I'd like to briefly review a little about the protection that is afforded the Bride. In 2 Kings 18, we have the revelation of the end-time Beast's attack upon God's people. The Assyrian empire and the king of Assyria conquered all of Israel, and those whom they didn't kill, they carried away captive. (2Ki.18:9) And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.   (10) And at the end of three years they took it: in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. (11) And the king of Assyria carried Israel away unto Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, (12) because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it.  They conquered all of Judah next. (2Ki.18:13) Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. (14) And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.   (15) And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house. (16) At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.   But we find that God zealously protected Zion, or Jerusalem, because it represented something for our day. Assyria was the second of the seven heads of the last Beast (Revelation 12:3, 13:1, 17:3,9), which consists of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medio-Persia, Greece, Rome and the revived Rome. Every one of those Beast kingdoms represents a revelation that is going to happen in the end time because today all seven heads are a part of this Beast. Assyria, as that second head, gives us the revelation of God's protection for His Bride, Jerusalem.   (2Ki.19:30) And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. (31) For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of mount Zion they that shall escape (This is talking about escape from the Beast kingdom that is conquering God's people.):the zeal of the Lord shall perform this. So the Lord is zealous, but why is He zealous over this particular part of His people and not the rest of His people? Why was He not zealous to protect and to destroy the Beast before it conquered all of Israel and Judah? It's because of what Zion represents: it represents the Bride.   (Rev.21:9) And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem (New Jerusalem), coming down out of heaven from God,  (The Bride is manifestly born from above.) (11) having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: (12) having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (13) on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Amen!   What is it about Jerusalem that represents something so holy and so perfect? Well, the wall of Jerusalem represents something. In the Song of Solomon, the bride, the Shulamite, which means “perfected one,” said (Son.8:10) I am a wall.... A wall represents sanctification; it represents separation from the world. Jerusalem was encompassed with this wall and it was a separation, a protection, from the Beast. And the bride also said of her immature little sister, (Son.8:9) If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret (or “battlement”) of silver.... “If she be a wall” sounds strange. Why would the bride be a “wall”?   And why would this be something to protect her little sister? It's because God will defend us, if we are sanctified, if we are separated. He will defend us, if our hedge is not let down for the enemy to come in and dwell in us, either individually or as a body of people. God defends the Bride and He will even defend the little sister before she comes to maturity, “if she be a wall.”   (2Ki.19:32) Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. (33) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, saith the Lord.   (34) For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. (35) And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand (185,000 men): and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. There is a place of safety in holiness and separation from the world, but there is none for those who walk in their own self-will and rebellion.   Then, after Hezekiah became ill, he pleaded with God for his life, saying that he had served the Lord. (2Ki.20:1) In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. (2) Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, (3) Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.   (4) And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, (5) Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah. (6) And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.   That's exactly what the rest of the Bible says about the regenerate daughter of Zion. God promises to defend them. When they walked in righteousness and purity, that wall represented separation and sanctification. (Pro.11:4) Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.  Again, the Greek word for “sanctification” is hagiasmos, which means “separation unto God”; in other words, “purification and separation from the world and from sin unto God.” The word for “saints,” hagios, is the root word for “sanctification.” “Saint” means “sanctified ones.” “Saints” are those people who are “separated from the world unto God” and all through the New Testament the Lord addresses the “saints,” the separated and sanctified ones.   (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord. We certainly want to see the Lord, don't we? We want to see Him after this life, but we also want to see Him in this life. (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Without sanctification, we are not going to see the Lord. We won't see Him in the mirror, we won't come into His image and we won't ultimately see Him.   However, even the little sister can be sanctified and separated from the world. Even the little sister can be running after the Lord with all of her heart. The Shulammite was seeking to bring her little sister into the presence of the king, Solomon, who represents our King. She was protecting and raising her up, just as the Bride will do in these days.   And Paul says, (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: (15) looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you,] and thereby the many be defiled. Many so-called “Christians” in these days are being defiled by roots of bitterness or by other people who have roots of bitterness. Those who are slanderers, gossipers, back-biters, these people are defiled. They are like Esau who sold his birthright through bitterness.  You need to be careful to remain sanctified and separated from them, as we're commanded. (Tit.3:10) A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse. In other words, separate yourself from them. (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator.... “Fornicator” has a spiritual aspect here: this is someone who has relations with the world and not the Lord. Esau was ordained, as a son of Abraham, to have relations with the Lord, yet he was having relations with the world and receiving the seed of another kingdom. He was receiving this root of bitterness which was, of course, from the devil and not from God. (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.   Now I know “meat” here just means “food,” but it also brings to mind the thought of “flesh” because Esau followed, or “sought after,” the flesh. He found that “meat” was more important than his birthright, which was the inheritance he received because he was a child of Abraham. (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected.... There isn't going to be a blessing to those who refuse sanctification through the Word. There isn't going to be a blessing to those who choose to receive the seed of the world, instead of being separated from the world, its nature and its curse. Esau was “rejected.” He sold his birthright and forfeited the double-portion blessing of the first-born.   There are people who are considered to be people of God, but who have been reprobated. They do not know the ways of peace and do not “follow after peace with all men,” as the Scripture says here. They have a root of bitterness and they spread their root of bitterness, so God has rejected them. (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind (which is basically the meaning of “repentance”) [in his father,] (“In his father” was added in by the translator, according to his own understanding, but it's not in the original.) though he sought it diligently with tears.   In other words, Esau himself wanted deliverance from this curse, but he was defiled by a root of bitterness and, of course, his seed after him was defiled because the sins of the parents are passed on to the children of the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9). We know that Jesus came to break genetic curses that have been passed on, but Esau, even though he was a seed of Abraham, refused the inheritance that he had received through his father and traded it away just like Judas. Remember how Jacob, Esau's brother, was greatly blessed after he separated himself from Esau. The Lord gave Jacob so much fruit and such great abundance that it surprised Esau when, after many years, Jacob returned with his wives, children, herds and flocks (Genesis 32, 33).   Bearing much fruit and receiving many blessings is a symbol of being sanctified and separated from that which is unholy, corrupt and bitter. It's a symbol of being separated from that which has been rejected as “accursed.” Jacob bore much fruit and received much blessing because he separated himself from those who were not sanctified. We find this pattern repeated all the way through the Bible. We are all sons of Abraham through faith and we receive our inheritance through faith, but God demands of us separation and we see many types and shadows of this in the Scriptures.   There are actually two stages of separation: First, God separates His people from the world and then, second, He separates from His people those who are worldly. After Abraham was called out from Ur of the Chaldees, which was Babylon, Abraham was later separated from Lot and his family, who initially came with him out of Babylon. Lot unwisely chose to settle in Sodom, which obviously was not a place of sanctification or separation from the world, and that decision brought a great curse upon Lot and his family. So notice that God called Abraham to separate from the Babylonians and then Abraham was separated from those who were not living a life that was as holy as his.   Another good type is when God separated His people, Israel, in the land of Egypt. He separated them from the Egyptians through the judgments that Moses, the Man-child, brought upon the Egyptians. Goshen represents that land where the Israelite was separated from the Egyptian. We know the first three judgments came upon both the Israelites and the Egyptians, but after God's people had once again received the fear of the Lord, then the rest of the judgments fell only upon the Egyptians. (Exo.8:23) And I will put a division between my people and thy people: by to-morrow shall this sign be.   A different representation of that is the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea, where God made a separation of His people from the Egyptians, a separation of the spiritual man from the carnal man. (Exo.14:21) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.   (22) And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (23) And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. (28) And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them.   Apostle Paul used that parable to show that in the Red Sea there was a baptism unto death for the Egyptian, who represented the old man that had been keeping Israel in bondage. (Heb.11:29) By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. Folks, in these days God's people are once again in bondage to the old man. And, once again, the Lord is going to send deliverance by the hand of the Man-child in the form of judgments on Egypt. Those judgments are going to cause God's people to realize that they need to depart from Egypt and stop submitting to the old man, who has been keeping them in bondage.   So God separated the Israelites from the Egyptians and brought them into the wilderness, but now He still had to separate the unbelievers from among them. You know, people like to think that only Egyptians are unbelievers, yet the unbelievers who complained in the wilderness were the unbelievers of His Own people. God could not bring Israel, even the faithful Israelites, into the Promised Land of blessing that was “flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 31:20; Numbers 14:8; Exodus 33:3; etc.) until all the unfaithful and unbelieving had died in the wilderness.   The righteous people among the Israelites, whom Joshua and Caleb represented, had to endure a time of trial and tribulation so that these unbelieving, murmuring Israelites would be separated from them. The righteous didn't get to see the blessings they should have received until that happened because God wasn't going to bless the unrighteous among the righteous. Who entered into the Promised Land? Other than Joshua and Caleb, it wasn't those Israelites who left Egypt; it was their children who entered the land of milk and honey, the blessings, the provisions of God.  Their old man shall die in the wilderness but their fruit will enter in. This is a process that God does in each and every one of us, too. We need to learn to come out from among the world and be separate because there is no place of blessing without sanctification. God wants us to separate ourselves from the “leaven” of wicked people. (Mat.16:12) Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Even if they call themselves “Christians,” He wants to separate them from us so that we can receive the blessings.   I once asked the Lord, “Why are there so many Judases and Jezebels rising up? You know they can't help themselves; it is demons in them that rise up and torment the Church, speak and rail against the people, argue about doctrine, take authority they don't have and all these things. Why is this happening?” And the Lord told me very plainly, “I'm doing you a favor.” I said, “How so, Lord?” The Lord answered, “Because you don't want all these people going into the wilderness with you, do you?” I replied, “No, I don't.”   I do know that in the wilderness there will still be some of these people to try the people of God because when Jesus chose the 12, one of them was the “son of perdition,” Judas. Of course, Judas had a ministry, but there are many more than we evidently need, from what the Lord told me. He is certainly revealing and separating them from His people in these days. God's people also need to understand and cooperate with God in this process of separation because this wasn't a job for only Moses or just the elders of Israel. This was a job for all of Israel to do. We are going to see from the Scriptures that we need to separate ourselves from those who are “leaven” and are keeping us from being sanctified.   Sanctification is needed individually and corporately. First of all, individually we are to (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, (18) And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.   And then, corporately, we are to be sanctified as the body of Christ. The Bride is so beautiful to God because it is a body of people who become separated from the rest of Israel because of their purity and holiness. By the way, the Greek word hagiasmos is translated as both “holiness” and “sanctification” in the New Testament. “Holiness” and “sanctification” both mean “separation from the world and from that which is impure, unto God.”   When Israel went into the wilderness, they had already been separated from the Egyptians, which basically represents salvation. When you go through the Red Sea, the Egyptian is cut off; it is your water baptism. So these are people who are what we call today “saved”; however, they still weren't sanctified as a body. Yes, there were people among them who were sanctified and always walked in righteousness, but as a body, they weren't sanctified and couldn't come into the blessings of God.   So God brought them through trials in the wilderness to prove them. He was going to show who was a part of the sanctified body and who it was who would refuse being sanctified and separated from the world.   (Exo.32:1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods.... The word for “gods” there is Elohim and it's the same word that they used for the true God because what they really wanted was something visible that the flesh could follow. Our God is invisible for a reason. He doesn't want us making pictures or statues of Him to bow down to or follow. He wants us to know Him by the Spirit and not by the flesh; the flesh won't obey God. He wants us to walk by faith and faith is when you don't see, but you obey anyway.   (Exo.32:1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. Well, God delayed this in order to try them, to see if they would turn aside out of the way and that's just what they did.   (Exo.32:2) And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. (3) And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. (4) And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Obviously, it was just a pile of gold. They had made a god after a fleshly image that impressed them, but had nothing to do with Elohim.   (Exo.32:5) And when Aaron saw [this,] he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to the Lord. (6) And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. You know, there are many false gods that people proclaim to be the Lord God because they permit them to live in a way that pleases their flesh.  (Exo.32:7) And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people (Notice they aren't God's people anymore.), that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: (8) they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. This molten calf was probably a replica of Apis, the calf god of Egypt. They knew of a god in Egypt and when Moses wasn't around to lead them, they quickly reverted back to their Egyptian god.   (Exo.32:9) And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people (Not all of them were stiff-necked, but a majority of them were.): (10) now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. So we see that when they were all together as a body, God condemned them. There needed to be a separation of that which was good in their midst and God agreed to this a little further on.   (Exo.32:11) And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? (12) Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people.   (13) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever. (14) And the Lord repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.   The Lord didn't consume them at that time, but He did lay down some conditions: (Exo.32:26) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on the Lord's side, [let him come] unto me. (This is interesting; evidently, there were some who were on the Lord's side during all of this. There were people who didn't believe the golden calf was God.) And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.   The Levites represent something in the New Testament: (Exo.19:5) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: (6) and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. God's true people are a “holy” people, meaning “separated from the world and sanctified.” The Levites were separated to be God's own possession and in this situation the Levites were not in agreement with the rest of the body of Israelites about the golden calf.   Moses said, (Exo.32:26) Whoso is on the Lord's side, [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi (the holy nation, the priests of God) gathered themselves together unto him. (27) And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. (28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.   What does this represent? It represents a sanctification of the people who had not fallen into this worship of a false god. Now we know in the New Testament that we are forbidden to use a physical sword against our enemies: (Mat.26:52) Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. But we do have a sword which we are commanded to use. Our sword is the Word of God.   (Eph.6:13) Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   When you are in the midst of a body and some of those people are unholy, they are what is blocking you from receiving the blessing as a body because God cannot bless the body without also blessing these evil, wicked people. We just read that it was Moses and all the priests of God who were called to sanctify the body. And as a kingdom of priests of God, we're all called to use the sword of the Word to separate and sanctify the body.   If someone who is called a “believer” comes unto you but is walking in willful sin, the Bible tells you what to do about it: (1Co.5:9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.   (12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? (13) But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves. You are to separate from them, (Eph.5:11) and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.   In other words, you take your sword and you point out to this person that they are one of the people who is stopping the body from receiving the great blessings that God wants to pour out. God couldn't bless Israel while they were in Egypt; He had to separate them from that body. But then there was still something that was blocking them from receiving the great blessings from God in the wilderness and it was those unbelievers in their midst. Even though they were Israelites and they would today be called “Christians,” they were blocking the blessings from the body and something had to be done about it.   Would you take the sword? The Bible says we are cursed if we don't use our sword. (Jer.48:10) Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Would you sit on that sword? Or would you use it to correct the brother or sister who comes to you with slander, gossip, hatred or judgment against the body? Would you obey the Word and correct that person?   (Mat.18:15) And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (16) But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. (17) And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.   For instance, would you tell the brother who is assaulting the elders, “Look, it is forbidden for us to receive an accusation against an elder without witnesses”? Would you correct a brother or sister in your midst who is committing fornication and yet they are sitting right next to you in a church pew, being accepted by the rest of the body? Would you be the one with the sword and do what was necessary for the local body to be blessed? Is your allegiance to your friend or is your allegiance to God? Is it more important to build up the body to receive the blessings of God because it is holy or is it more important to keep the friendship you have with your friend? I believe most of Christianity would think, “That's not my job. That's the preacher's job.” No, that's not what we are seeing here and that's not what we see in the rest of the Scriptures, either.   Let's read on. (Exo.32:28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (29) And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. There wasn't going to be a blessing until there was this separation and the sword was applied to these people who had caused the problem.   (Exo.32:30) And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin. (31) And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. (32) Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (33) And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.  He pardoned. He did not bring wrath upon the whole body because He wanted to bring wrath upon those who sinned. The trials that they were about to go through were going to reveal those murmurers and unbelievers among them, and through these trials, those people were put to death in the wilderness. So those who sinned against Him, those who worshipped the false god and polluted the body, these people bore their judgment. He said, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book,” and God is still doing this in the New Testament.   (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. (Rev.3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.   (Exo.32:34) And now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. Those people died in the wilderness because of their unbelief, their murmuring and their lack of sanctification. God was their provider that whole time, but they still rebelled against the Lord. (Exo.32:35) And the Lord smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.   The truly righteous people in their midst had to suffer for these other people because there had been no sanctification of the body. Think about the Joshuas and the Calebs, who were going through the wilderness with these people and suffering along with them. They actually deserved to go and walk into the Promised Land, yet they were suffering.   There has to be a separation so that we can come into the great miracles, great revival and great blessings of provision that are just ahead of us for the people of God.   Another trial that God used to separate between the righteous and rebellious Israelites was the Korah rebellion. If you remember, Korah took it upon himself to be a leader in Israel, even though that position wasn't given to him by God. Yet Moses was someone who never wanted the authority that the Lord gave him. (Exo.4:10) And Moses said unto the Lord, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (11) And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh [a man] dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (12) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak. (13) And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.   Moses considered himself to be inadequate and was trying to convince God to send someone else. So why did so many people follow Korah? I'm suspecting that Korah was a smooth, persuasive talker and maybe even good-looking. The people followed him, but think about all the miracles that God had done through Moses, who was slow of tongue, evidently not quick-witted and not eloquent. (Num.16:19) And Korah assembled all the congregation against them (Moses and Aaron) unto the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. (20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves (this represents sanctification) from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.   The Lord didn't want to consume all of them; He wanted to consume those who were taking sides with Korah. (Num.16:22) And they (Moses and Aaron) fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? Obviously, the people had the choice of whom to follow, but while they were one body and in rebellion, the Lord was considering the whole body as perpetrators. (23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. In other words, separate yourselves from among these people so I can protect you, so I can bless you, so I can chasten them.   (Num.16:25) And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. (26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs (Be separate from all their thoughts and doings.), lest ye be consumed in all their sins. If you're touching something, you are not separated, are you? (27) So they gat them up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.   (28) And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. (30) But if the Lord make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised the Lord.  (We have certainly seen the wicked going to hell while alive.) I've shared with you in the past that being swallowed alive by the earth represents being swallowed up by the flesh. (1Ti.5:6) But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth. We're not here to please the flesh or to be consumed by the flesh, yet people who are in rebellion against God will be delivered over to their flesh. They will be unable to overcome that flesh because of their rebellion. The Lord is saying to separate yourself from people who live after the lust of their flesh, so that you're not swallowed up by the curse that's upon them.   It has to be important to us that God's body be holy and separate from these people because people in willful disobedience need to be judged. Of course, if they are repentant, if they are turning away from their sin, then we should encourage them. But if they are happy to sit in the midst of their sins and want to use doctrine to justify themselves, then they need to be separated. Paul said, (1Co.5:6) ... Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened....  He commands us there to separate from these people so the whole body is not leavened or considered by God to be leavened. In whatever place you are, you always want that body to come into the blessing and provision of God. But when God reveals these people, and you can see that He has turned them over to be consumed by their flesh, then you need t

Jesus said that the leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. They loved the praise of men, they looked good on the outside, they did and said all the right things, but inwardly they missed the mark! Hypocrisy is very connected to pride - “I want to look better than I am.” In this episode, Nate and Gabe exhort us to ask ourselves the question, “Is there leaven in me?”Do you seek to keep certain things hidden so people will have a good opinion of you? Do you care more about looking good on the outside than you do about having a heart that is without compromise before God? This is called hypocrisy and it is something Jesus took very seriously. As you listen, allow the Lord to search you and bring His light to the hidden areas of your life.God longs to reveal Himself to you through a personal and intimate relationship; what will you allow to stand in the way?Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at www.homediscipleship.comStudy guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at www.homediscipleship.comFind us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

What is leaven? And what are its effects? In this new study on the command of Christ to “Beware of Leaven”, Nate and Gabe will take a deeper look into the metaphorical “leaven” in our own lives. Leaven is something very small that grows in secret, and ends up permeating the whole.  Do you seek to keep certain things hidden so people will have a good opinion of you? Do you care more about looking good on the outside than you do about having a heart that is without compromise before God? This is called hypocrisy and it is something Jesus took very seriously. As you listen, allow the Lord to search you and bring His light to the hidden areas of your life. God longs to reveal Himself to you through a personal and intimate relationship; what will you allow to stand in the way?Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at www.homediscipleship.com  Study guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at www.homediscipleship.comFind us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshiphttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

Today's Topics: 1, 2) The Pharisaical word-games of U.S. Bishops https://www.complicitclergy.com/2023/12/22/the-pharisaical-word-games-of-u-s-bishops/ 2, 3) The West would put Jesus in jail today for His teaching on marriage - Cardinal Müller: "I believe that today Jesus would not be condemned only because He is the Messiah, but He would, in the USA and European countries, go to prison because He spoke out the truth about marriage between a man and a woman" https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/cardinal-muller-the-west-would-throw-jesus-in-jail-today-for-his-teaching-on-marriage/ 3, 4) Retired Brazilian Bishop who criticized the "Amazon Synod" experiences Bergoglio's "mercy" https://www.complicitclergy.com/2023/12/14/retired-brazilian-bishop-who-criticized-amazon-synod-experiences-bergoglios-mercy/

The guys are in the “dog days” of summer with several questionable pooch interactions, and Jase manages to turn his booth at a trade show into a church service. The guys discuss the Pharisaical persecution of Jesus over his ability to cast out demons. Phil explores the meaning of the word “perfection,” and Jase supposes Jesus is truly the Great Physician — able to diagnose and cure the source and symptoms of our ailments. In this episode: Luke 11, verses 14–28; Exodus 8, verses 17–19 https://www.patriotmobile.com/phil — Get FREE activation today when you use code PHIL or call 878-PATRIOT https://philmerch.com — Get your "Unashamed" mugs, shirts, hats & hoodies! "The Blind" hits theaters Sept. 28. Get your tickets TODAY before theaters start to sell out! https://www.fathomevents.com/theblind — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast takes us into an interesting question about buildings and high places. Along the way, we also learn a fun Hebrew word.Preacher: Pastor Adam SteinbrennerHearer Submitted Question:In Luke 9:14a, it says "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other."Is the part "... down to his house..." referring to the common practice of building temples in the high places or highest place in a village, town, or city? If so, what does this say (if anything) about American's propensity of being Pharisaical about our own legal and broadcast media messages of rightness - particularly in light of our propensity for building courthouses and broadcast towers in high places?Submit Sermon Questions:Email | podcast@stjohndublin.orgLink to SermonChurch Website: stjohndublin.orgChurch Center: stjohndublin.churchcenter.comThank you to Higher Things Inc. for permission to use their recording of LSB 834 “O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth”. (leader.higherthings.org)Thank you for listening to the Post-Sermon Podcast.

Having provided assurance of Jesus' Messiahship and encouragement to those disciples struggling with false expectations, Matthew presents the next round of Pharisaical opposition and rejection. The rejection becomes so pronounced that the Pharisees publicly announce that Satan empowers Jesus, not the Holy Spirit. Thus, in Matthew 12:22-32, Jesus addresses the issue of the unpardonable sin.

The Pharisees were a group of zealous Jews who were contemporaries of Jesus Christ. They believed that the way they would please God and make it to heaven was by meticulously following a long list of religious rules and regulations.The Mosaic LawThe foundation of the Pharisaical rules was the “Torah” – the law that God gave through Moses to the Jewish people of the Old Testament (OT). The Law was important. It reflected God's purposes and boundaries for his chosen people, Israel.Deuteronomy 6:17 You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God – all the laws and decrees he has given you.The most famous part of the Torah is the 10 Commandments, but these are actually just 10 of a total of 613 commandments given to the ancient Israelites.The MishnahWhile following 613 commandments would be hard enough, over time Jewish leaders began to slowly add to these laws in the Mishnah. This additional teaching is an ongoing compilation of sermons and sayings by Jewish rabbis meant to interpret the original Mosaic Law. The original intent of these additions was to clarify the law, but it ended up adding many layers of complicated regulations. This Mishnah was already lengthy in Jesus's day and continues to grow to this day. So for the Pharisees, they not only tried to follow the 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law, but the literally thousands of new commandments that were created to clarify the original 613 commandments.[External Resource: What is the Mishnah? What is a midrash?]For example, in the Mosaic Law, one of the commandments is to keep the Sabbath holy, which means that Jews were not supposed to work on Saturdays. But to clarify this, the Jewish scholars created thirty-nine separate categories of what “work” means, and within those thirty-nine categories there are many sub-categories. So to follow the rule of not working on the Sabbath, there are literally thousands of sub-rules to follow, including how many steps you can take, and how many letters you can write on the Sabbath.Where the Pharisees Went WrongWhile most average Jews in Jesus's day didn't even attempt to follow all of these additions to the original Mosaic Law, the Pharisees did. They prided themselves on following not just the letter of the Mosaic Law, but even the letter of the Mishnah. Most notably, the Pharisees sought to abide by the external laws that distinguished the Jewish people from all of the other nations – the laws that made them outwardly distinct. These included laws about what to eat, what to wear, circumcision, how to pray out loud, etc.The impulse that drove the Pharisees was good. When Israel returned from exile, they were repentant - at least for a while. But the influence of Greek culture in the middle east after Alexander the Great led Israelites astray. The area where the Jews lived was ruled by Greek generals. Greek (or “Hellenistic”) culture become prominent. The Pharisees arose as a movement to return Israel to faithful obedience to God. But their idea of how to do what was misguided. It went in the wrong direction.In one instance, Jesus critiqued how the Pharisees' use of the Mishnah actually went against what God valued most. Tell the story of healing a man's hand on Sabbath day.Mark 3:1-5 Jesus went into the synagogue and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with...

I would like to share with you an easy technique for avoiding moral accountability. Whenever you are caught and called to account for doing something wrong (that is, when you are “busted”), you simply invoke the figure of the Pharisee. Tell your accuser that he is being judgmental and Pharisaical, and that he has no right to judge you. After all, the Lord says, “Judge not”. It works almost every time, functioning as a moral Get Out of Jail Free card.

I would like to share with you an easy technique for avoiding moral accountability. Whenever you are caught and called to account for doing something wrong (that is, when you are “busted”), you simply invoke the figure of the Pharisee. Tell your accuser that he is being judgmental and Pharisaical, and that he has no right to judge you. After all, the Lord says, “Judge not”. It works almost every time, functioning as a moral Get Out of Jail Free card.

I would like to share with you an easy technique for avoiding moral accountability. Whenever you are caught and called to account for doing something wrong (that is, when you are “busted”), you simply invoke the figure of the Pharisee. Tell your accuser that he is being judgmental and Pharisaical, and that he has no right to judge you. After all, the Lord says, “Judge not”. It works almost every time, functioning as a moral Get Out of Jail Free card.

A Friend of Medjugorje addresses a letter he received criticizing his writings about the commandments - especially one of the commandments. A Friend of Medjugorje turns the criticism on its head.

Thanks for listening! Visit us online at www.salvationnow.ca Follow us on TikTok, Twitter & Instagram @TJMalcangi Subscribe to our YouTube channel "TJ Malcangi" God Bless You!

“The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated. Various expressions of this rule can be found in the tenets of most religions and creeds through the ages.[1] It can be considered an ethic of reciprocity in some religions, although different religions treat it differently. The maxim may appear as a positive or negative injunction governing conduct: Treat others as you would like others to treat you (positive or directive form)[1] Do not treat others in ways that you would not like to be treated (negative or prohibitive form) What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself (empathetic or responsive form.)” I live by all of these wise sayings. I interpret all religious language figuratively from the standpoint of Oneness. Women, BIPOC, white folks, men, and LGBTQIA+ were all called derogatory names in organized crime and they were all body-shamed in graphic, but derogatory ways unnecessarily in organized crime as well. I was forced to party and dance with adults at the pubs and clubs. I was also forced to spend time in brothels, participate in brothel activities ( wild parties, and being sexually abused at sex parties,) spend time in drug dens/drug houses, and participate in drug den activities (wild parties, and being sexually abused at sex parties.) When it comes to sex and all areas of life, people should only and strictly apply the Golden Rule, The Platinum Rule, The Titanium Rule, The Silver Rule, and The Law of The Return. The Iron Rule is pure evil so it should never be applied. Noun. silver rule (plural silver rules) (ethics) The principle that one should not treat other people in the manner in which one would not want to be treated by them. The Titanium Rule says: “Treat others as it is in the highest and best good to treat them.” The Platinum Rule says: “Treat others as they want to be treated”. The Law of Return says: “You reap what you sow.” The Iron Rule says: “Might makes right.” If you're a faith-based believer, you do unto others as The Unitarian Universalist Jesus has done unto you and love as The Unitarian Universalist Jesus does (which means you don't live a legalistic, Pharisaical life.) I look forward to being an ethical example of a global porn legend/global porn veteran within mainstream porn and ethical porn. That means I work with companies who honor human rights laws. In organized crime, I had to hide my autism, my gender identity, and my sexual orientation to avoid being hate-crimed. I would act like a societally stereotypical man with gentleman traits so organized crime figures would think of me as heterosexual, cisgender, and neurotypical (which they did.) They assumed that I was the most heterosexual, most cisgender, most “manly”, the biggest “chick magnet” and most neurotypical person they knew because women liked me, I talk about women the most, and they glorified the sexual abuse the some women did to me, saying that I had “the most action” out of all of the guys they knew. I learned quickly so they thought of me as bright. I was considered “a man” by them because I was feared by the streets as a street kid who ran the streets. I was respected by men, but women the most. Women didn't fear me, but men did. I was adored by the queer community around that time. I had the late Bernie Mac's eyes and the late rapper DMX's voice at the age of five. I saw all of the types of ways to kill people due to the adult organized crime figures as a kid. Here is a wonderful example of someone who is into overcoming crime culture and drug dealing culture: https://www.amazon.com/Taco-Montana-Clanestine-Darryl-Andrews/dp/B09WRLTJ59. Darryl Andrews a.k.a. “Taco Montana” is not someone who is proud of being a “D.C. street legend”. He doesn't glorify being a “kingpin.” This article also shows how evil organized crime is: “https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1992/08/15/ne-neighborhoods-streets-turn-into-battlegrounds/90476944-6a16-40d0-935e-c6ee242a4e0c/.” --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support

Pathfinder Church | July 10, 2022 | Doug MaussPaul had it made. His life was set as a very prominent and successful Pharisee. But when he became captured by the Gospel, he realized that the exclusivity and elitism of Pharisaical life was NOT in line with the heart of God. Paul's life took a dramatic turn as he suffered a lot of misunderstanding and judgment to bring the Gospel to people that were seen as unlovable and far from God. Anyone who has walked the path of “unconditional acceptance” has experienced similar misunderstanding and suffering. How do you protect from what critics fear most: How do you know when you've gone too far? Website | https://pathfinderstl.orgOnline Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/givePodcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcastsFacebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstlInstagram | https://instagram.com/pathfinderstlSt. John School | http://stjls.orgContact Us | churchinfo@pathfinderstl.org