Podcasts about since jesus

Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,he said to them, “Does this shock you?What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.But there are some of you who do not believe.”Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believeand the one who would betray him.And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to meunless it is granted him by my Father.”As a result of this,many of his disciples returned to their former way of lifeand no longer walked with him.Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?You have the words of eternal life.We have come to believeand are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - John 6:1-15 - Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised His Eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to Him, He said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because He Himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, He said to His disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign He had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the One Who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry Him off to make Him king, He withdrew again to the mountain alone. Special Edition with Bishop Strickland on the upcoming Papal Conclave

Law and the Real Sabbath (1) (audio) David Eells – 5/4/25 First, let me say that we do have a Sabbath to keep in the New Covenant. If you, who have eyes to see, will be patient and hear me out, I will show you that it is the best news you have ever heard. The Sunday Sabbath folks want to bring us under the law of man, and the Saturday Sabbath folks want to bring us under the Law of the Old Covenant, which God refused to make with the Gentiles (Psa.147:19,20; Deu.7:6,11). If you hold either one of these positions, do not be afraid to examine this subject for the truth will hold up to scriptural scrutiny. The early church kept neither Sunday nor Saturday as the New Testament Sabbath until a great falling away in the third century. The Old Covenant Saturday Sabbath was a type and shadow of what is promised in the New Covenant, but as we will see, Sunday is not the fulfillment of it. (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. As anyone knows, a shadow is not real; it is only darkness. It is created because what is real is in the light. When Christians try to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath, they are in darkness and have not yet come into the light of the real Sabbath. The Jews never knew what the real Sabbath was, only the shadow or type of the New Testament Sabbath. God never made the Law covenant with the Gentiles. For a Christian to come under part of the Law, like the old Sabbath, is to come under a curse for not keeping the whole Law. (Gal.3:10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. Christ delivered us from the curse of failing to keep any part of God's Law. (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: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. We are now justified by faith, not by keeping any part of the Law. Paul then warned the Christians not to go back under the Law in observing feast days and Sabbath days. (Gal.4:9) but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. Paul warned by the Spirit that these believers could not be Christ-like under the Law. (19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you. Paul then warned that the Christians who go back under the Law are sons of the bondwoman Hagar and not the freewoman Sarah. (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. Here we come to a stern warning for those seeking to be justified by keeping the Old Covenant Sabbath or any other part of the shadow of the Law. (30) Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. For a Christian to go under any part of the Law is for him to go into bondage and be cut off from the benefits of Christ. (5:1) For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. (2) Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision (Or any other part of the Law), Christ will profit you nothing. (3) Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision (Or any other part of the Law), that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (4) Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. We are “severed from Christ” when we do not follow or abide in Him, but the Law. Only under grace through faith are we united with Christ through justification and delivered from the curse. Neither Jesus nor the Apostles told us to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath. Jesus always appeared to the disciples and taught on the Lord's day after His resurrection because it was His resurrection day, the first day of the week (Luk.24:1,13; Luk.27-32; Joh.20:1,17,19, 26; Rev.1:10-13). The disciples gathered on the first day of the week (Act.20:7; 1Co.16:1,2). However, they did not make the Lord's Day into a command or law, but a custom; and they never claimed it was the Sabbath. Apostate men did that. Jesus and the disciples went to the Jews on their Sabbath to evangelize them and bring them into the New Covenant Sabbath rest through the promises. Jesus was constantly accused of breaking their shadow Sabbath (Mat.12:2; Joh.5:16-19; 9:16) because He was not under the Law. We will also be accused of this if we follow in His steps instead of being “severed from Christ” by keeping a Law that was never given to us. The Apostles and elders in Acts 15 were gathered together to see whether to bring the Gentiles under the Law. They came to a conclusion that those under the Sabbath Law need to understand. (Act.15:19) Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; (20) but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. These few things he commanded so that the Jews would not consider them anathema. This was important for the Jews' sake so that they could be evangelized. (21) For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him (Law), being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. (28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.... Notice that the Sabbath was not commanded of the Gentiles. Neither were a lot of other things that the legalists bring the ignorant Christians under. The Law passed away and was fulfilled in Christ, except for those whose hearts are blinded by the veil. (2Co.3:12) Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, (13) and [are] not as Moses, [who] put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away: (14) but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed [to them] that it is done away in Christ. (15) But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. (16) But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Don't go into bondage with the veil of Old Covenant Laws, which are just shadows or parables of what was to come. Now we, with an unveiled face see the New Covenant in Christ. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty. (18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. The Law was cancelled because it could not complete or make perfect, because it was only a shadow of the good things to come in the New Covenant. (Heb.7:18) For there is a disannulling (Greek: Annulled or cancelled) of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness (19) (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope (The New covenant through grace), through which we draw nigh unto God. The purpose of those under the Law was to give us a shadow or parable of the great things to come. (Heb.8:5) who serve [that which is] a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned [of God] when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount. (6) But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. (7) For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second. (8) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; (9) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers ... (13) In that he saith, A new [covenant] he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away. (10:1) For the law having a shadow of the good [things] to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. The Law was always planned to be a temporary shadow. (Gal.3:19) What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made... So there was an end of the Olde Covenant law. The Sabbath was eternal as the legalists will tell you (Exo.31:16). So how could it be eternal and still pass away? What they do not understand is that it changed from letter to spirit in the New Covenant (2Co.3:2-11). The letter of the type, shadow, or parable as taught in the Old Covenant is now fulfilled in the spirit of the New Covenant. Jesus said in (Mat.5:17) Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. (18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. So now we must fulfill the parable. Fulfilling or accomplishing the Law is not the same as being under the Old Covenant Law as Jesus went on to demonstrate. (21) Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time (Notice that the Law was spoken unto them, not us.), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (22) but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment. Notice that Jesus changed the Law from regulations of our actions to regulations of our heart, as the prophets said would come (Jer.31:33) But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Those who do not permit anger in their heart will fulfill the Law and not kill. (27) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: (28) but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Jesus interpreted the Law again. If we do what He says and avoid lust, we will fulfill the Law by not committing adultery. Jesus continued to demonstrate how changing the Law from outer actions to inner nature will fulfill it (Mat.5:33, 43). If God changed all these Laws in order to fulfill them, then He did the same with the Sabbath. The Sabbath was meant to be a change in our nature rather than a regulation of our actions, one day a week. If a person rests from his own works every day by believing in Christ's finished work, he will certainly fulfill the Law of resting for one day. The Law will be fulfilled in us, but not by keeping the letter, “For the letter kills but the spirit gives life”. It will be fulfilled through us as we walk in and by the Spirit. (Gal.5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. When you see what's written in the shadow of the Law, you must look in the New Covenant to find out what the fulfillment is. Circumcision was necessary under penalty of death, but Paul, by the Spirit, changed it from a carnal shadow to the spiritual fulfillment of baptism. (Col.2:11) ... in the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with him in baptism. Under the Old Covenant, we were 90% owners and 10% stewards but according to Jesus, we are now 100% stewards, or we are not really disciples. (Luk.14:33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. To Peter, it was revealed that the Old Covenant carnal restriction on eating unclean beasts was spiritually a restriction of partaking of unclean people, which Solomon called beasts (Ecc.3:18), and the gospel solves that problem. (Act.10:11) and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: 12 wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. 15 And a voice [came] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. Then Peter was sent with the gospel to the Gentiles and got the revelation that they were the unclean beasts that God had cleansed. (28) and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and [yet] unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean. As you can see, it was the habit of Jesus and the disciples to translate the shadow to the spiritual reality. It is a violation of the Spirit to bring old Covenant ceremonial laws into the New Covenant without translating them. Since this is so, we must find out what the Sabbath translates to. Let me explain the New Testament Sabbath rest. The Sabbath shadow was to cease from man's works one day a week. But we are commanded to do this every day.  We can cease from works of religious self-justification, works of the flesh, and various forms of salvation by man's works, through faith in the work that Christ has already accomplished. Jesus said, “All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive (Greek: received) them, and ye shall have them (Mar.11:24). Why believe that we have received everything? Notice in the following verses that all things have been received by us and that the only thing left is for us to believe it. Also note the past-tense of our sacrificial provision in the following verses: (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his body ...by whose stripes ye were healed; (Col.1:13) Who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; (2Co.5:18) ...who reconciled us to himself; (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ, and its no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me; (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse; (1Pe.1:3) ...the Father ...begat us again ...by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; (Heb.10:10) We ...have been sanctified ...; (14) He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified; (Eph.1:3) ...who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing, and God (2Pe.1:3) hath granted unto us all things .... Jesus told us in His day which, of course, is also in the past that “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (Joh.12:31); “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Joh.16:33); “It is finished” (Joh.19:30). This is why we are to believe we have received. The devil and the curse were conquered. We were saved, healed, delivered, and provided for. We can rest from our own works to accomplish this when we truly believe. Let me give you an example. (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. The one who believes that Jesus already “bare our sins” considers himself delivered and can rest. He no longer has to worry about how to be delivered because he reckons himself to be “dead unto sin but alive unto God” (Rom.6:11). He reckons within himself, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me” (Gal.2:20). He can rest. Notice that the one who believes that “by whose stripes ye were healed” never has to resort to his own works to get healed. All he has to do is rest and receive it by faith. If a man continues to try to get healed when the Word says he was healed, he shows he does not believe the Word. He has not ceased from his own works to enter the rest by believing 1 Peter 2:24. All the sacrificial promises are past-tense to cause us to rest from our works every day. Redemption from the curse is truly finished! In fact, God's “works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb.4:3) when He spoke the plan into existence. The only thing left is for the true sons of God to enter into those works by faith, believing they have received. Since the works are finished, we should believe and rest from our own works to save, heal, and deliver ourselves. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest. Notice it is not the one who ceases from works on Saturday or Sunday but the one who believes who enters the New Covenant Sabbath rest every day. (9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. This constant “keeping of rest” every day, not one day a week, through the past-tense promises, is our spiritual Sabbath. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. This rest is to believe these past-tense promises and rest from our own works or man's works to save ourselves. Our faith in each of these promises brings us into more of the rest. We should be diligent not to leave out even one of these promises for our own good. (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. This is true faith and always brings the answer. Through believing the promises, we enter into rest from our own works. For a child of God to say that they believe they have received and yet continue seeking to receive, usually through worldly methods, is to be double-minded. (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. Those who continue to work for what God has freely given believe in salvation by works. (Heb.4:10) For he that is entered into his rest, hath himself also rested from his works. (Jas.3:19) And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Since the promises of deliverance from the curse are past-tense, when we believe them, we must stop working. It is an evil heart of unbelief to not rest. God was angry with Israel because they would not believe His Word in their trial in the wilderness (Heb.3:8-10). (Heb.3:11) As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest (the Sabbath!). (12) Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God .... (14) We are become partakers of Christ (His health, holiness, and blessing) if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end. When we believe we have received, we are put in a position of weakness because we cannot do anything to bring the desired result to pass. This weakness is rest in our wilderness experiences because there is no help from Egypt or the world there. Only God's power saves in the wilderness. God says, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor.12:9). If we refuse to be weak, God refuses to be strong on our behalf. Our weapon against our enemies who try to talk us out of our covenant rights is the two-edged sword of these past-tense promises (Heb.4:11,12). Let me share with you a good example of the power of the true gospel through faith in our past provision. Several years ago, I ran across a lady who had two large, inoperable tumors. She listed for me several famous preachers she had been to, who had prayed for her to be healed. She said to me, “David, I just don't understand why I have not been healed”. I said, “You just told me why you have not been healed. You are looking in the wrong direction. Turn around and look behind you for 'by whose stripes ye were healed' (1Pe.2:24). You are looking forward to a healing that happened behind you. You have a little hope, but no faith. Faith 'calls the things that be not (in this case, healing) as though they were' (Rom.4:17). Faith looks back at what was accomplished at the cross, but hope looks forward to what will be accomplished. Jesus said, 'All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for believe that ye receive (Greek: “received”) them, and ye shall have them' (Mar.11:24). That is the gospel, sister, that you must believe”. With these few words, I saw the light come on in her eyes; and her face brighten up. I said, “Now we are going to pray one more time; but this time believe the Scriptures, and believe you have received whether you see an instant manifestation, or not”. She agreed, so I rebuked the infirmity and commanded her to be healed in Jesus' name. She instantly felt the tumors leave. We rejoiced and thanked God together. I said, “Sister, that is the first time you believed the true gospel concerning your healing. If you had done that when those other preachers prayed, you would have been healed.” Because she, through faith, entered into rest from her own works to save herself, she saw the works of Jesus. Many do not receive from God because they do not keep our Sabbath through faith. Many years ago, I had a dream about resting from my works in order to be caught up by the power of God to do His works. In scene one, my wife and I were resting in lawn chairs in front of our house. Our gaze was riveted on the power line that crossed our property because it was sagging between the power poles so much that it almost touched the ground. As we watched and rested, a tornado came over that power line and picked us up out of our chairs and carried us away. Interpretation: God helped me to understand this prophetic dream. As we cease from our works and enter into the rest (the lawn chairs), the power of man (power line) comes to an end, and the power of God (tornado or whirlwind) takes over. God only gives this power to those who cease from their own works, even religious works, to follow His Spirit because they believe the promises. In scene two, I found myself in front of a large church. I walked through the front door and standing in the foyer was an “old man” in a suit. I avoided this old man as if he were a rattlesnake and went into the sanctuary, so-called. I saw there a large double sink, full of water. In the water were babies; they were faced down and most were dead. I quickly went to the sink, picked up a baby, and held him in the air. He spoke to me saying, “Thank God, I knew he was going to send someone”. Interpretation: I was made to know that there are many carnal ministers (old man - Eph.4:22; Col.3:9,10) who are trying to wash up the people of God (babies in the sink) by using the word as the letter of the Law (which is the water in Eph.5:26) and they're killing them instead. (2Co.3:6) who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. The letter of the Law that is taught by the Pharisees of today only gets our eyes on our own earthly ability or inability, like being face down in the water, which kills. Many are they that sit under the condemnation of the Law, which is a powerless false gospel, only to give up in their failure to please God and go back into the world or die on a church pew. We cannot pick ourselves up by our bootstraps or be saved by our own self-will. This is an understanding that is from the earth, and is face down. Seeking this is to be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Ti.3:7) that sets free. Jesus purposely spoke in parables so that only those who have eyes and ears for heavenly things would understand (Mat.13:10-14). These seek a knowledge that is born from above, I.e., face up. (Mat.16:17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. As always, those whose understanding is “face up” will be fought by those whose understanding is “face down”. The good news of the promises is the power of God given freely to save the one who believes (Rom.1:16). These promises get our eyes on God's ability and provision or face up. These promises give faith (Rom.10:17) to get grace (Eph.2:8) in order to have the power to live the Christian life and cease from our works. The Jews complained that Jesus' disciples were breaking the Sabbath by harvesting grain to eat (Mat.12:1,2), which was true according to the Law (Exo.31:14-17). Jesus replied to them; (Mat.12:5) Or have ye not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? Notice that He was proclaiming that His disciples were guiltless for profaning the old Sabbath. The priests, in order to fulfill the Sabbath, had to work in the temple. They did the work of God as we should also. Jesus was rebuked for healing on the Sabbath. Those outside the temple had to cease from their own works. (6) But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here. Jesus is our New Testament temple. We who abide in Him must work His works in order to fulfill the Sabbath. We must work the works of our Father, for we are the priests of God. (Rev.1:6) and he made us [to be] a kingdom, [to be] priests unto his God and Father .... Those who do not abide in Him have not ceased from their own works and are breaking the real Sabbath. Those who follow Christ as Lord are keeping the Sabbath, for He is Lord of the Sabbath. (Mat.12:8) For the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath. If we follow the Lord, then we have rested from our works to do His works. (Joh.14:12) ... he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. If we follow the Law, we are cut off from Christ and grace and cannot be keeping the real Sabbath (Gal.5:4). Those seeking to keep the Law of the Sabbath are instead breaking it because they are not resting from the works of the Law. Those under the Law, who condemn us for following Christ on Saturday or Sunday, condemn the guiltless. (Mat.12:7) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; ye would not have condemned the guiltless. We are to work and do good on our Sabbath. All good is legal on our Sabbath, every day, but our old works are not. (12) ...Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. Good, of course, is God's works. (Joh.5:16) And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. (17) But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. Notice that Jesus worked His Father's works even on their shadow Sabbath. Then Jesus specified what works are legal on our Sabbath. (19) ...The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. We see here that works that come from self are illegal on our Sabbath, but works that our Father does through us are not. (30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. As sons seeking the will of God, we also may work the works of God on our spiritual Sabbath but not the works of self. Even the Old Covenant gives us clues to this principle. (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Jehovah honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words: (14) then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. Jesus said that He always did the will of His Father. Therefore He always rested from His own works, and those who follow Him do also. God gives the same Spirit that Jesus had to those who wish to be empowered to follow Him and so keep the real Sabbath. (Isa.28:11) Nay, but by [men of] strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; (12) to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. Paul declared this verse to be a promise to those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues in the New Covenant (1 Cor.14:21). Jews and Christians who refuse this Spirit to rest from the works of the Law, including the old Sabbath, are said to be those who “would not hear”. If we receive and follow the Spirit, we are not under the Sabbath or any of the Law. (Gal.5:18) But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Those who receive the Spirit are empowered to live in Christ, which is the rest from the works and curse of the old Law. (Rom.8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. We are under the Law of the Spirit. Except for prophets and kings, Israel did not have this Spirit to guide and empower them, and therefore needed rules and regulations on their external conduct. Those who live by the Spirit of life in Christ naturally fulfill the Law, which has been written in their hearts. Those who live in Christ by the Spirit cease from their own works every day. (Gal.5:16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Jesus said that those who received the Spirit would be witnesses of Him to the world (Acts 1:8). Jesus and His apostles never commanded to cease from work on a day. (Mat.11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden (with the Law [Mat.23:4]), and I will give you rest. The problem is that we are in and out of the rest like we are in and out of Christ. Abiding in Christ is resting in our promised benefits. Some say God gave us the gift of eternal life so he can't take it back. In Gal.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”. You see, the promises were given to Christ, not to you. The only way the promises are yours is if you abide in Christ. Abiding in Christ is: bearing His fruit (Joh.15:1-6), walking as he walked (1Jn.2:3-6), believing the same teachings given by Jesus and the apostles without adding or subtracting (1Jn.2:24 / Jude 3 / Mat.28:20 / Rev.22,18,19), not walking in willful sin (1Jn.3:5,6), keeping his commandments (1Jn.3:24). 1Jn.5:11 says that “God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” and that is the only place we can claim this gift. God doesn't have to take it back, his people walk out of it. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body (1Co.6:18). If we walk in willful sin, we are not abiding in his body, for there is “no sin in him” (1Jn.3:5,6). Sins of ignorance or failure are covered by the blood (Rom.7:15-8:2) but willful sin is always judged. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. The Spirit of life in Christ empowers us to walk in Him by faith in His promises. (Heb.4:9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. This constant “keeping of rest” is every day, not one day a week. Paul, comparing the weak in faith with those who are mature, said, (Rom.14:5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. In our Covenant, every day is the Sabbath rest. As he said in Gal.4:9,10, “how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? Ye observe days”. Our Sabbath is freedom from bondage to the works of the Law. Since Jesus took away our sins, it is freedom from fleshly works too. (Psa.118:24) This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Old Jerusalem ruled over God's physical Old Testament people just as New Jerusalem rules over God's spiritual New Testament people. Paul declared that we have come to this spiritual city. He showed us that it is not a physical city that can be touched. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched ... (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ... (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn.... Jesus' called-out ones come to this mountain. This is the place of God's continual rest. (Psa.132:13) For Jehovah hath chosen Zion... (14) This is my resting-place for ever: Here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Unlike those under the Law, we are not to dwell outside the temple and go there occasionally, nor are we to dwell outside the rest six days and only dwell in it one. Those who dwell in this spiritual Jerusalem remain in God's resting place. There is only one day in the New Testament Jerusalem, the spiritual city of God. That day is the real Sabbath. (Rev.21:25) And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there). Notice that there is one day and no night in the city of God where the Lamb is the light (23). There is no darkness to break up the one day of God's work for those who abide in Christ. (1Jn.1:5) And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Those who abide in God continue in the light of day doing His works. (6) If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Those who walk in the light of our day are always in the presence of the sun (Son). Night is to have the earth between you and the sun (Son). Our flesh came from the earth (Gen.2:7) and symbolizes the earth. When the works of our flesh come between us and the Son, we are living in the darkness of night. If we are in this idolatry with the world, whether this means our flesh or the things of the world (1Jn.2:15,16), we live in the night. Walking in the light of our one Sabbath day, the works of man are destroyed. I want to remind you that the Law is a shadow, and if you are under a shadow you are not in the light. The saints live in the lighted day of ceasing from their own works, especially the works of the Law, while the wicked live in the dark night of their own works. (1Th.5:5) For ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day (the Sabbath): we are not of the night, nor of darkness; (6) so then let us not sleep (Having their eyes closed to the light of the Son), as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, since we are of the day (the Sabbath), be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. As long as Jesus has been in this world, either in His first body or His second corporate body, it has been day. (Joh.9:5) When I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (Mat.5:14) Ye are the light of the world. That only makes one day as long as the saints are here. (Joh.9:4) We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day (When we are ceasing from our works to do His, it is the Sabbath day.): the night cometh, when no man can work. Our works in Christ for this world are over when the Lord comes for us and then night comes for the judgment of the world. (1Th.5:2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them... After the tribulation, the light of the world will be gone! (Mat.24:29) But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (This is the falling away and reprobation of 1/3 of the stars, representing the spiritual seed of Abraham [Rev.6:12-14; Gen.22:17]). The darkening of the light of this world here is physical as well as spiritual. Joseph shared a dream that clearly showed that the people of God spiritually are the sun, moon, and stars, “the light of this world”. (Gen.37:9) ...behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. (10) And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? Starting as a star glory, Joseph went to his cross in Egypt and was promoted in glory above his brethren, the children of Israel. We grow from star glory to moon glory and then to sun glory as we continue to walk in the light that God gives us (2Co.3:18). Paul agreed that the saints manifest these three glories in 1Co.15:41,42. Now we can see that when the Lord comes and takes His sun, moon, and star glory saints, the world will be left in the darkness of night. (Mat.24:29) But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. (30) ...and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect...Glory to God! Jesus taught that the whole Christian New Covenant era on earth is only one day. (Joh.11:9) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Those who walk in this continual Sabbath day walk in the light. This spiritual day lasts until the judgment. (Mat.20:1) For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. Jesus started hiring laborers for His vineyard first thing in the morning, which was almost 2000 years ago. Then He gives examples of going out to hire all during the day, the third hour (verse 6), the sixth and ninth hour (verse 5), and the eleventh hour (verses 6-9). Of the eleventh hour people it was said, “These last have spent [but] one hour” (12). Then at the twelfth hour He called in all of His servants to give them their reward. (8) And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. Jesus calls in all of His servants to face Him and receive their reward at His coming. (Rev.22:12) Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. Midnight is the twelfth hour when the Lord comes for the virgins (Mat.25:6) and also the time when the saints leave the Egypt of this world (Exo.29:12-31). At this time, even though it is midnight for the world, the saints are walking with lamps full of Holy Spirit light (Mat.25:4). From Jesus' first coming to His second coming is one day. This one day incorporates the whole Christian New Covenant era on earth. It should not surprise us that God could change something as important as the Sabbath from many carnal days to one spiritual day. He changed something much more important, our sacrifice, from many carnal sacrifices to one spiritual sacrifice, our Lord Jesus. The Lord again defines our rest as a corporate day that covers every day. (Heb.4:6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings (the promises) were before preached failed to enter in (Even though they kept the Saturday Sabbath) because of disobedience (Greek: “apeitheia” also means unbelief), (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 (the promises), Harden not your hearts. (Today is any day that you are presently in. Since this verse was written to all saints throughout the New Covenant, then “today” is every day that they live in. God was telling us that when you hear His promises, do not harden your heart as Israel did, but believe to enter the rest in the day that you live in.) (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. Today is that day saints, not Saturday or Sunday. Five times in this text, God uses the term “To-day” to define the rest. (3:13) but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. “Day by day” it has been “called To-day” for almost 2000 years. (4:9) There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest (Greek: sabbatismos, “keeping of rest”) for the people of God. God has been merciful to our ignorance of this true Sabbath, but judgment will now be seen the world over because we have come to a second spiritual type of the Sabbath. (2Pe.3:8) But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Having read the writings of the early church fathers, I can tell you that they commonly believed in the one thousand-year prophetic day and that after six of these days from the beginning, the end time judgment would come. The Hindus, Muslims, and the Jews also believed this. Gibbon in The Rise And Fall of The Roman Empire said that the early Christians believed this. The Bible is laid out in seven prophetic one-thousand-year days. These days are numbered from the creation of Adam. There were four thousand years or four days between Adam and Jesus. Since the days of Jesus, the calendar has been tampered with extensively, but most researchers believe we are close to traversing two more days and coming to the beginning of the seventh, thousand-year period from Adam. Besides the regular spiritual Sabbath that we have already spoken of, this seventh, thousand-year day is a second spiritual Sabbath. When the body of Christ was crucified, it was a high Sabbath (Joh.19:31). That means it was a regular Sabbath and a second Passover Sabbath. This second spiritual Sabbath will also be a Passover Sabbath for those who have eaten the Lamb and are about to leave the Egypt of this world. This will also be a crucifixion to the fleshly works of the body of Christ. According to the shadow, when this end-time second spiritual Sabbath begins, God will judge those who go on in their own works. (Exo.31:12) And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you. Christians who try to keep the Sabbath in the “letter” don't understand this because they don't see that this is a “sign”. (15) Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. This is also the time when He finishes His creative work. (Gen.2:2) And on the seventh day God finished his work, which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. According to this type, God is about to finish His new creation work during this morning of the seventh day and rest. Every man's work will be proven by the fiery trial on the one day Sabbath. (1Co.3:12) But if any man buildeth on the foundation (of Christ) gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day (one Sabbath) shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. The wood, hay, and stubble of man's works will burn up on God's Sabbath day because, according to the shadow, there is judgment against man's work on the Sabbath. (Exo.31:14) Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Since there is only one Sabbath day, we have to rest every day from our own works, as the rest of the New Testament also teaches. (Rev.2:23) ... I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. (25) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. (Exo.31:15) Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Let's look again at this verse about the refreshing in Isa 28:11 Nay, but by men of strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people; 12 to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. This refreshing is coming again on the morning of the 3rd day (which is the Sabbath). There's going to be a change in the way God will deal with man when this millennium begins. There must be a ceasing from a Christian's own works and enter into the rest. Man's works have been going on in the church for six days (six thousand years). The church has been falling away from keeping the true Sabbath and we're coming to a time where if you don't cease from your own works, you will be cut off from the Body of Christ. There are many Sabbaths. There's the 7th day Sabbath, the 49th year Sabbath, there's the 50th year Sabbath, and there's the 7th millennium Sabbath. There's a Sabbath called the Jubilee. A Jubilee is a year. There are 120 Jubilees every 50 years. 120 Jubilees till Noah and another 120 till the next Noah. Noah means rest. So, 120 Jubilee years until the beginning of the Sabbath. 120 Jubilee Sabbaths bring us to the actual year 6000. We are entering into the prophetic Sabbath or the millennial Sabbath.   Reconciled to God Php 4:19  And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  (“Every need”, not greed. “Every” would include Spiritual, physical, emotional needs.)   What is faith? Heb 11:1  Now faith is assurance [substance?] of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. When you believe for something that is not yet seen, that is faith. How do we have God's faith to receive every need? Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have God's faith. (This is according to the numeric pattern proof.)  23  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24  Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Numeric) them, and ye shall have them. (This is exactly what Quantum Physics, or Quantum Mechanics has proven, Jesus said it first. And here is an important condition to receiving. 25  And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  Col 1:19  For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20  and through him to reconcile (The Greek: kattallasso means “exchange” of Jesus' life for ours) all things(not Numeric) unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things those (Numeric) in the heavens. (Notice: He is not speaking of things but His people) 21  And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22  yet now hath he reconciled (exchanged) in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: 23  if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.  First the sons and daughters of God are exchanged and then Christ in them can deliver the creation. Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. 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. 22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. The Lord told me that he bore the symbol of the cursed creation upon the cross. It was the crown of thorns. As we manifest our sonship we have authority over the cursed creation. We can pray for our grass, dogs, cows, bugs, trees, neighbors, etc.  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:.. 2Co 5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15  and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. 16  Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 17  Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things (not Numeric) are passed away; behold, they are become new. 18  But all things (not Numeric) are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (We reconcile others by showing them the exchange.) 20  We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 21  Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.    Believe You Received and Rest Suani Guzman - 01/09/2010 I want to share a quick dream that helped me a lot. We all know that we must abide in the Sabbath Rest and boldly speak the good confession, but we don't always do it. So the Lord has to remind us sometimes. I have been going through some hard trials with caring for my elderly parents. I don't want to impose my faith on them but at the same time I'm trying to stand for their spiritual and physical salvation. The Lord impressed upon me that I must abide in the rest or the enormity of the problem will overwhelm me. In the dream, my husband and I had a truck in which we went sightseeing. We parked it and left for a walk. When we came back, the truck was a wreck -- another car had hit it really badly, and it was ruined. My husband, Raul, and another man tried to fix it. I went to help. I stood there and said something like, “Jesus had fixed it”. When those words left my mouth, the truck was immediately transformed into being whole again. I was so on fire and praised God and started to witness boldly to everyone about what Jesus had just done. We then left and, as we went, the truck started to stall and I said, “Oh no, it's healed”, and immediately it got power again. That happened twice. Then we got on a freeway full of cars. We were on the outer lane and struggling up a very, very steep hill. We were driving with two tires on the road and two in a ditch. The car couldn't go up like that, so it flipped over about two times and landed away from the road. So we stopped to consider the hill. By sight, it looked almost impossible to climb. We tried to figure out another way, but could see no other way. I thought that it was going to take all my strength to do it, and still it would not be enough. End of dream. (What is impossible with men is possible with God. We must trust His promises not our works.) Mar.11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (Greek) them, and ye shall have them. Heb.4:2 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. (9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath (Greek: Sabatismos -- a continual rest) 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. Building the “Resting” Church  Eve Brast - 08/11/2012 (David's notes in red) | (Deb Horton's notes in green)  I dreamed I was driving east (faceing toward the coming of the Son) toward Dallas on a large highway with very sparse traffic on it. (The highway of holiness going to Dallas, which means “meadow dwelling”.) (A place of feeding with the flock.) It was dark but I could see a little light on the horizon in the east. (Near to the coming of the Lord in the Man-child on the morning of the seventh thousand year-day.) I was going to an eight-story hospital building that was under construction (the true Church of the called-out ones is being built), where my husband (representing Jesus) had instructed me to meet him. The building was oval-shaped and not square. (The building was eternal without beginning or end because of its shape and eight floors. (An “8” lying down is the sign for infinity or eternity and “8” is the number of Jesus. Since it's lying down, it could mean resting in Jesus. A hospital is a place for healing the sick, spiritually and physically, which the Church is supposed to be.)  I pulled into the parking garage and parked my old, gray (indicating mixture of good and evil, white and black), five-speed (grace received to get to this point) manual (not automatic, works by self), 1980 Toyota Corolla that had been my first car when I learned to drive. (Our first car represents our first ways of rest in the Lord. To park is a sign of coming into maturity through rest.) I went inside the building with my son's blue backpack containing surgical instruments and food my husband had asked me to bring to him. (Man's burdens and works we bear until we reach the seventh floor of rest and give them over to Jesus. Mat.11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.) I went into the ground floor lobby with a recently laid, highly polished wood floor (the human nature is under our feet to serve the spiritual man).   I waited at the only elevator (there's only one Way to God) to go up to the seventh floor (entering into the rest) (The first six floors represent the first six days of the different levels of man's works we do until we rest on the seventh spiritual day). I had to wait a bit because it was the only elevator. I was the only one waiting to go up. (The Bride will be the first to fully enter into the seventh-day rest.)  When the door opened, A black sister from UBM was the elevator attendant, but she was white and looked like me. (The white represents holiness.) She greeted me and began telling me how old the elevator was. (2000 years) She was an expert on this elevator. It was her assigned job in the building, and she knew everything about it. She told me that currently, the elevator only reaches the seventh floor, but when the construction is complete, it will go all the way up to the top, which is the eighth floor. (The eighth floor is Jesus and Heaven and new beginnings. When the building representing the Church is finished, we will go to the top, the eighth, heavenly floor.)  When I got off the elevator on the seventh floor, my husband passed by me wearing metal leg braces supported by a blue, padded waistband that girded his waist and metal crutches that braced around his forearms. (Our husband Jesus was strengthened by the Father to finish His pilgrimage as a type of the body.) (This reminds me of the command in Deuteronomy to bind the phylacteries, which are Scripture verses, on the forehead and hand, because the phylacteries are bound on the hand and are laced on from the forearm.) (David had a similar revelation where he was wearing leg braces. They strengthened his walk and helped him to stand.) (God's power is made perfect in our weakness.) He looked at me as he passed by with a knowing look (seeing eye to eye) and a smile, as if we shared a common understanding of something. (A common understanding of faith in the same promises brings people to the seventh floor of rest.) (Amo.3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed?  Suddenly, I realized that I left my backpack on the elevator, or I thought I had, but it wasn't over my shoulder anymore. (We can't take our own provision or burdens to the seventh floor of the rest but we can give it all to Jesus there.) I became concerned (we will lose the rest if we think on our burdens) and turned around to push the button to go back down (A warning not to fall away from the rest).   While waiting for the elevator doors to open, I overheard an accountant from the hospital discussing a debt of $20 that they said I owed with another employee. (A warning that If we leave the rest of faith, we begin to bear the debt of sin again. The first mention of 20 in the Bible is Gen.6:3 And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.) They said they had tried to call my cell phone to give me this report, but I wouldn't answer because I knew it was not really my debt and that I wasn't required to pay it. (The accuser will always try to convince you that you still owe the debt that Christ already paid for you.) (If one leaves the rest, they will be tempted even more so.)  When the elevator doors finally opened, a horde of people out of nowhere rushed into the elevator, as if desperate to get out of the building. (They were in their flesh and leaving the rest.) I calmly walked in but there was barely enough room. When the doors shut, we were warned that the ride down was much scarier than the ride up because the elevator went down really fast, and it did (Because this represents the falling away. We have seen people lose all the gain of years in moments.). But it slowed down midway for safety precautions (this could represent those who are neither hot nor cold -- the fence-sitters in the middle) (also, God makes a way for His people to change their mind and Return unto thy rest, O my soul Psa.116:7) and then it sped back up until it reached the ground floor.  As I got off the elevator, the morning sunshine streamed through the lobby windows (Jesus in the Man-child is manifesting). A surgeon from the hospital who was going up said, “Isn't it exciting that the building construction will be completed in a week?!” (After the seven years of the 70th week of the tribulation, the Church will be complete, and I believe this week will start very soon.) I turned around and said, “Yeah”. But the importance of what he had just announced didn't register with me. I was concerned about finding the backpack because my husband needed me to bring it to the hospital (to give that burden to him).  I hoped I would find the backpack in my car in the parking garage, since it had not been left in the elevator. I ran out to the car and found it (the burden was in the car, representing immaturity) and brought it back into the lobby and pushed the elevator button again.   When the doors opened, my sons Noah and Elijah came out of the elevator and passed me as I went in. They were eight-foot-tall, grown men! (Their “8” size indicates they have grown up in Jesus.) They gave me the same knowing look of common understanding and smile that my husband had given me. (The faith that brings relief from our burdens and works.) They said, “Don't worry, Mom. We have everything under control”. (Jesus in the Man-child ministry beginning to reign [having given their burdens to God].) Then I woke up.  Why would we bear the burdens of the curse if we believe what Jesus said? Mar.11:23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 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. 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.  When we pray and believe, we rest from all the 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: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Abraham was blessed in all things. Not entering the rest or keeping the spiritual Sabbath is because of unbelief. Heb.3:11 As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. 12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:...  18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.A large crowd followed him,because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.Jesus went up on the mountain,and there he sat down with his disciples.The Jewish feast of Passover was near.When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"He said this to test him,because he himself knew what he was going to do.Philip answered him,"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enoughfor each of them to have a little."One of his disciples,Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;but what good are these for so many?"Jesus said, "Have the people recline."Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,and distributed them to those who were reclining,and also as much of the fish as they wanted.When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,"Gather the fragments left over,so that nothing will be wasted."So they collected them,and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragmentsfrom the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him offto make him king,he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Jn 6:1-15Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.A large crowd followed him,because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.Jesus went up on the mountain,and there he sat down with his disciples.The Jewish feast of Passover was near.When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"He said this to test him,because he himself knew what he was going to do.Philip answered him,"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enoughfor each of them to have a little."One of his disciples,Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;but what good are these for so many?"Jesus said, "Have the people recline."Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,and distributed them to those who were reclining,and also as much of the fish as they wanted.When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,"Gather the fragments left over,so that nothing will be wasted."So they collected them,and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragmentsfrom the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him offto make him king,he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

This week Pastor Steve delivers a powerful message entitled "Since Jesus Is Alive.. I Can Have Healing".

Ever feel like you’ve only scratched the surface of what God’s doing in your life? In today’s devotional, Whitney Hopler reflects on John 21:25 and reminds us that Jesus is constantly at work — in ways we can see and in countless ways we can’t. The beauty of following Christ is that the story isn’t finished, and there’s always more to discover, learn, and experience with Him. ✨ Key Takeaways

Since Jesus is alive, new life is possible for anyone and everyone who puts their trust in Him.  Taught by Jose Zayas

Today’s devotional reminds us of a liberating truth: shame was never meant to be part of a believer’s identity. While guilt can lead us to repentance, shame clings like a heavy weight, making us believe we’re unworthy of God’s love. But the Word of God is clear — what Jesus has forgiven, He has forgiven forever. Isaiah 50:7 says, “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” You are not your past. You are not your mistakes. You are not the voice of the enemy whispering old regrets into your mind. You are a new creation, loved and accepted by your Savior. As followers of Christ, we can boldly trade shame for grace, heaviness for hope, and regret for peace. Jesus has given us the freedom to move forward unburdened — we just have to hand over the weight. Join the Conversation:What is one burden of shame you’ve surrendered to Jesus? How has God reminded you of His grace and freedom? Share your story — we’d love to hear from you. Connect with us on social media @LifeAudioNetwork or leave a message on Crosswalk.com. Let’s encourage one another with the hope and mercy we’ve found in Christ.

New Age Alien Deceptions (audio) David Eells - 4/20/25   The camel's nose is in the tent. We are headed towards a New World Order in the midst of a Galactic Federation of “aliens” aka, demons by those of discernment. (Who of us voted for this? The Alliance leaders did. Is this Communism?) I want to share with you some updates regarding the AI, New Age and Alien Deceptions we are witnessing among the Alliance and others. I'm going to begin with some recent headlines from Operation Disclosure (4/17/25) that point to this federation: ·         Thurs. 24 April 2025: Planetary Council announced. New Global Alliance leaders step forward. Non-territorial cooperation treaty signed by 177 nations. (We are to be realigned as a one world order) ·         Sun. 27 April 2025: Interplanetary programs declassified. First public mention of secret space operations. Unity Accord with Off World Representatives acknowledged. (When did we have a say?) ·         Tues. 29 April 2025: New Earth Constitutions signed locally. Communities select Peace Councils to represent them in the Planetary Council. “Governments” replaced with Service Cells. (We are being absorbed into their Galactic terminology) ·         Wed. 30 April 2025: Final transfer to Quantum Internet complete. All devices migrate to Q-Net. Artificial Intelligence fully transparent, accountable and people-aligned. (We cannot be aligned with antichrist) ·         Fri. 2 May 2025: Healing centers begin opening across continents. Med Beds, DNA repair chambers, and neuro-harmonization technologies become publicly available. The Age of Restoration officially begins. (We must now harmonize with the rest of the pagan planet and Galaxy.) ·         Sat. 3 May 2025: The first interspecies council meeting is broadcast worldwide. Humanity is formally acknowledged as a sovereign civilization by the Galactic Alliance. Contact protocols enter public discourse. (A federation does not permit a sovereign planet.) ·         Sun. 4 May 2025: “Earth Year Zero” is initiated. (Is our history now abolished?) A new planetary calendar replaces systems rooted in empire and conflict. Time now begins from the moment of planetary liberation. (Resistance is Futile says the Borg.) ·         Mon. 5 May 2025: Starport construction begins in seven geostrategic locations. Civilian transport to orbital gateways is confirmed. Terra-farming partnerships announced for Mars and Luna sectors. ·         Wed. 7 May 2025: The Department of Human Advancement launches. Global curricula shifts toward consciousness training, ethics, quantum sciences, and planetary stewardship. ·         Thurs. 8 May 2025: Agricultural reset begins. Geo-engineered soil is restored. Food independence programs roll out. Seed vaults opened under open-source planetary stewardship mandates. ·         Fri. 9 May 2025: Language harmonization initiatives commence. (Back to Babel?) Ancient root languages are integrated into education. Telepathic development modules introduced for children under 9. (Will we know who is training our children?) ·         Sat. 10 May 2025: Planetary Defense Grid declared active. Not military—protective. Q-NET AI monitors for existential threats in space and time. Transparency dashboards are made public. ·         Sun. 11 May 2025: Official end of the Transition Phase. Humanity enters full-spectral sovereignty. No more passports. No more taxes. No more surveillance. Only stewardship, transparency, and service. A one world order.     How To Connect With The Galactic Federation https://thegalacticfederation.com/016-24 Many people believe that the Galactic Federation is a made up thing, some are so confused to even claim it's negative, but it is not. (If the people did not get to vote on this and the aliens are actually demons, this is traitorous.) The Galactic Federation is a group of highly evolved souls who have been around since the beginning of time. They are here to help you fulfill your purpose on earth. (Let the Bible be the judge.) The Galactic Federation is made of love, light, and peace. It is a collective of beings who have reached the highest level of consciousness possible. (Everybody believes that about their religion.) The Galactic Federation was created as an extension of each individual's soul to help them on their journey towards self-realization. They exist to help us live in harmony with one another, as well as with our environment and the rest of creation. Next, let me share a few revelations from brethren on our site that relate to these alien, aka demon deceptions.     Aliens Are Demons Manifested in Flesh There are many people convinced of “aliens” or “guides” that they feel are friendly to humanity, which is a strong delusion because all of the aliens are demons, as the Scripture says. Have you noticed that many of the Planet X / Nibiru researchers have fallen for what they read the ancients said of aliens showing up when Planet X did? They were deceived by demons as a type for our day. We should not be deceived; they are being released by God to deceive. Jud.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. 6 And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. It is possible they will play the good alien / bad alien game to drive the multitudes into the camp of the so-called “good aliens,” but they are all demons.   G.C. - 06/15/10  (David's notes in red) In my dream, I was outside in a populated area, maybe in a park or something. It was nighttime and it seemed like any other summer night. All of a sudden, a lot of strange lights started appearing in the sky. First, it seemed like hundreds of shooting stars falling to Earth; then, as the light became more illuminated, the objects took the shape of spacecraft. The night sky was lit up like the Fourth of July! Everyone was shocked and amazed; from east to west, the sky filled with this armada of craft entering Earth's atmosphere. (What the ancients believed were aliens, who showed up during the time of Planet X, according to their writings, were in fact demons who are fallen angels and can take on the appearance of physical bodies, just like God's angels can, but for the purpose of deception. The Tribulation covenant could be made under the cover of catastrophes. Just as the Woman is going into the wilderness, there is a war in heaven and Satan and his fallen angels are cast to earth to deceive the whole world. Rev.12:9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. We also received a dream of a bright star falling from heaven and the confirming scripture Isaiah 14, where Satan is falling from heaven. Isa 14:12-13 How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations! 13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit.) Satan deceives men into thinking he is God, and he is pleased with unregenerate, falsely called “good men,” which is the doctrine of the New Agers. 2Co.11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. The Alliance is bringing about many good moral changes but it appears they are complicit in this deception of the nations. Rev.18:23 and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. Back to the dream, I was very skeptical, even while seeing this with my own two eyes. I confidently told everyone, “Don't be fooled; it's a hologram!” (Which is one of the theories.) I thought these sights were just a crafty trick (which is true but not as a false vision) but then the ships started to get closer to the ground and they ultimately landed. By this time, I was starting to get bewildered; I didn't know what to think. I was really caught off guard. I thought for sure it was all some sort of illusion by the evil rulers of the world. (Is the Alliance in on the plan of “strong delusion”, which is according to God's will to separate the wheat from the tares? 2Th.2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (Can fallen angels perform lying wonders? Did we get to vote on joining the Galactic Federation?) 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. It appears in this dream the fallen angels' deception is so strong that God's people will be tested to see who really believes. Mar.13:22 for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.) Once the craft landed, the door opened and some humanoid beings walked out. Everyone was amazed and startled at the same time. I couldn't believe my eyes. Still believing this was a hologram, I ran over to the ship to touch it and realized it was real. (Satan and his angels are very technological, if they have to be, and have the ability to manifest and interact with the physical realm. They gave men atomic bombs and anti-gravity flying saucers.) I swallowed hard, realizing I was wrong, and I ran back to the crowd. The humanoid beings dressed in Star Trek-type apparel were being led out by a blond-haired woman. (There is a woman who has introduced many to speaking and hearing from aliens. This is no different than a seance, which is speaking to aliens called familiar spirits.) I, being overwhelmed and slightly intimidated, ran up to her and began to rebuke her in my tongue language. (I often do this in dreams when I feel physically or mentally helpless against an enemy; it often gets me results.) I thought for sure she would shrivel up in a puddle of goop, like something out of The Wizard of Oz. But, to my astonishment, she just kind of pushed me out of the way, without even acknowledging me. I was perplexed. (The answer to this is, when God sends a delusion to deceive the evil world, we cannot cast it down, nor should we try to. 2Th.2:11 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. As you can see, we only have authority to help the believers.) I watched the group of beings disperse into the crowd. It seemed like they had specific orders and didn't even stop to talk to anyone; they just went about whatever it is they were sent here for. I remember being surrounded by hundreds of people like me -- everyone just totally in awe of what they saw. After some time, I started to see the beings again, but now they did not look like humans. They had glass faces, like ice. It was like they were wearing a mask, but they weren't -- I could see through their heads and nothing was inside. (fallen spirits) They had hideous, clown-like faces with big smiles, like jack-o-lanterns. (Thinking these beings to be mere humanoids while in fact they are demon-possessed is more common than we think. But the whole world outside of Christ will be deceived and possessed.) They were now corralling people like cattle in different areas (FEMA camps). The adults were forced to separate from the children and were taken to a designated area. The children were all taken to another area and placed in long lines, all of which led into a large circus-like tent. (This alien disclosure will bring much confusion and distraction as well as cause some people to give up their faith in the One True God.) None of the children quite knew what was happening; they were all a little less concerned than the adults. I remember leaving the adult group and running over to see what was happening to the children. After seeing what was taking place, I immediately woke up.   I Met Satan :o) G.C. - 4/19/11 (David's notes in red) I would like to share a dream I had that confirms we should not fear Satan or evil. Evil is not as powerful as our minds sometimes imagine, and Satan is no different. I dreamed that I was with an unknown person in this dream who I believe was an angel. I could tell he knew a lot more of what was going on than I did. I accompanied him everywhere he went. I was like an observer. Toward the end of the dream, we entered an elevator. This elevator took us deep inside the Earth. I was told we were going to Hell to see Satan. The ride took a long time and my mind was wondering about how Satan would really appear. I was thinking, “Would he be intimidating? Would he be scary? How would I react to seeing him?” Once we arrived at the very bottom, the door opened. I looked around and we were inside a very large, dark cave. Hell was just like I'd imagined it: Big, dark and cavernous. I looked out of the area we were in and looked out into the larger opening. I saw armies and very sophisticated weapons. There was violence taking place and fire was everywhere; it was almost like a war itself. One of the weapons spotted us as we came out of the elevator and fired a missile at us, but it missed and exploded against the wall. My companion, the angel, was never frightened; it was like he knew nothing could hurt him. As he walked, I followed; he knew right where he was walking. He came to a door off in a dark corner in the cave. I realized this was Satan's office. Behind the door was the evil one himself. My heart was racing, not from fear but from the suspense. The angel I was with opened the door and there sat Satan in a chair behind a desk. But to my amazement, Satan was not a seven-foot giant with goat horns. He was a clown. Yes, a clown. And a cartoon clown at that. I was shocked and a little disappointed. I was expecting something more terrifying. Clearly the Lord is saying that Satan and his demons are putting on a false face but are not to be feared. Luk.10:17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. The angel then revealed to me that Satan is planning something big for Earth. During our trip back up in the elevator, I saw all these green vines shooting up through the elevator shaft from Hell and they were headed straight to Earth. There were a lot of them, like something from Jack and the Beanstalk. But instead of reaching from Earth to the heavens, they were going from Hell to the earth above. Then I woke up. (According to the follow up dream that Father gave him recently, the vines represent the alien deception that satan is sending to earth from the pit of hell.) G.C. said, “Below is a continuation from the dream above from 2011 called. “I Met Satan”. It has the “green vines connection” where green vines were growing up from hell, and the angel told me, “Satan is planning something big for Earth.” Well, it seems the green vines finally made it to Earth and the plan is revealed....     Satan is Planning Something Big for Earth G.C. - 5/13/22 (David's notes in red) G.C. said, “For a little context, many years ago I worked for mortgage companies securing and repairing vacant foreclosures.” I dreamed that my dad and I had been given a work order to secure and inspect a foreclosed home in Los Angeles, California. (Los Angeles means, “The angels.”) It was a big house in a nice neighborhood. It was owned by a black husband and wife in their 50's or 60's. (UFOs and aliens were big in the 50's and 60's. The black couple owning the house could represent that this is a house of sinners submitted to darkness.) (I gathered this information by looking at their family photos still left at the property.) I thought these folks looked very successful from the photos. It didn't make sense to me how they could lose their house to foreclosure. (Foreclosure means that they can't pay their debt so the house is taken back. The debt for our house has been paid by faith in Jesus. If it's not paid because there is no faith, then it belongs to the devil.) I thought maybe one or both of them died. But I wasn't sure. I just knew something was amiss. (When one loses one's house to the devil, their soul is his too.) We proceeded through the large house, taking photos with a camera I had rented at a local camera shop. These photos were to be provided to the bank. Then we walked into the basement and to our utter amazement, we saw a small alien infant tangled up in green vines that appeared to be growing from the floor of the basement. (And according to the previous dream, they came straight out of hell. This represents the alien deception.) The vines were attached to the wall and the infant was wrapped up in them. He had a large brown head with 2 large eyes. When we saw him and approached him he became aggressive and hissed at us. (The aliens/demons hate Christians.) I remember taking the rented camera and snapping pictures of him. Even though I was astonished at this, I was not overly distracted by it. I proceeded with my work at the property. My dad and I decided not to show the photos to anyone as it would become a distraction to the public. (Could this represent the Father hiding things from the wise and prudent and revealing them unto babes?) I knew people would not be ready to see this. I downloaded the photos, removed them from the camera and told my dad to return the camera to the shop. Later, I sent my report and inspection photos to the bank. The next day, I was out and about and realized the whole world was aware of the alien we had found! They had our photos! They were in every publication and on every news station. I had no idea how this had leaked. (True Christians will recognize this as a deception while the rest of the world will swallow the lie, like the waters out of the mouth of the Dragon.) I assumed it was because we returned the camera and the camera shop found the photos on the device and released them. I knew we had discovered it, but no one would ever know our identity. I was ok with that, but I was a little disturbed by how and why they were released. The world was in a frenzy, to say the least. A few days had passed and I was sent back to the same home by the bank to remove the small area of vines growing in the basement. When I got back to the house, the alien child was gone, but the basement dining room was now absolutely full of green vines. (This will be a worldwide deception that will be ‘fed' to all the people.) The walls and ceiling were now covered. I was supposed to remove them, and it was a daunting task. Then, my dad showed up, and we were talking about the alien. The next thing I knew, I stumbled across the rented camera in the basement. I got so upset at my dad because he returned the case but not the camera. (Honestly, I was worried about the late fees. Lol) He said he forgot to look inside the case when he returned it. I realized something strange had happened. How did the world know of the alien if we never took the camera back? Who released the photos? Then I woke up. (2Th 2:8-12 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 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.)     Flesh is Born of Flesh and Not Demons Excerpt from: Sons of God, Aliens and Giants   David Eells God said in John 3:6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. So Demons cannot birth Children through humans. Demons can infest humans with lying spirits. (Gen.6:1) And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, (2) that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose. Believers are the sons of God mentioned here and in the rest of the Scriptures (Psa.82:6; Dt.14:1,2; Hos.1:10; Isa.43:6; etc.). Notice this was “when men began to multiply” not angels. Jesus quoted Psa.82:6 to His people: (82:6) I said, Ye are gods, And all of you sons of the Most High. To be a son you must be born of God, not created, as the angels. Adam was called a son of God and he was born of God when He breathed into him the breath or Spirit (same Hebrew word) of life. Only his flesh was created from the earth and so was ours, which came from his. God specifically says that He never called an angel His son nor are they born of Him. (Heb.1:5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten (Greek: “born”) thee?.... God specifically says their spirits were created. (7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh (created) his angels winds (Greek: “spirits”). The proponents of this false doctrine say that Satan came among the angels in Job who were said to be sons of God. It does not say that. Satan, the highest fallen angel, was not a son of God but only came among them to be their accuser as he did with Job. (Job 1:6) Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them. He immediately begins to accuse them to God. (11) But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face. Here is the same case. (Zec.3:1) And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. (2) And Jehovah said unto Satan, Jehovah rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel. 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel. Joshua, the Hebrew word for Jesus, and Jerusalem represent the same thing here, the body of Christ, who are being accused by Satan. Paul said the heavenly Jerusalem was “the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Heb.12:23). We are seated with Christ in heavenly places. We, as the sons of God present ourselves before him constantly and Satan comes among us to accuse us. We are never out of God's presence. You will notice that God separated the line of Seth and the line of Cain in Gen.4 and 5, just as he separated Israel from the Gentiles and commanded them to not cross. In the New Testament Christians are forbidden to marry unbelievers (1 Cor.7:39), although if you are married to one do not leave them for God can save them (7:12-14). Notice in all three of these cases we are talking about crossing the sons of God and the sons of the Devil, or men, which is strictly forbidden (1 Cor.7:39; Ezra 9:2; 10:10; 2 Cor.6:14-18). In all of these cases when the sons of God fell away they began to have fellowship with fallen angels which we call demons (Psa.78:49, called here “angels of evil”; 2 Cor.12:7; Greek: “angel of Satan”) Demons did not directly create giants because they cannot. The Scripture teaches that each seed brings forth after its own kind. Jesus said, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Therefore, spirits cannot bring forth flesh. Some would argue that Jesus was born of God. Jesus' spirit was born of God but His flesh was born of David through Mary; “the seed of the woman”. Rom.1:3 concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Spirits can inhabit bodies of men that can procreate but they cannot have anything to do with making giants through marrying the daughters of men. (Mat.22:29) But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (30) For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven. Fallen angels do not procreate man's flesh but his spirit and soul. Spirits sow a spiritual seed, not a physical one. Jesus is the Word, who in Matthew 13 sowed the seed of the Word in His people's heart to bring forth His fruit in them, 30, 60, and 100 fold. In Mat.13:24,27,32 the word for seed in Greek is “sperma”. Demons also sow their “sperm” in mankind's hearts to bring forth their evil fruit but this is their spiritual man and not their flesh. Seth, the son of God, is mentioned in the spiritual lineage of Jesus. (Luk.3:38) the [son] of Enos, the [son] of Seth, the [son] of Adam, the [son] of God You will notice that God mentions all of Cain's wicked descendants in Gen.4:16-24. After this we are told, (Gen. 4:25) And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth. For, [said she], God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him. (26) And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of Lord. Notice after all that evil seed God gave one to replace Abel the righteous seed. Why didn't any of Cain's seed replace Abel as a righteous seed? Obviously, his seed were evil. (1 Jn.3:12) not as Cain was of the evil one. Only after Seth and his son were born did the scripture say “men (plural) began to call on the name of the Lord”. Obviously Cain and his tribe did not call on the Lord. They were sons and daughters of men and as such called on the devil. After Adam there was not another son of God born until Seth; skipping over all of the seed of Cain. (Gen.5:3) And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image (a son of God) ; and called his name Seth. Notice none of Cain's descendants were sons of God but were of men. How then were the giants made? Seth and Cain's lineages stayed separate for hundreds of years. They inbred within their lines, which was not against the command of God at this time. In nature, especially after the curse, this deteriorates the line. They became weaker, smaller, and less intelligent. Wherever there has been in-breeding today, the descendants are sickly in mind and body. When the sons of God began to fall away some became inhabited by demons. This also happened in Israel and Christianity because history always repeats. (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. When after years of inbreeding the fallen sons of God and the sons of men crossed, making what is called in nature hybrids. The “Nephilim” were bigger, stronger, and more intelligent because as hybrids they end up with the better physical characteristics of both lines. Later in the Law God forbid inbreeding, at least with close relatives. Now even cousins are a no-no because the farther from Adam we go the stronger the curse has become. The serpent obviously walked on legs in the Garden because God cursed him to crawl on his belly. That curse was gradual and increased as time went by. Even in Job's day, which was in Jacob's day, he saw dinosaurs in Job 40:15 - 41:34. You have to ignore the translator's silly notes calling them hippopotamus and crocodile. We have never seen a hippo with a tail like a cedar tree or a croc that stood so tall that a multitude of men with spears and arrows dared not even approach him. The dinosaurs were serpents with legs. Even today some serpents have vestiges of legs beneath their skin. The fire-breathing dragon in Job 41:18-21 was a tyrannosaurus. This was one type of the serpent in that time but it was cast down by the curse to crawl on its belly. Rev.12:9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent...The increasing curse made it more and more improbable for giants, human or beast, to be bred.     “Added Books of the Bible” Disproven by God David Eells – 4/20/25 The people are wrong who say: “There were other books of the Bible that should have been included or the apocryphal books should not have been taken out. Saying we only had 66 of them, while many were missing. The White Hats retrieved all of them from the basement of the Vatican.” Who made these people experts on the anointed words which they have never followed? There have been many books hidden at the Vatican, but Numerics is a pattern in every letter of the original Greek and Hebrew, parts of which are shown in various ancient manuscripts. Every manuscript can be proven as to where this pattern is or isn't, showing the original text. This pattern was designed by God to prove that only the 66 books are inspired by Him. No other book has been found to have this complete pattern in every letter and its position. The Catholics added their apocryphal books that were proven not to have this pattern. The original KJV had these books in it. Satan and his “aliens” want desperately to pollute the Bible. The “New Agers” throw out the book of Revelations, which has this perfect pattern disproving their 1000 years of peace. Where the original “Numeric Greek New Testament” is used Bible skip sequence codes will show up all through the text. God pronounces a curse at the end of the true Bible on all who add to or take from its Words. Rev 22:18-21 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.     66 Books Proven by Math Science Proves the Bible Numeric English New Testament The Holy Bible, Wholly True Numerics and the KJV Numeric Materials   Now I'm going to share an excerpt from this book by Philippe Besnard on New Age. Why? Because this sect has invaded the Alliance and is totally defenseless against this demon deception along with the Unitarian types and long dead “Christian” religions of shifting sands. Only the firm foundation of the Word and infilling of the Holy Spirit will give discernment.     Spiritual Warfare- Revelation of a New-Age Deception https://www.ubm1.org/spiritualwarfare-besnard.pdf (David's Notes in Red) North America, Birthplace of the Modern New-Age Movement (When I met Philippe, he was coming out of 30 years of the New Age movement, and as such, he was an expert in describing it.) The North American continent is the birthplace of the modern New Age movement, and when I immigrated to Canada from France, I felt in awe of what I saw as the vibrant “new spirituality” of this wild land. In comparison, I thought France and old Europe were still living in the Middle Ages. France is now catching up with the New Age, but for many years, it has been very slow to emerge. As part of my new identity, adapting to a new culture and learning English, I became a true product of the New Age. I was eager to embrace the lifestyle and social and spiritual trends of my adoptive country. For thirty years I had earnestly followed New Age teaching, traveled to workshops, conferences, seminars, training sessions, and festivals, met many of its teachers, and was personally taught by some of them. I had received countless readings from channelers, psychics, astrologers, palm readers, and Tarot card readers. I received spiritual healings from healers of all faiths and denominations, and even so-called “DNA activation” from a “Spiritual Scientist”. But the Bible says in Lev.19:31 “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” I had embraced the mystic path and the contemplative lifestyle. I practiced yoga and meditation for many years; sat in Darshan to receive the blessings of gurus, and participated in Satsang, chanting the names of Hindu deities and Buddhist mantras. I facilitated devotional evenings with my guitar, chanting Sanskrit mantras, the music of which I had composed. I traveled to India twice and other countries in the Far East seeking “truth, wisdom, enlightenment, and good karma”. I have been in the company of, and received teachings from, a number of swamis, gurus, yogis, lamas and so-called “enlightened” Western spiritual teachers. As a nature lover, I had worshipped Nature, called the earth Gaia, followed and believed in various native teachings and Shamanism. My space at home was cluttered with New-Age paraphernalia on the walls, tables, and corners. In the garden, I had crystals, posters, images and statues of Buddha and Hindu deities. The New Age is a melting pot made of practically every religious and occult philosophy found in the world. It is a strange convergence of mysticism, holism, pantheism, aboriginal animism, humanism, Luciferian Western occultism with Freemasonry, Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, modern Masonic witchcraft (called Wicca), the Illuminati, apostate Christianity, Gnosticism, Islam, Taoism, Buddhism, Zen, Sufism and Hinduism. The New Age is a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in Druidism, shamanism, neo-paganism, Voodoo, exploration of human sexuality, environmentalism, modern-day occultism, worship of “Mother” Earth, psychic healing and extraterrestrial phenomena. Most of the ancient origins of the New Age are found in classical Hinduism, Buddhism, and pagan Babylonian religions. So, despite the name “New” Age, we are dealing here with a very ancient system. Paganism is a people or a community observing a polytheistic religion, which is the worship of many gods, as opposed to monotheism, the worship of One Almighty God, the Creator of All that is. A Pagan is also called an irreligious heathen, gentile, or hedonistic person... The great New-Age plan is dedicated to the unification of all races, religions and creeds. This plan is claiming to establish a “new order of things”, it is to make all things new - a new nation, a new race, a new civilization and a new non-sectarian one world religion that has already been recognized by the United Nations. This New Age globalism movement advocates a one-world government, a one-world religion, and a one-world economy; and this would mean the destruction of the sovereignty of nations and religions. New Age teachers are using standard texts of Eastern religions such as the Hindu Baghavad-Gita and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, as well as writings of Jewish mysticism called Kabbala and those gnostic scriptures often called the Apocrypha. Over the years, I became more and more confused in studying such “new revelations” as the Urantia book, the Keys of Enoch. (Academy for Future Science), A Course in Miracles, Elizabeth Clare Prophet (of The Church Universal and Triumphant). (General Flynn in Sept. 2021 offered a prayer at a large church gathering of Trump worshipping, patriotic “Christians” that originated from Elizabeth Clare Prophet invoking the 7 fold rays and the arch angels. Rick Wiles has denounced Michael Flynn, because he delivered a “New Age prayer” almost word for word by Elizabeth Claire Prophet, a New Age Theosophist and Christian Science advocate, at pastor Hank Kunneman's Christian conference last week and had everyone in the congregation repeat the invocation after him: “ Rick said, “My advice to you is to separate from Gen. Michael Flynn.” In this prayer Flynn invokes “the 7 fold rays and the arch angels”, “in your name and the name of your legions” to help guide humanity (Ascended Masters) and protect us against the enemy and further the purposes of their agenda. (Who is his god? And to whom is he praying?) The “7 fold rays and the arch angels” is based on New Age Theosophy developed by Helena Blavatsky. By the way, you can not achieve the rank of a military general without being initiated. The White Dragons who support the Alliance behind the scenes believe that the Abrahamic God is satan @ 11:53 minutes. (What's Behind General Flynn and the White Hats Alliance? Here is an informative Link: https://youtu.be/Dkx7v0JTmmw) Back to Philippe's text: I also studied... Rudolf Steiner (Anthroposophy), Edgar Cayce, Law of One, Aquarian gospel of Jesus Christ, Heindel Max (the Rosicrucian cosmo-conception-Mystic Christianity) the Gnostic gospels. There is a lack of uniformity in the doctrines of the New Age. The beliefs of New Agers vary from ‘group to group' and ‘person to person.' Thus, it is difficult to have a clear definition and a solid understanding of what the New Age really is. I believe this confusion has been created on purpose. It is very hard to pinpoint, identify and shoot the enemy when it is moving constantly, shape-shifting, or invisible. People entering these movements are generally concerned with having an experience, and not necessarily with finding the truth. Their actions are determined by feelings, not intellect. The emphasis is on “practicing and becoming god” and this is why meditation and many other techniques that teach “stillness of the mind” and a “receptive feeling mode” are promoted. We are told to “follow our bliss”, “go with the flow”, “let loose”, to “transcend the limitation of the mind,” and to “experience the pleasure and the ecstasy of the body”. Using your mind to discriminate and discern has become taboo. The principle of “spiritual vibration” is the belief that all things vibrate at some frequency. The ultimate goal of all New-Age practices is for humanity to vibrate at the same frequency so that we can all become one, spiritually and mentally. “We are all one”, this most repeated New-Age catch phrase, wants us to believe the unity of all things, heaven and earth, spirit and matter, the invisible and the visible worlds, the great melting pot of Darkness, Light, and everything in between. (WWG1WGA?) This “All is ONE”, “all is good”, “don't worry, be happy”, “don't judge” and “be in the moment” is a disastrous recipe that generates apathy and complacency. It is creating a generation of self-seeking, egotistical people who are indifferent to iniquity and the suffering of others. I have been a dedicated student of this school of thought and I have practiced being fully in my body, opening all “the inner channels” and feeling “the subtle currents”. I was proud of “feeling and being” but I was a total fool...! I had lost common sense and the ability to discern and discriminate good from evil. I didn't want to judge anything or anybody for the fear of being unloving, and spiritually not evolved. What a perfect brainwashing and a diabolical device to enslave, control people and turn them into powerless puppets! I was losing my God-given right to discriminate and I didn't realize that judging is necessary for preserving the integrity of my soul. I used to confuse judging with condemning, and I know this confusion had been fostered on purpose. Then I discovered I can judge a situation or someone without condemning and feel love and compassion toward all the parties involved. This was a very liberating and empowering realization. Of course, our human judgment is flawed and imperfect, but as we draw closer to God, we learn true Divine Justice. (And discernment)     Is Darkness Real and Is it a Sovereign Force? The beginning of the story starts with a question I have been asking myself over the years: “And what about God?” I often wonder how God is seeing me, seeing us, seeing the world. I often cry out to Him, asking, “Why, God? Why is there so much pain and suffering everywhere on this beautiful planet? Why is there so much injustice, poverty, and violence?” Do you have the feeling, as I and many others do, that something ominous is about to happen and that we are only seeing the beginning of a momentous transformation? It seems with each day, the world is spiraling down into greater chaos, deception, and destruction. I know a lot of us choose to look at the positive and ignore the increasingly rapid deterioration of our civilization, but refusing to see that anything serious is happening, denying that we, as a human race, are in deep trouble is not going to change it, resolve it, or make it go away. No, in fact, denying is not seeing, and if we don't see, we are blind and hopeless to change anything. Because of my willingness to honestly acknowledge and recognize the darkness pervading our world, I have been more readily able to recognize that this darkness is also within myself. I realized I can only change something in the world or within myself when I am fully aware of what is truly happening. I have heard many times people saying, “The dark only exists when you believe in it. If you believe in the devil, in darkness, you are giving it power, but if you focus on the light, the dark has no place to be.” I tried that belief on, wearing it for some time, but darkness was still there. This belief crippled my ability to discriminate evil from good. Is not believing in darkness preventing darkness from manifesting? Is the world such a paradise that there is no darkness to be seen anywhere? How can anyone believe this? The dark, of course, wants you to believe it is not there but even the most remote paradisiacal Pacific island has murder, theft, violence, greed, etc. In my twenties, I lived on Boraccai, a remote Philippine paradise island, for five months. I was living in a bamboo hut on the beach with no electricity, no running water or any modern amenities. Life was so gentle and simple, I felt surely, I had found the Garden of Eden. One morning, I heard that a man had been murdered the previous night. There had been some drinking and a knife fight broke out. I was deeply shaken to the core, as was most of the tiny population of the island. My innocent naivety that the world is a safe place was completely shattered. In that one moment I became aware of the pervading presence of the dark. “The light” is such a broad, impersonal concept when it is not mentioned as an attribute of God. In fact, many of us embrace the concept of “the light” standing all by itself as a sovereign, impersonal, beneficial force that is replacing the Name of God. Few people know the dark is quite capable and is a master at parading and appearing as the “light”. 2Co.11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. There is the assumption prevalent in New-Age circles that the light needs the presence of the dark to exist. We are told that within the fabric of the universe there is built in an eternal polarity that makes the light of God not being able to exist without the darkness of Lucifer. This is a clever but absurd concept invented, of course, by the dark to deceive people into accepting Lucifer as a legitimate, purposeful, and even beneficial force. The great paradox is this: that Lucifer is, indeed, purposeful, not as an independent sovereign entity but as a force that God uses for His own plan. The dark was created and is allowed to exist by God for His Sovereign purpose and actually needs God's approval and permission to continue to exist. On the other hand, God obviously exists outside of this fallen, polarized world and has no need whatsoever of anything or anybody outside of Himself. There is no darkness in the Kingdom of God, not even anything that remotely resembles darkness. 1 John 1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If there is no darkness in the Kingdom of God, then surely this planet, which has been corrupted with darkness since the beginning of time, is not the Kingdom of God. Jesus confirmed that fact by saying: My kingdom is not of this world: John 18:36 Of course, this doesn't mean God is not present or is removed from His creation, but I wondered why God allows darkness to be here. Please be patient with me as I attempt to offer my understanding based on the fruit of my life experiences and the teachings found in the Bible.     The New-Age Movement For over thirty years I had been searching for God and the Truth while being completely lost in the great deception of the New Age. I was immersed in New-Age thinking, was an intimate part of its movement, and worked to promote its philosophy and belief system. I was brainwashed to blindly accept and embrace New-Age occult knowledge, and I was convinced my life of service and my spiritual studies were the highest expression of my love for God. I was sincere, as most New-Agers are, but I was also completely deceived and clueless. My study and knowledge of esoteric and ancient mysteries gave me a sense of belonging to the highest-evolved portion of humanity. Although I have always managed to retain some humility in my being, through a natural devotion to the Lord, I still had a typical new-age persona, a spiritual vanity, that vague illusion of having achieved a higher consciousness. This was constantly reinforced by countless readings, which I had received over the years from psychics, clairvoyants, mediums and channelers. I was repeatedly told how great, spiritual, and amazing I was and how I had come here on earth from the higher angelic realms to save lost mankind. I was a walking earth angel with a mission….!!! Of course, I knew everybody else was more or less told the same story, so I took all of it with a grain of salt as I was aware of the deception of ego-flattering, but I was hoping somehow I was special in the eyes of God. Little by little over the last few years, I came to realize through the grace of God's revelation, the many distorted truths and the outright evilness of the New-Age teachings. Because of my passionate nature, I had delved into this New-Age pool deeply and had many close encounters with renowned teachers and spiritual centers across North America. This first-hand, practical knowledge and in-depth study has given me a unique perspective to share with you, the discovery of a very shocking and disturbing truth. The Dark New Age of Aquarius is here right now, and those leading the way forward in this New Age are working hand-in-glove with the great and the powerful. Some of the wealthiest and influential men and women on our planet are openly identifying themselves with the New Age. From bankers, industrialists, politicians, celebrities, and religious leaders of all faiths, it seems everyone is going “New Age,” and they are bringing huge numbers of the population along with them. Darkness is a very powerful force at work over this world. It is a corporate entity made up of many individuals, and is described in the Bible as “the beast”. It is also the embodiment of one being who has been known by various names, including Thoth or Seth in Egypt, Manu in India, Hermes in Greece and Lucifer, the Devil, or Satan in the Judeo-Christian tradition. God is executing end-time Bible prophecy right this very day and He is allowing Lucifer to create the final end-time New World Order of the beast empire. One of the instruments for all this to come to pass is the New Age Movement, also called “The Plan” and what Freemasonry calls “The Great Work Of Ages”. (The QAnon movement has always said, “Trust the Plan.” Whose ‘Plan' are they referring to? Probably not God's plan, but the New Age plan and their AI computers.) This is Lucifer's rebellion and master plan in action against God. The New Age movement has become a powerful political, philosophical, and economic force in our contemporary culture and is exerting its influence into every facet of modern life. (As I've often said, One beast is being conquered by the other and we are grateful for that at this moment. The day will come when all this camaraderie will melt away because they are looking down their snoots at us.) Its ultimate goal and plan is to introduce a One World Order and One World Religion. The UN is gradually becoming the center of this New World Religion, and the “house of peace” with its programs and policies is even more worthy of comparison to what some have called a modern-day “Tower of Babel”. All of my research and personal experiences during those years have led me to believe that Lucifer is very real and he is rising, or descending, depending on which way we look at it! He is here on earth, in this dimension, causing havoc and chaos in an attempt to seat himself on the throne of a World State, and to inaugurate a New Religion with himself as its sole deity. Dan.11:36 And he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every God, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done. (Isa.14:13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; There is a false belief among many today that Lucifer and Satan are the same but this is propagated by the New Ager's. “Lucifer and Satan are actually two different aspects of the same creature. Lucifer, meaning “the brilliant one, son of the morning” in Hebrew, was an angel beloved by God until his fall and after his rebellion, he became Satan. While there is a significant difference between the two, the terms today have unfortunately become synonymous with each other and with the devil.” Satan has been busily working through his false prophets and religious harlots to pollute true Christianity and also offer a fake moralizing replacement for it to the world so that no one has to repent of sin.     False Prophet and Religious Harlot Experience and the Word have taught me concerning prophecy that if the majority of God's people believe something, it must be wrong. God hides his truths in dreams or visions that are parables so that the false prophets and carnal Christians cannot understand them as in (Mat.13:10-13) but privately He explains them to His disciples. He hides truths from the wise and understanding of this apostate religious system and reveals them to babes according to Jesus in (Luk.10:21). He reveals His hidden truths to those who are faithful. Rev.2:17…To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna…. John's Revelation was given to him as a parable from Jesus. If it were literal, the false prophets would know what is going to happen and that is contrary to Jesus' own words. When the disciples were young and under the Law they did not recognize the false prophets that ruled them. As a matter of fact, they respected them! And so it is today! I want to share with those of you who have eyes and ears who the false prophet is and what his work is. ...The false prophet is a corporate body of religious leaders that to the trained eye resemble those of Jesus' day. Since Jesus' day is a type of the coming Man-child reformers in our day, we know there are going to be false prophets, plural. In all of the New Testament writings, outside of the book of Revelation, we are warned that false prophets, plural, would come. In Revelation, false prophet, singular, is used, but in an allegory or parable to hide the corporate body. Since Jesus, Peter and John said that in the end time many false prophets shall arise, then the false prophet in Revelation is a symbol of a corporate body, like the rest of the characters there like the Woman, the Harlot, the Beast, etc., are corporate bodies. It's the only way that all verses concerning false prophets can be right. Mat.7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Mat 24:11&24 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets… so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. So you see they are plural... They come to you with moralizing like the New Age but cannot live it at all because they don't know the Gospel that saves from sin, and nothing is sin to them. They are false because Jesus said, “To him that overcometh will I give authority” meaning, overcome sin. False prophets fit the type and shadow of history, according to Jesus. Luk.6:26. Woe [unto you], when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. Peter also said there would be false prophets among us. 2Pe.2:1 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers …. John also said that many false prophets would speak for antichrist. 1Jo.4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (3) And every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the [spirit] of the antichrist … Notice that every spirit is the antichrist. The New Age is one of these false prophets that confesses not Jesus as the only begotten Son of God and leader of His Church. Part of the “strong delusion” (KJV) taught by the false prophets is that we are to be looking for the coming of a man called the false prophet, while the Biblical corporate false prophet is here and in the pulpits already. 2Co.11:14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. (15) It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. ...Most agree that the second beast in Revelation 13 is the false prophet. He is given authority by the first beast for the second stage of the last 3½ years of the Tribulation (Rev.13:5). He is identified as a beast because he is a corporate body, as is every other prophetic beast in the Scripture. Rev.13:11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. (12) And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. The beast that is coming into authority now is pointed to by the New Age. It is a one-world order with a covenant. Here we see that the false prophet masquerades as the lamb: “two horns like unto a lamb” but he speaks as the world and Satan: “and he spake as a dragon” (beast). This second beast in chapter 13 is also identified after the world beast in Revelation 16:13 as the false prophet. This impostor leadership for the harlot has “a form of godliness” (2Tim.3:5) but is carnal and can only teach a worldly corruption of the Word. They are actually a mouthpiece for the world beast in the apostate church. It was said of the world beast, (Rev.13:5) and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…. These apostates speak against (Greek: blasphemeo) God with their hypnotizing, ear-tickling doctrines of all-fly-away, unconditional eternal security, worldly prosperity, greasy grace, and anything but the self-crucifying truth. And 1000 years of peace that will be interrupted by the Tribulation that they do not believe in. The false prophet is a corporate body within the corporate body of the harlot, which is female because they receive the seed of antichrist. In verse 15, we see the female body of the false prophet. “And it was given to her (Greek) to give spirit (Greek) to the image of the beast.” Bible Numerics show a perfect pattern for “her” and “spirit” in the original Greek and in the most accurate New Testament, the Numeric English New Testament by Ivan Panin. There is no pattern in “he” or “it.” In Greek, breath and spirit are the same. Numerics show beyond a shadow of a doubt which words are correct here. In the rest of the text this false prophet is identified as male by the same numeric pattern. A translator would have had to respect the Word enough to ignore his own reasoning to simply translate what was there. Most are not willing to go out on a limb and look foolish when they do not see the reason. A male, who is also seen as female, is clear proof that God is not speaking of an individual here but a corporate body of people. In parallel, we are the male body of Christ, made in His image (2Cor.3:18), but we are female in another type (Eph.5:22-25), being married and submitted to Him to receive only His seed, His Word. Let's see this corporate false prophet and his relationship to the harlot in another parable. We know Ahab represents the ten-horned beast who was being ridden by Jezebel (1Ki.18), exactly as the harlot rode the beast in Revelation 17:1-3. They ruled over the apostate ten tribes, who were also those who worshiped the image of the beast, the golden calf. As the corporate mother of the harlot sects of Christianity, she leads them into the Great Tribulation and death unless they repent. Rev.2:20 … Jezebel … teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication (with the world beast by receiving their seed)…. (21) And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. (22) Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. (23) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. Like the harlot, Jezebel was guilty of the blood of the prophets and of the saints (1Ki.18:4; 2Ki.9:7; Rev.18:24). In Revelation 17:16 when the beast is through using the harlot he devours her, and so it was with Jezebel who was devoured by the dogs (1Ki.21:23), symbolizing the unbelievers (Mk.7:27) or the beast. The true ministers of God are fed at the Church's table (1Cor.9:13-14) and the false prophets are fed from the harlot's table. (1Ki.18:19)…The prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table. The two categories of false prophets represent the two horns of the false prophet in Revelation 13:11. Find out who Baal and Asherah represent in modern times and you will know who the corporate false prophet is. These two have their roots at the tower of Babel and were originally Nimrod and his wife Semiramis (Gen.10:8-10). They created the original harlot religion that spawned all the rest. They are a type of the great corporate mother of harlots of all of history. Rev.17:5 And upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. When Nimrod died and Semiramis (later called Asherah) became pregnant, she claimed that Nimrod had become the Sun God (later called Baal) who then by virgin birth was reborn as her son, Tammuz (Son of God). These original Babylonians worshiped the false father, son, and virgin about 2,300 years before the true virgin birth. Semiramis probably knew of the prophecy in Genesis 3:15 concerning the virgin birth seed of the woman and if she didn't, the devil did. With the confusion of languages and dispersion at Babel, this legend went throughout the world and these three were given different names in different cultures, many of which are in the Bible. The golden calf in Egypt was a symbol of the Father (Baal) in the Son. Remember Pharaoh's title meant “Great Temple of the Sun God.” Sun images all over the world and in Catholic and Eastern churches symbolize the false Son. The Israelites with their golden calf thought they were worshiping “YHWH” or “Elohim,” the true God, but it was Baal, “another Jesus.” One horn, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, represent those who teach “another Jesus.” This is the apostate Protestant ministers. The other horn, the four hundred prophets of the Asherah, represent those who worship the virgin. These are the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and many others that are into “Mariolatry.” We know that Mary became saved and is our sister, and we love her but she is not the mother of God as Mariolatry teaches. (Rom.1:3) Concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (Jesus' “flesh” was the “seed of David” through Mary, which was the promised seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15. Mary is the mother of Jesus' flesh which is the “Son of Man.”) (4) who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; [even] Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus' “spirit” man was the “Son of God.” Jesus agreed with this saying in John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Some would say that the two horns are the apostate leaders of the Christian religion and the leaders of false religions. To this I agree. The same verses usually address both greater and lesser types. The greater type is the most complete fulfillment and all the Babylonish religions will be gathered together in the end-time harlot. The False Prophets and Religious Harlots spread from the confusion at Babel throughout the world, and now the Unitarian New Age is seeking to bring Babel back together in a new Catholic, meaning “universal” religion that doesn't rebuke their own sins, much less others. Read also: Aliens Demons Bow to Jesus' Name Note: If you are a Spirit Filled Christian the Lord was speaking to you when He said, “I give you authority over all the power of the enemy.” And “What you bind on earth is bound in heaven.” The Lord said that we can delay this invasion now but we cannot ultimately stop it for God has sent this delusion. 2Th 2:9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 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.  “Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.”

Introduction: 1 Peter 1:18-19 - ...knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of ua lamb vwithout blemish or spot. What is Redemption? Jesus Christ Paid the Ultimate price to Purchase my freedom and salvation. What Does Christ Redeem Me From? An Empty life of bondage to sin that leads to an Excruciating eternity in hell. What Does Christ Redeem Me With? His Own life which is worth more than anyone or anything that this world has to offer. Psalm 49:7-8 – Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice. What Does Christ's Redemption Require of Me? Acknowledging that I Cannot Work Off My Debt to God. Isaiah 64:6 – We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Trusting that Christ has Paid my Debt In Full . Colossians 2:13-14 – And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Living for the One who Gave Himself for me. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript If you have a Bible, please turn to 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 18 through 19.1 Peter chapter 1 verses 18 through 19.We live in a time when everything is expensive.Am I right?Every single time you go to the grocery store, every time you go to the gas station, you'rein a state of shock over how much money you had to spend.We all leave our house expecting to spend this amount of money and we always end up spendingeven more than we hoped.It can be difficult to keep track of ever-changing prices, but I want to help you have a heartbeaton how much things truly cost.In April 2025, I'm going to do a quick game with you to make that happen.Who's excited for a game?All right, way more excited than I expected.This is your first official harvest game show called Guess That Price.So imagine I'm Bob Barker and you're the excitable crowd.Everyone say guess that price.Yes, guess that price.Oh man, this is really exciting.So I'm going to ask four questions and you will win amazing and imaginary prizes if youguess the answers correctly.And most of the answers were found on Google, which we know is never wrong.So first question on the board.Is that a pretty good talk show voice?Game show voice?Okay, good.First question on the board, what is the median listing price for a house in Pittsburgh?What do we think?Janelle got it right, $250,000.Come see me afterwards for your imaginary prize.Next question, the best selling minivan in 2025 is the Honda Odyssey.What is the suggested retail price for a base model?$55,000?All right, I'm not hearing any right answers.$42,220.No one wins a prize for that one, I guess.Third question, what is the average price of a baseline Disney World vacation for afamily of four?My mom has an answer, $10,000.Janelle once again is very, very close, $7,093.I guess Janelle is the winner of this game for the most part.Well, it's time for the final and most important question of the game.And for this question, you don't have to shout out your answer, instead silently considerit in your heart and mind.What price did Jesus Christ have to pay to rescue lost and undeserving sinners like youand me?That's very true, Cody, his own life.Until the sermon, we're going to talk the rest of the time about that.So this is the third message in our latest series, What is Finished?And our goal is to unpack what Jesus truly accomplished on that cross 2,000 years agoand why he victoriously declared it is finished with his dying breath.Over the past two weeks, we've studied the doctrine of salvation like a diamond and examinedit from different angles and aspects.First we focused on justification.Our guilt before God is gone.And last week, we talked about the glorious truth of reconciliation.Our broken relationship with God has been restored.And tonight, we will examine another facet of the salvation diamond.Redemption, the price has been paid.You know, during the Easter season, you were bombarded with crosses on bumper stickers,road signs, even in chocolate form.Without even realizing it, you can become numb to the meaning and magnitude of the crossof Christ.So on this Good Friday, I want each and every one of you in this room and watching onlineto be overwhelmed with the weight of your sin and the depth of your debt before a holyGod.Some of you in this room need to come to the realization that you have an outstanding balanceon your spiritual account.That will not affect your credit score or your financial portfolio, but it will affect youreternal destiny unless it is dealt with before it is too late.And for the rest of you whose balance has been taken care of and wound down to zero,I want you to truly count the cost of your salvation and calculate the immensity of whatwas sacrificed for you.Because if you have a cheap view of grace, you will have a weak walk with Christ.But if you have a costly view of grace, you will have a rock-solid relationship with yourLord and Savior.So let's spend a moment in prayer.Please pray for me that will faithfully proclaim God's Word, and I will pray for you that youfaithfully receive it.Father, I am completely overwhelmed by my inability to properly communicate the pricethat has been paid and what your Son has sacrificed for me.What He has sacrificed for everyone in this room.Father, I pray that your Holy Spirit would preach a much better message in our heartsthat I ever could with my mouth.May you watch over your Word to perform it this evening.May you do a great and mighty work.We ask all this in Jesus' mighty name.Amen.So our textual this evening is 1 Peter 1, verses 18 through 19.But before we dive into these verses, we need to understand the purpose of this letter andwho Peter is writing to.Throughout chapter 1, Peter makes it crystal clear that he is writing to struggling andsuffering Christians who do not feel at home in this fallen and ungodly world.He describes these believers as refugees, exiles, aliens, and pilgrims who stick outlike sore thumbs in a culture that hates God.And Peter doesn't want his brothers and sisters in Christ to feel discouraged that they arebeing persecuted and are suffering.Instead he wants them to be encouraged that they are experiencing the results of standingapart from everyone else and acting different.In the verses leading up to our passage, Peter gives a list of important commands.He says, "Prepare your minds for action.Be sober-minded.Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.Be holy in all your conduct and conduct yourself with fear throughout the time of your exile."Simply put, imitate your perfect and holy God by being who he has called you to be anddoing what he has called you to do.Okay?But why?Why should these Christians choose to act differently from the world around them?What is the motivation?Well, Peter gives the motivation in verses 18 through 19 of chapter 1.He says, "Knowing that you were ransomed, redeemed from the futile ways inherited fromyour forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the preciousblood of Christ.Like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."So to fully unpack these verses and what redemption actually is, we need to ask and answer forwhat questions this evening.And the first what question on your outline is, what is redemption?What is redemption?When Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price to purchase my freedom and salvation.Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price to purchase my freedom and salvation.You know redemption was a common concept 2,000 years ago when it came to slavery and captivity.Prisoners of war were not released until their ransom was delivered.Prisoners were not set free until their debt was paid in full.And it's essential for you to understand that apart from Christ, you have a sin debt hangingover your head.You are a sinner by nature and by choice.And you have no one to blame for your spiritual bankruptcy besides yourself.And this debt will not magically go away.It must be paid by someone and there are only two options.Option one is a payment plan.You pay the penalty in hell forever.The second option is much better.And it's the one I hope you will choose.Jesus Christ settles your debt once and for all through His death on the cross that youcan be set free.You know as a pastor I'm asked a lot of theological questions on a weekly basis.And one of the questions I receive almost more than any other, almost even more than"Do my pets go to heaven?"Which will always be the uncontested champion of theological questions.I've lost count of how many people have asked me, "Why did Jesus have to die?"Why did Jesus have to pay a price?Why couldn't God just look past our sin, snap His divine fingers and say, "You know what?Just forget about it.Go on, go home.Don't worry, you're all forgiven."Have you ever wondered that?Have you ever asked that question?Well to answer that question let me walk you through a few scenarios.Imagine with me after service you punch me in the face.First of all, please don't do that.Please, please.Second of all, would there be consequences for your assault?There's a lot of police officers here so I guess they could arrest you.I could press charges.What if you punch your boss in the face on Monday?Would there be even worse consequences?Yeah, on top of going to jail you'd also be fired from your job.Imagine you were pulled over by a cop after service today and you punched that cop inthe face.Were there serious consequences for that?You would be in prison for a long time for assaulting an officer.What if you punched the President of the United States or another world leader in the face?Would there be even worse consequences for that?You can maybe be charged with an assassination attempt.Last question.What is the penalty for slapping the creator of the universe in the face?Sending against the eternal God demands eternal punishment.The punishment has to fit the crime.And infinite debt only makes sense for offending an infinite God.Once again, someone has to pay your debt.It cannot just be forgotten without someone covering the bill that you owe to the Lord.So we answer the first what question of what is redemption, which leads into our secondquestion which we touched on a bit.What does Christ redeem me from?What does Christ redeem me from?And Peter makes her crystal clear in verse 18.He says you were ransom from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers.So what does Christ redeem me from on your outline and empty life of bondage to sin thatleads to an excruciating eternity in hell?Peter says that we have all inherited futile ways from our forefathers.What does that even mean?Well, it's very simple.We all have been taught worthless ideas that lead to meaningless living.You have been served an endless amount of lies throughout your entire life that are niceand candy coated and look great on the outside, but on the inside are hollow.So many people have no idea who created them, why they exist, and what their purpose evenis.Instead of submitting to the perfect revelation of God, they make up their own pointless answersto the question.There is the you do you way of living.You are the bright and shining star of your own universe.Do whatever you want to do.There's the close your eyes mentality and don't think about God.Don't think about life and its meaning.Don't think about death.Don't think about what happens after death.Just enjoy your life as long as it lasts.There's the American dream.You work really hard to get into a good college, so you can get a good job, so you can marrythe right person.Have a bunch of kids who then repeat that same cycle.Impressive degrees, a high paying job, successful children of the measures of success.There's the empty religion school of thought.Just pick whatever religious path seems good to you.They all lead to the same destination.You know that sentiment is almost true.Every single spiritual path but one leads to the same destination, but that destinationis not a place you want to end up.Every path but one that is laid out in God's word leads to an excruciating eternity awayfrom the loving and caring presence of Almighty God.But whoever turns to Christ and walks by his way of salvation is redeemed and is rescuedfrom a life of dead end streets that go nowhere and a destiny of eternal suffering.So we know what redemption is.We also know what Christ redeems us from.Our third what question, what does Christ redeem me with?And Peter gives us the answer in verses 18 through 19.He says, "Not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious bloodof Christ like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."So what does Christ redeem me with?His own life which is worth more than anyone or anything that this world has to offer.You know according to the Old Testament law, the Israelites were commanded to only sacrificeanimals that were free of deformities, rashes, and other obvious issues.They were to only sacrifice animals that were clear of disease and imperfections.This trend first pops up in Exodus 12 as God tells the Israelites to spread the blood ofspotless lambs over their doorpost to be spared from death.And these spotless lambs in every single Old Testament sacrifice point forward to the perfectand spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who came into this world to lay down his own lifeand pour out his own blood so that anyone who trusts in him will be washed of all theirsinful stains.You know Psalm 49 verses 7 through 8 talks about the unimaginable cost of a human soul."Truly no man can ransom another or give to God the price of his life for the ransom oftheir life is costly and can never suffice.God cannot be bribed with gold, silver, a briefcase full of cash, or bitcoin, becausehere he owns it all.No mere human being can take the place of another or pay off the debt of someone else.Only Jesus Christ who is fully God and fully man can bridge that gap and pay that price.The blood of Christ is the only currency of redemption.It is the only thing of true value that God the Father can or will accept.Nothing more precious could ever be offered and nothing less will even be considered."So we've answered three what questions.What is redemption?What does Christ redeem me from?And what does Christ redeem me with?We've talked about the theology of redemption.Now let's close by talking about the application of redemption with our final question.What does Christ's redemption require of me?What does Christ's redemption require of me?Well, firstly, acknowledging that I cannot work off my debt to God.Acknowledging that I cannot work off my debt to God.And my five-year-old son Sam loves Legos.Now imagine with me that I take him to the Ross Park Mall to buy a very small and inexpensiveLego set.In the process, he knocks over and destroys five of their most expensive displays.All told, I'm on the hook for $3,000 in damage.And Sam hysterically says to me, "Dad, I promise I'll pay you back.I don't have any money in my piggy bank right now, but here's what I'll do.I'll go around the neighborhood and pull weeds for a penny of weed.I promise I'll pay you back soon."I'm not great at math, but $3,000, a penny of weed, how many weeds would he have topull to cover that debt?How much?300,000 weeds.Come on, let's be realistic.Is that ever going to happen?No way.That is way too high a sum for a five-year-old to handle on his own.And the same way, your sinful sum is way too high for you to handle on your own.Thinking that you can pay it off and work it back to God is as foolish as Sam thinkingthat he can pull hundreds of thousands of weeds to pay off his debt to me.You can never be good enough.You can never do enough to earn your way back into God's good graces.Isaiah 64-6 gives us an important insight about all the things that we think are righteousdeeds.He says, "All of us have become like Juan who was unclean, and all our righteous actsare like filthy rags.We all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweeps us away."The first step in receiving redemption is acknowledging your need for it and admittingthat you can never earn it or buy it for yourself.So what does Christ redemption require of me?Secondly, trusting that Christ has paid my debt in full.Trusting that Christ has paid my debt in full.While you are spiritually destitute and delinquent, Christ has an infinite amount of riches.That He will give to you if you come to Him in humility and faith.Your debt to God will now and forever be wiped away in an instant if you turn from yoursin and trust in Christ.You must believe that He is your Savior and that the incomparable gift of His blood ismore than enough to cover your bill to the Lord.I know what some of you are thinking, "Taylor, you have no idea how long and detailed mysinful bill really is.It's like a CVS receipt on steroids."There's no way that God could forgive that.I don't know the horrible things you've done.I don't know all the things that are written on your debt to the Lord.But do you know who does?Jesus Christ.He knows how broken you are.He knows not just every single sin that you've committed, but every sin that you have yetto commit.Yet He offers you redemption anyway.If you were to pull me aside for service to share your deepest, darkest secret with me,I would have the same exact response to every single one of you.There is no debt that the blood of Christ cannot pay, even yours.But please stop making excuses for why Jesus can't forgive you and just ask Him to forgiveyou.And He will, because the Bible says so.It's that simple.Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes those who were saved.In you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God madealive together with Christ, having forgiven us all our trespasses.Not just some, not just most.Oh, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.Those verses can be true of you right now.If you simply repent and turn to Christ.I beg you, please don't leave tonight without making the most important transaction of yourlife.Submit your sinful bill to Christ that He will pay every last penny and then rip it up,never to be seen again.Finally, what does Christ redemption require of me?Living for the one who gave himself for me.Living for the one who gave himself for me.You will not live for Christ until you are truly thankful for what He has done for you.And your level of thankfulness to Christ will only reach as high as your genuine grasp ofwhat He has sacrificed for you.Let me prove it to you with a few examples.Would you be thankful if I let you borrow my hoodie because you were chilly during service?Pastor Jeff, would you be thankful?But Pastor Jeff wouldn't break his hand patting me on the back for that, right?How thankful would you be if I let, if I lent you my car for a whole week while you'rejust getting worked on?You would repeatedly express your gratitude, maybe even send me a thank you note.What if I found out you were homeless and I let you move into my house rent free?How thankful would you be?You would go out of your way to express your gratitude by cleaning up around the house,doing all the chores outside that I don't like to do.How thankful would you be if I pushed you out of the way of a moving car and died inyour place?You wouldn't even know where to begin with expressing your gratitude and honoring mymemory and helping my family.Magnify that made up example times a billion and describing how grateful you should be asa redeemed sinner.The eternal Son of God died in your place so that you could have eternal life.We hear that so much, but do you really think about it?Do you think about how unbelievable that is?Praise Him for what He has done because He deserves it.Thank Him for all that He has given to you instead of complaining about all the thingsthat you don't have.Stop living for yourself and start living for Him.You need to be thankful to Christ, but you also need to recognize that you belong toChrist.Once your debt is scratched out of God's heavenly ledger, you can't just say, "Hey, God, thanks.I'll see you later when I get to heaven.I'm off to do whatever I want to do now."Paul tells us why that doesn't make sense in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 19 through20."You are not your own, for you were bought with a what?With a price.Your life is not your life.Since Jesus gave you His life, your life is now His life.Christ ransomed you from slavery to sin so that He could make you His own personal slave."That may sound bad, but it's actually the greatest news imaginable because everyone is enslavedto something and someone.Money, stuff, possessions, status.These are all harsh dictators that care nothing for you.And Satan has dibs on every single person who rejects Christ, and he hates everyone whois enslaved to him.But the Christian slave has the freest life of all because you belong to the only masterwho truly loves you, who calls you his friend.And once what is best for you?And what is best for you is giving everything you have for Jesus, his glory, and his kingdom.This means that you look and act different.How you spend your time should look different than everyone else.More than anything, you want to meet with God and His Word and in prayer every singleday.How you view your relationship should be different.You want to be with your brothers and sisters in Christ, worshiping, fellowshiping, andserving together.You want to reach out to unbelievers in your life so that they can experience the redemptionthat you've experienced.You view your resources differently.Your gifts, talents, and resources are not to be used to get ahead and advance your ownplans.And you may be thinking, "Wow, this sounds really inconvenient."You still don't get it.True Christians are those who happily rearrange their lives around Christ because they realizethey belong to Him and not themselves.Turning your life upside down is not an annoying inconvenience.It is an absolute pleasure because Jesus Christ is more than worthy and His redemptive rewardsare more than worthwhile.You know what, Harvest?Some choose to designate their financial giving towards certain ministries and missions.You can designate your giving to the building fund, the General Missions Fund, or to Thailandto go to Barnabas and his band of missionaries and evangelists.And I promise you, if you ever designate your giving, the finance team honors your wishes.If you designate your giving to the building fund, it goes to the building fund.If you designate your giving to go to Thailand, it goes directly to Thailand.Do you know that the Lord Jesus designates His giving?He paid an infinite price, but His giving is geared towards one specific purpose, redeemingand recruiting genuine worshipers.Jesus only purchases selfless givers, not selfish consumers.He only purchases loyal friends, not flaky acquaintances.He only purchases faithful servants, not lazy slackers.Do not belittle the price Jesus paid by choosing to be the exact opposite of what He paid for.Do not undermine His sacrifice by choosing to act like everyone else.Do not dishonor the Lord of your life by acting as if you are the Lord of your life.Our worship team and communion service can make their way forward.You know, we spent a lot of time tonight talking about redemption, but now we're actually goingto look at a physical picture of it as we turn to the Lord's Supper.Sin forces us to count the cost of salvation and focus our attention upon Jesus Christand Him crucified.When we eat the bread and drink of the cup, we are reminded that Jesus gave His own bodyand shed His own priceless blood to ransom us from captivity to sin and give us His eternalriches.And to be clear, you don't have to be a member of harvest to take part in communion, butyou do need to be a member of the family of God.So if you have not yet turned to Christ, I want to ask you to stay seated and contemplatethe meaning and message of the cross.Once again, I want to call you to not leave this room without making the most importantdecision of your life.Please stop Pastor Jeff, myself, from one of the other elders.We have Justin over here.We have Brian right here and Pastor Rich in the back.We would love nothing more than to talk to you about Jesus and what next steps with Himlooks like.And for those who are born again believers in this room, we're going to do somethinga bit different tonight for communion.In a few moments, you will leave your seats, come down the center aisles to receive theelements.You'll go back to your seat using the outer aisles and you'll be taking communion onyour own.I ask you to eat the bread and drink at the cup, not quickly or flippantly, but prayerfully.Take time to confess to the Lord.Take time to thank Him for all that He has done for you through the life and death ofHis Son.And after you're done, we ask that you please leave respectfully and quietly.We want you to feel the weight of the cross upon your shoulders so that you can come rightto celebrate the resurrection of the empty tomb on Sunday.So you can make your way forward as you are ready. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Peter 1:18-19What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Do you ever take your redemption for granted? How can you protect yourself from this indifference?Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - According to Paul, why can't you just live however you want to live? How is your Heavenly Master calling you to change and serve Him more faithfully right now? BreakoutPray for one another.

Read OnlineStanding by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19:25–27If you spent time this Lent pondering the beautiful image of Jesus' mother standing by the foot of the Cross, then you have some insight into her motherly love and experience on Good Friday. She was faithful to the end. She would have been no other place than at the foot of the Cross, gazing upon the sacrificial death of her own divine Son for the salvation of the world.From all the perspectives that we can use to gaze upon the Cross, the perspective of Jesus' own mother is the best. The soldiers stood there mocking our Lord, perhaps some confused and perhaps some even feeling pity for Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees looked on with contempt and self righteousness, doubling down on their hatred and jealousy. Most of the Apostles had fled, one of them betraying Jesus and another denying that he even knew our Lord. But Jesus' own mother, accompanied by some other holy women and the beloved disciple, John, stood there with love, offering consolation to the Heart of Jesus.The love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross was twofold in the heart of Mary. Her love for her Son expressed her unwavering fidelity to Him. It dispelled all fear. It was singularly focused. It was all-consuming. As she shared this love for her Son, she truly consoled Him. This is a significant fact to ponder. Since Jesus was the Son of God, He didn't need the human consolation of His mother's love at that moment. But by becoming human, Jesus chose to accept her love. In that act of acceptance, He allowed her human love to console His human heart. This consoling and steadfast love expressed the perfection of human love.The second form of love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross was the love given by Jesus to His mother. At its core, this love was the gift of salvation. For her, the grace of His Cross transcended time to the moment of her conception, freeing her from Original Sin. Jesus' love on the Cross transformed her, retroactively, into the Immaculate Conception and enabled her to know Jesus not only as her Son but also as her Savior. Jesus' love in that moment on the Cross is also expressed in His unwavering commitment to care for her in her human state. He gave her to John to care for her as his own mother and, in so doing, He gave her to all of us who stand at the foot of the Cross with her as our own spiritual mother.If you want to understand the love of God, look no further than this immaculate and perfect love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross. Today, especially, you are invited to stand with the Apostle John and gaze upon this shared love of mother and Son. John is there as an invitation to you to stand with them and to share in this holy exchange of love.As you witness this love, think about your own life and what it would take for you to participate in such love. Consider the courage and strength you need. The ability to forgive all who harmed you. Freedom from all bitterness. Unwavering commitment. Perfect affection. These, and many other qualities that were present in the hearts of mother and Son at the Cross are all qualities that God wants to bestow upon you. He wants you to bring them into every relationship in your life. He wants the perfection of this love to come upon you and for you to  express this love always.Reflect, today, on this Good Friday, upon this most holy scene of the love of this mother and this Son. As you do, try to examine your own life. As you look at this mother and Son's many virtues, allow that gaze to reveal to you the ways you need to grow in virtue. The Mother of God is now your mother, and the Son of God is now your Savior. Speak to them, listen to them, love them and allow the love that flows from their hearts to penetrate your own so that you can receive their love and share it with others. My dying Lord, You freely embraced human death for the salvation of the World. It was the greatest act of love ever known. As You hung upon the Cross in agony, Your own dear mother, the Immaculate Conception, stood by You, receiving Your love in its fullness and offering her love to console Your suffering soul. Please draw me into that love and help me to not only receive it but also to offer it to all in need. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

This day celebrates the fact that Jesus is not dead, but is alive. This is what separates us from all other religions. Since Jesus has been resurrected, He offers a resurrected life to us. Romans 6:4 says, We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.This “newness of life” should be a way of life for all believers. Jesus took us who were dead because of sin, and resurrected us!Remember that on Easter Sunday! Jesus has been resurrected and is alive and therefore we can live a resurrected life in Him!Have a wonderful Resurrection Sunday!For more parenting advice and information about a Proven Process that is helping boys grow into godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

False Prophet Revealed (audio) David Eells – 4/13/25 Who is the False Prophet and how may we identify him? Experience and the Word have taught me concerning prophecy that if the majority of God's people believe something, it must be wrong. God hides His truths in dreams or visions that are parables so that the false prophets and carnal Christians cannot see them. Let's read Mat 13:10-13 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. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. But privately He explains them to His disciples Mar 4:33-34 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it; 34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things. He hides things from the wise and understanding (of this apostate religious system) and reveals them to babes. Luk 10:21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. Notice that “disciples”, meaning, learners and followers, get to partake of the hidden manna. Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. And Pro 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. John's Revelation was given to him as a parable of Jesus. If it were literal, the false prophets would know what is going to happen and that is contrary to Jesus' own words. When the disciples were young and under the law they did not recognize the false prophets. As a matter of fact, they respected them! And so it is today! I want to show you who have eyes and ears, who the false prophet is and what his work is. The False Prophet is a corporate body of religious leaders that, to the trained eye resemble those of Jesus' day. In all of Jesus, Peter, and John's writings outside of the Book of Revelation, the warning is that false prophets (plural) would come. In Revelation, false prophet (singular) is used, but in an allegory. Since Jesus said in the end time that Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; …  We read that many false prophets shall arise; verse 11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And verse 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Then the false prophet in Revelation is a symbol of a corporate body like the rest of the characters in Revelation are; the beast, the woman, the harlot, the bride, etc. It's the only way that Jesus and John can both be right. You might say, “David, aren't you sharing the secrets with the false prophets?” Have no fear; they are too proud to admit they have passed on the lie of the traditions of men and repent. Moses prophesied the coming of the true prophet and the false prophet. Deu 18:15-22 Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? 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. The true Prophet of course, is the Son of God Jesus Christ. He is the Spirit that is in His true corporate body. (1Co 15:45 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.) He is the head of His body the Church which is female (Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.). Jesus' headship is manifest physically through the 5-fold ministry (Eph 4:11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;). The senses of the head correspond to the ministers. For example: the prophets are the eyes (Isa 29:10 For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.) – Evangelists are the mouth (the ministry to those outside of the body), Teachers are the ears (1Ki 3:9 Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people? 12 behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart;) “Understanding” here is the Hebrew word for “hearing”. Soloman heard answers from the Lord.  (1Ki 10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not.). It takes the 5-fold ministry to raise up others into the head (Eph 4:15 but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;). We can see a false headship in these days because of the Nicolaitan error which Jesus hates according to (Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate., and verse 15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.) That false headship is that the pastor usurps the authority of the rest of the 5-fold ministry to be the head of the church. The Spirit of Christ is manifest through the 5-fold ministry to lead His body, the church. So also the spirit of antichrist is identified in (1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.). This spirit is manifested through men as a false prophet to lead his body the harlot. The false prophet also has a female body, the corporate harlot, who receives not the seed of the true husband. These do not confess Jesus, the Word, which was given in the beginning. Confess here is a word meaning “to speak the same as”. The false prophet body cannot say what Jesus said. Christ sows His seed, which is the true Word, as we read in His parable in Mat 13:18-23 Hear then ye the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. 20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; 21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. 22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.) The true Prophet, Jesus, always sows the Word. The false prophet cannot confess Him. In Rev 13:11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Here we see a false lamb who speaks for the dragon. We see the head of the false prophet with two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as the dragon beast. Also in verse 5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies (meaning, to speak against); and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. In verse 15, we see the body (harlot) of the false prophet. Rev 13:15 NENT And it was given to her to give a spirit to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Bible Numerics shows a perfect pattern for “her” in the ancient manuscripts and in the most accurate New Testament, the Numeric English New Testament by Ivan Panin. There is no pattern in “he” or “it”. Numerics show beyond a shadow of a doubt which manuscript is right and where. As the harlot of Judaism caused Jesus to be crucified, so will the harlot of Christianity cause His body to be crucified. Let me show this another way. In 1Ki 18, Ahab represents the beast with ten horns, for he ruled over the apostate ten tribes, who worshiped the image of the beast (the golden calf). Ahab's wife, Jezebel, killed the saints and prophets. Compare this for relationship in Rev 17:1-3 …saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication. 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. There she is ruling by the ten horned beast again.) Jezebel is a clear type of the harlot in (Rev 2:20 But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.) She, like the harlot, was guilty of the blood of the prophets and of the saints. (1Ki 18:4 for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) (2K 9:7)(Rev 18:24) In Rev 17:16 when the Beast is through using the harlot, he devours her. Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire. And so it is with Jezebel in (1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake Jehovah, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.). The true ministers of God are fed at the Churches table (1 Cor 9:13,14) and the false prophets (corporately the false prophet) are fed from Jezebel's table (1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.). The false prophets of Baal and the false prophets of the Asherah represent the two horns of the false prophet in Rev 13:11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Find out who the two horns of Baal and Asherah represent in modern times, and you will know who the corporate false prophet is. These two go back to the tower of Babel and were originally Nimrod in (Gen 10:8-10) and his wife Semiramis, the false virgin Asherah. When Nimrod died and Semiramis became pregnant claiming that Nimrod had become the Sun God, Baal, who then by virgin birth was reborn as her son, Tammuz, the false son of God. Then of course, the Babylonian worshiped the false Father, Son and Virgin about 2,300 years before the true Virgin birth. Semiramis probably knew of the prophecy in Gen 3:15 concerning the virgin birth. This false scenario is still worshipped in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. At the dispersion at Babel this legend went throughout the World and these three were given different names in different cultures, many of which are in the Bible. The golden calf in Egypt was a symbol of the Father (Baal) in the Son. Pharaoh's title meant Great Temple of the Sun God. Sun images all over the world and in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches symbolize the false Son. The Israelites, with their golden calf thought they were worshiping “YHWH” or “Elohim”, the true God, but it was Baal. One horn, the 450 prophets of Baal represent those who teach another Jesus. This is the apostate protestant ministers. The other horn is the 400 prophets of the Asherah or those who worship the virgin. This is the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and many others that are into Mariolatry. Mary is my sister and I love her but she is not the mother of God according to (Rom 1:3) concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (In Genesis Jesus was called the “seed of the woman”, who was Mary, the seed of David.) 4  who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord. Here we see Mary is the mother of Jesus' flesh, which is “Son of Man”. His spiritual man was “Son of God” (Verse 4) and born of God. John 3:6 says, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. The false prophet has always been the head of the harlot, and she sitteth (present tense) on 5 world empires that are fallen but still present in Rev 17:10. These were never Christian: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media Persia, and Greece. The corporate leadership of all false Christian religions is the false prophet. Emperor Constantine was head of the early Roman Empire or beast as Daniel 7:7 describes it. Rome was the great beast devouring all the beasts before it (Dan.7:23). Much like the world is today, his kingdom was divided because of much religious faction. Because of Babel there were, to the untrained eye, similarities between the pagan religions and Christianity. In order to unite his empire, Constantine decided to capitalize on these similarities and merge paganism with Christianity. Through the temptations of bribery and power, the backslidden leadership of Christianity gave in. Constantine gathered together at his round table religious leaders of every sect and gave them a position of authority. This corporate false prophet was to advise him and exercise authority over his religious empire. He presided over their councils and put down individual theological differences for the sake of unity. “That which hath been is that which shall be” (Ecc 1:9). Our modern-day revival of the Roman beast, the United Nations, has within its body the whole earth (Dan 7:23) and is doing exactly what Constantine did to unite the earth. The “World Conference on Religion and Peace” was a gathering together under the U.N. of all sects of religious leaders from all over the world to bring unity to religion and hopefully the world. This corporate false prophet with the authority of the U.N. has created a corporate one world religion called the United Religions (the U.R.). Once, when I was teaching on the false prophet several years ago, a brother came into the meeting who had just received a confirming dream. Let me share that with you. Mark W. Dream  (David's notes) I went to church and to the altar to get delivered from smoking. There were many people up front. I knew that the pastor was walking toward me to get away from someone who smelled like smoke, and I thought, “I hope he doesn't come down here because I smell like smoke too”. Just then, my sister came to me very happy and said, “Oh, it's OK now, look over there.” I looked over and saw this man light up a cigarette. There were some booths and a sign that read “smoking section”. People said, “You don't have to quit because now we can smoke in church”. I said, “No, I want to quit smoking.” (Spiritually, smoking is to partake of an unclean spirit because “breath” and “spirit” come from the same word in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Smoke is an unclean breath. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a prison [booths] of every unclean spirit...” Rev.18:2) Then the scene changed, and I saw on TV that everyone was rejoicing because a great agreement had been made to have “one church”. I saw that the agreement was two stacks of paper (two horns of the false prophet), but nothing was written on them. (This is a sign that everyone will drop their doctrinal demands, which in the case of Christians is truth, in order to have unity - Jude 3,4). Then I went to this extremely big church. I couldn't even see the other end of it (This is the U.N. corporate apostate church). I happened to open the wrong door, and I saw inside a giant ministers' conference. (The corporate False Prophet) They were being shown a film on how to scan barcodes on the foreheads of their congregation with a beam of light without them knowing it. (The spiritual mark of the beast given by the false prophet abusing the light of the word.) More interpretation: This is the corporate two horned false prophet who makes merchandise of the people of God (2 Pet 2:1-3) and the Word of God (2 Cor 2:17 in Greek) and marks those belonging to the Beast in their foreheads (or minds Rom 8:5-6, Rev 13:16). Remember in Jesus' day, the “respectable” religious folks who walked after the mind of the flesh cast their vote against him. They were followers of a “respectable” group of ministers who gave them that mind using the light of the word. Remember that 10 out of the 12 tribes and their ministers worshiped the beast (golden calf) and had his mark in their foreheads (mind) and hand (works). The false prophets are the ones who war against this Word the most. It's an honor to have these against me as they were against my Lord Jesus. They protect their prestige, authority, position, and bank account. Draw close to God and His Word so you may be able to recognize them. Daniel 3:4,5 says, “Then the herald cried...peoples, nations, languages... fall down and worship the golden image (of the beast).” This word, “herald” is the only Greek word in the text at a time before Greek became a world language. It is the same word used in the New Testament for preacher. The command to worship the image (Rev 13:14,15) will come from the pulpits in the form of a deception so strong that, “if possible, even the elect would be deceived” (Mat 24:24). If the truth weren't hidden in the parable of Revelation, there would be no strong delusion. In Daniel 3:7, all worshipped the image, even the Israelites except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three wouldn't bow because they wouldn't eat of the beast's food (word) and wine (nature) and be defiled (Dan 1:5-16). If you receive the word and nature of a Babylonish false prophet, you too will be defiled and bow down (Mat 15:6-20). In Constantine's court, there sat the senate of secular rulers over the countries under his control. These foreshadowed the ten horns in Daniel's vision of the end time Roman Empire (Dan 7:7). The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (end time secular rulers), who have received no kingdoms as yet, but they receive authority as kings, with the beast for one hour (Rev 17:12). The horn represents power for it is the weapon of the beast. A king without his kingdom has no power. These kings gave their kingdoms to the beast in (Rev 17:17). From among these kingdoms in Constantine's day arose the religious rulers. They were different, for they were a corporate body of religious leaders from among all the kingdoms. This is exactly what Dan 7:8,24) says. The little horn came “up among” the ten and was “different from the former” because he was a corporate religious body among leaders of corporate secular bodies. Now, the little horn is the false prophet of Rev 13 is easy to see because it had eyes (Dan 7:20), which makes it a prophet (Isa 29:10). He had “a mouth that spake great things” (Dan 7:20) and made war on the saints (verse 21). This identifies the false prophet who was given to the beast in Rev 13:5-7 for the false prophet is the beast's mouth to religious people. In Jesus and Constantine's time, the corporate false prophet kept the people in line for the beast (Rome) because of the threat of loss of position (John 11:47,48). It was this corporate false prophet who was guilty of the blood of Jesus, the Apostles and prophets (Mat 23:29-36). Pilot, representing the Roman beast, did not want to kill Jesus. This is the way it will be in our day. The false prophet Sanhedrin was afraid the Romans would come and take away their position if they didn't put down the Jesus rebellion. Another type of the little horn was Antiochus Epiphanes in 175-164 B.C.. He came up among the horns of the division of Alexander the Great's kingdom and was king of Syria, which means “lifted up”. I emphasize that this king of the “lifted up” was a type because many believe that the history of his acts in Daniel are literally speaking of the end-time antichrist. Daniel prophesies what is clearly now history in chapters 8:9-14, 23-26 and 11:21-39 regarding Antiochus, but he is also a type and shadow of what is to come. His compelling interest was to subject God's people to himself, much like the false prophets of today. He “magnified himself” (Dan 8:25) above all the gods of the Harlot and “the one desired of women” (Dan 11:37) - Jesus was desired of seven women who are the church in Rev 1:11. Isa 4:1  And seven women (the Church) shall take hold of one man (Jesus) in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name (In their rebellion against the Word, they still wanted to be called Christians.); take thou away our reproach. The false prophet, Antiochus deposed the Jewish high priest Onias 3 and usurped his place. Many today usurp the position of Jesus as head. If you permit a person to exalt themselves or their teaching above Jesus and the Scriptures, they become to you a false prophet. He will even use the Word to paint an image in your mind of a false Jesus (2 Cor 3:18), which is none other than the image of the beast (spoken of later). Antiochus, in his position as “lord of God's heritage” then sacrificed a son on the altar and sprinkled the Holy Place with the swine's broth. He cast down many of God's people and caused them to lose their position in the heavenlies like the end time saints (Dan 8:10, Epe 2:6, Rev 6:13). He took away the continual burnt offering (Dan 8:11, 11:31) in the end time will be in the middle of the tribulation or seventieth week of Daniel when the mark is given. (Dan 9:27). We are the sanctuary or temple of God (1 Cor 3:17). Our old life is the continual burnt offering (Rom 12:1) as we take up our cross and follow Jesus and lose our old life (Mat 16:24,25). It is a burnt offering because in the midst of the fiery trial (1 Pet 4:12, Mat 3:11,12) when we obey God, the flesh burns up (2 Cor 4:16,17). If we walk after the mind of the flesh and take the mark, the burnt offering ceases (Dan 8:12). We are to be as gold and silver refined in the fire by burning up the impurities of flesh - Mal 3:2,3. Many will follow the example of Antiochus and sacrifice the Son. Heb 10:29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God.  They follow the false prophets and are defiled, turning back to their sins (2 Pet 2:1-3, 18-22). These are they who give up their life of sacrificing their flesh in the fiery trial in the middle of the tribulation and take the mark of the beast (Rev 13:5-7, 16-18 and Dan 9:27), having been deceived by the false prophets. If you allow the false prophets to identify the mark of the beast and the image, you will not be able to see it when it comes. The Pharisees and Sadducees could not identify the true Image of God, Jesus Christ. What makes you think that they could today? It is not the visible Image and Mark of the beast that you should fear, but the invisible. This is how it can be a deception. Any physical mark can only be put on one who has the spiritual mark already. It will identify these people as members of the body of the beast. Antiochus also set up a statue of Jupiter in the Holy of Holies. He, like the little horn of Ahab's day, Jesus' day, Constantine's day, and the U.R. of our day, gives to the people a false Image of God. Even among Christians, you will notice there are different ideas about who Jesus is, what His nature is, what His teaching is, and what His attitude is toward us. Much of this leads people to worship another Jesus, which is an abomination. Become familiar with the Jesus of the Bible, the true Image of God (Heb 1:3, Jn 1:1). The tip of the little horn starts in the leadership of the U.R., but like Mark W.'s dream, it shows that it goes all the way down to the man in the pulpit. All of them together are the false prophet, the head of the harlot. “Be not many of you teachers, my brother, knowing that we shall receive the heavier judgment” (James 3:1). Now, I'd like to share a few more revelations with you that reveal the end-time false prophet.   War, False Prophet, Harlot, Mark, War Below are two dreams on these subjects East and West War in the Middle East Bill Steenland - 11/14/2014 (David's notes in red) I dreamed there was a lion and a white tiger fighting one another very fiercely with a lot of back and forth, while rolling around on the ground. (I think the white tiger represents Russia, Iran, India, and China [Eastern nations] going to war with the “lion” [Britain, America, Australia, Canada, Europe and NATO].) (The lion with eagle's wings in Daniel is Britain and her lion cubs with the US and its air power. Siberia is part of Russia. The white Siberian tiger represents Russia.) (I was watching Putin in this video, and the Lord said to me, “The white tiger!” Why hadn't I seen it before? We are really seeing the fulfillment of this dream now. This topic is huge in the book Hidden Manna for the End Times, now that I think about it. We are really seeing the posturing and coming war that is shown in that dream now, with all the lines being drawn in the sand over Europe and Asia. (Ultimately this war that the Deep State has tied to start many times, to distract from their evil, will come to pass but I for one have fought for peace.) As the lion and the tiger fought, the scenery and the settings were changing. It was as if they were rolling back and forth in the Middle East from the mountains to the desert to more mountains, back to a dry parched setting like a desert and then a combination of the two. It was as if they were rolling around, fighting each other across the whole Middle East. This is the strange part: There was a black car following them everywhere they went. (This is the Satanic Deep State powers that be, the banksters, with money invested on both sides of the war, as always.) All I knew was that they were in the Middle East and that it was a huge power struggle for territory. At the end of the dream, I saw a black man in full-blown black Masonic attire with a black plate that had a golden pyramid on it. (D.S. Masonic powers that be.) The eye was not floating over the pyramid. It was one that has always represented Lucifer (The antichrist spirit who will once again rise up in Revelation 13 and control the Beast and finally bring their war between East and West to make money off of both.). (Masonic agenda is unfolding; their god Lucifer is the “all-seeing eye” over the Beast one world government.) The black plate was hanging on his chest (the breath/spirit/demons of the Beast). He was standing in the middle of these two fighting animals as they fought, but he was much bigger than the cats. He was kicking his toes into the ground on each side, as if one foot or toes was the lion and the other foot was the tiger. He would kick his toes into the ground one at a time toward the other foot. (End-time fulfillment of the 10 kingdoms from Daniel 2, known as Nebuchadnezzar's image or dream.) (The two feet of the image of the Beast in Daniel's revelation are the end-time Eastern Roman Empire, which Russia is the head of, and Western Roman Empire, which the US is the head of. The clay is nations that were not a part of the original Roman Empire seed, typed by the iron. This Roman Empire is the sixth head that was smitten unto death which is revived. Satan and his earthly representatives, the Deep State powers that be, are kicking their pawns back and forth in the Middle East. The pawns of the U.S. and Russia have also always had their pawn nations that they prefer to fight through, supplying weapons, logistics, trainers, etc., so that they are not personally drawn into a nuclear world war. [Although nukes may be used in this war, it is not the full-scale nuclear war that will come at the end of the tribulation, as seen in Bill's other dream below.] They have engaged in this covert warfare for many years, and it will continue because it makes money for the powers that be and decreases populations, plus it keeps the nations under control. I would say the big black man is the world Antichrist Beast ruled by Satan.) Dan.2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay. (Islam is invading the nations by the DS to bring division.) 44 And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (This begins with the Man-child reformers.) 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. In the dream, I knew the black man over the big cats was Tiger Woods, the pro-golfer. (Tiger has a family heritage from many nations and represents the world beast like the Dan 2 vision of the world beast.) He is like the melting pot of nations and religions melted into one. Tiger Woods spent most of his life standing on grass, playing golf. (This war of back and forth is like a golf game to them. Life is cheap.) Here are a few details from Wikipedia about his multinational family tree: Woods was born in Cypress, California, to Earl (1932-2006) and Kultida (Tida) Woods (born 1944). He is the only child of their marriage; however, he does have two half-brothers, Earl Jr. (born 1955) and Kevin (born 1957), and a half-sister, Royce (born 1958), from the 18-year marriage of Earl Woods and his first wife, Barbara Woods Gray[14]. Earl, a retired lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, was of mostly African American, as well as Caucasian, and possible Native American and Chinese, ancestry[15]. Kultida (née Punsawad), originally from Thailand (where Earl had met her on a tour of duty in 1968), is of mixed Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry[16]. He refers to his ethnic make-up as “Cablinasian” (a syllabic abbreviation he coined from Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian).[17]. Woods' first name, Eldrick, was coined by his mother because it began with “E” (for Earl) and ended with “K” (for Kultida). His middle name Tont is a traditional Thai name. He was nicknamed Tiger in honor of his father's friend, Col. Vuong Dang Phong, who had also been known as Tiger.[18]. The name Eldrick is an English baby name. In English, the meaning of the name Eldrick is “old/wise ruler”.   False Prophet, Harlot, Mark, Nuclear War Bill Steenland - 06/22/2015 (David's notes in red) The dream started off where I was in a big city, like New York or Philly. I had a large white tablet in my hands. There were two guys who were working on it, but we were talking about the mark of the Beast. The guy was talking about the basics of where it goes and so on. The second man was sitting on the step. He had a really faraway look on his face, like he had spent a long time looking at the physical properties of the mark. He sat down on the step and just kept saying, “It's so much more than a mark”, over and over. Then he said, “Calling it just a 'mark' doesn't do it justice. It's much more than that”. (I found out later in that dream the mark will have currency on it as an incentive to take it after a total global economic meltdown.) I looked back at the tablet. I knew that in the dream, when I looked down at the tablet, I could see anything I wanted to or any place I wanted to and that I could be there by looking at this tablet. (It means the Word of God written upon the tablet of our hearts, which gives spiritual insight and discernment. 2Co.3:2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; 3 being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh. Maybe that is why when I looked at the tablet later in the dream, I could see future events and see into the spiritual realm. 1Co.2:10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.) I was watching a video of a beach as I walked around with the tablet. Then I found myself there on the beach at a resort. I was walking around this beach next to the resort. (Fellowshipping with Abraham's seed, the children of faith. God told Abraham that his children would be as the sands of the sea. Heb.11:11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. Rom.4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them.) (The promised seed, the Man-child Isaac, would bring forth the great multitude of fruit, just like in these end times.) While I was walking around, I saw an old friend whom I knew was caught up in confusion, walking around, too. In the dream, I knew that I had a room at this beach resort. I went to my room and relaxed on my bed (representing resting in the promises of God). I pulled out the tablet and I saw a picture of Benny Hinn. He was wearing a red shirt. (Red represents sin, as in the “man of sin”: 1 John 3:4,10.) (Isa.1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) He looked very effeminate; there was make-up on his face (I.e. what you see is not what you get) and he had his arms out, as if to present something. I noticed there was a witchcraft book in front of him. (1Sa.15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king.) 1Co.10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. There was a table with a whole bunch of objects in front of him that were being used in witchcraft to send curses. (Those infected with Kundalini and who practice false signs and lying wonders are sent out to deceive God's people. God is the one allowing it. 2Th.2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 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. Jesus warned of false leaders. Mat.24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. The word for “false Christ” is pseudochristos or false anointings. (When God does signs because of the faith of His people but the signs do not confirm the life and word of the minister, they are false signs and lying wonders: Mar.16:20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. 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 (another Elohim or 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.) They have another Jesus because they received another Word and another spirit. This scripture explains why he was performing witchcraft in the dream: Gal.1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. 9 As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema (accursed). When people receive another Word, they can receive this working of error mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 3:9-11. Kundalini is a huge working of error that the Harlot Church is going under. Like in the dream, they say they serve God but are in rebellion and witchcraft. When people pray and fellowship with people who are serving these Kundalini spirits, they open themselves up to this working of error because, frankly, they are praying with a witch, and they get slimed with this curse from Galatians that they are under. Here is a call of God to leave these false teachers and churches: Isa.2:5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah. 6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines (Kundalini has been named the false prophetic movement for good reason), and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. (They have joined the Eastern religions through Kundalini spirits.) 7 And their land is full of silver and gold (Benny Hinn is reportedly worth $60 million. (Somebody is not eating while these kind surfeit and care not for the needs of others. Ecc.5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes? Isa.56:11 Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.), neither is there any end of their treasures (prosperity message); their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. (His Rolls-Royce and private jets.) 8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands. (This type builds a false temple made with man's hands, which God says He does not inhabit. Act.17:24 The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.) Isa.10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness; 2 to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right that widows may be their spoil (Their ministries are funded by the poor and the fatherless whom they rob. Benny has promised to these poor people that if they give him $1000, God will multiply it. (When God is teaching His children to give, He may honor their faith but not a greedy leader.), and that they may make the fatherless their prey! (Those who have no true spiritual fathers but are hirelings.) 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? (What will they do when the Lord comes manifested in the Man-child ministry to bring justice?) Back to Bill's dream: There was a book on the table in front of him. As I looked at the book, I heard a news broadcast in the background. The female broadcaster said these words: “Benny Hinn has a new social media program to join,” like Alex Jones has, and another name that was mentioned but was blanked out. (I believe it was a reference to Facebook. I believe these social media programs are the hive mentality of corporate bodies of people who are under the deception of certain spirits. For instance, Facebook is vanity and self-promotion. Benny is obviously Kundalini and the Harlot Church. As I looked at the book, I heard the famous singer Katy Perry singing these lyrics: “I hear that the mark of the Beast is coming and I want one”. (Katy is a perfect symbol of the Harlot Church who will take the mark of the Beast. She is also being used as a type of the Harlot spirit that cause the falling away and, finally, the mark of the Beast.) 1Ti.4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. (The Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus 12 was for seven days, representing the tribulation. Anyone who ate leaven during that time was cut off from the people of God, so we must come out from them now. This will be a great falling away of the people who are cut off.) Next, there were two aliens in my room. They were demons. I knew in the dream that the Harlot Church who rides the Beast was rolling out another deception: aliens. I immediately turned the tablet off, and the demons left. Then I had an open vision while there on my bed. I was looking at a world destroyed by a nuclear war with Russia and a total global economic collapse. (The war between East and West is bound to end this way.) Joe.2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The pillars of smoke mentioned in Joel could be the mushroom cloud pillars of nuclear war. That word “pillar” can also be translated as “column” that could stretch from the earth to the heavens, literally. I was looking at a soldier and a young boy of about 14 years old. The sun was not giving its light, like the scriptures mention. I saw the boy with the mark of the Beast in his hand; it was glowing in the dark while in his hand. It was slightly curved in shape, like a banana. (Representing the fruit of the wicked? A crescent shape?) It was glowing green and yellow. The boy was thinking the following words in his head, and I heard them very clearly. As he looked up at a totally destroyed world, he thought, “We don't ever have to worry; we are safe. The government knows where we are at all times and will be here shortly to help us”. (Notice he had the mark before the nuclear war came and he was programmed to trust in Antichrist.) Rev.13:16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark (In the dream, I knew that this mark had electronic currency on it.), even the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six. (We who refuse the mark will be in the wilderness with God our supplier.) Dan.9:27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing (or pinnacle) of abominations shall come one (abomination = the mark) that maketh (them) desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate. (In the midst of the week, many so-called Christians will take the mark as sons of perdition in the temple of God's people. This mark is an abomination that makes them desolate, which means devoid of God.) As I watched the boy, I knew that people would take the mark for many reasons, but one reason is that there will be currency given to the recipient so he can survive. I came out of the vision and said to myself, “I need to find my old friend”. I knew in this dream that there were a lot of people who needed to hear this warning: Rev.18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: 5 for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. And 2Co.6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.   False Prophets Revealed Rex Veron - 11/29/2004 (David's notes in red) I believe this is an end-time dream. (This dream is as seen from God's perspective of the false prophets who have put on their deceptive show to deceive the people as to their true nature and false teaching.) I saw a mouse standing in front of a medium-sized congregation, preaching and teaching. It stood up on its hind legs and was the size of a small terrier dog; it had the face of a man. The face was nondescript and no one I knew. (The false prophets standing in the pulpits of God's people are indeed very small in spiritual stature and the vilest of beasts attempting to depict themselves as men of God. As in a plague, they are the carriers of spiritual disease that have brought spiritual and physical death to multitudes.) It had a red broad brimmed hat with little gold tassels hanging from the brim. (They attempt to glorify their own thinking, but underneath is still hidden the brain of a spiritual mouse. The red color here is an attempt to appear to have blood-washed thinking but instead, it is sinful thinking. Isa.1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) It wore a red vest with some tassels hanging from the edge. (They attempt to glorify their own heart, which is not covered by the blood but the sin of the fallen nature. Underneath their show is the heart of a spiritually small beast.) It wore red pants with tassels hanging from the bottom of the pant legs. He had jester-type shoes with a little gold bell on each end of the toe curl. (They love to bring attention to their walk by ringing their own bell when they put on a show to be seen of men. However, before God and those with understanding, they are seen as jesters who walk crooked as the curled toes depict.) It had a stubby tail like a bulldog with a gold cover on it that was flattened out and looked like a spoon upside down. (As unclean dogs, they are dung eaters and that which should be left behind, as Paul pointed out, and flushed is glorified by these apostates and fed to the people as doctrine.) The people kept saying, “We can't stand this any longer, he needs to be made to be quiet, get rid of him”. (When the people begin to awaken, they become dissatisfied with the religious show and want more of God and His Word to sustain them.) I went to the front, picked him up and took off his hat, his vest, his pants, and I started to put him down. (It is here that the true ministers are able to uncover the false thinking, heart and walk of these apostate leaders.) Then I heard a voice saying, “You must take his shoes off and the golden tail, as well. You cannot turn him loose with those on”. (It is necessary to also reveal the apostates' evil walk and despicably unclean doctrine that the righteous will forsake.) I then took his shoes and golden tail off and set him on the floor, and he vanished. (When the truth is revealed, they become nothing in the eyes of God's people, as their yoke is broken off of them.) Turning back to the people, they were quiet and at peace; nothing was said. While still dreaming, I thought the entire scene strange and was wondering about it when I heard, “Get up and write the dream down”. I awoke, wrote it down and meditated about it and then I went back to bed.   False Prophet & Son of Perdition G.C. - 12/2007 (David's notes in red) In this dream, I was watching a scene go down. There was a line of people shuffling forward toward a podium. There were two men at this podium: a father and a son. (In real life, I know them.) The father was dressed in full Masonic priest regalia and was wearing what seemed to be a pope-like hat. The son was on his left hand, and he was dressed like a normal person. Many who only see the letter of the parable in dreams would think this father to be the pope, but this is not how parables work. Like the pope is the “holy father” over the Catholic, meaning “universal” Church, so this father represents a corporate False Prophet over a world body of apostate religions. Many of these very visible leaders are also Masons. Judas, who was called the Son of Perdition, sold the body of Christ to the Sanhedrin, which was this corporate False Prophet in their day. Likewise a corporate Son of Perdition hidden in the body of Christ today will betray them. This way, both people in this parable represent a corporate body today. I watched in horror as the father was giving the mark of the beast to the people in line. (Rev.13:16) And he (the False Prophet) causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead.) As soon as the people received the mark they instantly transformed into a wild pig and leaped straight into a furnace off to the side of the podium. (2 Pet. 2:12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed. (Php.3:18) For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly (like wild pigs), and [whose] glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things (mark in the forehead). I considered what was taking place and tried to warn the people about the furnace (of the great and terrible day of the Lord and Hell itself), but they seemed not to take heed to what I was saying. They were willfully taking this mark as if under strong delusion. It was horrible. Note: Although in real life I worked for this father, he had NEVER called me before. All the business matters were usually handled through his son. After I woke from the dream, the father called me on the phone! He asked me to come to his office to have a meeting with him and his son. So that was a sure confirmation from the Lord. They are merely figures the Lord used to show me something in the dream. They own their own company and are in the business of buying and selling (Just like the “merchants of Babylon” who “make merchandise of you”). The father's name is ROLAND, meaning “renown throughout the land”. This reminds me of the men of renown or giants of old. We have giants today, too: the megachurch pastors of the apostate church. The son in real life is a lukewarm Christian who is given to drunkenness (which is spiritually like the Son of Perdition).   Discernment Delivers from False Prophets Jay N. - 06/09/2008 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in a class with several other students. We were in this big room which looked rather like a gymnasium, and I remember thinking and missing my friends from other classes, whom I remembered were now long gone away. David Eells was our teacher, and I was standing next to him. (A type of the David man-child reformers.) David was telling me that the previous night, there was a party at his next door neighbor's house and he didn't get much sleep. (God's people giving into lasciviousness have truly caused me some loss of sleep.) He was casually dressed, like a sports teacher or a trainer. (We have to train the people of God to get in shape for the contest to come.) Standing next to him, I could see his profile, and I noticed he was wearing a patch or a piece of wool over his nose, like he had a nose job, or even more, it looked to me like something he was wearing to filter the air he was breathing. (This nose filter represents the ability to discern good from evil. The nose gives discernment to the mind that is neither seen nor heard. Wool over the nose represents having the true clothing or actions of sheep, which filter out the false spirits, which is the meaning of “breath” in Hebrew.) The next thing I remember was a tall man entering the room, accompanied by a woman. (The tall man is seen in many dreams as the corporate false prophet and his companion is the harlot church.) They were dressed in suits and looked to me like teachers. The man came and was standing next to me, and I knew they were there to acquire some students for themselves. (They will seek through lasciviousness, meaning a license to excess, to draw aside disciples of Christ.) I tried to ignore him since I could tell what his intentions were, and then he pointed his finger at me. I looked around for David but couldn't see him. (We will face temptation alone.) I turned to the man and looked at his face for the first time. He was so tall, almost all the way up to the ceiling; I remember feeling the pain in my neck as I was struggling to look at his face. (His great size represents a corporate body of people.) He was nicely groomed, with curly hair and he had bright grey, watery eyes. (They tend to see things in grey, not black or white, as in wrong or right.) Being determined, I told him that I was not going with him because David was my teacher. As I was saying these words I was getting weak. I remember being hardly able to say that last word, “teacher”, but I succeeded. He looked shocked and very offended because obviously he had the authority to choose from the class as he liked, and he looked at the woman (harlot?) with disbelief. He looked back to me, trying to put some kind of smile on his angry face, and then I woke up. (The Sanskrit meaning for “Jay” is “victory”. Although tempted, Jay obviously represents those who gain the victory over the false prophet and harlot because of their training in discernment. We are told that the Word exercises our senses to discern good from evil: Heb.5:12 For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. 13 For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for fullgrown men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Well, that was a big problem and quite embarrassing to the host. We don't know at what point the wine ran out, but it became the setting for Jesus' first miracle. Mary brought the situation to Jesus. Since Jesus is with us, we need to remember that every problem we encounter should be brought to Him. Let's look at this situation from Jesus' perspective. First, Jesus believes there is only one God from whom are all things, so He knows the situation has been given to Him from His Father. Second, He also knows that His Father's love and doing His Father's will is His greatest satisfaction for His soul. So, as we will see in the next verse, He isn't swayed by the expectations of His mother, the host, or the attendees. So this situation is primarily between His Father and Him, not He, Mary, and the host. Third, Jesus knows that His Father's purpose in this situation is to reveal the Father and bring Him glory. Jesus abides in the Father, and we know from John 8:28 and 14:10 that He doesn't do anything or speak anything of His own initiative. So when He speaks or acts, we are seeing the Father at work. Have you realized that since Jesus lives in you, that every situation in your life, since you believed in Christ, is given to Jesus in you? It is given by the Father so you might glorify God by being most satisfied in Jesus' love and will for your life and therefore reveal the presence and power of Christ in each situation. Just as in this situation at the wedding, every circumstance in your life as a believer in Jesus is given to you for the Father and the Son to be glorified and revealed. You aren't the primary concern. The Father and the Son are the focal point. This is the mindset of living to love with Jesus. We have His worldview that shapes our responses to people and circumstances. To abide in Jesus is to think like Jesus. You know whatever happens in your life is being given by the Father to the Son living in you so that He can be glorified as you honor Him as God and find your soul's greatest satisfaction in the love of Jesus and God's will. Then you wait on Jesus to give you what you need to say or do to reveal that He lives in you. Whatever you receive, you give— if God's word confirms that it is an expression of His truth and love. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

Since Jesus loved us and reconciled us to God, we believers have a committed love for each other. 1. love seeks truth, resulting in closer fellowship. (v.2)2. love does not condemn others, but goes through life together. (v.3)3. love bubbles up into joy, even during times of affliction. (v.4)When there is genuine love, what are the natural results?How long did Paul spend in the city of Corinth? Acts 18:1,11What is the true test for love? John 15:13Why might Paul boast about a church? 2 Thess. 1:4

We are compelled to share the gospel, not for personal gain, but out of obedience to God, the transformation we've experienced, and compassion for others. Like Paul, we may choose to give up our own rights to better reach people, motivated by Christ's love and His command through the Great Commission. Since Jesus gave His life for us, we are now called to live for Him, not just through words, but by actively sharing His message with others.

Since Jesus is the Prince of Peace, why did He say He came to bring division? From his sermon series in the gospel of Matthew, today R.C. Sproul calls us to stand firm for the gospel, the truth that unites all who receive it, yet draws hostility from those who prefer falsehood. Get R.C. Sproul's commentary on the gospel of Matthew for your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/3939/donate   Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was known for his ability to winsomely and clearly communicate deep, practical truths from God's Word. He was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, host of the Ask Ligonier podcast, and a graduate of Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne, Australia. Nathan joined Ligonier in 2012 and lives in Central Florida with his wife and four children. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

John 3:22-36,After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Okay, to get started here, I need you to use your imagination for a minute. Imagine that you're in a helicopter and you're flying over Jerusalem — say the helicopter is an eyewitness news station that you're a part of — and so you're flying over Jerusalem to see what's going on — also it's the year 28 (so there's some time travel involved here, but you're using your imagination). Well, you're flying over Jerusalem, over the outskirts, in an area known as the Judean countryside, and you look down and you see a little pocket of people — there's a leader and some followers — and more people are coming to them and they're dunking them in the water.Then you fly up a little more north of Jerusalem, in the countryside and you notice another little pocket of people — there's a leader and some followers — and they're also dunking people in the water.You realize you've seen, basically, two identical pockets of people: two different groups led by two different men in two different areas outside of Jerusalem but they're doing the same thing — that's the setting of our passage today. That's how John, the writer of this Gospel, sets this story up. But now imagine that you jump out of the helicopter (with a parachute) and you come down to one of these pockets of people — and it's the group led by John the Baptist — and you overhear a dialogue.There had been a discussion between a Jewish man and the disciples of John the Baptist about purification — that's all we're told in verse 25 — but apparently that discussion sparked some confusion for the disciples of John the Baptist and so they came to John the Baptist to talk with him in verse 26 and here is where the real action starts. And there are three main things going on here that John, the writer of this Gospel, wants us to see. And I think that if we can track with these three things then we will understand this passage. So three things, really simple:Questions ContinueMission CompleteJesus ClearWe're gonna look closer at each of these three things and we're gonna find in each one there's something for us to take away. There's some practical connections that we need to make. So I'll pray again and we'll get started. Father, you are good and you do good things. Even in the midst of our hard things, we know that you're at work and you do not make mistakes. We ask that you give us now everything we need, to hear from you and to trust you, in Jesus's name, amen. 1. Questions ContinueNow there's not a question mark in verse 26, but these disciples of John the Baptist are bringing a question. Look at verse 26,And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”So these guys had found out about that other pocket of people outside of Jerusalem which was led by Jesus, and they found out that they were doing the exact same thing that John the Baptist and his pocket of people were doing — and these guys were confused by that. Now some have read this and assumed that the disciples of John the Baptist are jealous here; that interpretation assumes they don't like the fact that more people are now going to Jesus than to John. And that could be true, but I don't think that's what's going on. Notice that these guys recognize in verse 26 that Jesus is the one John the Baptist bore witness to back in Chapter 1. They're saying: Hey, that guy that you were telling us about — the one that you said some pretty amazing things about — he's over there doing what we're doing. See, the implied question is: If the one you said you were here to point to is now doing what you're doing, why are you still doing it? (This is the question at least that John the writer wants us to wonder as we read this story.)Don't get too distracted by the details of verse 26 because it's really just there to set up what John the Baptist is about to say in verses 27–30, and the main thing we should see here is that the reality of Jesus raises questions. We've already seen this in the Gospel of John. Everywhere Jesus goes, there's more questions. In Chapter 1: Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?At the wedding, Chapter 2: Why have we kept the good wine for the end? At the temple: Who do you think you are to bring this mayhem?Then, Nicodemus: Can a grown man enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?We've already seen Jesus raise questions, and here questions continue (and they're gonna keep coming), but at this point, let's drill down into what the question is. Basically, these guys are asking: since Jesus is now here, what do we do?You get that? They're asking: How do we make sense of what we're doing in light of the reality of Jesus?To Ask EverydayAnd I want you to know that question has never stopped being asked — in fact, that's a question we should ask ourselves today. How does Jesus being Jesus change the way I live?And first, we might think broadly about the whole course of our lives and all of our big decisions. If it were not for Jesus, things would look very differently for most of us (I know that's true for me!) — but let's not settle with that broad kind of thinking. Take another step. For example, you might first think … “Because of Jesus I'm a mother.” Okay, yes, but it's more than that. Because of Jesus you want to be a certain kind of mother. What kind? How does Jesus being Jesus make you a certain kind of mother?Another example: “Because of Jesus, I give” — and that's great, but take another step. How does Jesus being Jesus impact the ways you give, and how much you give, and to where?One more example: You might think: “Because of Jesus, there are certain things I don't do” — and that's good, but how does Jesus being Jesus change the way you use your time? What do you give your energy to? How do you think about your purpose?See, the fact is: Jesus has come! Jesus is real. It's like he's right over there. So what do we do now? Today? Tomorrow? The next day? Since Jesus is Jesus, how should we live?The questions continue. And that's the question for us. The second thing to track in this passage is …2. Mission CompleteThis is in verses 27–30 where John the Baptist answers his followers, and what he does here is he gives the concluding explanation of his ministry. Like in Chapter 1, he says again, one more time, what he's all about. He starts with verse 27:“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” Now that's a true statement all across the board. Every gift we have is ultimately from God. But John is saying this here about what God has called him to do. He's had one job this whole time — to point people to Jesus. That's the job God gave John the Baptist to do, and he says he's done it.He says to his followers, Hey, you guys can vouch for me. You've heard me say, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.You're telling me that all are going to him — and they should be! This is the point. Jesus is the bridegroom; I'm just the friend of the groom, verse 29.And just like that, John the Baptist uses a wedding metaphor. And this is important. When he mentions the “friend of the groom” here he's talking about the best man. That's the idea. That's how John the Baptist understood himself. He is Jesus's best man.Have any of y'all ever been to a wedding when after the ceremony, at the reception or wherever, there's a big receiving line?Well, have y'all ever seen it that when people are lining up to meet the bride and groom, the best man is over in the corner of the room, and he's trying to get people to form a line to see him? Ever seen that before? Have you ever heard of a best man who is confused that people wanna see the groom?Of course not! This is a perfect image, John!For those of you who have a wedding this summer — a lot of you, actually — understand this: the best man has one job. (Now I know today he does a couple of things — there's the ring and the speech and all that — but traditionally, the best man had one job). He was to make sure the groom gets to the wedding. That's it. That's what he's for. And when the groom gets there, the best man is done. “This joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”See, this is the fadeout moment for John the Baptist. And his whole ministry has been looking forward to this. He's known the whole time it's not about him. His one job has been to prepare the way for Jesus — to clear the way for us to see Jesus — and John the Baptist says here, “I've done it. Mission complete.”And I'm so happy for him! I love that he experienced this! I love that he says mission complete, but it makes me wonder: Do you think we'll ever say that?Our Mission NowJohn the Baptist was able to begin his ministry with the end in mind, and here he's reached the finish line. He did it. But when it comes to our mission, is it possible for us to experience that in this life?At one level, no. When we think of the mission Jesus has given us — “make disciples of all nations” — one day that mission will be complete, but not here. Technically, mission complete for us comes in the New Jerusalem, in heaven.So then what does that mean for now? Like for now, are we just spinning our wheels trying to climb a mountain we'll never reach?If that's how we think about our mission, that's pretty depressing and non-compelling.So think about it like this: although we may not see the full mission complete in our lifetime, the things we do today on mission have an eternal impact. Our actions have eternal consequences. They matter.As a local church, last year we focused in on our mission — we exist to make joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life.This means that we don't just want ourselves to be happier in God, but we want more people in the Twin Cities to be happy in God! That's over 3.7 million people! That's gonna take some time and look, we probably won't get there in the next 50 years. And that's okay. It's not our responsibility to do it all, but we are responsible for a part.Our cities are full of lost people who must be found, and hopeless people who must find hope, and drowning people who must be saved — and we have a life boat. And we can and should make a difference. One day, in heaven, it will be mission complete for us like it is for John the Baptist here … but that mission complete does come in part through what we do now. Questions continue …Mission complete …3. Jesus ClearThis is verses 31–36, and it's where John, the writer of this Gospel, speaks up with his own commentary. Now that John the Baptist has officially faded out, John the writer wants us to focus in all the more on Jesus. Like he did in Chapter 1, John here tells us who Jesus is. He tells us seven truths about Jesus:Jesus is above all (v. 31)Jesus has seen and heard from God the Father (v. 32)Jesus utters the words of God the Father (v. 34a)Jesus has been given the Spirit without measure by God the Father (v. 34b)Jesus is loved by God the Father (v. 35a)Jesus has been given all things by God the Father (v. 35b)Jesus, therefore, elicits a consequential response (vv. 33, 36)You can track each one of these in order, but I'm just gonna highlight one here in closing (one and a half). It's in verse 34, and I want you to see this — I also wanna make sure you're still with me. So everybody, if you can, find verse 34. Verse 34,“For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.”Now, when John is telling us about Jesus here, he's doing it in contrast to John the Baptist. Remember John the Baptist was an Old Testament prophet, and John wants us to know that Jesus was much greater than just a prophet — he comes from above, and he's not just told what to say, but he's actually seen and heard directly from God the Father because he's been with the Father forever. So what Jesus says, the Father says, “for” or “because” the Father gives Jesus the Spirit without measure. That's also meant to be a contrast with John the Baptist, or really with any prophet. It was commonly understood in the Jewish worldview that as God spoke through the prophets, God gave a measure of his Spirit to each prophet for their assigned task. Every prophet received the measure of the Spirit that was required for their assignment.Well John is saying that it's different with Jesus. He's more than a prophet. He doesn't just receive a bit of the Spirit for a one-off job, but he's been given the Spirit without limit. His job never ends. Jesus is constantly, always, revealing God to us. He's always making God known. He's always the way back to a relationship with God. And the Spirit is always with Jesus doing that work. The Spirit was doing that work when Jesus was here on this earth, and the Spirit is still doing that work today, as the message of Jesus continues to be told. One way to say it is that anywhere Jesus is made clear, the Spirit is at work. Closer Than a Copter ViewAnd that elicits a consequential response. This is verse 36. And it's really simple: Whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life; whoever does not obey him — does not believe him — the wrath of God remains on him.That's verse 36, which means we all have to make a choice about Jesus. Whenever we hear about Jesus we come to a fork in the road: will we believe him or not?Those are the only two options for us when we encounter Jesus. And this book has been written so that we encounter him. See, a lot of times in life, we can try to stay with only that helicopter view of Jesus. We kinda see him from afar, we know about him, but we don't wanna get too close to him. We don't wanna have to make a choice about him. But the Gospel of John doesn't let us do that. This book gives us closer than a helicopter view. This book brings Jesus right here in front us. John is all about making Jesus clear to us — and we should choose him. Believe him. Trust him. Questions continue.Mission complete.Jesus clear.That's what's going on in this passage, and that's what brings us to the Lord's Table.The TableWe come to this Table each week, first, because Jesus told us to — he told us to come to this table and remember his death for us. The bread represents the body of Jesus, and the cup represents his blood, and as we eat and drink this bread and cup we are saying together that Jesus is our hope. That's why this is a meal for Christians.If you're here this morning and you're not yet a Christian or if you're not sure, I'm so glad you're here and I invite you, Put your faith in Jesus! Believe him! — and I'd love to talk with you more about that. I'll hang out down here after the service as usual. Come talk to me.So for those who believe, if you trust in Jesus Christ, let's eat and drink together and give him thanks.

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (2) (audio) David Eells – 3/9/25 Lets begin with a look at the Parable of the leaders choosing positions of honor and the guests at the marriage feast in (Luk.14:7) And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, (8) When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, (9) and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. We know Jesus also spoke a parable about a king who made a marriage feast for his son, obviously pointing to the Father as the King and Himself being the Son (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24). And we know that the disciples were invited to the marriage feast in the early church, although many of the Jews refused, therefore God turned to the Gentiles and invited them (Matthew 22:3-6,9-10). Are we still invited today? Of course. We're invited to partake of the “bread and the wine,” representing the Body and Blood of Christ, which is the Nature and the Life of Jesus Christ. Paul said, (1Co.11:23) For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; (24) and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. (26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. (27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. (29) For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. (30) For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. (31) But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. So who is it that could desire the most honorable seats in this marriage feast, as we feast and partake of Jesus Christ? Well, it could be somebody who craves a position or a title that they have not earned, or who desires to partake of an ordination that has not necessarily been given them by God. The Lord is saying through this parable that you should take the more humble place and let God make a way for you. Growing up in God is to let Him “open the doors” to make a way for us. Many people love to partake of titles and position and places of authority, and far too many have been ordained of men and not of God. They've taken a position that hasn't been given them by the King of the marriage feast, and one day they may be told, “Step down; this is not your place. This is given to someone else more worthy.” (Luk.14:10) But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee. (11) For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. We really need to remember that for our own good. God will bring down anybody who is proud or arrogant, or who takes a position that's not theirs because it's been given to them by man instead of God. “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” While we are here, we have the opportunity to humble ourselves in order to be exalted of the Lord, and this is the way of prosperity and blessing in the Kingdom. We have every reason to be humble because we really can do nothing without Him. Of our own ability, we haven't much hope. We read in the previous study, (Joh.5:19) Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing… Did you know that in this text Jesus was speaking of the relationship between not only Himself and His Father, but of Himself as our Father? Isaiah calls Jesus “Everlasting Father,” howbeit the Hebrew actually says “Father of Eternity.” (Isa.9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of Peace, the Father of Eternity, the One that is placed over the government of everything by God. Jesus is the last Adam and our spiritual Father, as we can see also in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 14:13-20; Luke 8:4- 5). (Mat.13:18) Hear then ye the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. (20) And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; (21) yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. (22) And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (23) And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Jesus sowed the Seed in our heart that brings forth His fruit in us. He is our spiritual Adam, the Father of the born-again creation, of the born-again man, just as Adam was the Father of the natural creation. Now, since “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing,” that means anything we do that's contrary to what we see our spiritual Father Jesus doing, is coming from ourselves. And since the apostles are our spiritual forefathers in the faith, anything we do that's contrary to what we see them doing is coming from ourselves, too (Romans 4:11-12; Hebrews 12:9). As Paul said, (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. So notice it says, “what he seeth the Father doing.” Jesus obviously was in the Throne Room as well as on the earth. He saw the Father's Presence, and we know that's going to be true of the Man-child in our day. That's why we study the Scriptures to see what it is to be a Christian disciple, what it is to walk in the Steps of Jesus and be blessed. Jesus said, (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing… And certainly if Jesus can of Himself do nothing, if He needed the Power of the Father to do what He did, then we also can of ourselves do nothing. We, too, need the Power of God, and that lets us know that when something is done for His glory, when something is accomplished for His Kingdom, we can take no credit for it, just as Jesus here was taking no credit. (Joh.5:30) I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Only if we, too, desire God's Will in what we're doing, only if we are not driven by our own lusts or ambitions, only then can we be trusted to work for God because we will not take any credit for it. (Joh.5:31) If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. Another part of humility is that we're not to bear witness of ourselves. Who are we? Who do we have to prove ourselves to? When those apostate Pharisees came to Jesus, they wanted Him to give them a sign that He was Who He said He was, but they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear, because He had been doing those wondrous works as signs all along. Well, Jesus answered them, (Mat.16:4) An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign… He wasn't saying signs are wrong; He was saying that they were an evil and adulterous generation for wanting a sign that He was Who He said He was, when they should have very easily judged by His works. In other words, “I'm not going to give it to you.” He wasn't interested in proving Himself to such people. (Joh.5:32) It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. (Notice that if you don't bear witness of yourself, someone else will bear witness of you.) (Joh.30:36) But the witness which I have is greater than [that of] John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish (And remember, He said that He couldn't do the works of Himself.), the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (37) And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me… Jesus didn't bear witness of Himself so the Father bore witness of Him. And how did the Father bear witness of Him? It was through the works that Jesus did. We find this very important principle all through the New Testament. If we want God to bear witness through us in His signs, His wonders, His works, then we can't bear witness of ourselves. (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. Was He meaning that the people who received glory from men, didn't receive glory from God because their witness was of men and not of God? That's exactly what He's saying. They were interested in pleasing men, not God. They were interested in enjoying the esteem of men, not God. And there are many who receive glory in this life but will receive none in the next life (Matthew 6:1-6,16-21). (Joh.30:41) I receive not glory from men. (42) But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. (43) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Jesus wasn't interested in pleasing men. He saw always before His face the Father. He was here to please the Father and we also have to desire in our heart to be pleasing only unto Him, and to give glory only unto Him, so that God Himself will be a Witness of us. (Joh.30:44) How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that [cometh] from the only God ye seek not? People love to be seen of men as being prosperous, wise, and even gifted. These are manpleasers, so it's important to them to be seen of men in this way. Instead, if we love God, we will humble ourselves. We know Him and we will practice His Presence because we're interested in pleasing Him. The people that Jesus was running into here couldn't believe because their desire to receive glory from man was not permitting it. (Joh.12:42) Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: (43) for they loved the glory [that is] of men more than the glory that is of God. They believed, but they were afraid to act on it and it's the same today. When you give a witness that may be contrary to the traditions of men, manpleasers are afraid to listen, they're afraid to follow, because they're not interested in pleasing God. They're afraid of acting on that truth because they would be rejected by men. They would be looked down upon by their peers, and it's more important to them to please their peers, their religion and their pastor, than it is for them to accept Truth. You know, God makes an offer to you to accept Truth, and if you reject it, if you cast it down, He takes it back and you may not get that offer again. Many of these people did not receive that offer again. Truth was offered to them and if it wasn't important to be pleasing unto God, if it was more important to them to have the glory of man, well, then that's all they got. Jesus glorified not Himself even when a great multitude came to Him. (Joh.6:1) After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias. (2) And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. (3) And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. (4) Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. (5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? So He went from them and up into the mountain, but after a while, it appears that they came up there, too. Not many people can turn aside from the admiration or praise, or even curiosity, of the multitude. Following God is not more important to them than pleasing a multitude, but Jesus could do that and throughout His ministry, we see that He did do that. He wasn't seeking the glory of man and therefore, God glorified Him. Now let's read on because when Jesus didn't seek the glory of man, immediately afterward He fed the five thousand in one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:5) Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? (6) And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. (7) Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. (8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, (9) There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many? (10) Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (11) Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. (12) And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. (13) So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. (14) When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. God was putting that in their heart because Jesus had rejected a desire to be a man pleaser, and in the very next verse, He rejected that again. (Joh.5:15) Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. So He left the multitudes again, not seeking to be a manpleaser, not wanting to be glorified of man, not wanting to take a position that God did not want Him to take, that is, as a worldly ruler with physical authority. He wanted the spiritual Kingdom that the Father offered unto Him. The devil had offered Him the authority over the physical kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13) and now the people wanted to come and make Jesus King, but He desired nothing of that. Unfortunately, I guarantee you there are many people today who would love that, not realizing that they would do it to their own destruction because, if you receive the glory of man, you don't receive the glory of God. Since Jesus turned down the glory of man here, He glorified not Himself, notice that once again He did one of the greatest miracles of His ministry. (Joh.6:16) And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea; (17) and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. (18) And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. (19) When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. (20) But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. (21) They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going. Every time Jesus turned down the glory of man, the Father glorified Him by the works that He did. Many of God's people want to have power with God; they want to meet the needs of the brethren around them; they want to heal the sick; they want to cast out devils. They want to do the works of Jesus, and rightly so, but we're seeing here that the works of Jesus don't come through just faith, but also through humility. God sought to glorify Jesus because Jesus didn't seek to glorify Himself. He was not interested in being a manpleaser, as He said, (Joh.5:41) I receive not glory from men. And after Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the Jews asked him, (Joh.5:12) … Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up [thy bed,] and walk? (13) But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. Jesus didn't seek exposure to the crowd. He didn't seek to be known even to this man whom He had healed. Jesus was seeking to glorify the Father and not Himself, just as every minister of God, even those that are sent by God, which are the minority, will be tried in this manner to see if they will accept for themselves the glory that should go to God. If they will rob the glory of God by taking credit for what God is doing, well, then God will not glorify them. Jesus conveyed Himself away because He didn't seek the credit for what God did. He didn't seek the glory for what God did even though God did this miracle through Him. (Luk.5:12) And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (13) And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. (14) And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (And since He did not seek to be known for this work that God did, what happened?) (15) But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. (16) But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed. Jesus didn't seek the multitudes; they sought Him. And because He didn't seek to be known of them nor to gain credit of them nor to take a position over them, we see once again, God glorified Him. God moved in the heart of the people and they sought Him. This is an important point for us to understand. The Lord is our Example and we are His disciples, His “learners and followers.” It's important for us to know what it is to walk pleasing unto the Father because we need the power of the Father, His grace, His mercy. Humility brings the glory of the Father. Let's look at another example in (Mar.1:23) And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, (24) saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. (25) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, (Here He is being glorified even of the demons and He wouldn't permit it. They were speaking out and glorifying Him, saying Who He was, yet He wouldn't permit it.) and come out of him.  (26) And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. (27) And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. (28) And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. Jesus sought not to glorify Himself. He sought not to take full advantage of the situation, and because He didn't, just the opposite happened. Because He was found trustworthy that He would not rob the glory of God, God turned it around and glorified Him. Also in the same book, we read, (Mar.5:18) And as he (This is Jesus.) was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with demons besought him that he might be with him. (19) And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee. (Some people think that Jesus is talking about Himself, but He was talking about the Father.) (20) And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men marvelled. Jesus didn't seek His Own glory. Jesus sought earnestly to give all the glory to God, and because He did that, God gave it to Jesus instead. As disciples of Jesus, we have the same opportunity to always give God the glory. We don't want to rob God, even in things that we might consider to be insignificant. Jesus said to the Jews, (Joh.8:50) But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. He was humble, therefore the Father sought to glorify Him and as we saw, one way the Father did that was through the works that Jesus did. Many are seeking to do the works of Jesus because they see the need around them, and if they are walking in humility, then God gives them grace to have faith, because these people are the ones that God can trust with power and authority. They will not steal and rob the glory of God; they will not puff themselves up until they stumble and fall. (Joh.54) Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing (Now, you can glorify yourself and, in the earth, your glory wouldn't be nothing, but Jesus is saying that if He glorified Himself, His glory in the Kingdom would be nothing.): it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. Once again, we see that we have to be very, very careful not to take credit for something that we're not capable of doing. Of ourselves, we can do nothing. Instead, we give all the glory to God and seek to avoid the limelight, not taking a position that we shouldn't take. (2Co.10:17) But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Always! Paul also tells us, (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. (Therefore, we have nothing to glory about because we are weak and He is strong.) Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Notice that the power of Christ will rest upon the person who glories in their weaknesses, their inability, their lack of power. God will glorify those persons who will claim no credit, who will not glorify themselves, who will not lift themselves up to take a position that's not theirs. These are the people that God will glorify with “the power of Christ.” (2Co.10:18) For not he that commendeth himself is approved (Approved of Whom? Approved of God.), but whom the Lord commendeth. Those who commend themselves obviously don't receive the glory or the commendation of God. Instead, they get only the commendation and glory of men, and if we receive it here on this earth, that's all the reward we're going to get. (Pro.27:1) Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. We think that we have control over tomorrow. We often say, “we'll do this,” or, “we'll do that; “we'll go here,” or, “we'll go there,” but God said all of our plans are evil. (Jas.4:13) Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: (14) whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. (16) But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. We have no authority to make plans for our future. We need to say, “If the Lord wills.” We need to give glory to God because (Act.17:28) … in him we live, and move, and have our being… Our very breath comes from Him and if He doesn't give it to us tomorrow, we won't be here tomorrow (Job 12:10,33:4; Daniel 5:23). He is the One Who makes it possible for us to do anything. We can do nothing without Him, as Jesus said in (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. It is sin to brag about what we're going to do with this life. It doesn't belong to us; it's been bought with the Blood of the Lamb. (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth… We don't have any room for bragging. We glory in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon us. We glory in our inability. We glory in those situations where we can't save ourselves and only God can do it. If you want God to save you, then glory in your weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon you. If you want God to save you, if you want His power, then brag about your inability and His power because, if anyone glories, “let him glory in the Lord.” (Pro.27:2) Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips. That's good advice since, once again, you're being humble before the Lord and you're not accepting any glory, so the Father Himself is the One that will glorify you. (Pro.25:27) It is not good to eat much honey: So for men to search out their own glory is grievous. A similar verse says, (Pro.25:16) Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. These are talking about something that's sweet to the flesh, and something that's sweet to the flesh is receiving glory, but to search out your own glory is bitter because in the end, it leads only to suffering and sorrow. (Pro.30:32) If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth. If we want the Lord's grace, if we want His faith, if we want His power, if we want Him to manifest His works through us, we need to be careful what we say before Him. (Mar.10:35) And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. (36) And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? (37) And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. (38) But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? (I would say that is the cup of suffering.) or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Baptism is for death, so in other words, “Are you able to go to death?” And what is “death”? Is it not to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus? Is it not to deny self the ability to glory or take any credit for what God does? (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. They were very self-confident, weren't they? Remember that Peter was the same way. He told Jesus, (Mat.26:35) … Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. However, Peter really didn't know what was in him, did he? And James and John didn't know what was in them, either. “We are able.” Now we know God did make them able because they did go to their cross, but they were young and impetuous here and didn't understand exactly what all this entailed. (Mar.10:39) And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: (40) but to sit on my right hand or on [my] left hand is not mine to give; but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared. (41) And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. James and John were trying to get ahead of the flock, trying to get some special attention, a special privilege from Jesus here that they hadn't yet earned. Now it's obvious that there are some people who will sit on the Lord's left and right, and it is given to them of the Father because they have borne their baptism, they have borne their cross, they have drunk the cup that Jesus drank. (Mar.10:42) And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. (43) But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (The word there is diákonos, and it just means “servant.”); (44) and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. (So the more people you serve, the better.) (45) For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. A “ransom” is a price that's paid to set somebody free from bondage. Does this mean that the Lord expects us to give up our life in order to be used of Him to set many free from bondage? Yes. Just as Jesus came to be a Ransom for many, each of us, also, if we give up our life, is able to be used of Him to bring many out of bondage and into the Kingdom of God. The Bible tells us to (Php.2:5) Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. He came, He laid aside all of His omnipotence and made Himself poor, that we through His poverty might become rich in the ways of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 8:9), and He expects us to walk in His Steps. Let's look at one example that particularly points out the humility of Jesus and how He commanded His disciples to walk in that humility. (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. (2) And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's [son,] to betray him, (3) [Jesus,] knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God, (4) riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. (5) Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciple's feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. What do you think this foot washing represents? There's nothing wrong with a physical foot washing. It's a humble thing to do, and especially so in Biblical times because the way they traveled meant their feet got very dirty. Well, there's a spiritual type and shadow there, because as we “walk” in this world, it's very likely that our “feet” get dirty with this world. “Sanctification” is “the process of being separated from the world,” and we want to be a part of that separating process for all of our brethren, for everybody that comes in contact with us. That's what Jesus was pointing out here. Again, I'm not denying the physical ceremony of the foot washing, which is good, but we need to understand the spiritual type and shadow here. The Lord put off His clothes and He girded Himself with a towel. We all are putting off our “clothing”; we're putting off the old man and the old life, and we're putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, representing His righteousness and His righteous works (Romans 13:14). (Joh.13:6) So he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter. (8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Now that's not just a physical foot washing here. This is something spiritual and much more important. If the Lord doesn't wash us, of course we have nothing to do with Him and He has nothing to do with us. We have to be washed by the water of the Word, as Paul called it (Ephesians 5:26-27). And we especially need the dirt washed off our feet because our walk with God has to be a clean walk. We need to be separated from the world, and we also have a part in helping our brethren to walk in this way. (Joh.13:9) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. In other words, if you wash your feet, you're clean all over. If you have a clean walk with the Lord, the reason for that is that your heart is right before Him so you're clean everywhere else, too. (11) For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. Evil people can't walk a clean walk before the Lord. Righteous people can walk a clean walk because of what's inside them. (Joh.13:12) So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? (13) Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (As the Lord, Who is the mighty King Who has come down out of heaven and has stooped to be our Servant, we also need to be servants to each other.) (15) For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. We have to humble ourselves. If the Lord of glory humbled Himself, and He gave us an example, then we have to humble ourselves. We have to be useful in the sanctification of our brothers and sisters, but we're only able to be used of the Lord as we become righteous. That towel represented His righteousness; He dried their feet with His Own righteousness and we're able to be used of the Lord the same way. (Joh.13:16) Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. (17) If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. (18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. (19) From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he]. The greatest is the servant of all, but all will not become servants of the brethren because they serve themselves. They seek their own glory, therefore God can't seek to glorify them. A person who seeks their own glory cannot be trusted with God's glory. They cannot be trusted. They would squander it on the world, on self, and glorify self. It would be very destructive to them for God to do this. Now, does God do this with some people? Yes, however, they won't ultimately have a position with God in the Kingdom. There are people who have received gifts of God, but then they continue to seek their own glory. Does God take the gift back? No, He doesn't necessarily even take the gift back. He uses them. For example, they may be used in healing but they themselves may never see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus warned us, (Mat.7:22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. God can use us down here as a vessel, yet it won't be for our good; it will be for the good of others around us. If we lift ourselves up, we won't be in God's Kingdom. We won't be acceptable unto Him. And so we see here that Jesus humbled Himself in order to wash the disciples' feet. Our Lord wants us to walk in His Steps. He is our Example, therefore we also need to be very humble servants of God for the health and sake of the brethren. We've learned too much from Babylonish Christianity that we need to be washed of, and we see far too many examples of men who have lifted themselves up. They've made themselves a kingdom here and live in very high circumstances, with luxurious homes and grossly overpaid positions. They have chosen to be kings over their Lord's heritage, and at the end, they're not going to have anything. God knows His servants. (1Sam.16:7) But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. God doesn't see as man sees. He knows who are humble towards Him. He knows who are sacrificing themselves. He knows who are trying to avoid taking any glory from Him. He knows them and He will glorify them. He will not only glorify them in this life, He will glorify them in the next life. Some of the most famous Christians down here will not be famous in the Kingdom of Heaven because they have stolen, robbed, the glory of God, and God cannot permit that. Some of the people who have never been known down here, are never known because they don't seek to be known. Some of these people are going to be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Isa.55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Some of the most humble people here, “humble” meaning not interested in glorifying themselves, not interested in lifting themselves up, are going to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, and they are great in the Kingdom of Heaven, as far as God is concerned. Jesus sought a simple life. He sought not to have and do the things that men thought were great. He didn't mind speaking Truth, even if it offended the high and the mighty. He didn't mind leaving the multitudes behind in order to go seek fellowship with the Father (Matthew 14:13; Luke 4:42; Mark 1:35; etc.) We need to emulate Him. Jesus had such a desire to meet the needs of the people, that in some cases, He was working night and day (Matthew 8:24- 25,13:2; Mark 3:9; etc.) Jesus said, (Mat.8:20) … The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. He didn't have any time for Himself and I believe that God has some servants down here who are doing the same thing. They see the need, they're moved with compassion, and they go to meet the need, but not for the glory of man. Jesus wasn't doing it for the glory of man because He didn't mind leaving the multitudes and going up into the mountains to pray. He's our Example, and as the Bible tells us, (1Jn.2:5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Now I have a couple of revelations to share with you.     The Glorious Bride's Fruit B.A.- 01/30/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] The second dream (below) occurred the night after this one; they show the glorious Bride and God's work to raise the Church. I had a neat dream last night. I dreamed that I was translated into UBM's Friday night Bible study. (After the Bride is manifested, she will be seen in many places where the unleavened Word is shared among the disciples of the David Man-child reformers, just as John the Baptist saw the Bride among the disciples of Jesus, the Son of David.) (2Ti.2:15 Give diligence (“study”) to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.) I dreamed that as I was translated into the back of the assembly, I walked up and sat down in the row directly behind everyone. (The last shall be first.) (The Bride who puts themselves last and others first will be first. The Bride who puts themselves last and the Lord and His Word first will be first.) Brother David was in front of the assembly (in a blue polo-like shirt with stripes and blue jeans). (The stripes represent that the Man-child/Davids will have taken the persecution [for the body's sake]. Blue represents walking in grace or heavenly places.) He saw me come in and take my seat. He looked at me with great interest, but he never stopped talking. People began to turn around and look at me, one at a time. They didn't stare at me; they just looked and turned back around. (Son.6:10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Terrible as an army with banners? This is the Bride. 13 Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?) (You will notice that the Bride is not any local assembly but wherever the Davids are teaching, they will be among the disciples, as it was with Jesus, according to John, who said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom”. This shows us that the Bride will know the voice of the groom in the Man-child/Davids. There are local bodies that the Lord is choosing to purge of unfruitful people as a good foundation for more saints to come.) When the service was over, I stood up and instantly I was gone. (The Bride will take the Davids' teachings throughout the earth; much translation will happen among them.) In the dream, after I was gone, I heard Brother David say to the assembly, “Did you all see that woman who came in and sat in the back? Did you notice that she was surrounded in light?” Some people spoke up and said, “Yes, we did”. (The glorious Bride will be an example to those who come after her, having departed from transgression by the Lord's redemption. Isa.59:20 And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah. 21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my Spirit that is upon thee (the Bride), and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth (the Bride will speak and obey the Word), nor out of the mouth of thy seed (the Bride's spiritual children), nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed (and their children), saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah had much to prophesy concerning Zion, the Bride, and the effect of the glorious light of God's Word manifested in her by the Spirit of God, bringing great revival. Isa.60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. The children of the Bride will come to the light in the Bride from all over the world.) 14 And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet (The apostates will be humbled under the Davids and the Bride); and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations... 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders (the Beast persecutors among God's people will have no authority there); but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation (to enter the Bride, Jerusalem, will be to manifest the salvation that many only have by faith), and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time. (Great fruit will come from the glorious Bride.) The Man-child's ministry to the Bride and Church is in the next chapter. Isa.61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. Isa.62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah (meaning “my delight is in her”), and thy land Beulah (meaning “married”); for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.     Bride Saves the Apostate Church from Enemies B.A.- 01/31/2014 Notes: [David | Deb] I dreamed that I was in Tennessee for a visit. I was hungry, so I stopped at a fast-food restaurant to get something to eat. (It's “fast food” because time is running out. The Israelites were told to eat their Passover quickly before leaving Egypt. Exo.12:11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.) As I was getting out of the car, I noticed an elderly woman walking slowly with a cane. (This is the old order, mother Church. They have been with the Lord for many years but too crippled by false teachings to walk in the Spirit.) (The Lord promises them restoration: Zec.8:4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.) I happened to look up ahead toward the door and I noticed that there was about a four- or five-inch curb. (Four is the Word and it brings tribulation to the carnal man, but five is grace given to us that brings us through the tribulation of our life.) The curb was in front of the door. (Joh.10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. “Pasture” is food.) I knew that this elderly woman might have some difficulty trying to step up from the curb of the parking lot and onto the sidewalk by the door. (6:54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. It's a “sidewalk” because it's beside the shepherds' tents. Sol.1:8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.) I walked up to her and asked her if I could help her and she was happy for my offer of help. (Much trouble is coming to the old order because they have not yet understood that the promises of God are there to deliver them.) She had noticed the tall curb as well and was wondering if she would be able to make that step up from the curb. (They don't have the real Gospel which empowers them to manifest salvation in all things. 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... The Bride will be there to help them with understanding and the Word will be confirmed with signs and wonders following.) So I helped her inside the restaurant and to a table.  (Eze.34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and on the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Israel.) She introduced herself to me and told me her name was Mabel (Her name is of uncertain derivation, but from the Spanish or Italian, it means both “beautiful” and “soft, tender”, some say loving, lovable”.) and I told her my name. (Many in the old order Church are innocent and the true Gospel will bring life in them. They are walking in the light that they have, like God says in Rom.14:4 He shall be made to stand for the Lord hath power to make him stand.) (Humility and innocence are valuable to the Lord. 1Pe.3:4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.) I took her order and went up to the counter and got our food and brought it back to the table. She offered me $10 to pay for her food. (Ten is the number of the law and the old order is used to paying for everything and not receiving freely by grace.) I told her it was a blessing for me to bless her. (Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give”.) I told her it would be a pleasure for me to sit and have my meal with her. She was so happy to have my company. She told me she was waiting for her daughter, Jean, who was always very late. (In the natural, we are told to “let your yes be yes and your no be no”, and this is true for those who are truthful but not for liars. As far as the spiritual gifts of God, they will also be late for what the Lord has for them.) (Rom.13:11 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. ... Mat.25:10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. Rev.3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.) We had such a wonderful time. Mabel told me that she was a widow. (Our first husband is Satan, for we are submitted to him and we have ears for him. When he is dead to us, we are ready for the Lord.) She was meeting her daughter at the restaurant to discuss the possibility of her going into an assisted living home, as she was getting too old to live by herself. (Instead of being a minister of God's grace, the children turn to the ways of the world and rarely repay the kindness owed to their mentors.) I saw Mabel look toward the door, so I turned around and I saw a woman who appeared to be in her mid-60s (Mid-60s means lukewarm, midway between 60, the Gematria for “world”, and 70 identifies the number of disciples that were sent by Jesus and Moses.) She came through the door and walked toward us. She looked at me with disapproval on her face, then over to her mother. I stood up and introduced myself to her, but she wasn't very receptive to me. Just then, Mabel spoke up and told her daughter, Jean, how I had helped her. Jean then looked back at me and said, “I'm here now, so you can leave”. (The factious have always hated the Bride and consider themselves superior to them. They have lusted for a position over the church but don't have the fruit or gift from God to take care of her.) I reached down and picked up my purse and said goodbye to Mabel and left the restaurant. As I walked across the parking lot to my car, I prayed in the spirit for Mabel and her daughter, Jean. (The Bride is gracious and prays for the old order Christians and the factious.) As I got into my car, I had an open vision. I could see Mabel and Jean inside the restaurant. I saw Jean sit down where I had been sitting across from Mabel (seeking to usurp the position of the Bride). I watched as Jean began to scold her mother for “taking up” with strangers (in Proverbs, the stranger is the Harlot), and she began saying very unkind things about me. Jean said to her mother, “Can't you tell by the way people are dressed, Mother, that you should not associate with them?” (Slanderers of the Bride are now making themselves known to the Church.) Then it was Mabel's turn to speak. She said, “First of all, that kind woman helped me into the restaurant (helped her to find spiritual food). I'm sure she had other things to do, like you do, but she took the time to help me. Then, she went the extra mile”. (The Bride sacrifices for the Church. The factious sacrifice the Church to their own ego.) She asked me what I would like to eat and she went and got it and brought it back to me. (Job.23:12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Joh.6:56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.) She would not accept any money from me, unlike what you do. (They make merchandise of the people and do nothing freely.) (Act.8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.) And as for the way she was dressed, her clothing was of much more value than yours. (Rom.13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts [thereof]. Rev.19:8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.) Just then, Jean spoke up and said, “Oh, I really don't think so, Mother”, in a very prideful tone of voice. (Pro.16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.) Mabel said, “Oh, yes, she is wearing 'clothes of righteousness' and you are wearing clothes of wickedness!” (Isa.59:5 They hatch adders eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. 6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace.) “She was nothing but kind to me and she treated me as if I were her own mother. I don't understand how you can judge her like that before you know any of the facts!” (They distort and lie about every fact.) Just then, Mabel got up from the table and started heading toward the door. (1Co.5:11 But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.) (Tit.3:10 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.) Her daughter said, “Mother, just where do you think you are going?” Mabel replied, “I'm going home and you can't stop me”. Her daughter said, “But we haven't had our discussion yet about your 'assisted' living arrangement”. Mabel replied, “I've decided that I no longer need any assistance”. (Association with the Bride will bring the old order church out from under the curse that faction and unforgiveness have put on them. Nursing homes are full of them.) As Mabel got to the door, her daughter called out, “Well, Mother, at least come back and get your cane”. Mabel turned around and looked at her daughter and said, “Nope. It appears, Jean, that I don't seem to need it anymore. (Out from under the crutches of religion and free to walk in the Spirit above the curse.) Why don't you just keep it?” (This is exactly the curse on the factious.) And Mabel got into her car and drove off. (Isa.10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.) Then I saw Brother David and a few others sitting in a booth several feet away and they had witnessed the entire thing. (Mat.18:16 But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. 2Co.13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word established.) (We are witnesses of this atrocity against the Bride and Church. God Himself, by these dreams, is witnessing against these atrocities against His people.)

Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21"We're freezing!" Cyrus announced as he and his brothers burst through the door. "The three of you are covered in slush!" said Mom."Did you see the snowman we made?" Elim asked. "Ranny wanted to eat the carrot nose, but we wouldn't let him. We had to come inside early because he's hungry again." Elim grinned at his two-year-old brother. "Snack?" Ransom squeaked.Mom handed the boys bowls of apple slices. "The bath is ready! I'll wash Ranny first."After snacks and baths, Mom hauled a bag to the living room. "What's in there?" Cyrus asked. "Open it and see." Mom winked. "Robes!" Elim yelled. The boys wiggled into their cozy robes, then handed Mom hers and Ransom's. "I love robe season," said Elim. "I was just reading about robes during Bible time!" Cyrus pulled his Bible off the couch and opened it to the bookmarked page. "It's from Isaiah 61, verse 10: 'I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.'" "What does righteousness mean again?" Elim asked. "It means being right with God and free from guilt in His eyes," Mom answered. "Remember what people had to do in the Old Testament to be righteous before God?" "Make sacrifices," Elim responded solemnly. "But it wasn't good enough! All the good things we do are like filthy rags compared to God's goodness." Cyrus picked up his soaked-through dirty sock with a wrinkled nose. "Then God sent Jesus to die for us! He sacrificed His own Son to save us. So, that verse in Isaiah I read was talking about God's promise to be fulfilled in Jesus," Cyrus mused. "Exactly." Mom nodded. "Since Jesus is perfect, He became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. When we put our trust in Him, He takes our sins away and covers us with His robe of righteousness. What do we become in Jesus?" "A new creation." Elim flapped his robe sleeves. "Ranny needs his robe, Mom!" Mom laughed as Ransom started running around the living room in circles. "The first one who catches him gets to put his robe on him!" –Savannah Coleman How About You?Has Jesus covered you in His robe of righteousness? The Bible says that all the things we do to try to make ourselves good in God's eyes are like filthy rags. The only way we can become righteous is through Jesus. When we trust in Him, God no longer sees our sins when He looks at us, but the perfect sacrifice of His Son. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)Today's Key Verse:God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV) (2 Corinthians 5:21)Today's Key Thought:Jesus clothes us in robes of righteousness

February 23, 2025. Week 8 in our series, Ephesians: "Since Jesus is Our King" in the book of Ephesians.

Since Jesus is coming at an unexpected time, how can we prepare for the coming Day of the LORD?

What does it mean to be dead to sin but alive to God? In Romans 6:1-14 Paul explains how Christians are united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; and how the result of that is newness of life. Since Jesus has given freedom from sin, let us not continue to walk in that manner, but rather present ourselves as instruments for righteousness.

Join us this week as Caleb teaches about Jesus being God and his divine nature.Some discussion questions this week include:Why is it significant that Jesus is God?Why is it important that Jesus has always been God?How do these impact what Jesus can do?Why is it significant that Jesus is called God's "Beloved Son"?How does the image of Jesus as God's "Beloved Son" influence how you view Jesus and our Triune God?Since Jesus has all the attributes of God, how does this impact how we should pray to, follow, and obey him?

The world sees the devil as a red cartoon character with horns and a pitchfork encouraging people to do the wrong, but very appealing thing. The Bible describes a being far more sinister and destructive. We must know the enemy of our souls if we are to resist his plan to steal, kill, and destroy. *** Welcome to Women World Leaders podcast. I'm your host, Julie Harwick. Thank you for joining me today as we celebrate God's grace in our lives, in this ministry and around the world. Last month, in the flurry of new Christmas movies, one in particular caught my attention.  “Dear Santa,” starring Jack Black, featured a clever premise of a dyslexic middle schooler intending to send a letter to Santa, but mixing up the letters and instead sending his Christmas wish list to Satan.  While I can see the humor in mixing up the letters in the names of two polar opposite characters, that's where the humor ends for me.   Leave it to the Prince of Darkness to use the celebration of Jesus' birth as an occasion to sell the deception that he's a harmless, fun-loving prankster who can ensure you have a great life here and now…if not in the hereafter.  I didn't watch the movie, but I read about it enough to learn that Jack Black's character is only masquerading as Satan, and is instead a failed demon, trying to regain Lucifer's favor by getting the 6th grader to sell his soul in exchange for three granted wishes.  According to plot descriptions, the movie portrays Satan himself in an unfavorable light, but apparently Jack Black's demon is compassionate, funny, and a good guy at heart.  It's not hard to see where the inspiration for this movie came from – the father of lies himself. A Gallup poll from 2023 revealed that of five spiritual entities: God, angels, heaven, hell, and the devil, the fewest believed in Satan. Only 58% of those polled said they believe he actually exists. It's likely that when they were questioned, their minds conjured up the red, pitchfork-wielding, horned character usually seen at Halloween parties and on cans of deviled ham.  I can understand why people don't believe in that, and Satan has worked hard to associate that image with his name.  Who's afraid, or even concerned about a fantastical being who's half human and half goat with a spear-like tail and villainous facial hair? In that old trope of an angel sitting on one shoulder and a devil on the other, the devil is always the most appealing of the two.  Using shame or fear, the angel reminds us of what we should do, while the cute little devil on the other shoulder encourages us to indulge and have a good time. The Bible has a lot to say about Satan and paints a far different picture from the images most people are familiar with.  So, who is Satan and where did he come from?  From passages in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 we learn that he was a being created by God to be a perfect reflection of His glory. His original name was Lucifer, meaning one who brings light. Ezekiel refers to him as a guardian cherub and says he was blameless from the day he was created until unrighteousness was found in him.  Verse 17 of Ezekiel 28 explains, “Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.”  Isaiah gives even more insight in chapter 14, saying, “ How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth. You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will make myself like the Most High.” Here is where sin began.  And as it has always been and always will be, it is rooted in pride…the desire to be God.  I think this occasion was also the root of the saying, “misery loves company.”  Once Satan realized his plan to be equal with God had failed and consequences would follow, he sought to bring others down with him.  Revelation makes reference to this event adding that Satan managed to take a third of the angels in heaven with him, condemned to become fallen angels or demons who would share his mission to deceive as many souls as possible into believing that they too could be God. Not satisfied with only demonic companions, he disguised himself as a serpent and persuaded Eve to become the first human victim of his diabolical plot. So, now that we know Lucifer became Satan because he wanted to be God, how does he compare to God? While God is self-existent, that's what the name Jehovah means, with no beginning and no end, Satan clearly had a beginning and will also have an end. Another of God's characteristics is that He is omniscient, or all-knowing.  Many people have mistakenly believed that Satan also has that ability, but he does not.  He is, however, an excellent student of human behavior and he's had thousands of years to perfect his ability to recognize and capitalize on their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. He's so skilled at it, he can seem as if he's reading our minds, but he can't.  God also has the power to be everywhere all at once, or omnipresent.  That's a hard concept to wrap our human minds around, but I'm very glad He has that ability. Satan, on the other hand, does not.  Because of his well-organized demonic forces, it can seem like he's active everywhere all at once, but he himself, does not have that ability.  God has given Satan tremendous latitude to operate with his demons on planet earth. Jesus Himself referred to Satan as the ruler of this world and Paul called him “the god of this age and the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” He is a supernatural being with supernatural powers, but he is still subject to God's authority.  The first chapter of Job makes this clear.  God has taken the opportunity to point out what a great guy Job is while Satan is within earshot.  Also known as the accuser, Satan loses no time in suggesting that Job only lives to please God because he's been given everything a man could want.  He insists that some suffering and loss would take him down and make him as unconcerned with the things of God as any other man.  God demonstrates His confidence in Job by allowing Satan to do whatever he likes to Job apart from taking his life.  The devil could only do what God allowed and had to remain within the limits He set. The rest of the book details all of the horrible ways Satan tried to get Job to curse God, but instead, his faith remained firm, and he came to a much deeper knowledge of his creator.  Satan's plan backfired and in the end, Job was rewarded with even more than he had in the first place. As we consider all the things Satan can and cannot do, we would be wise to examine how Jesus dealt with him.  It's interesting to note that once Jesus had publicly been acknowledged as the Son of God and was about to begin His earthly ministry, He went into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by Satan.  Scripture tells us that there is no temptation we face that Jesus has not already faced and overcome.  The account of His temptation in the wilderness serves as a template we can use in dealing with our greatest enemy.  Satan has a limited bag of tricks to work with, but he's quite adept at recognizing and taking advantage of our individual weaknesses.  Since Jesus was fasting during His forty days in the desert, Satan first thought to appeal to His hunger and entice Him to meet His own physical needs by using His divine power to turn stones into bread. When that failed to move Him, the devil appealed to His emotional needs to know that God loved Him and have His divinity confirmed in a visible way.  He suggested that Jesus throw Himself from a great height to the ground and test the scriptural promise that God would send angels to prevent Him from being hurt. In a last-ditch effort, Satan offered to give up his authority over all earthly realms and make Jesus ruler of the world if only He would bow down and worship him.  In every temptation, Jesus didn't debate or negotiate with Satan, He simply quoted the scripture that addressed the root of the temptation.  Ironically, Satan used scripture as well. Naturally, it was out of context and somewhat twisted to serve his purpose.  Because Jesus knew the scriptures thoroughly, He was able to see through Satan's deception and have the perfect response to every temptation. The devil's entire identity is rooted in deception.  In John 8, Jesus described him as “a murderer from the beginning who does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” In modern-day vernacular, you might say, “you'll know he's lying if his lips are moving.”  If deception is Satan's primary weapon, then truth is our best defense and the account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness shows us that the truth that will defend us comes only from the Word of God. Ephesians 6 describes the spiritual armor God has provided for us as believers.  We have a helmet of salvation, a breastplate of righteousness, a belt of truth, feet shod with the gospel of peace and a shield of faith.  These are all meant to protect us from Satan's attacks, but we have only one offensive weapon to drive him away because it's all we need: the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And like any good soldier, we must have our swords ready at all times so we're always prepared for a fight.  We can't wait until we're under attack to go looking for our sword.  That means we need to be constantly in God's word, studying and memorizing so that the truths we need to defeat the devil will be at our disposal when we need them most.   If you don't feel you know God's word very well, a good place to start would be to look up verses that are relevant to your particular areas of struggle.  Do you find yourself questioning your salvation and whether or not God could really love you?  Meditate on and memorize John 10:28 which says, “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hands.”  Are you plagued by anxiety and negative thinking?   Philippians 4: 4-8 will remind you of the steps to overcome anxiety and thoughts you should be dwelling on.   When fear threatens to overwhelm you or you're being asked to do something you feel is beyond your capability remember how God enabled David to face a giant no professional soldier was willing to fight, with just a sling and a stone.  Everything you need to resist temptation and send Satan packing is in God's word. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  Peter chose the lion metaphor for multiple reasons.  There are many big cats that prey on other wildlife, but no other is known for its' terrifying roar.  Lions rely on their roar to intimidate and panic their prey, making them more vulnerable. Satan also finds a way of making his voice loud and forceful in our minds, making us question every truth. Sometimes a lion's roar is only that.  Experts say running from a lion is the worst thing you can do.  Your chances are better to stand firm, face it and roar or shout back.  Lions also use the tactic of going after the weak, the young, those who are injured or have been separated from the safety of the herd.  Similarly, Satan delights in attacking immature believers, those who are going through painful trials and any who have separated themselves from the support and accountability of fellow believers.  A wounded lion is even more dangerous because his pain drives him to lash out and inflict as much or more pain on his victim.  Satan is a wounded lion who received a mortal injury when the stone was rolled away from the tomb that first Easter morning.  Jesus' triumph over death and sin sealed Satan's fate and marked the beginning of his end.  Colossians 2: 13-15 says, “When you were dead in your sins, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having canceled our legal indebtedness which condemned us. He has taken it away and nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”  Imagine…the debt of sin that served as our death warrant has been pardoned and nailed to the cross for all to see.  Satan is a powerful adversary who should be taken seriously.  But the only real power he ever had over us was the power of sin which has been nullified by Christ's triumph over sin and death.  When we walk in that truth and brandish the sword of the Spirit which is God's word,  that roaring lion becomes nothing more than a frightened alley cat.   Thanks for listening to Women World Leaders podcast!  Join us each week as we explore together God's extravagant love and your courageous purpose.  Visit our website at www.womenworldleaders.com to submit a prayer request, register for an upcoming event, and support the ministry.  From His heart to yours, we are Women World Leaders .  All content is copyrighted by Women World Leaders and cannot be used without written consent.    

Welcome to Day 2546 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Born Again...and Again and Again – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2546 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2546 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-ninth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God's redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it's also a book that seems strange to us. While God's Word was written for us, it wasn't written to us. Today's lesson is: “Born Again…and Again and Again.” Was Jesus open to the idea of reincarnation? The question may seem odd, but it's one that many people, even biblical scholars, contend has a positive answer.- The idea comes from a passage you've likely read dozens of times. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but in order that the works of God might be made manifest in him (he was born blind). We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:1-4). Notice the disciples' question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Many presume the question indicates that the disciples believed the man born blind really could have sinned before he was born, and that his pre-birth sins caused his congenital blindness. This presumption is followed by another: that Jesus' answer wasn't a categorical denial. Since Jesus doesn't come out and say, “What a silly idea, don't be ridiculous!” Some have argued that His response means that in this case the man born blind didn't sin in a previous life, but perhaps that could have happened in another case. Could this interpretation be correct? Reincarnation is the belief that the soul migrates from one body to another, different body, in a long (possibly endless) succession. The idea of the “migration of the soul” cannot be found in the Bible, or in other Jewish writers of antiquity,- which indicates the disciples were likely presuming something different: People can do good and evil while still in the womb. Paul addresses this misconception in Romans 9:9-13 when dealing with the case of Jacob and Esau. Even if a pre-born person could sin in the womb, this does not involve the migration of a soul. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”...

In this episode of The Crosswalk Devotional, we reflect on the profound truth that Jesus is the one who holds all things together. In a world often filled with chaos and uncertainty, it’s comforting to know that Christ is our anchor and source of stability. We’ll explore scriptural insights that highlight His sovereignty, the importance of relying on Him in every aspect of our lives, and how His presence can bring peace amidst turmoil. Join us as we discuss the ways Jesus binds our lives, relationships, and purpose together, encouraging one another to trust in His steadfast love. Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear from you! In what areas of your life have you experienced Jesus holding things together for you? Share your stories with us on social media @LifeaudioNetwork or via email. How has your faith in Him provided stability during challenging times?

Welcome to Season Six: Restoring the Lost Art of Being Family. This first episode of the new year is dedicated to the letter T in The Curated Life episode. In it, we discover what love has to do with tension, transformation, and trust. Have you ever played with the nuances of a new life in Christ? Ask yourselves: If the kingdom of God is at hand, what's really changed? If the law is love now, what's different?  Since Jesus finished the work and made me righteous, how can I let that truth change my relationship with myself? How does that change my relationship with God and you?  The design for our human stories works with the law but isn't powered by it. Sometimes, in legalistic families, we get distracted and never discover our God-given identity. In homes that don't believe the government is on God's shoulders, we don't find our unique purpose in the world either. We may spend our lives doing many good things without experiencing the fulfillment we're created to enjoy in an economy of love. Linger in these takeaways and share this episode with a friend: In this world, we will have tension. Everything is not yet the way it's supposed to be - and we will add the power of love or the power of fear to the places in our stories where life feels out of control. Fear is an inflammatory response. Love is an anti-inflammatory. Transformation doesn't happen the way conformity does. We've spent a long time learning to conform to the law and missing out on the transformation love offers. We don't have to keep putting new wine in old wineskins—especially not at home. When we add love to our experiences of tension, we begin to notice new changes that look more like transformation than conformity. This is the power of an environment of trust. Trust is the soil that offers the air of safety. Safety to fail - and recover without shame, so we can help the people who trust us recover without shame, too.  Visit john15academy.com and sign up for THE CURATED LIFE newsletter. This year, it arrives only once a month, but it will point you to blog posts you might have missed about how you can restore the lost art of family in your own home. You'll be the first to hear the big news when the Restoring the Lost Art of Being family Manifesto Janet is writing is published, and you can download it for free. And, you'll be the first to get the news about a new e-book coming soon, news about a curriculum we're writing for churches who want to help restore the lost art of being family in their communities, find out where Janet is speaking this year, or connect with her about speaking to your church or community. Please join us on this mission. We can't restore the lost art of being family by working in isolation. That would be the old way, not the way of flourishing in an economy of love. We are a donor-supported podcast and a community-supported non-profit. We'd be delighted for you to join our financial support team. Together, there is great hope.

January 13, 2025 Today's Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1)In the Name of Jesus. Amen. With Scripture, context is important. This glorious passage in Isaiah is on the heels of God's rebuke of His people for their failure to hear and see. Isaiah, like all the prophets, labors to bring Israel to repentance. He would preach a stern law in hopes people would see their sin, repent, and live. Read Isaiah, and you'll find there's no mistaking God's threats and punishments for Israel's deaf ear. Still, God's mercy, love, and promises never disappear, as Isaiah reminds God's wayward children of the LORD Who has created and redeemed them. The words “fear not” are Words of peace from the God reminding Israel, “I am the LORD our God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.” Don't be afraid; you're in the hands of God as His child, His redeemed child brought from death to life, living by faith in He Who promises to take you through the fire. Verse 2 is clear: the fires will come. It's not “if” but “when.” For Israel, exile is imminent for the impenitent nation, though God promises to be “their Savior.” He never abandons His promises in times of suffering and grief.In a fallen creation, suffering and grief are never distant. Many and various temptations besiege God's people. A popular one now is despairing over an undesirable body. This powerful temptation assails many people who look at themselves and long to be something different when it's God who forms and creates. The physical body, however “imperfect” it seems, is God's Gift and work. Sin wrecks all flesh, to be sure, as everyone ages and decays. However, we should thank God for the bodies we have while hearing His promise: “I have redeemed you.” You have been redeemed, purchased, and paid for in full by the blood of God's own Son. He calls you by Name, a Name put upon you in Holy Baptism at those words “in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” You live under the God Who reigns in the heavens and has the hairs on your head numbered. At the resurrection of the body when the Lord Jesus returns, there will be no discontent over who we are. God says it now: “You are mine.” You belong to God in Christ, Who died to obtain you for Himself. He will bring you through fire, and the rivers won't overwhelm you. Since Jesus lives, so does His Church. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.“God's own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, Gave my full redemption price. Do I need earth's treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!” (LSB 594:1)-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

“Others said, ‘He is the Messiah.’ Still others said, ‘But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee?’” (John 7:41 NLT) The Jewish Festival of Shelters, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, was a weeklong celebration of God’s faithfulness to the Israelites during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. As part of the celebration, Jewish families traveled to Jerusalem in Judea, where they stayed in temporary shelters made of branches and leaves. Jesus didn’t want to draw attention to Himself in Judea because He knew the religious leaders there were plotting to kill Him. He wasn’t afraid of them. He was simply following God’s timeline. It wasn’t time for Him to die yet. His brothers, the children of Joseph and Mary, thought that was a mistake. One of the reasons the “important” Jewish leaders rejected Jesus is that He did most of His miracles and teaching in Galilee, a region they considered unsophisticated. His brothers wanted Him to show what He could do on the big stage of Jerusalem. His brothers saw that He could work miracles, but they didn’t believe He was the Messiah. Maybe their sibling rivalry was too strong. It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that His brothers became His disciples. Jesus traveled to the festival alone to avoid making a big entrance. But He didn’t avoid making His message known. He went to the temple and began to preach—boldly and with authority. When the Jewish leaders heard Him, they were amazed and confused. He taught like a highly educated rabbi, but He had no formal training. They were more concerned about His credentials than His message. Jesus explained, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me” (verse 16 NLT). In other words, “If you reject it, you reject God.” Jesus questioned why the religious leaders, who were guilty of sin, wanted to kill Him, who was sinless. He pointed out their hypocrisy. They performed circumcisions on the Sabbath, but they condemned Him for healing people on the Sabbath. Jesus’ bold confrontation left many people confused. If the religious leaders wanted Him dead, why didn’t they arrest Him? He was challenging them to their faces. Did that mean they believed He was the Messiah? On the other hand, many of these people knew who Jesus was. They knew His family. They knew where He’d come from and what He’d done for the first three decades of His life. He was one of them. They were waiting for a Messiah who was mysterious and heroic—not a local guy. And especially not a local guy from an insignificant place like Galilee. The people wanted a Messiah who checked off very specific boxes of their own making. Since Jesus didn’t check off all those boxes, they refused to believe in Him. They chose to overlook the miracles He performed and the powerful truth of His teaching. And they continued their fruitless search for their type of Messiah—one that God never promised. If we want to understand the truth about Jesus—who He is, what He did, and what He wants from and for us—we have to go straight to the source, God’s Word. We can’t rely on our own ideas or the educated guesses of others. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 John 4  We've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.  God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.  We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.  We love because we are loved. The kind of Love that this passage is about is exemplified by Jesus sacrificially becoming one of us. Since Jesus was born, a fearful life, a fear of death, a fear of judgment is banished — because well-formed Love vanishes fear.   The Love we have on our own for one another is fragile and transactional. The kind of Love that this passage is talking about goes beyond any kind of love we can have on our own. But it's a Love that is available. Not only for us but through us to others. A kind of intimacy, acceptance, and without limitation because of the one who first loved us and sacrificially came for us. This kind of Love is a power that wipes out fear. We can know this Love and give this Love because we were shown this Love first. As the scripture says — First we were loved, now we love.  Let's pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that Love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us.

Why We Love Mary So Much!Today I thought I would do something different. Instead of starting with a scripture. I decided to talk to you today about my mentoring topic for this month. It is Why We Love Mary So Much! “Why do Catholics love Mary so much?” This is a question that I have been asked a lot by Catholics as well as other Christians. I have also been often asked, “Why do Catholics Worship Mary.” Let's address that one first; it is a much simpler answer. We do not worship Mary. We only worship the Lord. We have a deep love and devotion for **Mother Mary** because of her unique role in God's plan for salvation, virtues, and intercession. Today, I will review some key reasons Catholics love Mary so much. Here are some key reasons for this devotion to Mary:1. **Her Role as the Mother of God**Mary is honored as the **Theotokos**, or "God-bearer," because she gave birth to Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully man. This makes her central to the mystery of the Incarnation—the event through which God became human to save humanity. Catholics view her as the mother of not only Jesus but, in a spiritual sense, the entire Church.2. **Her Yes to God's Will**Mary's willingness to say **"Yes" (Fiat)** to God at the Annunciation (Luke 1:38) is seen as a model of perfect faith and obedience. She trusted God's plan, even without fully understanding it, and her example inspires Catholics to follow her in surrendering to God's will.3. **Her Role as a Spiritual Mother**From the Cross, Jesus entrusted Mary to all humanity when He said to the Apostle John: **"Behold your mother"** (John 19:27). Catholics believe that Mary is a spiritual mother who cares for all believers, interceding for them and guiding them closer to Jesus.4. **Her Sinlessness and Purity**Mary's Immaculate Conception (her being conceived without original sin) and her sinless life make her the perfect model of holiness. Catholics honor her purity and strive to imitate her virtues, especially humility, love, and faithfulness.5. **Her Intercessory Power**Catholics believe that Mary, being close to Jesus, has a unique role in interceding for humanity. Asking for Mary's intercession is like asking a trusted and holy friend to pray on one's behalf. This belief is rooted in her role at the **Wedding at Cana** (John 2:1-12), where her intercession led to Jesus performing His first miracle.6. **A Deeply Personal Connection**For many Catholics, Mary is not only a figure of reverence but also a source of comfort, understanding, and maternal love. Devotions like the **Rosary** help foster this personal connection, allowing the faithful to meditate on Jesus' life through Mary's perspective.7. **Her Title as Queen of Heaven**Mary is honored as the **Queen of Heaven** because of her close association with Christ, the King. This title emphasizes her exalted place in heaven, where she continues interceding for the Church.The title **"Queen of Heaven"** is one of the many honorary titles given to Mary, reflecting her unique role in salvation history and her exalted position in heaven. This title is deeply rooted in Scripture, tradition, and theology. Here's an explanation of why Mary is called the Queen of Heaven:---1. **Mary as Mother of the King (Queen Mother)**In biblical tradition, the mother of the king in the Davidic kingdom held the role of the **queen mother** (*Gebirah* in Hebrew), a position of honor and influence. For example:- In the Old Testament, the queen mother often interceded on behalf of the people (e.g., Bathsheba in 1 Kings 2:19).- Since Jesus is the eternal King of the universe (Luke 1:32-33), Mary, as His mother, is honored as the **Queen Mother** in His heavenly kingdom.2. **Scriptural Foundations**The title is not explicitly mentioned in Scripture but is supported by several biblical themes:- **The Annunciation** (Luke 1:32-33): The angel Gabriel tells Mary that her son will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. If Jesus is King, Mary is logically the Queen Mother.- **The Woman Clothed with the Sun** (Revelation 12:1): In this passage, Mary is symbolically depicted as a woman crowned with twelve stars, representing her royal dignity and role as the Queen of Heaven.3. **Tradition and Early Church Fathers**- From the earliest centuries, Christians recognized Mary's special status as the mother of the King. Titles like **“Queen of Heaven”** and **“Queen of Angels”** began to appear in Christian prayers and hymns.- Saints like **St. Ephrem** and **St. Augustine** wrote of Mary's royal dignity, associating her with Christ's kingship and her role in the divine plan of salvation.4. **Mary's Coronation**Catholic tradition holds that, after her Assumption into heaven, Mary was crowned as Queen by Christ. This is often depicted in Christian art and is the subject of the **Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary**: *The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.*5. **Her Role in Intercession**As Queen of Heaven, Mary is believed to intercede for humanity before her Son, Jesus Christ. This is similar to the role of the queen mother in the Davidic kingdom, who acted as an advocate for the people.6. **Papal Affirmations**- Pope Pius XII, in his encyclical **Ad Caeli Reginam (To the Queen of Heaven)** in 1954, formally proclaimed Mary as **Queen of Heaven and Earth**, affirming this title as a reflection of her close relationship with Christ and her role in the Church.- He declared that Mary's queenship is rooted in her divine motherhood and her unique participation in Christ's work of redemption.7. **Symbolism of Her Queenship**Mary's title as Queen of Heaven underscores her:- **Exalted dignity** as the Mother of God.- **Role as intercessor** and advocate for the faithful.- **Victory over sin and death**, as she shares in her Son's triumph through her Assumption.8. **Devotions to Mary as Queen**- **The Litany of Loreto** includes the invocation “Queen of Heaven, pray for us.”- Feasts like the **Queenship of Mary** (celebrated on August 22) honor her royal status.Marian hymns, such as **"Hail, Holy Queen" (Salve Regina)**, reflect this devotion.Ultimately, Catholics love Mary because she leads them closer to Jesus. Her life and example remind believers of the transformative power of grace and the importance of trusting in God's plan.I hope you enjoyed this explanation about Mary and why we love her so much. I hope it cleared up any confusion about whether or not we worship Mary. We don't. I hope listening to all this makes you a bit more curious to study Mary on your own. She is really a remarkable woman. Her yes to the Lord is so incredible. She always points us back to her son or to the Father.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless everyone listening to this episode. Lord, thank you so much for sending your son to Earth to save us. Thank you for giving us Mary as our spiritual Mother. We couldn't have asked for a better example. Lord, we ask that you help us be more like Mary. We ask that you help us to say yes, even when we don't quite understand all you are calling us to do. Give us the strength to say Yes to all you ask us to do, Lord. We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name. Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. You can see the whole mentoring session on my YouTube channel if you liked this teaching on why we love Mary so much. It talks about the Immaculate Conception and explains what it means to do a Marian Consecration. It also has some little-known facts about Mary. I think you will enjoy it. I would also like to invite you all to join mentoring for this upcoming year. The first month's theme will be Identity, and it is so needed. If we stand firm in our identity as children of God, then the enemy won't be able to attack us as much. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in June 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “My children, open more fully to my grace. Open to my love. Open your ears to everything I tell you. The more you are open, the more you are likely to receive, my children.”  www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Today's Promise: John 1:14 John gives two important facts about Jesus. First, He was the God who became flesh. The creator God stepped into His creation. He took on our form, walked among us, and experienced our world. Second, Jesus was all God and all man. Jesus is completely unique. He was all of God and all of man wrapped up in one body. Jesus is the great God-man. Since Jesus walked on this earth, He understands your weaknesses and struggles. You don't have to “try” and reach up to God; He has come down to you.

We spent our time today unpacking the theological significance to the partaking of the Lord's Supper or Communion. Since Jesus instituted the practice, it is good for us to understand the reasons and the importance of celebrating it regularly. For more information visit ChristCommunity.Life

Luke 7 begins with Jesus in the city of Capernaum located on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. It was there He was approached by a group of elders asking him to come with them to heal the servant of Roman centurion. Jesus responded to their request and went with them but on the way there the centurion sent word through his friends that he felt unworthy for Jesus to enter his house but knew if Jesus just spoke the word that his servant would be healed. Jesus spoke the word and then commended the centurion's great faith to the crowd that was with Him.   Now in Luke 7:11-17, Jesus leaves Capernaum and goes to the city of Nain where He responds to a widow's great sorrow. Nain was about twenty-five miles from Capernaum, a good day's journey away, yet Jesus went there even though He was not requested to come. Since the Jews buried their dead the same day (Deut. 21:23; Acts 5:5-10), it is likely that Jesus and His disciples arrived at the city gate late in the afternoon of the day the man died. In this passage we find that four special meetings took place at the city gate that day.   First, we notice that two “large crowds” met at the gate of the city. We can only marvel at the providence of God when we see Jesus meet that funeral procession just as it was heading for the burial ground. He lived on a divine timetable as He obeyed the will of His Father (John 11:9; 13:1). The sympathetic Savior always gives help when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16). This was no “accidental” meeting.   What a contrast between the crowd that was following Jesus and the crowd following the widow and her dead son. Jesus and His disciples were rejoicing in the blessing of the Lord, but the widow and her friends were lamenting the death of her only son. Jesus was heading for the city while the mourners were heading for the cemetery.   Next, we find that two “only sons” met. One was alive but destined to die, the other dead but destined to live. The term “only begotten” as applied to Jesus means "unique," "the only one of its kind." Jesus is not a "son" in the same sense that I am, having been brought into existence by conception and birth. Since Jesus is eternal God, He has always existed. The title Son of God declares Christ's divine nature and His relationship to the Father, to whom the Son has willingly subjected Himself from all eternity.   Then, two “sufferers” met. Jesus, "the Man of Sorrows," could easily identify with the widow's heartache. Not only was she in sorrow, but she was now left alone in a society that did not have resources to care for widows. What would happen to her? Jesus felt the pain that sin and death have brought into this world, and He did something about it   Finally, two enemies met. Jesus faced death, "the last enemy" (1 Corinthians 15:26). When you consider the pain and grief that it causes in this world, death is indeed an enemy, and only Jesus Christ can give us victory (see 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Heb. 2:14-15). Jesus had only to speak the word, and the young man was raised to life and health.   The young man gave two evidences of life: he sat up and he spoke. We can only imagine what he said! In the Gospels Jesus raised three dead people back to life. This is the first one. The next was Jairus's daughter in Luke 8:49-56. And Lazarus in John 11. In each case Jesus spoke to them. When Jesus speaks life to us, we are never the same! The crowd responded by glorifying God!   Spiritually speaking, each of us is in one of these two crowds. If you have trusted Christ, you are going to the city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10, 13-16; 12:22). If you are "dead in sin”, you are already in the cemetery and under the condemnation of God (John 3:36; Ephesians 2:1-3). You need to trust Jesus Christ and be raised from the dead (John 5:24; Ephesians 2:4-10).   Today, which crowd are you in?   God bless!

Send us a textTHE FRUIT OF GOODNESSFruit-Full – Part 6Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith StewartNovember 3, 2024#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofgoodness #goodnesshttps://www.springcreekchurch.org/Goodness been called the most underrated of all the fruit of the Spirit. If you ask the average believer in which area do they most need to grow, many will say patience, self-control or even love. But goodness is hardly ever even mentioned. It seems unimportant. But what if I told you that the goodness of God is no minor league truth about God. Instead it's literally the lens through which we see all the other attributes of God. Goodness is what you need in God to set you free and goodness is what He wants to pour through your life to transform the world.---DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Take some time to discuss what you learned about the word “good” and “goodness” today. What were your dominant associations with those words before hearing this message? What are they now? What qualities stood out most as it relates to the Old Testament Hebrew word (Tov) or the New Testament Greek word (Agathosune)? 2.  Why is the goodness of God not a minor truth about God? How does God demonstrate His goodness to us? In what ways have you been a recipient of the goodness of God? 3.  One practical suggestion to come out of today's message was to make the phrase “God is as good as Jesus made Him out to be” a daily meditation. Since Jesus told us He was the clearest representation of God we have ever seen or known, how does that shift any misconceptions you may presently have of God? When you read the Bible, do you read through a Christo-centric filter (using Christ as the lens through which you read the rest of the Bible)? In Bible study, it is often taught that clear passages should govern our understanding of unclear passages. If Christ is the clearest representation of God we have ever had, then it is only fitting to see and understand the rest of Scripture through the lens of Christ. Have you ever tried to do this? 4.  Pastor Keith clearly laid out God's plan to support His workers through the generosity of God's people in Scripture. In fact, goodness literally means to give generously for the good of others. One of the primary ways we do this is by supporting those who minister the Word to our souls. Do you think most people understand this aspect of giving? Why do you think people give to the church? Why has God throughout history placed His workers in a position of forced dependency on the people of God?  5. As with every fruit of the Spirit, all of them are evidence of the fullness of God's presence in us. When God's goodness fills our heart and overflows into our lives, people are blown away by the things they see in our life that can't be credited to anything other than the presence of God. What do you think of the phrase, “Your life may be the only Bible some people read?” Have you ever witnessed that in someone? What were they like? What effect did it have on you? Is your life an example of something that attracts people to the family of God?

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank addresses the false notion that all religions lead to heaven.Hank also answers the following questions:In Matthew 22, what did Jesus mean when he said, “Many are called but few are chosen”? James - Greenville, SC (2:55)What happens to those who have never heard the gospel? Bill - Sumter, SC (5:50)As the leader of my home, I try to be careful with what media we consume. Is it okay to watch movies that depict Greek mythology? Gary - Walker, OK (15:11)Proverbs 18:21 says the tongue has the power of life and death. Should we watch what we say, or is this like the Word of Faith movement? Gary - Walker, OK (17:17)Since Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the prophets, how do we know which laws still apply to us? Herman - Merced, CA (18:37)What are your thoughts on the importance of the true name of God? Ron - Springfield, MO (21:26)

Since Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we can pursue God's will without the weight of guilt or shame.

Since Jesus died for us to save us from the power of sin, God puts His Spirit not just around us but in us when we receive His salvation. That means that His power dwells in us and we cannot be separated from it. Any temptation or tribulation we face, we can have confidence to function in His power rather than our own and we can overcome anything. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (10/22/24), Hank explains what it means to pray, “Your Kingdom come” from the Jesus Prayer.Hank also answers the following questions:What is the definition of a cult? Jay - Bridgeton, MO (3:59)My husband and I are separated. Should I still submit to him? Should I seek to finalize the divorce? Annette - Atlanta, GA (8:58)As the leader of my home, I try to be careful with what media we consume. Is it okay to watch movies that depict Greek mythology? Gary - Walker, OK (15:11)Proverbs 18:21 says the tongue has the power of life and death. Should we watch what we say, or is this like the Word of Faith movement? Gary - Walker, OK (17:17)Since Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the prophets, how do we know which laws still apply to us? Herman - Merced, CA (18:37)What are your thoughts on the importance of the true name of God? Ron - Springfield, MO (21:26)

Since Jesus has overcome, crushing the head of the serpent, the bruises of the heel from the serpent no longer have the right to stay. Elder Henrik Soderstrom leads us through different types of prayer and intercession that Scripture models for us, and we have from some in our body who have felt called to intercede often.

Read OnlineJesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. Luke 7:11–12Try to imagine this mother. She had been married, she and her husband had a child, they raised their child, she and her son watched her husband die, and then she watched her son die and was participating in his funeral. Since he was her only son, she was now alone.When we think about this woman, it is easy to feel compassion for her. Her heart would have been filled with a sorrow that is tangible to anyone with empathy. Her heart might also have been filled with fear. At that time, a widow would have had a very difficult time taking care of herself in a rural village. With her husband gone, she would have had to rely upon her son to provide for her as she aged. But now that he was gone, her heart would have not only felt the pain of his loss, but also fear for her future. What would become of her? Who would provide food for her year after year? Would she be reduced to begging and poverty?It is in the context of this very real sorrow and fear that Jesus enters her life. We do not know if she knew anything about Jesus. It appears she was not one of His followers and might not have even heard about Jesus since He had not been ministering publicly for very long. Jesus' encounter with her and her dead son appears to be unplanned and unexpected. What is it that moves Jesus to raise this man from the dead? It does not appear to be a response to anyone's faith within the village. It is not even done at anyone's request. Instead, it appears to be done purely out of Jesus' compassion for this mother. At least that's how it seems at first read. And though Jesus clearly acted out of compassion for her, if we consider the entire context, there might also be a secondary motive.Jesus, his disciples and a large crowd were all walking together through this village. Since Jesus' miracles were normally performed in response to people's faith, it is most likely that faith was a contributing factor to this miracle. The faith that called forth this miracle, however, could only have come from the crowds of people who were walking with Jesus from Capernaum. The day prior, these same crowds witnessed Jesus heal the servant of a centurion. They clearly believed in Jesus. As they walked with Him and encountered this funeral procession, it was not only Jesus' heart that was moved with compassion, it was also the hearts of His followers. Therefore, as Jesus' followers witnessed this mother's sorrow and then witnessed Jesus' own human sorrow and compassion for her, they would have had hope that He would do something. Their hope would have been supernatural in origin, which means that it was also united with faith. By faith, they knew Jesus would act. Thus, in a very real way, the compassion, hope and faith of the people traveling with Jesus would have called forth His almighty power to heal, and Jesus responded.There are many ways to act as mediators of God's grace. One way to do so is by growing in compassion for others and hope in God. When we witness the sufferings of others, allow ourselves to feel compassion for them, manifest hope in the power of God to heal, and then stand there, in faith, waiting for God to act, God will be compelled to act. Our holy compassion, hope and faith act as a prayer to which God always responds. The crowds accompanying Jesus through the Village of Nain appear to have acted in this manner and, inspired by their witness, we, too, must act as intercessors for others in the same way. Reflect, today, upon anyone in your life who resembles this widow of Nain. Who is it that God wants you to notice and to feel compassion for? As your empathetic heart notices those who need your compassion, open yourself, also, to the supernatural gift of hope. Have divine hope that God will heal them. As you do, allow that hope to manifest faith in God and offer that compassion, hope and faith to God as your prayer for those who are in need. Most compassionate Lord, You are always attentive to our needs and our sorrows. Your Heart is filled with compassion for all. Please give me a truly empathetic heart so that I will see those in need. As I do, fill me with hope and faith that You will pour forth Your mercy upon them so that I will become an intercessor for all. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Detail of the fourth stained glass window in the south aisle (counting from west to east, not counting the mortuary chapel), depicting the raising of the son of the widow of Nain, By Andreas F. Borchert, via Wikimedia Commons

August 25, 2024. Fr. Tyler's homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Enjoy! Gospel Jn 6:60-69 Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:14-20, 26-27"Hi, Mom!" called Adalyn when she got home from school. She found her mother staring out the window, a sad expression on her face. "What's wrong?" asked Adalyn.Mom sighed. "Aunt Mary called. They heard from your cousin Mackenzie for the first time since she left home.""That's good, isn't it?" asked Adalyn. "They finally know where she is and that she's okay, right?""Yes, she called from some place in Texas," answered Mom. "But Mackenzie is making a terrible mistake. My heart aches for her and for Aunt Mary and Uncle John." Adalyn noticed tears in Mom's eyes."Well, I'm sorry for them too, but what can we do about it?" asked Adalyn. "Mackenzie's always had a lot of problems, and she won't listen to anyone." She turned and walked out of the room.A moment later, Adalyn let out a loud wail. "Ohhh!" she cried. "Ouch!""Adalyn! What happened?" Mom hurried to the kitchen where Adalyn crouched on the floor, clutching her foot."I slammed my toe into that chair leg," moaned Adalyn. "It hurts so bad!"Mom got an ice pack for Adalyn's injured toe. "That helps," said Adalyn after applying the ice. "But it still hurts a lot.""I'm sorry," said Mom. "Just sit still until it feels better." She gave Adalyn a confused look. "But why such a fuss? It's just a little toe."Adalyn blinked in surprise. "It makes me hurt all over!" she wailed.Mom nodded and smiled a little. "I know it does. Your cousin is like that little toe. Mackenzie's trouble brings pain to all the members of her family."Adalyn thought about it. "I guess you're right. But what can we do to help Aunt Mary and Uncle John?""We can pray for them," said Mom. "Whether it's for sore toes or broken hearts, Christians can pray for each other as we face sin and brokenness in our lives. Since Jesus brought us into God's family by dying for our sins, the pain and burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ affect us too, whether we realize it or not. And we can also pray for Mackenzie. Jesus loves her, and we can trust Him to help us show her that we love her too."–Phyllis I. KlomparensHow About You?Are you sensitive to the feelings of others? Or do you not pay much attention to other people's problems? God wants you to care about what others are going through, just like He cares about what you're going through. Christians are all part of His family, which the Bible calls the body of Christ. When one part of the body hurts, it affects all of us. Pray for those who are hurting, and do what you can to comfort them and show them you care.Today's Key Verse:Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (NKJV) (Romans 12:15)Today's Key Thought:Share the pain of others

Hebrews 12:28-29 — In this sermon on Hebrews 12:28–29 titled “A Kingdom Which Cannot Be Removed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the importance of heeding the call to repentance by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, should not be refused. While the misconceptions and vain philosophies of this age will soon fade, Jesus's gospel and kingdom is eternal and unshakeable throughout all ages. More importantly, all people will pass, along with this world, and they will have to give account to every thought and deed. The judgement of God will be inescapable, but those who believe in God's way of salvation through God's Son will join Him in His everlasting kingdom. Since Jesus sits on the throne and rules His Kingdom forever, Christians will be in His kingdom forever. Christians will be considered as heirs and firstborns in His family. In contrast, those who refuse He who speaks, and instead trusts in their own abilities, will be judged eternally. They will be cast away with the worldly kingdoms and its ruler, the devil. All should consider which kingdom they would like to be in for eternity.

Hebrews 12:28-29 — In this sermon on Hebrews 12:28–29 titled “A Kingdom Which Cannot Be Removed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the importance of heeding the call to repentance by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, should not be refused. While the misconceptions and vain philosophies of this age will soon fade, Jesus's gospel and kingdom is eternal and unshakeable throughout all ages. More importantly, all people will pass, along with this world, and they will have to give account to every thought and deed. The judgement of God will be inescapable, but those who believe in God's way of salvation through God's Son will join Him in His everlasting kingdom. Since Jesus sits on the throne and rules His Kingdom forever, Christians will be in His kingdom forever. Christians will be considered as heirs and firstborns in His family. In contrast, those who refuse He who speaks, and instead trusts in their own abilities, will be judged eternally. They will be cast away with the worldly kingdoms and its ruler, the devil. All should consider which kingdom they would like to be in for eternity. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

Questions Covered:   01:36 – Why is the book of Enoch not in the Bible?   12:15 – Was Judas one of the twenty-four apostles seen by John when on the island?  18:46 – How can I approach the pursuit of knowledge in the defense of faith?    24:47 – Since Jesus knew of his Crucifixion, why did he agonize in the garden?  36:00 – How can I help a friend understand  the history of the Catholic Church?   43:03 – Is it a good practice to hand out Bibles?  44:44 – There are many passages in the Bible that say miraculous thing are from the devil. How can we trust source of miracles? 53:18 – In Genesis, when God condemns Cain, he is worried of being killed. How can this be since there were only 3 people?  …

664 Shake The Dust Off Your Feet, A Guided Christian Meditation on Mark 6:11-13 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation Mark 6 KJV 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. ESV 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Meditation on Scripture: I find this scripture to be interesting. Here the Apostles being sent out are given specific guidance to shake off the dust of their feet as a testimony against those who will not receive them. On one hand this makes complete sense. Since Jesus is the way back to the Father, anyone who does not receive that message will experience spiritual consequences. With that said there are other times when the Sons of Thunder, James and John were corrected for wanting to call down God's vengeance on those who did not receive them. Jesus rebuked them and said they didn't know what manner of spirit they were of.  I find myself wondering, what is the difference? Was it a matter of timing? Is it a matter of commandment? Is it a matter of assuming the role of the person who doles out the justice of God. I think this is a duality that we are presented with as Christians. In some ways we are called to represent the truth of God, yet we must be cautious to not assume the role of judge. God is the judge. Going back to the scripture the very next verse says that the Apostles called people to repentance. Jesus is the source of being delivered from that judgment. Repentance is turning back to God for forgiveness. Each one of us shares the need before the Lord. Jesus is the source of repentance and our lives are improved and blessed spiritually by continually turning back to God and disciplining our hearts to God day by day. As we are asked to be a light on a hill, may we be a good representation of the Love and Grace that we receive from God.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod