Podcasts about seest

91 : Gospel of Mark 13 1. And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2. And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4. Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 5. And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: ; AB church Lausanne

Dancefloor Memories with Patrick Hawkins, over 60 Minutes of Disco, Soul and Funk Podcast. Classic tracks, Dancefloor fillers from, MFSB, Luther Vandross, SOS Band, Shakatak, and new tracks from, Cool Million ft Seest, Forman Neal & JTreece, Gwen Dicky and The Tune Of The Week is from Disco Stallion (Alex Di Cio Mix), more classic tracks from Kenny Lynch, Incognito, Heatwave and Grover Washington jr ft Bill Withers (super sax marathon remix). Just settle down with a long drink and chill or boogie around your kitchen to tracks others would never dream of playing! Spread the word, give me a like and follow my Podcasts. Much Love Pat

Møde nr. 94 i salen 1) 1. behandling af B 132 om stop for udrulningen af statslige energiparkerForslag til folketingsbeslutning om stop for udrulningen af statslige energiparker. Af Mads Fuglede (DD) m.fl.2) 1. behandling af B 164 om at lave en skole, der er god for alle børnForslag til folketingsbeslutning om at lave en skole, der er god for alle børn. Af Lotte Rod (RV) og Martin Lidegaard (RV).3) Forhandling - hasteforespørgsel af F 30 om forbuddet mod atomkraft i dansk energiplanlægningForespørgsel til klima-, energi- og forsyningsministeren om forbuddet mod atomkraft i dansk energiplanlægning. (Hasteforespørgsel). Af Steffen W. Frølund (LA), Mads Fuglede (DD), Frederik Bloch Münster (KF) og Nick Zimmermann (DF).4) Besvarelse af oversendte spørgsmål til ministrene (spørgetid)Spørgetid4.1) Spm. nr. S 1086 om grænseværdier for udledning af ultrafine partikler og kvælstofdioxid fra Københavns LufthavnSpm. nr. S 1086 Til finansministeren af: Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen (SF): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, om staten skal udøve aktivt ejerskab af Københavns Lufthavn og sætte grænseværdier for udledning af ultrafine partikler og kvælstofdioxid, set i lyset af at 17 forældrebestyrelser i Tårnby Kommune har udtrykt bekymring for deres børns sundhed gennem et brev til kommunen?4.2) Spm. nr. S 1089 om at imødekomme medicinalindustriens interesser med den foreslåede fortrolighed for medicinpriserSpm. nr. S 1089 Til indenrigs- og sundhedsministeren af: Theresa Scavenius (UFG): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at konsekvenserne af at imødekomme medicinalindustriens interesser med den foreslåede fortrolighed for medicinpriser giver en dårligere mulighed for tilsyn af risici for overbetaling for medicin i sundhedssektoren og en forfordeling af borgerne, der både mister indblik i medicinpriserne og ikke modtager de potentielle besparelser, da de stadig væk skal betale listepriser?4.3) Spm. nr. S 1090 om medietjenesterSpm. nr. S 1090 Til kulturministeren af: Theresa Scavenius (UFG): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at det i medier er blevet udtalt, at statsministeren er med til at godkende ansættelsen af DR's generaldirektør, set i lyset af EU's nye medieforordning, der skal sikre, at statsfinansieret tv og radio er politisk uafhængigt?4.4) Spm. nr. S 1091 om de fortsatte prisstigninger på fødevarerSpm. nr. S 1091 Til erhvervsministeren af: Pelle Dragsted (EL): Agter regeringen – i lyset af de fortsatte prisstigninger på fødevarer – at tage de meget høje fødevarepriser alvorligt og undersøge detailmarkedet for fødevarer i dybden, f.eks. ved at bevillige og afsætte midler til, at Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen skal efterforske, hvorvidt der sker uregelmæssigheder til skade for forbrugerne på fødevaremarkedet, undersøgelser og efterforskninger, som det f.eks. er bevilliget og udført i Norge og Sverige?4.5) Spm. nr. S 1085 om der er emner, der ikke må debatteres til skolevalgetSpm. nr. S 1085 Til børne- og undervisningsministeren af: Rosa Lund (EL): Mener ministeren, at der er emner, der ikke må debatteres til skolevalget?4.6) Spm. nr. S 1074 om hvorvidt reglerne for skovrejsning og anvendelse af skovarealer er tidssvarendeSpm. nr. S 1074 Til ministeren for grøn trepart af: Kristian Bøgsted (DD): Mener ministeren, at reglerne for skovrejsning og anvendelse af skovarealer er tidssvarende og hensigtsmæssige, når reglerne i praksis medfører, at frivilligt plantet skov i forbindelse med etablering af f.eks. mountainbikebaner kan føre til, at en del af banen efterfølgende bliver ulovlig?4.7) Spm. nr. S 1043 om artiklen »Bageri får 60.000 kroner i bøde: Glemte at skrive ingrediens med store bogstaver«Spm. nr. S 1043 Til ministeren for fødevarer, landbrug og fiskeri af: Hans Kristian Skibby (DD): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at et bageri i Seest ved Kolding har fået en bøde på 60.000 kr. for ved en fejl ikke at have skrevet ingrediensen sojalecithin med store bogstaver på pakken »Lys pålægschokolade med nøddekrokant 200 g«, selv om ingrediensen var skrevet med fed skrift for at skille sig ud fra resten af ingredienserne på listen, hvilket var godkendt af Fødevarestyrelsen ved et tidligere besøg, og finder ministeren bødens størrelse proportionel med forseelsen?4.8) Spm. nr. S 1082 om CO2-afgift på fiskerietSpm. nr. S 1082 Til ministeren for fødevarer, landbrug og fiskeri af: Kristian Bøgsted (DD): Mener ministeren, at han selv og Ministeriet for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri formår at have det fulde overblik over, hvilke konsekvenser en CO2-afgift på fiskeriet reelt har for erhvervet?5) 1. behandling af B 135 om forbud mod import i EU af kinesisk teknologi, der udgør en sikkerhedsrisikoForslag til folketingsbeslutning om forbud mod import i EU af kinesisk teknologi, der udgør en sikkerhedsrisiko. Af Alex Ahrendtsen (DF) m.fl.6) 1. beh. af L 204 om kreditorforfølgning i pensionsordninger i anledning af visse strafbare handlinger, der har medført et udbytteForslag til lov om ændring af retsplejeloven og forskellige andre love. (Kreditorforfølgning i pensionsordninger for konfiskationskrav og erstatningskrav m.v. i anledning af visse strafbare handlinger, der har medført et udbytte). Af justitsministeren (Peter Hummelgaard).

Møde nr. 94 i salen 1) 1. behandling af B 132 om stop for udrulningen af statslige energiparkerForslag til folketingsbeslutning om stop for udrulningen af statslige energiparker. Af Mads Fuglede (DD) m.fl.2) 1. behandling af B 164 om at lave en skole, der er god for alle børnForslag til folketingsbeslutning om at lave en skole, der er god for alle børn. Af Lotte Rod (RV) og Martin Lidegaard (RV).3) Forhandling - hasteforespørgsel af F 30 om forbuddet mod atomkraft i dansk energiplanlægningForespørgsel til klima-, energi- og forsyningsministeren om forbuddet mod atomkraft i dansk energiplanlægning. (Hasteforespørgsel). Af Steffen W. Frølund (LA), Mads Fuglede (DD), Frederik Bloch Münster (KF) og Nick Zimmermann (DF).4) Besvarelse af oversendte spørgsmål til ministrene (spørgetid)Spørgetid4.1) Spm. nr. S 1086 om grænseværdier for udledning af ultrafine partikler og kvælstofdioxid fra Københavns LufthavnSpm. nr. S 1086 Til finansministeren af: Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen (SF): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, om staten skal udøve aktivt ejerskab af Københavns Lufthavn og sætte grænseværdier for udledning af ultrafine partikler og kvælstofdioxid, set i lyset af at 17 forældrebestyrelser i Tårnby Kommune har udtrykt bekymring for deres børns sundhed gennem et brev til kommunen?4.2) Spm. nr. S 1089 om at imødekomme medicinalindustriens interesser med den foreslåede fortrolighed for medicinpriserSpm. nr. S 1089 Til indenrigs- og sundhedsministeren af: Theresa Scavenius (UFG): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at konsekvenserne af at imødekomme medicinalindustriens interesser med den foreslåede fortrolighed for medicinpriser giver en dårligere mulighed for tilsyn af risici for overbetaling for medicin i sundhedssektoren og en forfordeling af borgerne, der både mister indblik i medicinpriserne og ikke modtager de potentielle besparelser, da de stadig væk skal betale listepriser?4.3) Spm. nr. S 1090 om medietjenesterSpm. nr. S 1090 Til kulturministeren af: Theresa Scavenius (UFG): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at det i medier er blevet udtalt, at statsministeren er med til at godkende ansættelsen af DR's generaldirektør, set i lyset af EU's nye medieforordning, der skal sikre, at statsfinansieret tv og radio er politisk uafhængigt?4.4) Spm. nr. S 1091 om de fortsatte prisstigninger på fødevarerSpm. nr. S 1091 Til erhvervsministeren af: Pelle Dragsted (EL): Agter regeringen – i lyset af de fortsatte prisstigninger på fødevarer – at tage de meget høje fødevarepriser alvorligt og undersøge detailmarkedet for fødevarer i dybden, f.eks. ved at bevillige og afsætte midler til, at Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen skal efterforske, hvorvidt der sker uregelmæssigheder til skade for forbrugerne på fødevaremarkedet, undersøgelser og efterforskninger, som det f.eks. er bevilliget og udført i Norge og Sverige?4.5) Spm. nr. S 1085 om der er emner, der ikke må debatteres til skolevalgetSpm. nr. S 1085 Til børne- og undervisningsministeren af: Rosa Lund (EL): Mener ministeren, at der er emner, der ikke må debatteres til skolevalget?4.6) Spm. nr. S 1074 om hvorvidt reglerne for skovrejsning og anvendelse af skovarealer er tidssvarendeSpm. nr. S 1074 Til ministeren for grøn trepart af: Kristian Bøgsted (DD): Mener ministeren, at reglerne for skovrejsning og anvendelse af skovarealer er tidssvarende og hensigtsmæssige, når reglerne i praksis medfører, at frivilligt plantet skov i forbindelse med etablering af f.eks. mountainbikebaner kan føre til, at en del af banen efterfølgende bliver ulovlig?4.7) Spm. nr. S 1043 om artiklen »Bageri får 60.000 kroner i bøde: Glemte at skrive ingrediens med store bogstaver«Spm. nr. S 1043 Til ministeren for fødevarer, landbrug og fiskeri af: Hans Kristian Skibby (DD): Hvad er ministerens holdning til, at et bageri i Seest ved Kolding har fået en bøde på 60.000 kr. for ved en fejl ikke at have skrevet ingrediensen sojalecithin med store bogstaver på pakken »Lys pålægschokolade med nøddekrokant 200 g«, selv om ingrediensen var skrevet med fed skrift for at skille sig ud fra resten af ingredienserne på listen, hvilket var godkendt af Fødevarestyrelsen ved et tidligere besøg, og finder ministeren bødens størrelse proportionel med forseelsen?4.8) Spm. nr. S 1082 om CO2-afgift på fiskerietSpm. nr. S 1082 Til ministeren for fødevarer, landbrug og fiskeri af: Kristian Bøgsted (DD): Mener ministeren, at han selv og Ministeriet for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri formår at have det fulde overblik over, hvilke konsekvenser en CO2-afgift på fiskeriet reelt har for erhvervet?5) 1. behandling af B 135 om forbud mod import i EU af kinesisk teknologi, der udgør en sikkerhedsrisikoForslag til folketingsbeslutning om forbud mod import i EU af kinesisk teknologi, der udgør en sikkerhedsrisiko. Af Alex Ahrendtsen (DF) m.fl.6) 1. beh. af L 204 om kreditorforfølgning i pensionsordninger i anledning af visse strafbare handlinger, der har medført et udbytteForslag til lov om ændring af retsplejeloven og forskellige andre love. (Kreditorforfølgning i pensionsordninger for konfiskationskrav og erstatningskrav m.v. i anledning af visse strafbare handlinger, der har medført et udbytte). Af justitsministeren (Peter Hummelgaard).

‘And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!‘And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings?  there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.‘And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,‘Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?‘And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:‘For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.‘And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.‘For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:  and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles:  these are the beginnings of sorrows.‘But take heed to yourselves:  for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.‘And the gospel must first be published among all nations.‘But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate:  but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye:  for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.‘Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.‘And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:  but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.'—Mark 1:1–13

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

Salvation requires faith. We are accustomed to reading the outcome of events in the Scriptures (a luxury not available until this age). One thing we know from reading them, the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees were students of the Scripture. They were anticipating the arrival of Elijah and Messiah. They taught the people of Israel the signs, the resulting actions and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth. Alas, they were wrong. Their expectations blinded them to the arrival of John and Jesus. Today, we too (via books, movies and preachers) have been schooled in the manner and result of Jesus return to the earth. To prepare for this unprecedented time we must rely on our relationship and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Keep the commandments; never violate your conscience and take time every day to hear the voice of God. Forgive everyone. Live in a manner so that nothing will block your guidance. ***"Surviving the End" https:// youtu.be/ rlTEu_JeFSY?feature=shared***Chapter 101: Jesus Predicts The Destruction Of The Temple And Coming DisastersMatthew 24:1-28; Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24AS JESUS came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him: “Master, see what manner of stones and buildings are here!” Jesus replied: “Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be one stone left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, near the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him and asked: “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” Jesus replied: “Take heed lest any man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ;' and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled; for such things must needs be, but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. “But take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate. But whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains. And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take anything out of his house. And let him that is in the field not turn back again to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them...

Seek God's Grace and Mercy (2)   (audio) David Eells (9/11/24)  I have been constantly amazed at the grace and mercy God is giving a most unworthy world and its Christians. God has lessened the effects of true plague warnings of gifted men and women. Of true earthquake warnings confirmed many times. Of 13 attempts on the true President's life. Of conspiracies to bring down the grid. Of conspiracies of poisoning the air, water, food, etc. Of corrupting the DNA to turn men into animals, to name a few. I know it's not over yet but God has been lessening them all. There also is an invasion of the US of its enemies to do us harm and steal the election, orchestrated by the DS. Keep praying and believing. And Christians are not under the curse that Jesus bore.   About Prophecies, Dreams & Visions God speaks in prophecies; sometimes by utterances to our spirit or vocally to others and sometimes in dreams and visions, if they agree with the Word. There are five dreams in Matthew chapters one and two in which God spoke to give wisdom, direction, warning, and to fulfill prophecy. The Scriptural Law of First Mention dictates that this is the way God will continue to use these gifts. In Acts 2:17 we are told that in the last days God's Spirit would bring forth prophecy, dreams and visions, and who is man to say differently? Job 33:14-18 says that God speaks this way to open men's ears, seal their instructions, withdraw man's purpose, deliver him from pride, keep his soul from the pit, and keep him from perishing by the sword; "but man regardeth it not". Joseph and Daniel were great interpreters of dreams; most often dreams and visions need interpreting by the Spirit and in light of Scriptures. Some say that prophecy in any form no longer speaks of future events because Paul said it speaks "edification, exhortation, and consolation". Many years after Paul wrote that God gave "edification, exhortation, and consolation" in the Book of Revelation, which certainly speaks of future events.  Some say that God does not use dates in prophecies, dreams and visions. We would have to ignore the testimony of Scripture to believe this. God said to Noah that "yet seven days" the flood would come (Gen.7:4,10). God spoke the seventy weeks prophecy through Daniel. It dated the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah to die for us (Dan.9:24-27). Daniel also prophesied that from the middle of the tribulation when the continual burnt offering will be taken away there will be 1335 days until the resurrection (Dan.12:11-13).   God spoke through Joseph to the butler and the baker of Pharaoh that in "yet three days" their judgment from God would come. With Noah it was "yet forty days". Some prophecies mention "after two days" or "after six days", meaning after 2000-year days from the last Adam, Jesus, or 6000-year days from Adam. Sometimes the Scriptures say "on the third day" or "on the seventh day". These are dates that are certainly coming to pass. These and multitudes of other less famous prophecies prove that God speaks dates.  Can God delay a promised judgment after He has prophesied a date whether by dreams, visions or prophetic utterances? God will not change what is written in His Word. "Forever oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven" (Ps.119:89). His Word is likened unto a rock, immovable and unchangeable. The Word is a sure prophecy. 2Pet.1:19 And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. 21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.   Some say God can change what He says in His Word because it is not prophecy. Notice in the words "word of prophecy" and "prophecy of scripture" that all scripture was spoken and/or penned by a prophet and is prophecy. However, the Word reveals many delays in God's spoken judgments that were ordained by Him. Therefore, if He delays or changes the prophecies spoken in His Word to millions of people, He can do it with spoken or revealed prophecy today through prophets, dreams, visions or through His Spirit in many ways. In the case of a delay, when the Word ultimately comes to pass it will be fulfilled as, and when, the Bible says it will for the Bible chronicles many delays and deletes.   This was true of the many revelations of the destruction of America before the year 2000 and before the tribulation. This was a warning and threat that was not ultimately going to come to pass because the Scriptures clearly show that God delayed the judgment from before the tribulation to after the tribulation at the beginning of the day of wrath (see Judgment Delayed or the video, Fall of America; Rise of the Saints). Since this is so, we should spend a lot more time studying Scriptures than prophecies, whether they come by dreams, visions or prophetic utterances. Without a background in the Word we have no idea whether a prophecy is true or whether it is a warning or a sure future event.  Can God delay a promised judgment after He has prophesied a date? God gave us an example of this in the book of Jonah. Jonah "cried and said, yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jon.3:4). God had told Jonah to "preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee" (2), so he did. He was not a false prophet. Because of this, Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, repented and God spared them for about 64 more years. If, as God said through Job, dreams and visions are to keep man's soul from the pit, and to keep him from perishing by the sword, then the threat cannot come to pass when the right men turn. Sometimes in Scripture, God repented of a promised judgment when there was repentance (Joel 2:12-20). Micah prophesied the destruction of Zion, but the people repented and God changed His mind (Jer.26:18,19).   However, if we find that a person explains all of their prophecies, dreams or visions away with the excuse that they were delayed, we should suspect them. Delays are the exception in Scriptures and not the rule.  As we recently shared, God can delay judgment because of a cry for mercy. God showed visions of judgment three times to Amos but he sought mercy from the Lord, saying, "Forgive, I beseech thee: How shall Jacob stand? for he is small". God relented and delayed this judgment twice but the third time He refused to relent (Amos 7:1-9). Some people say, why would God so quickly appear to change His mind. "Appear" is the correct word to use here. God is looking for a reaction.   Isaiah prophesied death to Hezekiah saying, "Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live". Hezekiah then cried to the Lord and 15 years were added to his life. Look how quickly God appeared to change his mind after he got the result He knew He would get from before the foundation of the world. 2Ki.20:4 And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 5 Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, 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. Some say God cannot change His prophecy so quickly but you see this is wrong.  Death has been prophesied to me two times, 15 years apart in my life. One of the verses given to me by faith at random was "thou shalt die, and not live", but I would not depart from the promise in the Word for healing and God preserved me. I then asked for another word by faith at random and got “I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of Jehovah.”  Was it a warning and not a prophecy?   Did God change His mind or did He just try me and get the desired result? God can try us in this way as He did with Abraham's command to sacrifice Isaac. Was this a false word to Abraham? Obviously not. The scriptures relate that God was trying him and he overcame, saying that he and Isaac would go to the mountain and return, believing that God was able to resurrect him to keep His promise of a seed to him.   Aaron interceded for God's people in the midst of judgment with incense (prayer) and the judgment stopped. Num.16:44 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. ... 47 And Aaron took as Moses spake, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Incense here represents the prayers of the saints. It seems that unless there is a threat of judgment, God's people will not seek Him for mercy and grace for others and for themselves. God says, "Ye have not because ye ask not" (Jas.4:2).   In Joel he prophesied of a great army he likened unto an army of locusts for multitudes that would ultimately invade Samaria and devastate the sinners of God's people. This was before the actual invasion of the Assyrians yet he spoke of it in present tense which was obviously a threat at the time. Joel.1:6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness. ...  Joel.2:11 And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?  12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God?   Then there is a cry for the leadership to ask for mercy. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? Then God answered and delayed temporarily this horrendous judgment and left a blessing. 18 Then was Jehovah jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. 19 And Jehovah answered and said unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith...   He spoke of a time coming in the end time day of the Lord when they would never be a reproach again and the northern army would be destroyed. 19 ...I will no more make you a reproach among the nations; 20 but I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea... Were the first one and a half chapters of Joel false because it did not happen at the time it was spoken? We should be careful because this is what some “Joel's” are being told today by some who love to judge by sight and have not heard from the Lord.  When a true prophetic warning is delayed or cancelled because of the mercy of God, sometimes the prophet or dreamer becomes angry because now they are persecuted as a false prophet. They should take heart because it happened with Jonah. Jon.4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.   What God pointed out to Jonah was that mercifully sparing the lives of a multitude of ignorant people should come ahead of the pride and reputation of the prophet especially when Phl.2:5-7 says that we are to follow Jesus' lead in being made of no reputation. 11 and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; …? People get mad when they pass on a prophecy to others and it doesn't come true. They sometimes retaliate against the one who prophesied or dreamed or had a vision. Their foolish egotistical pride would rather see millions die to prove their point than for them to be proven wrong. God is watching and trying these people who do not see their own evil.  In a parable in Luk.13:6-9 the husbandman, who is the Father, had given three years to the fig tree, representing His people, to bear fruit. When He found none, He gave command to "cut it down". Was this a false revelation since it did not come to pass? Obviously not. The vinedresser, who is the Son, interceded for one more year's delay, until he could dig about it, meaning break up its fallow ground by tribulation, and dung it with persecution. He said, "If it bears fruit then, well, but if not, thou shall cut it down". Notice that no man interceded here for this vast group of people called the fig tree but the Son of God. How many times does Jesus do this when we don't even know it.   If someone prophesies the same thing today many are quick to judge when they don't see what is going on behind the scenes. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. A similar example is in Exo.32:9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 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. Moses then interceded that God would not destroy Israel because of His promise to the fathers to save their seed.   Many today who have heard prophecies of judgments coming to certain places, pled with God to remember their children who He had promised would be saved. He hears our cries today for friends, relatives, and loved ones in the threatened areas.   God sware unto the forefathers that He would bring their seed to the Promised Land. Could He change His mind? Num.14:23 surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it... 30 surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. We see now that warnings given in prophecy do not have to come to pass if people will listen. We also see that promises will not come to pass if they will not listen.  Moses interceded that God would not cut Israel off for unbelief. Num.14:11 And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? 12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. Moses reasoned that God would suffer disrepute among the nations if this happened and reminded Him of His mercy and God pardoned them. 20 And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word... How long did it take for God to change an absolutely positive statement? About eight verses.   Those who say God would never do this overnight or in hours should think again. One man stood in the breach and God delayed His wrath. Psa.106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy [them]. When God cannot find someone to pray because the warning has been given, He judges. Eze.22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. 31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them...   What could God do if millions, who have asked Him to save relatives, friends, and souls in a certain area, hold to their faith? Some would try to intimidate the prophets or dreamers because their revelations might not come to pass; because they would call them false prophets. It appears that Jonah was intimidated this way. What a terrible thing that people might not be warned because of the devil's threats. Back in our Numbers text God relented for the moment, but when they continued to ignore the Word in unbelief, He overthrew them in their wilderness tribulation.   Was this a false word unto Moses since it did not come to pass at the time? Obviously not, God has been merciful multitudes of times when men ask for favor. Jer.26:18 Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. 19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear Jehovah, and entreat the favor of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them?  These are but a very small portion of revelations given through faithful men that did not come to pass in the time they were spoken. Today when something like this happens people are quick to drag an Old Testament admonition out to condemn the prophet, dream, vision, word, etc. Deu.18:22 when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. But you will notice that God neither condemned these prophets who heard and/or spoke His Word of warning or promise nor used any of these type admonitions on them. If He did there would be no such thing as a true prophet for they would all be stoned to death.   Notice that I used the word "warnings" because that is what many prophecies are and they do not have to come to pass in such an instance when the desired result is accomplished. Many have made themselves judges of prophecies who are not prophets themselves and do not have the word of knowledge, wisdom, or discernment. This is contrary to scripture. 1Cor.14:29 And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern. Notice that the other prophets are the ones commanded to judge for they have the gift. This is why people who do not know and have not heard from God should be quiet. 1Cor.4:5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.  The brethren we have spoken of above who have brought God's true word that was delayed or deleted were not the kind of people who could be deceived. They were disciples of God and His doctrine. They were lovers of truth and the crucified life, denying themselves for the work of God. I have known people like this in our day who have prophesied or dreamed warnings that were put off because of mercy. This did not stop false judges in Biblical times from condemning every one of the prophetic instances we have spoken of and it won't stop them today.   This does not mean we are to accept a revelation because it comes from one we believe to be a good person but it does mean that we are not to judge when we don't know. Deception and false prophecies and dreams come to and for just the opposite kind of people. 2Th.2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. We will speak of this kind more below.  Some foolishly believe that God will always delay judgment through intercession. When the people continue to sin against God and man, even the most righteous of intercessors will not stop Him from destroying them. Eze.14:13 Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; 14 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Jehovah. 15 If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts;   16 though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast; 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. 19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; 20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.  Don't be deceived friends, for God's people who don't bear fruit there will come a great "falling away". The Lord ultimately is coming for the fruit, which is the spiritual man, not the carnal man. Our natural life is only the earth in which God has planted the seed of His Son, Who is the Word. Only He that came out of heaven will go back (Joh.3:3,13). Bearing fruit for those who walk by faith is no problem, but for those who confess Christ, while they refuse to believe His Word in order to bear fruit, there is destruction.   Jude 3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in privily, [even] they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. "Lascivious" here means a license to do what they want. Those who think grace gives them this privilege will be destroyed. 5 Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.  Eventually, when men refuse to repent, God says not to pray for them anymore. Jer.7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee. 17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? Here it is again in 14:10 Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 And Jehovah said unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.   To the true prophets, God says to stop asking Him to delay or have mercy. Eventually only the false prophets promise the wicked peace, safety and prosperity. 13 Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. 14 Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart. 15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.  Dreams and visions can come from false prophets who imagine them in order to confirm themselves to the people. Jer.29:8 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah. 25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? 27 that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal. 28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah.  Even false prophets are sent from God to try the righteous and separate the wicked from them. These sometimes can have prophecies or dreams that come to pass to see if you will depart from the Word. Deu.13:1 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (Elohim [or “another Jesus”]), which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.   4 Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Even pagans can have true dreams for God's purposes of impressing them or giving them direction or showing us the future. It was so with Pharaoh's dream of the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine (Gen.41:1-7). It was also true with Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the future of the one world order and image of the beast, which God's people worshipped (Dan.2:31-3:7).  Finally, brethren, pray for prophecies, dreams, visions, words of knowledge and wisdom from God. They will guide you through the coming tribulations and catastrophes. According to the Lord, the gift of prophecy will grow according to your faith to prophecy. Rom.12:6 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of our faith. We are not to judge someone else's faith for "If you have faith have it unto yourselves". The saints must be permitted to grow up and mature in their gift without being judged by those who don't understand this about New Testament prophecy.   The gift of prophecy also grows with maturity in knowledge. 1Cor.13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; (meaning part God and part us) 10 but when that which is perfect (mature or full grown) is come, that which is in part (us) shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. Notice from the beginning of our covenant many prophecies may be part us and part God. As we see here, this does not mean the one prophesying should be condemned for having part of their prophecy wrong any more than a child would be for acting immature. The fact that one part is wrong does not mean the rest is wrong.   Notice that these prophecies were permitted in the early church so that the immature could grow in their gift. Although permitted they were discerned for the sake of truth and those who heard. 1Cor.14:29 And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern.   1Cor.13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part... (Please listen to Prophesying in Part.) Why does knowledge have an effect on prophecy? Prophecy is not like the gift of tongues. When one speaks in tongues they have no idea what they are saying so their mind does not get involved and pollute the gift. With the gift of interpretation of tongues as well as prophecy there can be this pollution. Since the person understands what is being said, the mind can pollute the gift with immature thinking, false doctrines, and desires of the flesh. We are warned not to condemn someone who is seeking truth among us for having these faults but rather gracefully instruct them. (Rom.14:1-5) Those who judge the immature brethren's attempts to step out in faith and prophecy need to remember God's warning in Jas.2:13 For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.  Probably no prophecies are perfect outside of the scriptures until "that which is perfect (mature or full grown) is come". The Lord has shown us that we are about to come to the time when the Man-child ministry will appear with the unleavened bread and the latter rain just as Jesus came but with the former rain. This will bring many to maturity because of the anointing and truth. This will quickly restore the five-fold ministry which is very feeble at this point. A person who is mature in the faith and doctrines of Scripture, as one who is in the office of true prophet must be, their prophecies are much more reliable. You see here that gifts of prophecy and knowledge are not judged as the office of a prophet was in the Old Covenant, so have mercy on those who are stepping out by faith.  Many have these gifts without holding the office, which is judged more strictly because of the greater anointing and maturity of the gift. Many who prophesy claim the office but should not. As we have seen in the Word, true prophets spoke things that did not come to pass because of God's mercy or His people's repentance. On the other hand, some are just proving themselves not to be prophets and/or not to be mature in faith and knowledge needed to support their gift. No condemnation intended.  Jesus said He always did what He saw of His Father. He constantly spoke in parables He saw from our Father. These parables offended the apostates and they did not understand them. Mat.13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. In dreams and visions, Father is still speaking in parables and they still hate them. Jesus took His disciples aside and privately explained the parables. Be a disciple of Jesus and you will understand. 

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Deuteronomy 20 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you agginst your enemies, to save you. And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her. And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. ...

In der nächsten Folge spricht Ernst ( Stephan war leider verhindert) zusammen mit Malte Giesemann, Redakteur der Nordsee-Zeitung und Podcaster der Fischtown Pinguins, über den Vizemeister aus Bremerhaven. Dabei gehen beide auf die doch wichtige Veränderung auf der Trainerposition ein - Thomas Popiesch verließ die Seestädter nach einer prägenden Ära. Kann Alexander Sulzer die großen Fußstapfen füllen? Desweiteren wird thematisiert, dass die Fischtown Pinguins kaum Veränderungen im Erfolgskader des Vorjahres vorgenommen haben. Wird dies positive oder negative Auswirkungen haben?Viel Spaß beim Hörenstay safe PS: Wir bedanken uns bei der Penny DEL und den Fischtown Pinguins für die Genehmigung zur Nutzung der Logos 

Endure to Manifest Salvation (8) (audio)   David Eells (7/28/24) I'm going to continue with how we endure in our faith to manifest salvation.  The Bible says you can write the Word on your own heart with your tongue. We can speak these things down into our hearts so that they come out of us naturally. Let's look at this in (Psa.45:1) My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter; I speak the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” And, just think about this, if you bridle the tongue, you turn the whole body as it says in (Jas.3:3) Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. (4) Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth. (5) So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!   (6) And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell. Have you ever seen a bridle? It goes through the horse's mouth and it has what's called a “bit” on it. The bit presses on the tongue and applies pressure to a horse's sensitive mouth. That allows the rider to control the horse by means of the reins, which are attached to the bridle. A tongue is so tiny compared to the body, but if you bridle the tongue, it allows you to control the whole body, just like the small rudder of a ship turns the whole ship around. It all starts with the tongue! (Rom.10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.   I tell you, if you confess with your mouth, you will start believing in your heart because you'll be writing something upon your own heart with your own words. According to many studies over the years, if you really want to remember something, speak it as you read it and you'll get a much higher percentage of recall because you're forming auditory links in the memory pathways. Well, it's a spiritual principle! Back in Louisiana, there was a local brother who couldn't read, so we gave him an audio Bible. He would follow along in his Bible while he listened to the audio and I was amazed at how quickly he learned to read. He was so happy because the thing he wanted the most was to be able to read the Bible and God really honored that!     We should always speak in agreement with the Scriptures because “sweet” and “bitter waters” shouldn't come out of the same fountain. Going back to (Jas.3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] a restless evil, [it is] full of deadly poison. (9) Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: (10) out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (11) Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet [water] and bitter? (12) Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Neither [can] salt water yield sweet.  (So your own mouth can curse you and others. Speaking scripture or even agreeing with scripture blesses your soul.)   Do you remember what happened when the Israelites camped beside the bitter waters? It says in (Exo.15:23) And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. (24) And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (25) And he cried unto the Lord; And the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. I believe the “tree” is the cross and that we are able to speak the “sweet waters” because of what Jesus did. The “waters” were bitter but God made them sweet. Thank You, Lord!   We're taught to think of leaven only in a negative way. And from the time we come out of “Egypt,” until the end of seven days when we come to the “rest,” we're to partake of only the unleavened bread (Exodus 12:15-20). Let's read what the Lord said in (Mat.16:6) And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (11) How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (12) Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. That means we are not to take any teaching into our lives, other than this teaching. As we can see here this teaching is the Unleavened Bread.     But there is a teaching that is supposed to leaven us: (Mat.13:33) Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened. The teaching that is supposed to “leaven” us is God's Word because those three measures of meal in this parable represent the spirit, the soul and the body. God's purpose is to completely regenerate our whole being, spirit, soul and body, through His Word. (1Th.5:23) And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are some groups that teach these promises are just spiritual and not physical, but they're both as it says in (Psa.107:20) He sendeth his word, and healeth them, And delivereth them from their destructions. Obviously, healing can be both spiritual and physical, and our healing has been given to us from God, according to His Word. Only His Word is able to completely sanctify us in spirit, soul and body. Praise the Lord!   You know, the first sign that Jesus did was turning water into wine in Cana of Galilee. This is in (Joh.2:1) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: (2) and Jesus also was bidden, and his disciples, to the marriage. (3) And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. (4) And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. (5) His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. (6) Now there were six waterpots of stone (Six is the number of man and the stone is hardened clay, which is what man is made out of.) set there after the Jews manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece.    (Joh.2:7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. (The water is the Word of God.) And they filled them up to the brim. (8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast. And they bare it. (9) And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants that had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bridegroom, (10) and saith unto him, Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now. (11) This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.   What was the wine? It's says in (Mat.26:27) And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. The wine was His blood and it says in (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” This is showing us that if we fill our vessels with the Word of God, then God will turn that “water” into “wine,” or the “blood,” which is the nature of Jesus Christ! God is saying, “You fill your vessel with the Word and I'll turn it into the nature of Jesus Christ” because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Praise be to God!    If you keep being faithful to put the Word in your heart, the Word will be faithful to bring forth the fruit. The Word is the “seed” of the sower, as Jesus taught. (Mat.13:3) And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow; (4) and as he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them: (5) and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: (6) and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. (7) And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them: (8) and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.   Many people don't know why they're just stagnating and not growing in the Lord, but this is the reason. It's because they're not being diligent to keep putting the Word in their heart. Did you know that as wheat goes through the process of bearing seed, which is its fruit, the plant progressively dies to itself and the same thing is true for us? Jesus said, (Mat.16:25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. So you have to lose your life, but that's not something you can do; it's something that the Lord has already accomplished! Through faith, we accept the death of the old man as a gift.    And we need to know that, (2Co.4:11) ... we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. The life of Christ will be manifested in our mortal flesh. Well, what about those people who say, “The life of Christ comes after you die and go to Heaven.” That's not what the Scripture says! It's in our mortal flesh! We are always going to be delivered over to death, so that this can come to pass.   You go through trials, troubles and tribulations, as Paul said: (2Co.4:8) We are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; (9) pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; (10) always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. But you can go through trials and go through trials and you will go through them for nothing, if you don't exercise faith in the midst of the trial. Every trial, every trouble that you go through, is an opportunity to bring forth spiritual seed as you manifest more of Christ. And Paul tells us we have to, (1Ti.6:12) Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. Fight the good fight of the faith! Continue to agree with what the Word says and not with what your carnal senses are telling you.   If you don't fight, you lose! Automatically. If you do not fight, you will lose, but the fight is the “good fight of the faith.” In the midst of your trial, you take out the Word of God, which is the “sword of the Spirit.” We are commanded in (Eph.6:10) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. (11) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. (It's too easy in the trial to forget to fight with the demons behind it and not with the people they are using.) (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. Some people's spirits are totally defenseless because they don't ever study the Word. We need to give a sword to our spirit! If you know what you can believe in the midst of a trial, then you can use that like a sword and you'll win! You'll win because nothing can stand up against God's Word -- not the devil, not the world, not the flesh, nothing! And let this encourage you to know, (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. God is going to use all these things that we go through so the Glory of God will be manifested in us. Praise be to God!   How is the glory of God manifested in us? It's manifested as we behold the Lord in the mirror, as we've said. You continue to behold the Lord in the mirror! As you do that, you are going to be transformed into His image, from glory to glory, but this process he's talking about in verses 16 and 17 won't come to pass, unless you pay close attention to verse 18. (2Co.4:18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. In other words, you must not pay attention to the things that you see with your natural eyes, if you want to bear fruit, because with your natural eyes you can look only upon yourself. Your natural eyes see where you are, but God wants you to look at the face of Christ in the mirror and see where you are by faith!    That's what He wants you to see and He wants you to accept that as a gift!  At the end, everybody is going to throw their crowns at the Lord's feet as it says in (Rev.4:10) The four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created. Everybody is going to know that it wasn't ever through our works and it wasn't through our efforts; it was totally by His grace! (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.   And by grace are you still saved through faith and that's not of yourself; it's a gift of God! It's not of your works, lest any man should boast, for in Christ Jesus were we created for good works. It's all faith! While you're not exercising faith, this process is not going on! But while we look at the things which are not seen with the natural eye, while we look at the things that are our gift, which are the promises of the Word, this process will be going on. The putting to death of the old man, in order to bring to life the new man, will be happening automatically, like a seed growing up out of the earth. Study the promises of God. They are the power of God! (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth....   And we read in (Col.3:3) For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, [who is] our life.... When you manifest sonship, what have you manifested? You've manifested (Col.1:27) ... Christ in you, the hope of glory. When you go astray from the Word, as the Galatians did, do you know what you're going astray from? You are going astray from the manifestation of Christ! Paul told the Galatians, (Gal.4:19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you. In other words, they weren't sons; they were children. They had gone astray from faith. They had withdrawn from grace and they were getting back into legalism. In this place, there was no hope of them ever manifesting Christ. We just received this dream of a person who fell away because of faction but it fits all falling away.   Marie Kelton -7/26/24 During the meeting, I had asked the father where a certain fallen person was with him. And then had an open vision, of a beautiful tree with leaves on it on a hill. I then saw a hand come from heaven, and shake the tree until there were no leaves on it. (It no longer could take in the light.) And then snap the tree from the trunk. And pull it up. The roots were still in the ground though.  Luke 13:6-9 And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down. I wasn't sure if I was seeing clearly so the lord gave me another vision of the same tree with a rope being tied around it, being pulled up with the roots this time. I still wanted to be sure so the lord gave me a vision of him standing next to me with a little potted plant in his hand and he pulled the plant up from the pot showing the roots. And yet still I wasn't sure if I was seeing clearly. So the Lord gave me another vision of me sitting in my house sitting on my couch, having an open vision of the tree with the rope around the trunk being pulled from the ground with the roots showing.  Jude 1:12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds (Not numeric) that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. The Lord then gave me another open vision during the meeting of 3 pieces of silver hitting the floor. I immediately, thought of the 30 pieces of silver that Judas betrayed Jesus for. (Those who betray the body of Christ to follow their lusts will be condemned) Matthew 27:3-5 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to it. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. Concerning those who cannot manifest Christ through law, he gave them the parable about the handmaid and the free woman: (Gal.4:21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. (23) Howbeit the [son] by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through promise. (24) Which things contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage (through the law), which is Hagar. (25) Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. (26) But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. (So, in other words, he told them, “If you're going to be children of the free woman, it's going to be by faith; it's going to be by grace. It won't be through your own works and it won't be through your own efforts because it can't be by the Law.”)  We are commanded in (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings (You're not going to be able to obey verses 5 through 8, unless you can see that you have put off the old man with his doings in verse 9.), (Col.3:10) and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. Can you see that you've put on the new man? Can you see that all of your sin and your sinful nature has been put off and that it's all dead?     Can you see by faith that you have put off the old man and you have put on the new man, Who is Jesus. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. “It's no longer I that live, it's Christ Who lives in me.” Paul made a bold confession of faith and we need to be able to do the same thing. In order to become sons, we need to be able to see as he saw. God's purpose in Christ was to make Him a seed Who would bring forth many, many sons through belief in that seed. That was His purpose! In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-13; Mark 4:1-30; Luke 8:4-15), the word there for “seed” is actually the Greek word sperma. He sowed that seed in this old, dirty earth, and the fruit it's bringing forth is Christ.   Now, religion can really puff you up, can't it? It can make you so proud that you won't be able to receive the things of God, for He resists the proud (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Let's go to (Col.2:16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day: (17) which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. (18) Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen (This speaks of seeing with your natural eyes and not in the spirit.), vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. When your only understanding is letter and not spirit, all it does is puff up your natural, fleshly mind. It doesn't give you the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ does not come from seeing only the letter because the letter kills the meaning of the Spirit that edifies your soul.     If we understand this, we won't be puffed up by our natural man. We won't be proud or self-righteous because of things we have seen or done in the flesh. Otherwise, our natural mind is going to take over and look at what God says is the penalty for doing this: (Col.2:19) and not holding fast the Head.... See, if you walk after natural sight, puffed up in your fleshly mind, you can't “hold fast” the head. This can only be done through faith and not through our works, for God empowers faith. There is no fruit in not agreeing with God as it says in (Amo.3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? We can't walk hand-in-hand with Christ, unless we agree with the Spirit of His Word. If you only see with natural eyes, you will not agree with Christ; you will not walk with Him. You cannot walk in the Spirit and you cannot be a son of God. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.    What you see with your natural eyes will lead you away from Christ so quickly. It will cause you to be anxious and worried, it will cause you to be fearful and it will keep you from walking by faith. The most important thing to us in all the world should not be “going to church”. The most important thing to us in all the world is getting the Word into our heart because the Word is the seed of God with which God creates Jesus Christ in us. The Word is what brings forth the fruit of Christ in us. Put the Word in your heart! Study the Word! You might say, “Well, David, I tried, but I got distracted”. Folks, this is not salvation by works! You can't struggle to make yourself study the Word the way you are supposed to do it. You have to ask God for that gift. “For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God”.     From the very foundation of faith, it starts with God; it doesn't start with you. Notice what it says in (Joh.15:16) Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. “Ye did not choose me, but I chose you”. God chose us! We didn't come to Christ because we chose Him. We came to Christ because He drew us and then we chose Him! You don't come to Christ unless He draws you as Jesus says in (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him.... We need to pray that God will put in us the desire, a hunger and thirst, for the truth of the Word of God. Everybody who hungers and thirsts after the truth will not have to worry about being deceived. That's not possible, if you truly hunger and thirst after the truth!    Without motivation to seek the truth, you have no hope because we are just what we are and that's what we will always be, without the influence of God. God showed me the example of a dog. You can try to teach a dog how to do human things, but he has no hope of being anything but what he is. He can only do what he is. God would have to put another heart in that dog for him to be anything other than what he is. And that's why there's no use in condemning lost people because they can only be what they are and they will never be anything but what they are, unless something from the outside comes in and changes them. The faith that brings this to pass comes from God, so go to God.   Take time to pray, “Lord, help me! I am not digging into Your Word the way I see I should. I ask You to put it in my heart to do this and I thank You for it.” (Php.4:6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. When you pray with thanksgiving, that's faith because you are thanking God for something you haven't seen yet. Don't be anxious; don't worry about a thing! (Php.4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.   We progressively grow as it says in (Eph.4:13) Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; (15) but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ. Paul is talking about how we are learning to follow the Head! We are not our own head; Christ is our Head and we're the Bride if we submit to Him. Christ is the Head of the Church! He's our Head and we have no right anymore to go our own way, do our own thing, think our own thoughts, or see what we want to see because Christ is the Head!   And did you know that the Lord is searching throughout the earth for a place where He can set His Head? It says in (Luk.9:57) And as they went on the way, a certain man said unto him, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Just like Peter, he was speaking out of self-confidence, and we've all thought that way, too, haven't we? (Luk.9:58) And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven [have] nests (The Greek word here is actually “abodes” or “abiding places.”); but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. What does He mean? Well, you're probably thinking, “He's looking for a house to lay His head down in.” No, the Bible teaches that He's looking for a place, a “house,” to lay His Head on. He is not your Head, unless you follow Him. (Luk.9:59) And he said unto another, Follow me....    Notice that Jesus said, “If you do this, you are My disciple; if you don't do this, you cannot be My disciple.” He always related in terms of discipleship (See, Matthew 10:37- 38,42; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23, 14:26-27, 33; John 1:43, 12:26; etc.). Today, we relate in terms of who is and who is not a “Christian,” but we really ought to go back to calling people “believers.” Remember, it was the pagans who first called the Christians, “Christians,” because they walked and talked like Christ, which is no longer true. Now it's become just a pagan term because it's so loosely applied that nobody knows what a true “Christian” is! “Believers” is a little different because “believers” says that you believe what the Word says. The Greek word for “disciple” is mathetes and it means “learner and follower.” So if you are a “learner and a follower” of Christ, then Christ is your Head.     If you're going your own way, He's not your Head! Jesus is looking for an abode, an “abiding place,” for His Head. Let me show you another place where “abode” is used. It says in (Joh.14:23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (This is the same word that is translated “nests” in Luke 9:58: “the birds of the heavens have nests.”) See, the Lord isn't looking for a physical house to be His abode, but He is looking for a “house” on which to put His Head!     By the way, God is making His “abode” with you. Did you know that? (Joh.14:2) In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. The word there for “mansions” is just a different Greek word for “abodes.” You see, in the Father's House there are many nice “abodes”; there are many “abiding places” for the Father, not for you. It's the Father's House, not your house. God's House is made up of many buildings and they are all put together into a Holy Temple in the Lord as it says in (Eph.2:21) In whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; (22) in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. We are those nice buildings that He dwells in!  And we will have a nice abode to dwell in. Some will be closer to the throne than others. And we read in (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, coming down out of heaven from God, (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. That New Jerusalem building and all the symbolism in it reflects the Bride.     Let me show you this again in (1Pe.2:4) Unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, (5) ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (6) Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. The only type of building that has a “chief corner stone” is a pyramid. The head stone is the very top stone, but it's also the chief corner stone because it's where all four corners of the pyramid meet. (1Pe.2:7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected....   Did you know that the Great Pyramid was built by Enoch and his sons as a prophecy from God? Inside it, there is a timetable of history and for coming events. It also has many measurements encoded, such as the earth's circumference and the distances between the earth and the moon. But the chief cornerstone was never laid! It was rejected by the builders. It was a prophecy of our Chief Corner Stone, Jesus! The Great Pyramid: Prophecy In Stone, by Noah W. Hutchings, is a book about the prophecies of the Great Pyramid. You see, the Great Pyramid wasn't built when the other pyramids were built; it was built before the Flood. The other pyramids were built later by the Egyptians because they saw the properties that were in the Great Pyramid and they copied it. The Bible talks about the Great Pyramid in several places because it's a prophecy about the Church and the “Chief Corner Stone.” According to archeologists, the Great Pyramid went through the flood and didn't settle one 1/100th of an inch anywhere. It's built on and socketed down into a solid rock. It's amazing! Engineers are doubtful it could be built today, even with all our modern machinery.     Going on in (1Pe.2:7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; (Notice: He is both head and corner.) (8) and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient.... By the way, this word “disobedient” is the word apeitheia and it means both “unbelieving” and “disobedient.” The Greeks had the same word for “unbelieving” and “disobedient” because, if you are unbelieving, you will be disobedient and, if you're disobedient, it's because you are unbelieving. (1Pe.2:8) And, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.   Jesus can only put His Head on a “house” that makes Him Head. Paul says in (Eph.5:23) For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, [being] himself the Saviour of the body. When you submit to the Word, then He becomes your Head, like a wife is to make her husband the head in everything. (Eph.2:18) For through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. (19) So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Keep in mind it's God's House.), (20) being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone.... Jesus is the Chief Corner Stone of the Household of God and, if you won't submit to Him, you can't be in the House of God!    Submitting to Him is seeing the way He's commanded you to see and hearing the way He's commanded you to hear. (Eph.2:20) Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; (21) in whom each several building.... The Greek says, “every building.” In other words, (21) in whom every building fitly framed together (So we see that the Household of God is made up of many buildings; or, “In my Father's House, there are many mansions.”), groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; (22) in whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. Who is the building? It's you! The Household of God is you! These mansions He's putting into His House symbolize all those who will submit to the Head. Remember, Jesus said, “Follow Me.” If you follow Him, He has a place to put His Head.     Somebody who's “not holding fast the head” is somebody who's puffed up by their natural mind and the things they see with their natural eyes. You won't have the Head of Christ, if you walk after your natural eyes and, if you don't have the Head of Christ, you're not one of the “buildings” being fitted into the building beneath Him. Now let's read in (Luk.9:59) And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Here's someone who says, “Me first,” so the Lord is not finding a “house” here upon which to put His Head. (60) But he said unto him, Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God. (61) And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first (“But first! But first!” Nothing else can be first!) suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house. (62) But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.    When you say, “Me first,” you're looking back from the plow and when you look back at where you were, instead of where you're going, you will walk a crooked walk. If you are starting to plow or disc a field you set your eyes straight ahead at a target on the other side.  If you look back you will swerve off the path. Reckon yourself to be dead! Dead men don't say, “Me first!” Dead men don't talk back! If you're dead, the only right you have is to obey your Master, the Lord. You don't have any personal rights anymore. Anyone who wants personal rights doesn't want Jesus as their Head. It says in (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. We need to pray and ask the Lord to put this desire in us: “Lord, let me serve You,” because if we allow anything of the world to take priority over that, Jesus will not be our Head! It's the same as when a woman doesn't submit to her husband; she doesn't have a head as it says in (1Co.11:3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. If we want to have our Head, then we have to submit to the chain of command, according to God's order of government.   Now, as we've talked about earlier, we each have a “Promised Land” to conquer and, if we come into agreement with what God says, as Joshua and Caleb did, we will conquer our promised land. God has shown me several parallels about the Promised Land. For one, He's shown me that the Promised Land is the natural life of the born again man. Let's go to (Heb.6:4) For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, (6) and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (7) For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: (8) but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.     The Israelite is to rule in this land that's been promised to him and the Canaanite is the old man, the man who must die. And in another way, God has shown me that the Promised Land is also all the promises of the Word. God told Joshua, (Jos.1:3) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses. Every place where you stand on this Word, God will give it to you. (Jos.1:5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Nobody will be able to stand before you! If you stand on this Word, the old man, that carnal man, the Canaanite, will not be able to stand before you! He will not be able to resist you! Joshua and Caleb stood on the Word when they spoke in agreement with God. They didn't say what they saw, what they felt and what they heard with their natural senses. They each conquered their Promised Land.   Those other spies brought the bad report when they said what they saw, what they felt and what they heard. They did not agree with God when they did that (Numbers 13 and 14). The only way you can take the Promised Land is to see what God says to see, hear what God says to hear and feel what God says to feel. This is walking by the Spirit. That's why we have to renew our minds with the Word.   It's quite natural to have the old mind and you are going against the ways of the whole world when you change your mind and repent, and say what the Bible says to say. But it says in (Isa.8:20) To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them. There will be no new light, no new day for anybody who doesn't speak according to this Word. And (2Co.4:4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]. Our only hope is to agree with God!   You cannot come out from under the curse, if you don't agree with God. (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. In circumstances and situations, we're always tempted to add to and take away from the Word. But when you disagree with the Word and you say what comes through your natural senses, you stay underneath the curse. But remember, Jesus gave us authority! (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.    When we agree with the Word, we're going to bind the carnal man, the flesh! When we disagree with the Word, we loose him and we don't carry on the process of death to the old man. So, look again here in (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; (18) while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. The process is only carried on by seeing that we've been delivered, we've been set free! The old man's dead!  Let's go to (Num.21:4) And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. Do you know how to become discouraged, anxious or troubled? You pay attention to the things that are and you don't pay attention to what God has given you, which are the many promises in the Word. And it doesn't ever stop with just discouragement, but next you begin to speak against the Lord. (Num.21:5) And the people spake against God.... And when you speak against God, the next step is God's judgment. We sometimes live continually under the judgment and the chastenings of the Lord because we speak against God. We add to or take away from the Word and, in so doing, we don't come out from under the curse.   Now, not everybody believes this but the Bible says that God sent the curse. We've been told the devil is behind it all, but if you read Deuteronomy 28, God says over and over, “Cursed shalt thou be....” (Deu.28:15) But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. And then He details the curse from verse 16 all the way down through verse 68. But even though God sent the curse, He also sent Jesus to deliver us from the curse. So, here we are under the curse because of our sins and our rebellion against God, but Jesus came to deliver us from the curse through our faith in Him and subsequent submission to Him.   We came under the curse because we submitted to self and the devil, and God sent the curse to motivate us to repent. Jesus offers us the ability to turn around and go the other way because Jesus has already delivered us from the curse and His salvation is total. (Num.21:5) And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. (The manna from heaven; the Word.) (6) And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. (7) And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord.... Well, they were walking only by the sight of their natural eyes and that caused them to speak against the Lord.    Why didn't they see and hear the Word? God told them He was their “Jehovah-Jireh.” (Gen.22:14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh. As it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided. If that would have been foremost in their mind, they never would have become discouraged. And the quicker you see and hear that, the quicker the end result comes, which is God's provision. God told Joshua, (Jos.1:8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. He would have “good success” in doing what? Joshua would have good success in conquering the Promised Land. We'll have good success conquering this Promised Land, if we don't let anything but the Word of God come out of our mouth.  The sooner we submit the sooner the answer comes. Psa 81:13-14 Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways!  14  I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn my hand against their adversaries.   The serpent bite just symbolizes any manifestation of the curse, such as a sickness, or oppressing spirits, or lack of any kind. The curse of sin and of death has bitten all of those who have disagreed with God. And, to the extent that we are disagreeing with God now, we live under the curse of sin and of death. Our hope of coming out from under the curse of sin and of death is to get our eyes on the promises we have in the Word and agree with God. And, of course, that's exactly what God did here. What was His cure? What's an antidote for a snakebite? The antidote is to have a little bit of the poison in you, until your system builds up an immunity to it. You know, we didn't choose to be sinners, did we? (Rom. 8:20) For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope (21) that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. The Lord subjected this creation to vanity. We all have a little bit of snakebite.    Nobody can get further away from sin than somebody who's been in it. The elect angels desire to look into God's grace and salvation. They're curious about it because, since they've never been sinners, they've never needed it. We need it! We will be the creation that God wants after being delivered from sin. If God only wanted angels, He would have made us all angels! God didn't want only angels; He wanted people who were sinners and who were redeemed by His grace through faith. He wants sons who are saved through faith because then they appreciate God and they understand grace! Jesus taught this in (Luk.7:40) And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. (41) A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. (42) When they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?     (43) Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. (44) And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. (45) Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. (46) My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment. (47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (48) And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (49) And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins? (50) And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.   You know, we can love God more than the angels can because we've been forgiven of much. We understand grace. God sent Jesus to give us this grace and all we have to do is get our eyes on what Jesus accomplished for us at the cross. (Num.21:8) And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live. (9) And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the standard: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived. We have to get our eyes on the serpent on the pole. Don't be tempted to look at the world! Don't be tempted to look at the “snakebite”! Don't be tempted to look at the sin or the sickness or whatever the trial is that you're going through.   It's not introspection that's going to save you. Popular psychology teaches “inner healing,” but it's all straight from the devil because it's introspection. God doesn't tell you to inspect your sin! He doesn't tell you to inspect your sickness! He doesn't tell you to inspect the “snakebite”! He tells you to get your eyes on what He's done for you; everything else causes unbelief. (2Co.5:21) Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our be half; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Jesus became sin for us. Everything that we were that was degenerate was put upon Him. The exchange has been made. Can you see your sin, your corruption, your sickness all put upon Him? This is what you are supposed to see and spiritual senses are the only way we can see according to the Word.   Praise be to God! Keep your eyes on Jesus, saints! Keep praising and thanking God for all that He's accomplished for us! Hallelujah!     I Want To Capture You  Debbie Fenske 7/12/24  This worship night was a very special time of worship. Michael encouraged us to just give Jesus our all, to just give everything up. Nothing, and no one is more important than our closeness with Jesus, and our complete giving up of ourselves in love unto Him in worship, feeling His presence and His love holding us.  So, as I was worshiping Jesus with one of the worship songs, there was such a strong sense of His Spirit there, right up there in the midst of me and Sue, where Chuc and Matthew were. I could see Jesus looking out over all of us, so touched by our hearts in worship of Him, and so full of love for us.  Then Jesus said, “Will you let Me capture you? I want to capture you this night.”  After we finished the last song, Chuc kept strumming beautiful music on his guitar, and letting us know that he was receiving from the Lord that someone had a prophetic song to give. He spoke that out a few times. I finally felt that I should just begin singing out what I knew the Lord was wanting to say, with the worshipful tune Chuc was playing on His guitar. But only part of the word was sung.    “I want to capture you. Will you let Me capture you this night? You are mine and I want all of you. Let Me capture you. Let everything go and let Me capture you. This is My heart tonight.    Look only at Me. You must not let your weaknesses, and the thought that you are not yet good enough, hold you back any longer. For I see within you deeper than you see within yourself. I am not seeing your weaknesses. I see your heart. And I know the depth of your love. And I see and know your desire and heart of love towards Me, I see you allowing Me to have My way in you.  So this is a time of freedom as you let Me capture you. So I say again, let Me capture you this night. This is the night of My Capture.”    Then Winnie shared, as confirmation, this scripture that the Lord had put on her heart earlier before the meeting.   2Co 12:9-10 And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  The Lord also put this scripture in her mind today:  2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;  Praise you Father for Your great love and mercy towards us. And that You love us with such a great love, and that You want all of us. Thank You that You, God, see in us the finished product. And by faith we see that too, Lord. Your glory in us. We want all of You, Jesus, and we want You to have all of us. So, yes, Lord. Capture us!      Do Diligence  Debbie Fenske – 6/21/24  I would like to give out this word that the Lord began speaking to me about 5:30 this evening. I felt some things I heard shared tonight by Chuc in his prayers during worship time, and I think also in some things David was saying, too, went along with this word.  “My people, do diligence. Diligence, diligence, My people. Allow every aspect of your life to be operated with diligence. Diligently listen for Me. Diligently listen to Me. Diligently know Me in My word and your times of worshiping Me. I long for the hearts that diligently worship Me, in praying to Me, and diligently doing warfare, letting go of every form of self-effort, trusting Me completely in every area of your life. Your life must be a sacrificial diligence in doing all that you know to do, by My grace. Ask Me. I will grace you with a diligent spirit and a diligent mind.  I see much effort. Add diligence in your efforts in walking with Me in every area of living and abiding in Me, My people, called to be in My Bride. Yes, this must needs go out to all those called to be, and desiring to be in My Bride. How close at hand is the time. Be My diligent Shulamite. I am calling for you. I am calling for more of you.” 

Message preached by Pastor Kevin Borders on Sunday, April 21st, 2024.

Episode 6–519: Wisdom Series – Conceit & Meddling Let's talk about Proverbs, Chapter 26. Wisdom Series – Conceit & Meddling Proverbs Chapter 26:12 & 17 Today our inspiration comes for the book of Proverbs Chapter 26. We'll be speaking about warnings associated with conceit and meddling. Chapter 26, verse 12 reads:  (12) “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.” This verse provides a warning about being too full of one's self. When we allow ourselves to think so highly of ourselves that we disregard what others might have to say or share, we do a disservice to ourselves and others. While it's important to exercise diligence and prudence in our application of learning, part of diligence and prudence is understanding and consideration of varied perspectives. Disagreement or agreement when there is understanding, ensures we have considered available wisdom and experience in our path forward.   Chapter 26, verse 17 reads: (17) “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.” This verse provides a warning against meddling. There is no need for us to interject ourselves in to situations that are none of our business.  Now this isn't to say that we should not offer assistance in situations where harm may ensue.  However, it is to say, we should be mindful not to voluntarily involve ourselves in situations that may not be productive.   So, be encouraged that you have the ability to be mindful with regard to conceit  and meddling. By avoiding the things that are not helpful for us now, we create space to do other things in our present and our future.

Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Gal 3:7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Mrk 13:1  And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! Mrk 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Mrk 13:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Mrk 13:4  Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? Mrk 13:5  And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: Mrk 13:6  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Mrk 13:7  And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. Mrk 13:8  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. Mrk 13:9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. Mrk 13:10  And the gospel must first be published among all nations. Mrk 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Mrk 13:12  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. Mrk 13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mrk 13:14  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: Mrk 13:15  And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: Mrk 13:16  And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. Mrk 13:17  But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! Mrk 13:18  And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Mrk 13:19  For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. Mrk 13:20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Mrk 13:21  And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: Mrk 13:22  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. Mrk 13:23  But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

Pastor Zach Kinsman 01/14/24 Sunday AM

SUN AM SERMONWatch/Listen here using the Embedded Subsplash Playerdiv.sap-embed-player{position:relative;width:100%;height:0;padding-top:56.25%;}div.sap-embed-player>iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;}Central Baptist Church of Ponca City, OKDATE: Sunday AM, November 5, 2023SERMON BY: Bro. Lynn Schuyler SERMON TITLE: Faith Works!SERMON THEME: Three Types of FaithSERMON SERIES: Standing in the GapSERMON VERSES: James 2:14-26; Rom. 3:28Three Kinds of Faith…1. Dead Faith2. Demonic Faith3. Dynamic Faith James 2:14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.— — —Watch/Listen here using our Subsplash WebShare Playerhttps://cbcponca.subspla.sh/pz3j2fvListen on archive.orghttps://archive.org/download/110523-am-facebook-stream/110523AM-FacebookStream.mp3

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Mark 13 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. ...

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Walk In Heavenly Places By Faith (7)  (audio) David Eells - 10/1/23 My Mercy Is Pouring Down  Debbie Fenske 9/26/23    “I have extended great mercy to you, my people. My mercy is pouring down like rain. Even now. For I see your heart. I see the desires of your heart to overcome in areas.   I see your weaknesses, and you're giving in when you are overcome. But I see your desire. I see your heart. I hear your cries of repentance. And I forgive.   I see deep in your heart. I know your heart; I know your thoughts. I see your hearts as one heart with the desire to press in for more and more of me, and for more and more of my power to crush those desires, thoughts, and those temptations of your flesh, and of the world that tries to rule you.  You shall overcome! I am pouring down my mercy and my grace upon you. I am getting my Bride ready. Walk in triumph and continue triumphing for the victory won in your life.   Do this by faith. For I see the deep desires of your heart. I see purity. I look beyond the weaknesses, and I see purity there. I see victory. Overcoming victory, and purity is what I see. See it in yourselves, my children. Me in you. Look to the cross.   There, the victory was won. It has been won!! You will come into your victory individually, and as one. Praise me! Victory will come as you praise me and let the chains of weakness fall.   Through praise, in faith it is done. It IS done! I see it. Be encouraged, my children. I have nothing but great love for you. My love is a love that sees farther than you see. For I do see the end. See your victory, and rejoice in it, as you rejoice in my great love, and my great mercy, and my great grace. I see your personal, and corporate battles victoriously won by my great mercy and grace. The battles have been won in Me! Remain in me with your sight on triumphant victory! There is no defeat!”  Thank You Father! All glory and power belong to you and is ours to have overcoming faith. Thank you for raining such great mercy and great grace upon us. We receive it! We can do nothing of ourselves.   Thank you for being such a loving Father, encouraging us in the faith to overcome, and see that we are victorious, even now, by your mercy and grace, we choose to walk triumphant in over the world and our flesh, and over everything the enemy throws at us. We are, and we will continue to be victorious in you. Thank you, Jesus! All glory to you!   Revelation 12:7 Amen, Blessing and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever!   Amen!      Provision  Samuel Fire 11/21/22   We went to the shops in a town a couple of hours away and we do not know anyone in this town.   We went to get a doorbell and they only had 1 left and it was greatly discounted, praise God that He always provides even when we don't expect it.   We then went into a bakery to get some lunch. We were the first customers in there but then a man came in after us and we let him go before us. We moved over to the right of him, not behind him. All these other people then came in and lined up behind him.   He paid for his lunch and then he handed the cashier lady a $100 note and told her, this is to cover the next person getting food and he looked over and pointed at us. We weren't even properly in line, praise God!   The man then quickly ran out of the store. We looked over and saw that everyone standing in line was frozen in shock and couldn't understand why he did that. The cashier lady said that we were next, and she asked us what we would like to order. I was praising God in front of everyone and giving Jesus all the Glory! Every person in there got to witness that God provides for His children!   Praise You Lord, and thank You for always taking care of us and blessing us with so much more than we want or need!   We ran out to try and find the guy to tell him about Jesus but he was already in his car driving off, but we waved, and he waved back, ALL Glory to our Heavenly Father and Jesus!       Deliverance From Rejection  Matthew Stewart 11/9/22  I would like to start out with a verse: John 8:36 “If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”   After our seven day fast, while worshipping the Lord on the eighth day meeting, I felt a great burden left off me. I knew when that happened that I had some deliverance, but I didn't know at the time, what from. But I knew I would find out later. A few weeks later, I had a birthday and, normally, for many, many years, I have dealt with a lot of rejection regarding my birthday. This time was different. For the couple weeks leading up to my birthday, I didn't feel any anxiety, rejection, or depression. This time, I felt peace and love. It felt different to me because I have never felt this way before. It is amazing how much rejection tries to steal from you, tries to hold you back, and tries to keep you from receiving the Father's love. I felt, and am still feeling, the Father's love for me.  He wanted to show me how much He loved me, so He orchestrated so many things for my birthday, things that no man could really plan. The first thing He did was took me off of a machine I was running at work, that I had been running for the last couple of weeks, because the person who normally runs it was out on medical leave. This machine was hurting my back, so the Lord orchestrated it so that the person that was gone came back on my birthday for a gift to me. The second thing He did for me was one of my co-workers, who is not generous nor gives anything to anyone, gave me two shirts for my birthday. The third thing is, on one of the shirts was a number seven, which is significant to me, because when I played baseball in high school, my jersey number was seven. The fourth thing is on the second shirt was two sevens, and, with the other shirt, that makes three sevens, which means completion. The fifth thing was that my coworkers, in times past, never regarded my birthday, but on this birthday they all sang me happy birthday. The sixth thing is that my dad texted me happy birthday, for the first time. There was a lot more that happened that day that I don't remember, but I know the Lord made it special for me.   You don't realize how much rejection you have until you are delivered from it. For me, rejection was a big part of my life. It had roots growing in every part of my life and my walk with God. Rejection was not only keeping me from receiving love from the Father, but my wife, my family, and my friends. It was building up a wall between me and everyone else. For me, rejection was blocking me from really being one with Jesus; from being one in the Spirit. Rejection was destroying my marriage, and my relationship with my kids. I didn't fully understand all of this when I had rejection. I knew a little bit of what it was doing in my life, but now, being free from rejection, I understand it more.   Now I can receive the Father's love; now I have a relationship with the Father, and my wife, and kids. Now I don't constantly see the Father as someone who's constantly trying to condemn me. Now I see Him for the love and grace He gives me, even when I don't deserve it. Rejection has a way of twisting things in your mind; rejection has a way of making everything 100-times worse than what it really is. Now I am not afraid to receive correction. Things that would normally make me cower or destroy me emotionally, don't bother me anymore. I feel so much peace now in my life; the peace is indescribable. It's like there's no fear of anything and no worry. I know in my spirit, and in my whole being, that the Father loves me. (This made a great and powerful change in Matt and greatly blessed his family.)     A Word Regarding Rejection   Anonymous 9/8/22  This question arose when we missed an important Zoom meeting and we thought we had been rejected because of the message that was shared regarding a vision that Lord Jesus is pouring out anointing on everyone. Because we were not there, we thought we missed the blessing.  The Lord - “I Am with you; I will never leave you. I know you seek Me. Receive My love. Welcome Me and enter My love and feel My presence. I Am in you. I Am preparing you and all I can give you. Rest, relax and let go. I got you. I assure you and your life, purpose and efforts. I see and know and am glad. I accept and am happy to be with you. Keep on! Do not look back! Do not listen to lies!   My Son is pleased, and you are accepted to Me. I will pour out anointing and not withhold My blessings, receive it! Manifest and proclaim the Lord – all the kingdoms and everywhere – will rejoice! The King is here! Lead. Be. Behold your Groom! Shout in heart – show your love in actions. Allow the light to reach out and all darkness to be zero! Let My reach be from in you.   TRIUMPH! All Heaven rejoice – you are blessed in with Me! Keep refusing the enemy, keep saying no to self. Consider Me in everything. I know you want Me and I know you do try – I Am and you are, we go as one – in all. Keep in Me. Peace be with you and love.   “Ache no more,   I restore,   All is for,   The One above all,   I am sure,   There is no more,   I go before,   Even with law   Or when swore,   I have borne,   Lay all on the floor,   I am at the door,   You who are poor,   I give you My all,   I make you pure,   Keep and endure,   I want you more,   Blessings forevermore.”  I have a purpose for you – just be patient. Keep seeking Me. I Am pleased. You are worth more than you have ever known. Peace be still. The enemy and ‘self' are conquered. Stand and declare! Victory! Go and redeem and plunder. Much awaits you. Keep speaking and seeking Me. I Am with you always. Have no doubt. What a wonderful (you) I made! I Am so delighted in you! More and more I can be with you and excited we will be together forever! See all that there is – we enjoy together. You give Me all and I can give you more of my power. You give all glory so I can use my power. You return all – I accept and delight to give and pour and more into you.   My love when you return all. My love when you see and talk. I want to lift you and carry you. You want to serve Me and there is nothing we can't do together.  Beside, behind, ahead, inside, above and under to hold – around and between – I AM and you are. WE (are one). Let's go and do. My blessings dear. My love and all. Thank you. And yes, I know you already want to thank Me and give Me all. Don't let go of Me. If you wander – and wonder where I AM, I have gone before and show you. Hear Me. The best is still coming. More and more and forever. Peace. Perfection. I in you, We are in One.   My Son is so happy with you. I am excited to give. And you still give all and I want to bless you more. Be assured – don't worry. I have done it all, let go of everything. I see you try, I bless you and forgive you. I know all and I know what you have done. (What you hate) is gone. I see only love and want you and I know you give to me, but rest, I love you more! That love you have for me and I have for you is a fire that cannot be put out and only burns hotter and bigger! My Son wants to rejoice to all for you are with Him forever.   Do not worry about what or how or where and who you are – I know you are all for Me - I am delighted. The purpose and use is not to consider or worry. It is how I see you give all to Me, this is what I am joyful about. Keep giving for I give more because I delight to. Don't test yourself or think harsh - but let go. You are free from this. Keep and praise as you are. I made you and now you are very dear to Me – but more so until eternity. Looking ahead, as you give to Me – I pour into you more. I receive you and My Son is so excited”       By Works Is Faith Made Perfect (1)  David Eells  (Jas.2:22) Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. The Greek word there for “perfect” is teleioo, and it means “reaching the end-stage, i.e. working through the entire process (stages) to reach the final phase (conclusion).” The root word of that is telos, which means “mature,” but it doesn't matter how old you are in the Lord, you can still walk as “perfect” before God because you're doing what you know to do. Your ignorances are covered before the Lord. They are not accounted against you. (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. That's something that you can't get out of. If you are not doing what you know to do, then you're not walking with the Lord, and your sins aren't covered.   You know, I was just a baby Christian when I first started receiving signs and wonders and miracles. I didn't even consider whether I was supposed to be given these gifts, I was just speaking faith and seeing God do things like moving storms out of the way. People think that they have to grow up in their faith. No, you don't; the boldest people out there are baby Christians. They step out and do things that are beyond what most Christians can do who have been with the Lord many years.   In the church that I was first associated with, there were baby Christians getting miracles because they were believing God, but I saw a lot of older people in there not receiving much from the Lord. They had settled-in and it was kind of an obligation to them to go to church. They would go to the altar over and over to get prayed for about the same things, yet I saw the baby Christians getting miracles all the time. I felt sad for those baby Christians who stayed in that church after I left. I thought, “In a few years, they're going to be just like the old people there and won't be getting anything from the Lord, either.” They weren't teaching a lot of faith in that church. Even though it was a full gospel-type church, there wasn't a full gospel there.   If we want to grow up in the Lord, we need to please the God of the Bible and not pay any attention to what those old people say, because sometimes they aren't really walking with the Lord very well. I had never heard of praying for cars and praying for things to work and so on. I didn't have anybody around me doing such things. The church I went to had never thought about it, either. I was doing it because I saw it in the Bible, and I was reading the Bible day and night, so I just stepped out and did it. It was the grace of God in me.   It was a dead Pentecostal church that I went to, because after we left the Baptist church, we went to a Pentecostal church. They weren't doing anything like that. My friends were saying, “You must have a gift of faith,” or, “You must have some gifts of miracles.” I never even thought about what it was; I wasn't thinking about what I had or what I didn't have. Jesus said, (Mat.21:21) …If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. I haven't gotten to walk on water yet, but I'm looking forward to it.  Now, of course, if you're in a situation where you're possibly tired of the trial, or you're just plain exhausted, it can become a real temptation to accept a way out other than the one the Lord wants you to take. You can give up and accept something less than what God wants you to have. People do that all the time. Sometimes when you're believing God for something, the devil will send second-best around really quickly, so if you're believing God for something, don't necessarily accept the first thing that comes along. It might be the devil sending you second-best because he doesn't want you to see a major miracle or healing. And especially don't accept any way out that is a work of the flesh, because there's a curse in it somewhere. (Jer.17:5) Thus saith the Lord: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. You see, every kind of an effort to save yourself by your own works, rather than through faith, is just going to end up being a curse. That's what happened when Abraham listened to Sarah and had Ishmael by her handmaid Hagar (Genesis 16:1-12).   I remember when we first discovered faith and about trusting in God instead of acting in the works of the flesh. My oldest girl was a baby then. One day when she was just learning to walk, she stumbled and fell on her face into the carpet. After she got up, we saw she had a tooth that was broken-off. It was shattered all the way up into the gum, and you know how painful that can be. Well, we prayed the prayer of faith over her, but it was terrible to look at her and see that broken tooth, even though she still had a grin on her face. The whole trial was for us, and we realized that really quickly, because we were the ones who had to look at this thing. We prayed that the Lord would put a brand new tooth back in there, and over the next several weeks, we saw a piece of a tooth come out through her gums. It was forced out right through the gums, and she still had a smile on her face. It was a trial for us. So, these pieces kept coming out, and pretty soon a beautiful tooth just came right in there. It wasn't really time for her to receive a new tooth, but it came in there and forced all those pieces and the broken tooth out. The whole time, she was just easy-going and really enjoying life. We realized that it was only a trial of our faith to have to look at this thing, so we patiently endured, and God brought the end of it.   People like to think Jesus always got immediate answers, but that's not what the Scriptures say. Jesus didn't always get immediate answers. There is a “work” we have to do in the meantime, in order to bring to pass what God has given us. James says we are to (Jas.1:2) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; (3) Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. (4) And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. You see, we are expected to go through trials of our faith, and we have many examples of that. Hebrews 11 is the trial and faith chapter of people who went through great trials of their faith, yet they endured to see answers.   We're not going to see immediate answers all the time, either. I have been doing this for over 50 years. I've seen some miracles, and I've seen other things about which I just had to be dogmatically determined to not depart from the Word of God, but to confess only the Word of God. One reason some people do not receive anything from the Lord is because they think that faith can be just in your mind, but there has to be a work that goes along with faith. I'm not talking about your works, because we know that we're saved by grace. (Eph.2:8 KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. So we know that it's not man's works here; it's not the ordinary works that people do to save themselves.   (Jas.2:14) What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? The fact is, according to the rest of this chapter, the answer is “No.” That faith will not save him. If you have accepted a healing, a deliverance, a provision, or a blessing from God, such as that your children have been saved, that your spouse is saved, or whatever you're believing God for, if you do not act on that, you won't receive anything from God. What would be the normal action of a person who believed that promise? That's what you have to ask yourself. “What would I do and what would I say if I really believed what this promise says?” If you really believe the promise, you are going to be giving a good report in agreement with the Word of God. It is going to be coming out of your mouth. Ask yourself that question often, because God will correct you. “What would I say to this person if I believed that I've received what God says I've received?” Jesus did say, (Mat.21:22) And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.   (Jas.2:15) If a brother or sister (He's giving a natural example here.) be naked and in lack of daily food, (16) and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? Of course, in that case, the work of the Lord will be to meet their needs. (1Jo.3:17) But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? That is not your works there, that's God's works. When you see your brother in need, you meet his needs. (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.   If you think you have faith, but you're not acting it out with your mouth, your feet, and your actions, you've been deceived. If you think you have faith, but you're not showing it by your rest, your peace, and your patience, you've been deceived. If you're not walking in that faith, if there's no manifestation of that faith through your body, your mind, and out of your mouth, then that's not faith. You've been deceived. (18) Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith. This is the only way we can prove we have faith. It's what you say, it's how you walk, it's the peace in which you live, that proves that you believe the promise.   (Heb.4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest… If you really believe the promise, then you can rest, you can have peace that God has everything in His Hand, that everything is under control, and that He is going to work it out. We show our faith by our works. I'm not talking about works of the flesh, because we are not saved by the works of the flesh. We're not saved by any of our self-efforts to save ourselves. We're saved by the works of God through us. The works that naturally flow out of faith, because when a person believes a promise of God, they begin to act it out with all of their being. If they don't believe it, they act and walk contrary to it.   The Bible says, (Pro.18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. And (Rom.10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Notice that the salvation doesn't come until after the work that flows from that faith. If your actions disagree with that which you say you believe, it is not faith. First, you should believe with your heart, and then your mouth must “confess,” which is the Greek word, homologeo, that means “to speak the same as” or “to voice the same conclusion.”   If your works don't agree with your faith, forget it. You're just a double-minded person. (Jas.1:6)  But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.   (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. It happens all the time. People go to receive prayer for some illness, but then they may continue to agree with the doctor that they're still sick. If they do that, then they've just denied the Lord. (Mat.10:33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. If we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father. And the opposite of that is also true. (Mat.10:32) Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. “Confess” in this verse is that same Greek word, homologeo, which means “to speak the same as.” If you really believe it, say it. Why are you going to ask for a second opinion? Isn't God's opinion good enough? If you really believe God's opinion, why are you going to go ask a doctor? Isn't God's opinion right? Isn't it good? Why are you going to get the opinion of a person who walks by sight and is just going to tell you what's wrong? They do not believe in the Word of God, and so you're going to do what? Are you going to confess God before them? Or are you going to confess them before them?   Here's the whole point: If you don't “confess me before men,” if you don't “ ‘speak the same as' Me before men, I will deny you before the Father.” In another place it says, (Luk.12:9) But he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God. That doesn't sound as if you're going to get what you're asking for. You have the authority to deny yourself the benefits of God by not confessing Him before men. After you've received a healing, if someone points out to you that you're sick and you agree with him, do you really think that you're going to manifest that healing? Not likely. As the Bible says, (Jas.1:7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; (8) a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.   The Word of the Lord is true. If you believe that you're healed, why are you going to go and ask somebody else, anyway? The Bible doesn't say to do that. (Jas.5:14) Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (15) and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Are you going to get anointed by the elders but then go and ask somebody else if you got healed? Forget it, just forget it! You are to go there believing that you are going to receive your healing when you get prayed for. If you're double-minded, don't waste your time or anybody else's time. (Jas.2:19) Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.   What makes you different from the devil if you believe God is One? The devil believes that, too, but he's not going to repent and act in faith, is he? No. (20) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? The word “barren” here is the Greek word, argos, and it means “idle, unprofitable, useless, barren” and even “injurious.” The King James translates it as “dead.” I've had people tell me, “Well, David, I want to go prove to the doctor that I'm saved, so I go show myself to him.” That's fine, but when he tells you what he sees by sight, remember that you're still saved, because you're not saved by manifestation, you're saved by faith first. Accept only what the Bible says about you. Don't accept anything else. Confess your sins to God to make sure that there's nothing between you and Him, and do not deny the Lord, because if you get in front of men and deny the Lord, if you're ashamed of His Words and Him, He'll be ashamed of you before His Father. When men try to get you to deny the Word, even if they don't understand that's what they're doing, don't deny the Word of God. If you deny Him before men, He'll have to deny you.  (Mat.12:33) Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit. (34) Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (35) The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (36) And I say unto you, that every idle (That's the Greek word, argon, from the same root as argos, and here we can see from the text that it means “unfruitful.” He's talking about the need to bear the good fruit of words that are in agreement with Scripture.) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Do you know that there are many days of judgment? The Bible says, (Joh.3:18) He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.   You are walking through judgment right now if you don't believe what Jesus said. Jesus is the Word: He's all the Word, He's not just the “red letters.” You're denying the Word if you speak an “idle” word, an “unfruitful” word. You are denying the Lord before men. “They shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” What does that mean? It means that you are still walking through judgment. “He that believeth not” on the Son “hath been judged already.” If you're not walking by faith and confessing the Word, then you're living under judgment.   Judgment is the Deuteronomy 28 curse all around you and there's only one way out of that: Don't add to, or take away from, His words. (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.   He tells us to (Rom.3:4) …let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. Do you want to be “justified”? Do you want God to say that you're righteous in your words when you come into judgment so that you can be delivered? That's what He's saying right here. (Mat.12:36) And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified (That means “accounted righteous.”), and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. So you see, we don't come into God's salvation without confessing it before men, and without walking it out.   Imagine, just as an exercise, “What would I act like if I really believed this promise?” Think about it. Search out those promises in the Word concerning the answer to the predicament that you're in and whatever salvation you need. Also there are the catch-all promises such as, (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. But there are others that are probably specific to your situation, because God covers us with promises. So, for instance, what would you say if you actually believed that by the stripes of Jesus you were healed, as the Bible says? What would you say if you actually believed that He bore your sins?  (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. What would you say if you actually believed that He became cursed for you and took away your curse? (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. Look Jesus bore the whole curse in which is listed sin, sickness and lack of every kind. What would you act like? How would you confess this before men? How could you complete your faith? (Jas.2:22) Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. The Greek word there for “perfect” is teleioo, and it can be translated “complete,” so faith without works is incomplete. You are going to be justified by what you say in front of people, but it can be an idle word, a useless and unfruitful word, which will not give you the manifestation of what you seek. If you don't think that this is important to God, look at how upset Jesus became with the disciples when they didn't carry through with their faith (Matthew 8:10-12, 17:17; Mark 4:39-40; Luke 9:41).   If God counts you righteous because you believe Him for a promise or for a deliverance, if He counts you righteous because you believe His promise in the midst of your wilderness trial, then what does He say when you don't believe Him? What does He say when you stop believing Him and you turn back to the world? What does He say when you confess the bad report, like the spies who were sent into the Promised Land? (Num.13:28) Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. (29) Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill-country; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan.   (30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. (31) But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. God says He is going to disinherit them and smite them with a curse. (Num.14:11) And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? (12) I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.  He promised them the land but now he is disinheriting them for unbelief.  How can He do that after He promised them? Because it is a covenant, our part is believe and then His part is to fulfill the promise. So if you don't keep your part of the covenant YOU broke it. Why was God so angry with them? It was because they confessed the bad report that was not what He had told them. Joshua and Caleb came back confessing the good report, but the ten others came back confessing the bad report that they couldn't take that land. They had negative faith!  Those ten thought they couldn't take the promises, which the land represented. (Num.14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. (2) And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! (3) And wherefore doth the Lord bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt?  What negative faith they spoke! And so God said in (Num.14:28) …As ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: (29) your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me, (30) surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (31) But your little ones, that ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have rejected. Notice, they rejected the land because of unbelief.  (32) But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. He really held them to their own words. They brought themselves under a curse by what they said, and it's the same way with us. Our words can be idle or unfruitful, too. We need to ask God that He would (Psa.141:3) Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.   (Jas.2:21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works… There are so many people who speak against works, but it's because they're lumping all works into one bucket. We know that we are not justified by any works of man. You cannot save yourself. You cannot be good enough. You have to be justified by Christ's work at the Cross. So, if you believe that you were saved from sin, how would you act? How would you talk? Would you still be anxious and worried about your sins? Would you still be confessing that you're a sinner? Would you be confessing that you have a problem, or would you put it in the Lord's Hand by faith and watch Him do a miracle?   Many people never receive a miracle because their faith is faith without works. (Mat.15:8) This people honoreth me with their lips (They confess Him with their mouth.); But their heart is far from me. Anything for which you enter into faith with God cannot be just thoughts in your mind, it has to be manifested in your heart, your feet, your mouth, and your actions.   (Jas.2:21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Abraham had so much faith that he knew if he killed his son, God would bring him back, because God had made a promise to him that his seed would be like the stars in heaven (Genesis 15:5) or the sand on the seashore (Genesis 32:12; Hosea 1:10). His faith was there and he was acting on his faith. (22) Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect (Again, that word “perfect” means “complete.” If you're not going to act on your faith, forget it, because it's not real faith and it will not be completed, or “made perfect.”); (23) and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.   (24) Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. “Works” was a part of it; works complete your faith. (25) And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? (26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. He's saying that if your works are not in agreement with your faith, it's just like a body that's dead, because it doesn't have a spirit to give it life.   You may be thinking, “Well, what about Jesus? Did Jesus ever have to just walk by faith?” Let me point out to you that Jesus was always living in faith because He boldly spoke by faith before He saw anything.   Christians expect that they'll just wait until they see before they believe, but remember what Jesus told Martha and Mary. (Joh.11:25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; (26) and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. And, (Joh.11:40) Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God? God expects us to believe first, and then we'll see. That's His demand. (Heb.11:1KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It's not faith if you can see the manifestation. (Rom.8:24) For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?   If you see the manifestation, obviously you don't need faith anymore. Faith is what you have to exercise in order to see it. “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” We have to believe before we see. That's why He said in (Mar.11:24) …All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. To believe that you have received is contrary to normal human reasoning, but then, we're not normal humans, we're sons of God. God is teaching us to be sons of God, so we have to believe we have received before we see it. If you don't believe you have received, in most instances, you're never going to see it.   Again, I point out to you that Jesus spoke before He saw. He always walked by faith. If you boldly speak your faith out of your mouth, the Bible says that God is not going to let you be put to shame (Psalm 119:46; Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6; etc.) God's people are afraid to boldly speak what others can't see, but we can't be afraid to confess the Lord before men. He said that if you're ashamed of Him and His words, then He's going to be ashamed of you before His Father. (Mar.8:38) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. We can't be ashamed of speaking His words, even before men who will not approve of us and will think we're crazy. They will be dumbfounded when you get the miracle, and all their theology will go out the window. God wants to give them these testimonies because He's going to convert people by these testimonies.   People may say, “Well, I can't really hope to trust in God. I don't have any examples of this,” but yes, you do. Let's look at a few instances where the deliverance wasn't necessarily manifested immediately, even in Jesus' ministry. (Mat.8:5) And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 and saying, Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. (7) And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him. (8) And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.  (9) For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. (10) And when Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (13) And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour. Wow! The centurion totally confessed the Lord. He had outdone everyone in Israel, according to what Jesus said. The centurion recognized that Jesus had authority in the Kingdom of God and that He didn't even need to come to his house; all Jesus had to do was say the word, and his servant would be healed.   Notice it was the centurion's faith that healed his servant. “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” Jesus always has faith and He's always with us. He said, (Heb.13:5) … I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So Who is waiting on whom here? The whole point is that “as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” We need to endure a trial of our faith by boldly speaking our confession, just as this centurion did. He goes on, “And the servant was healed in that hour.” Notice also that this wasn't an instantaneous healing, it was within “that hour.”   Now we know the Bible uses the word, “hour,” in more than one way (Matthew 20:12; Mark 13:32; John 7:30; etc.), but at the very least, here it is a twelfth part of a day or night. Many times they used phrases like “the sixth hour” (for example, John 4:6) or “the ninth hour” (for example, Matthew 27:45), and those are definitely talking about an hour of time, but there are other places where “hour” is not referring to an actual hour of time. Sometimes it can be more than an hour because it's speaking of an hour, spiritually.   For instance, in the book of Revelation, there's an hour that's 3 ½ years long (Revelation 12:6, 13:5, 17:12). Over in John, it says, (Joh.13:1) Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world… It took a little longer than that for Jesus to leave the world, so this is another example where an “hour” is used to mean more than an hour of time. It was longer than an hour from that point before Jesus was crucified. (Joh.13:1) Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.   So this was either a period of time, or it was a real hour, but it didn't happen immediately. Would you forgive Jesus if He didn't do everything perfectly from His beginning? The Bible says, (Luk.2:52) And Jesus advanced (The Greek word is prokopto, and it means “to make progress” or “increase.”) in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. So in other words, Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” And the Bible also says, (Heb.2:10) For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect (This is the Greek word, teleioo, “working through the entire process to reach the final phase” or “complete.”) through sufferings. (Heb.5:8) Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation. The Bible doesn't say Jesus sinned, but it appears that He could have learned things and grown in wisdom and maturity because He had taken on real flesh (John 1:14; Romans 8:3), and He was growing up in that flesh to become the spotless, blemishless Lamb of God.   Let's look at another example where the manifestation was not instantaneous. (Mar.8:23) And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught? This is one time where Jesus asked somebody if they had received their manifestation, and let me point out to you that this wasn't an immediate healing. Jesus asked him if he could see anything, but I don't recommend that anybody answer, “No, I don't see,” because the Bible says that when we pray, we are to believe that we have received. (Mar.8:24) And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking. He didn't see them very clearly; they were just kind of a blur. (25) Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly.   Jesus is teaching us something here: If you're asking somebody to tell you what they have felt, seen, or heard in this world, they're going to confess something that's contrary to the Word. The Word says, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (The promise is past tense in the original.) them, and ye shall have them. When you believe you have received, you are thanking God for the thing that you don't see. You have received it. You are confessing it. It is yours.   When you come to the Lord, and you ask Him to save you, and you claim your salvation, do you realize that what you're proclaiming is total perfection? It's total deliverance from the curse and from sin, and it's total healing for your body because salvation concerns the whole man and all of its circumstances. You're confessing deliverance from the curse. When you claim that you're saved, you're claiming something by faith that encompasses all of the blessings and promises of God.   Some people don't realize that they're saying something by faith there; they think that they have manifested salvation. No, the truth is, when you claim that you are saved, you're claiming everything that God promised. Everything is included in salvation, everything. It's all past tense because it's all done, and so that's what you claim. You don't say what you see, feel, and hear in the world, like those ten spies did (Numbers 13). God called it an “evil report” (Numbers 14:36).   They were being honest about what they'd seen with their eyes, but that was all the bad report because it wasn't what God promised. They weren't claiming what God promised and therefore they never received it. (Num.14:36) And the men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, (37) even those men that did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the Lord. So this is an example where there wasn't an immediate healing, and notice that what the man initially spoke was contrary to the promise. Was Jesus trying to teach us something here? I believe so.   I believe we're about to come to a day when there are going to be many immediate manifestations, but what are you going to do if you don't get an immediate manifestation? Does it mean that God hasn't answered? That's what the devil tells you. That's what unbelievers around you will tell you, and that's what very religious people will tell you; they'll tell you that God hasn't answered.   Look at the story of Naaman. (2Kin.5:1) Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given victory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, [but he was] a leper. (2) And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman's wife. (3) And she said unto her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy. (9) So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.   (10) And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. (11) But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. (12) Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.   (13) And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? (14) Then went he down, and dipped [himself] seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. If God, through Elisha, had asked Naaman to do some great thing, Naaman would have gone and done it because he believed in salvation by works, but God only asked him to dip seven times in the Jordan. Are You Going to act on your faith?   The point there is that He just wants us to obey the Word of God, and, of course, Naaman didn't receive his healing manifestly until he came up the seventh time. You know, sometimes the doctors may ask you to do some “great” thing, as a matter of fact. They may tell you to fast, to not eat this or that, or to take these pills. Doctors want you to save yourself. They don't have any problem with you doing some works to save yourself, but you have to act on the Word of God. That was the problem with Naaman until he finally realized that he was supposed to act upon the Word of God. It didn't matter that over in Syria they had much cleaner rivers and that if he wanted to go dunk in a river, he could go over there.  You see, rest is an action, because people who don't believe are running around trying to save themselves, and they don't have any rest. Rest is an action in our Kingdom. It is ceasing from your works to enter into His rest. That is an action. Everyone who believes enters into rest. And while they're resting, they confess that what the Word of God says is true. They confess they are healed, delivered, provided for, that their family is saved, and all these things. While they're resting, they do these works. You have to be resting in God to do the works of God. You have to be ceasing from your own works to do His works.   (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. (2) For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.   (4) For he hath said somewhere of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; (5) and in this [place] again, They shall not enter into my rest. (6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, (7) he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.   (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. (9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest (Sabatismos = Continual rest) for the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. (11) Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. The “rest” is ceasing from your own works. You can't do God's works unless you're ceasing from your works, which is seeking to save yourself. The rest doesn't mean you're not working; it means you're not doing your works. If you're resting in God, you're doing His works with confidence.   People think, “I'm believing, but...” For example, “I'm believing, but I'm going to take this pill.” The promise doesn't say that He needs our help. The promise says He's already done it. If you believe that God has already done it, then you don't have to earn it or attain it somehow by your works. What would you believe if you believed that God had already done it? What would you speak and how would you act if you believed that God had already done it? That's what the Bible says.   Here's an example, a common one: (Luk.17:12) And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: (13) and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. (14) And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests… Well, the lepers knew what that meant (Leviticus 13:1-46, 14:1- 32).   When a person is healed of leprosy, they are to go to the priest and he examines them. If they are healed, then the priest offers a sacrifice of two turtledoves for them and they are accepted back into the congregation of the people of Israel. That's what the Law said. Jesus told them to not worry about that, but to just go and show themselves to the priest. They knew that meant that they were healed, but when Jesus spoke that, they weren't manifestly healed. They were walking by faith. Those lepers were walking by faith and, not only that, but Jesus spoke it by faith, because He didn't see it.   (Luk.17:14) And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; (16) and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. Where were the rest of them? Everybody ought to first give thanks to God. Maybe the rest were thinking, “Oh, I need to go to my family and show them what the Lord did for me,” when it should have been more important to them to go back and give thanks to God. I imagine that they had been separated from their families for a long time and there were people they really wanted to see, really wanted to go back and hug, but God wants the thanks first, doesn't He?    Testimony: We came out of the apostate church about five years ago. We spent the first three years studying on our own, going through the Bible, learning as much as we could. About two years ago we found your website and started going through all the teachings. We joined the conference talks about the time you had started doing the series on “The Real Good News.” Listening to the testimonies of the brothers has increased our faith tremendously.   Our eyes have really been opened to what living by faith is, and how to live by faith. For example, we have a Ford with 260,000 miles on it. When we learned that we could pray for our cars, we started laying our hands on it and praying fixes for it every time it started to have a problem. Now our van is running great. All our friends think we are crazy, but we know the Lord will continue to keep our van on the road for as long as we need it.   When we started working on some videos, our brand new DVD burner stopped working completely. After we asked for prayer during the broadcast, the next day the DVD burner started working again. We learned that the Lord heals more than people.   Then our daughter, who had been helping me put background videos together, woke up one morning with her wrist hurting so much that she couldn't use her hand. We prayed for her, but her hand and arm turned purple. In the weakness of our flesh, we took her to the doctor. The doctor said that her wrist had been sprained—she would have pain for the next few weeks—and that she couldn't use her hand. Not accepting that bad report, she refused to take the medication. After we prayed for her again, anointing her hand with oil, three days later her hand was completely healed.   We were traveling together with some brethren in Christ when their son fell and broke both of his wrists, sustaining fractures in both hands. The emergency personnel took x-rays and confirmed the broken bones. They bound his hands, telling him to go to the doctor when he got home in order to put casts on them. However, his mom also refused to receive the bad report. We asked him if it was ok to pray for him (since he was just seventeen years old and a new believer). We agreed together, then his pain was gone. When he got home, he went to the doctor and discovered that, even though the fractures were still visible on the x-rays, they were healing on their own. Since he had NO pain and could use both of his hands perfectly, they couldn't justify putting casts on him. The nurse and doctors were amazed, since they had never seen anything like that. His mother replied, My Lord Jesus has healed him.   The Lord has us walking on a journey through the wilderness that is going to get even more interesting now. [The Real Good News can be read for free on the website.] has really taught us to walk in faith. It came at the perfect time to strengthen our faith. PRAISE THE LORD!   (Editors Note) In the days to come the church will be cut out of worldly help by the mark of the beast them all will know the value of walking by faith. We caution that legalism does not heal for it is not of faith. Doing things because others do them or to be accepted or admired is not faith. A person must believe they have rescived or not go down this road. As James 1 says the double minded man is not to believe he will receive anything from the Lord.

1. the perspective of Simon-2. the perspective of the woman-3. the perspective of Jesus

1. the perspective of Simon2. the perspective of the woman3. the perspective of Jesus

1. the perspective of Simon2. the perspective of the woman3. the perspective of Jesus

Message by Bro. Leto Text: Genesis 16 August 9, 2023 - 7PM

The Secret of Loving God Much, Luke 7:36-50 — Luk 7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. Luk 7:37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, Luk 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. Luk 7:40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. Luk 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. Luk 7:42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Luk 7:43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. Luk 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Luk 7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Luk 7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Luk 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Luk 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Luk 7:49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? Luk 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Sunday Evening Worship | June 18, 2023 |

Faith and Good Works.James chapter 2 discusses the importance of exercising faith through actions. James argues that faith without works is dead, and that true faith is represented by good deeds.He uses the examples of Abraham and Rahab to exemplify this point. James also warns against showing favoritism to the wealthy, and features the importance of showing compassion and mercy to others.He concludes by stating that faith and works are inseparable, and that genuine faith will always result in a transformed life.James Chapter 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.Blessings, Peace and Love,SisterG Glenda Coker Faith T-shirts

Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Tom Seest grew up in the middle of Illinois in a small town and, due to high sugar consumption, ended up weighing 350 pounds by the time he was in college. Though he lost over 100 pounds by the time he got married, due to stress and other factors he gained all the weight back and then some. Thanks to a friend's suggestion, he decided to give the Atkins diet a try. After some dietary research and experimentation, Tom found himself on a ketogenic diet and has lost a LOT of weight since then. For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Tom Seest: Twitter Medium Dr. Tro Kalayjian:  Website Twitter Instagram Dr. Brian Lenzkes:  Website Twitter

Watch/Listen here using the Embedded Subsplash Playerdiv.sap-embed-player{position:relative;width:100%;height:0;padding-top:56.25%;}div.sap-embed-player>iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;}Central Baptist Church of Ponca City, OKDATE: Wednesday, March 1, 2023SERMON BY: Dr. John WaterlooSERMON TITLE: Learning to Give an AnswerSERMON THEME: Warnings Against Foolishness SERMON SERIES: Proverbs SERMON TEXT: Proverbs 26:1-12* We need to be ABLE to respond (We must be able to articulate our doctrine)* We need to know WHEN to respond* We need to know HOW to answerProv. 26:1   As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.Prov. 26:2   As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.Prov. 26:3   A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.Prov. 26:4   Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.Prov. 26:6   He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. 7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. 8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. 9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.Prov. 26:10   The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.Prov. 26:11   As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.Prov. 26:12   Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.— — —Watch/Listen here using our Subsplash WebShare Playerhttps://subspla.sh/wr4j7dtListen here on Archive.orghttps://archive.org/download/030123-wed-facebook-stream/030123WED-FacebookStream.mp3 

Mark 13:2 KJV And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrewhorval/support

And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.17 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. 11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. 31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? 32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 35 But wisdom is justified of all her children. 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 13:4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

Jesus, our Redeemer, came to minister to small and great with the same love and unerring truth. John 3:17-18, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  Offer: "The Red Letter Questions" by Don C. Harris. Email don@thinkredink.com to request a free "The Red Letter Questions" audio book on cd or you can purchase a print book online. *** Ch. 25 - JESUS ANOINTED Jesus accepted an invitation to go to the home of a Pharisee for a meal.  While Jesus sat eating, a sinful woman of the city came to the house, bringing an alabaster box of ointment. (The gospel of John identifies the woman who anointed Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair as Mary, the sister of Martha.  Evidently the story was known in two versions, and the two writers had heard the same story but about different individuals.) She stood weeping and washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee saw what the woman was doing, he thought to himself;             “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner.”             Jesus said to the Pharisee:             “Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.”             The Pharisee replied:             “Master, say on.”             Jesus said:             “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?”             Simon answered, saying: “I  suppose that he to whom he forgave most.”             Jesus replied:             “Thou hast rightly judged.”             Jesus turned toward the woman, saying to Simon:             “Seest thou this woman? I entered unto thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed my feed with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head.  Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.  Wherefore I say unto thee, ‘Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little'.”              To the woman Jesus said:             “Thy sins are forgiven.”             Those who sat at the feast thought to themselves:             “Who is this that forgiveth sins also?”             Jesus said to the woman:             “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” *** Scriptures: Luke 7:36-50

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Work Ethic the thing that haunts your integrity. 21 Steps To Walk In Purpose Book https://walkinpurposenow.com/

Thou God Seest Me | Genesis 16: 11-16 | Andy Morris

Pastor Mike Ray

(Sun A.M., May 22, 22) Luke 7:44-50 by Pastor Ward.