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This podcast episode is from a livestream study on Acts 1.Acts 1 Bible study on Jesus' ascension, the Great Commission, and the importance of waiting for the Holy Spirit. We will also learn of the importance of apologetics in Christian ministry. We should be ready to answer why we believe in God.We will be introducing Acts and studying Acts 1:1-11. This passage is PACKED with truths for us that if we apply them to our lives with transform us. Looking forward to studying with all of you together!Acts 1:1-11 Bible study guide with companion discussion questions on our website - https://studyandobey.com/inductive-bible-study/acts/acts-1-1-11/Support the show

LESSON 131No One Can Fail Who Seeks To Reach The Truth.Failure is all about you while you seek for goals that cannot be achieved. You look for permanence in the impermanent, for love where there is none, for safety in the midst of danger; immortality within the darkness of the dream of death. Who could succeed where contradiction is the setting of his searching, and the place to which he comes to find stability?Goals that are meaningless are not attained. There is no way to reach them, for the means by which you strive for them are meaningless as they are. Who can use such senseless means, and hope through them to gain in anything? Where can they lead? And what could they achieve that offers any hope of being real? Pursuit of the imagined leads to death because it is the search for nothingness, and while you seek for life you ask for death. You look for safety and security, while in your heart you pray for danger and protection for the little dream you made.Yet searching is inevitable here. For this you came, and you will surely do the thing you came for. But the world can not dictate the goal for which you search, unless you give it power to do so. Otherwise, you still are free to choose a goal that lies beyond the world and every worldly thought, and one that comes to you from an idea relinquished yet remembered, old yet new; an echo of a heritage forgot, yet holding everything you really want.Be glad that search you must. Be glad as well to learn you search for Heaven, and must find the goal you really want. No one can fail to want this goal and reach it in the end. God's Son can not seek vainly, though he try to force delay, deceive himself and think that it is hell he seeks. When he is wrong, he finds correction. When he wanders off, he is led back to his appointed task.No one remains in hell, for no one can abandon his Creator, nor affect His perfect, timeless and unchanging Love. You will find Heaven. Everything you seek but this will fall away. Yet not because it has been taken from you. It will go because you do not want it. You will reach the goal you really want as certainly as God created you in sinlessness.Why wait for Heaven? It is here today. Time is the great illusion it is past or in the future. Yet this cannot be, if it is where God wills His Son to be. How could the Will of God be in the past, or yet to happen? What He wills is now, without a past and wholly futureless. It is as far removed from time as is a tiny candle from a distant star, or what you chose from what you really want.Heaven remains your one alternative to this strange world you made and all its ways; its shifting patterns and uncertain goals, its painful pleasures and its tragic joys. God made no contradictions. What denies its own existence and attacks itself is not of Him. He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, and earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way.God does not suffer conflict. Nor is His creation split in two. How could it be His Son could be in hell, when God Himself established him in Heaven? Could he lose what the Eternal Will has given him to be his home forever? Let us not try longer to impose an alien will upon God's single purpose. He is here because He wills to be, and what He wills is present now, beyond the reach of time.Today we will not choose a paradox in place of truth. How could the Son of God make time to take away the Will of God? He thus denies himself, and contradicts what has no opposite. He thinks he made a hell opposing Heaven, and believes that he abides in what does not exist, while Heaven is the place he cannot find.Leave foolish thoughts like these behind today, and turn your mind to true ideas instead. No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth, and it is truth we seek to reach today. We will devote ten minutes to this goal three times today, and we will ask to see the rising of the real world to replace the foolish images that we hold dear, with true ideas arising in the place of thoughts that have no meaning, no effect, and neither source nor substance in the truth.This we acknowledge as we start upon our practice periods. Begin with this:I ask to see a different world,and think a different kind of thought from those I made.The world I seek I did not make alone,the thoughts I want to think are not my own.For several minutes watch your mind and see, although your eyes are closed, the senseless world you think is real. Review the thoughts as well which are compatible with such a world, and which you think are true. Then let them go, and sink below them to the holy place where they can enter not. There is a door beneath them in your mind, which you could not completely lock to hide what lies beyond.Seek for that door and find it. But before you try to open it, remind yourself no one can fail who seeks to reach the truth. And it is this request you make today. Nothing but this has any meaning now; no other goal is valued now nor sought, nothing before this door you really want, and only what lies past it do you seek.Put out your hand, and see how easily the door swings open with your one intent to go beyond it. Angels light the way, so that all darkness vanishes, and you are standing in a light so bright and clear that you can understand all things you see. A tiny moment of surprise, perhaps, will make you pause before you realize the world you see before you in the light reflects the truth you knew, and did not quite forget in wandering away in dreams.You cannot fail today. There walks with you the Spirit Heaven sent you, that you might approach this door some day, and through His aid slip effortlessly past it, to the light. Today that day has come. Today God keeps His ancient promise to His holy Son, as does His Son remember his to Him. This is a day of gladness, for we come to the appointed time and place where you will find the goal of all your searching here, and all the seeking of the world, which end together as you pass beyond the door.Remember often that today should be a time of special gladness, and refrain from dismal thoughts and meaningless laments. Salvation's time has come. Today is set by Heaven itself to be a time of grace for you and for the world. If you forget this happy fact, remind yourself with this:Today I seek and find all that I want.My single purpose offers it to me.No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

Fr. Wiley invites us to leave the remnants of our will at the cross and take up the way of God's will; the way that leads to everlasting life.

If today was your last day, would you regret how you lived it? Too many people sleepwalk through life—grinding through work, missing out on joy, and taking their relationships for granted. Solomon warns us—we don't have endless time. So how do we make the most of today? Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. Today, we're looking at Ecclesiastes 9:7-10: Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. — Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 So—how do we live each day with purpose? One | Enjoy the Gifts of Today God has already approved what we do. That means we should embrace the good things He provides—our work, our meals, our relationships. In biblical times, white garments and oil were signs of joy and celebration. That tells us something—godly living isn't just about avoiding sin. It's about embracing life with gratitude and joy. Two | Cherish Your Relationships Marriage isn't just something to endure—it's something to enjoy. Solomon tells men—love your wife, cherish her, and walk through life together. Too many men get caught up in work, stress, and distractions, missing what really matters. Your relationships are part of God's portion for you. Invest in them. Three | Work with All Your Might Whatever is in front of you—give it your best. Why? Because life is fleeting. No second chances. Too many men go through the motions, half-hearted in their efforts. Solomon challenges us—don't hold back. Whether it's your work, your family, or your faith—give it everything you've got. So today—slow down. Enjoy the good things God has given you. Show love to your wife. And whatever work is in front of you—give it your best. Because this life? It's the only shot you get. #PurposefulLiving, #BiblicalWisdom, #LiveWithJoy ASK THIS: What simple joys has God given you today that you can embrace with gratitude? How can you better cherish and invest in your closest relationships? In what area of life have you been holding back instead of giving your best? What would change if you lived today as if it were your last? DO THIS: Live today with full engagement—enjoy God's blessings, cherish relationships, and work with all your heart. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to embrace the gifts You have given—my work, my relationships, and the joy of today. May I live each moment with purpose, gratitude, and wholehearted effort for Your glory. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Joy.

There is a point. You have a purpose. There is wonderful hope for tomorrow and the future. You were built for eternal life that begins right now. This is why we long for more, are often disappointed, give up, and then try again. There is good news. Great news. Today God wants a conversation with us about the hopelessness we often feel.

Today God has heard Adam's cry and “crowned” creation with Eve. Woman is the being that holds the greatest dignity in creation. In the gospel, Jesus is conquered by the trusting confidence the Syrophoenician woman places in Him.

Tune in as we hear the heart of God concerning our freedom. Many times believers don't recognize the strongholds in their life. Strongholds are vicious cycles that have the tendency to slow up our spiritual journey, Today God wants us to be free from everything that has us going in circles in life. God want us free from from every generational behavior and generational curse. BE free from strongholds in the Name of Jesus Christ!!!

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

Today God asked me to look at my life and give it to him! Join my Soul, Mind and Body Group!

How far does God's mercy extend? Are some sins too grievous? You may have heard of Abby Johnson. She is an author, speaker, podcast host and Foundation Director. However, prior to those accomplishments, Johnson lived a darker chapter. Accolades of her tenure in the world included being the youngest ever Clinic Director for Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood Employee of the Year in 2008 and boasting a sizeable paycheck. As Clinic Director, Johnson facilitated the murder of thousands of children, including two of her own. Then one day God opened her eyes. Suddenly, she knew, saw, and recoiled at what she had done. Where could she go from there? Could God's mercy cover all those sins plus the relentless, accompanying shame? Today God is using Johnson in a mighty way as she demonstrates healing to those who have left the abortion industry and to the thousands who suffer as she has, sharing the restorative, limitless love behind His never-ending mercy.For Show Notes & Episode Details: https://theinfluencerspodcast.orgGet more inspirational content all week…FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/theinfluencerspodcastofficialINSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/theinfluencerspodcastofficial/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/hearinfluencersYOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@TheInfluencersPodcastLearn more about Abby Johnson and get a copy of her book Fierce Mercy at https://prolove.com/ or https://abbyj.com

God's presence is key for our everyday living. Be blessed as you listen to this episode.

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not keeping himself hidden on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon?” So Saul set out and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, taking with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming. David then set out and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you; now then, please let me pin him with the spear to the ground with one thrust, and I will not do it to him a second time.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not kill him, for who can reach out with his hand against the Lord's anointed and remain innocent?” David also said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord certainly will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down in battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I would reach out with my hand against the Lord's anointed! But now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let's go.” So David took the spear and the jug of water that were at Saul's head, and they left; and no one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone awaken, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them. And David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to kill the king your lord! This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you undoubtedly must die, because you did not guard your lord, the Lord's anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his head!”Then Saul recognized David's voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? Now then, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may He accept an offering; but if it is people, cursed are they before the Lord, because they have driven me out today so that I would have no share in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.' Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again since my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have made a very great mistake.” David replied, “Behold, the spear of the king! Now have one of the young men come over and take it. And the Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to reach out with my hand against the Lord's anointed. Therefore behold, just as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the Lord, and may He rescue me from all distress.” Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and assuredly prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.Visit us on all our social media platforms:https://linktr.ee/sovereignkingchurchListen on the go on your favorite podcast service:Apple - https://tinyurl.com/uxw3awb6Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/3afr2amz

Today God will give you an opportunity. I believe it happens every day. God gives you and me opportunities to serve Him through our witness, acts of kindness, words of encouragement, and steps of faith. Main Points:1. So often we miss these opportunities to serve God because they are small. We don't recognize them as a chance to be a blessing to someone because, after all, it's such a small thing. Instead, we are looking at the big things. We are looking for open doors that are larger, more influential, and more notable. Yet, the great things done for God are really small things done with faithfulness.2. According to Jesus, God's definition of greatness is found in being faithful in small opportunities. Sometimes we think these small opportunities are not worth our time, they are insignificant, and they don't matter, but they really do.3. Imagine a lifetime of being faithful to serve others, to encourage the discouraged, to pray for someone in need, to courageously share your faith, to feed the hungry, and to reach out to someone who is lonely. The cumulative impact of consistent small opportunities is staggering. Today's Scripture Verses:Ephesians 5:15-16 - “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”Matthew 20:26-28 - “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Luke 16:10 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” — Genesis 28:16 In ancient times, most people didn't sleep with fluffy pillows as many of us do today. Instead they often slept with their heads propped on wood, bronze, or stone. In our reading today, we find Jacob traveling on foot to the land of Harran, and he uses a stone for a pillow. The hardness of that pillow didn't seem to affect Jacob's sleep. He was exhausted, fleeing from his murderously angry brother after stealing their father's blessing. Jacob probably fell asleep quickly on this particular night, but then he drifted into a dream about heaven. In his dream, he saw angels ascending and descending a stairway that reached to the heavens, and God himself was there. After identifying himself as the God of his fathers, God promised to give Jacob countless descendants as well as the land he was sleeping on. When Jacob awoke, he was frightened and amazed, and he promised to commit himself to the God of his fathers. Today God speaks to our hearts through his Word and Spirit—and perhaps sometimes in our dreams. When we awake from a particularly vivid dream, we should remind ourselves that God sometimes reveals himself to us in peculiar ways. And, like Jacob, we can recommit ourselves to following and serving God in our everyday lives. Thank you, God, for your Word and Spirit, and for your ability to speak to us through our dreams, which can remind us of your love and faithfulness. Amen.

It all started with my new job. Commuting 90 miles to work. I made a commitment to not turn on the radio for the morning commute. I wanted to learn how to pray. My new job had so much adventure built in, but I wanted this job to be different. I prayed for my family on the way to work and others who had specific prayer requests but then God rocked my world. One day, in my email in box, my friend Bob sent me the Today God is First devotional from Os Hillman. For the first time, I learned that God loved my work and that my workplace was my mission field. I was floored. For years I had tried to go into full-time ministry in a church, but this devotional told me that I was already in ministry at my work.  You are in your mission field at work.  Let that sink in today. 

Endure to Manifest Salvation (1) (audio) David Eells 5/29/24 This is one of the most important teachings to bearing the fruit of Salvation. Many do not understand the progression of salvation, but we must continue in real faith to bear the fruit of Christ in our soul to manifest salvation. (1Pe.1:9) receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Notice the fullness of salvation is the end of our faith, not the beginning.  A large number of people believe that once we enter the Kingdom by faith, that's all there is to it, but the Bible says we stand by faith. That means you have to continue to stand in faith. Otherwise, according to what the Scripture says, you will be broken off. (Rom.11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. (20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.   (23) And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. You see, it's enduring in your faith to the end that manifests salvation. (Mat.24:13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. In speaking about the time when God broke off the Jews, Paul made the statement, (Rom.11:7) What then? that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened. God called His children out of Egypt, but we see in (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.   They did not endure in their faith. He saved them, but then He broke them off when they did not believe. I'm afraid that there are a lot of Christians today who think they are saved because they stepped over some line back there somewhere and now they call themselves “Christians.” There is no line! When you step into the Kingdom, you stand by faith. You continuously stand by faith and, if you don't, you can be broken off.   At the time Jesus came, they were coming to the end of the Jewish dispensation, when God was going to open the door to the Gentiles. Do you know what God did to the Jews then? What He did was, “the election obtained it and the rest were hardened.” There are only two kinds of God's people: the “called” and the “elect.” All of the elect are called, but not all of the called are elect. “Chosen” is the Greek word eklektos, which is the same word as “elect.” (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. You see, many receive the invitation to partake of Christ, but only those who bear fruit are going to be chosen. The Bible says the elect of the Jews obtained it and the rest were hardened.   We are now coming to the end of the Gentile dispensation in the Tribulation and God is going to do the same thing He did before, only this time the elect of the Gentiles are going to obtain salvation and the rest are going to be hardened when God turns back to the Jewish remnant. (Rom.11:8) According as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day. (9) And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: (10) Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always. And these same people who were hardened were the people whom God used to persecute His “elect,” His “chosen,” His “called” Gentiles.   There is a great persecution coming upon the people of God and it is going to come from what has loosely been called “the people of God.” It will come from people who have hardened hearts who have been called, but they have refused to “walk in the light” of God's Word. (1Jn.1:17) 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. They are caught up in religious spirits and in religion. They're even going to think that they're doing God a favor when they persecute those who truly follow the Lord. But we have to stand by faith. If we don't stand by faith, we can be broken off.   Do you know what faith is? (Heb.11:1) Now faith is assurance (i.e., the assurance is that you have received the substance of what you ask) of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. We say that we are saved and it is true that we are saved by faith. But when the Bible says you are saved by faith, it means you are receiving something that you don't yet see. You may think, “I've received God's Spirit so obviously, I'm saved!” No! You are not saved because you received God's Spirit. You are saved because you are believing in what the sacrifice of Jesus accomplished for you and you are following God's Spirit. That's why you are saved!   Some people are very deceived thinking because they received God's Spirit, they are a ‘shoo-in' for the Kingdom. Well, that's not what Scripture says. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You see, receiving God's Spirit does not make you a shoo-in. There are two sides to salvation. We receive it in our spirit instantly by faith, but we receive it in our soul progressively by manifestation. What we receive by faith in the beginning is going to be manifested as we walk in it and as we stand by faith.   What's the substance that this born-again soul is made of? (Jas.1:21) Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted (meaning “inborn” or “ingrafted”) word, which is able to save your souls. The born-again soul is made from obedience to the Word. That means it's made from Jesus Christ. He is the Word! Doesn't this put a lot of importance on the Word? It certainly does! (Heb.11:1 KJV) Faith is the substance (i.e., the assurance that you have what you asked for) of the thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith in the Word is important. The Word is the seed of God that brings forth the fruit, which is able to save your souls. If you take that away, where is the ability for your soul to be saved?   People are deceived about what salvation is and they are losing their souls because they are not running the race. This is a race! (1Co.9:24) Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. (2Ti.4:7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. To win this race we must have “kept the faith”. We are not running against one another, but we are running against a clock and we've been given a certain amount of time to bear fruit. Father gave the fig tree three years to bear fruit, Jesus asked for one more year in Luk 13:7-9.  If we waste that time, we will be what the Bible calls “unprofitable servants.” (Luk.17:7) But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;    (8) and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? (9) Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? (10) Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do. There are many who are content to just be running down the clock. They are not running, but the clock is running down and their time is running out.   Jesus taught us, (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. When you pray, believe you have received. God does everything that way! We pray for salvation and we believe we have received. But, if you don't endure in that faith until you see it manifest, do you ever receive it? No! Jesus said, (Mat.10:22) ... He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.   We say that we are saved, but too many people don't understand what the term “saved” really means. “Saved” (Greek: Sozo) is very encompassing. With scriptures it means deliverance from sin and deliverance from the curse of sin and of death. (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. It's pretty audacious to say “I am saved” at the very beginning, when you haven't even started walking in salvation, but that's what Jesus told us to do. (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them.   Jesus in us is salvation. So at the very beginning, we claim our salvation. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. We claim all of that at the very beginning, but we must endure in faith, standing in Christ, to see the manifestation. Many people don't understand this, so they just sit down and they don't run the race. (Gal.5:7) Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?  There is a race to be run and there is an enemy to be fought, and there is a battle to be won. If a person doesn't understand that, because of ignorance of the Word, they are not going to get very far. They're not going to bear fruit. They're going to end up with a hard heart and they'll turn away from God, especially in these days, because we are coming to the time of a spewing-out of the Gentiles who have not born fruit. God's salvation was not given to us. God's salvation, God's promise through Abraham, was given to “the seed.” (Gal.3:16) Now 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. The promise was spoken to Christ. Well, then how do we manifest God's salvation? Jesus said in, (Joh.15:1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. (3) Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.   If we abide in Jesus, we bear much fruit, but if we don't abide in Him, we will wither as a branch! So, if God's salvation is in Christ, we must abide in Christ to have it. How do we abide in Christ? First of all, you abide in Christ by faith. You accept His deliverance by faith. You accept His salvation by faith and that faith is accounted to you for righteousness because you believed God. Understand, it is not manifest righteousness, but it is accounted to you, it is attributed to you, as righteousness. You are counted as “righteous” and that means “justified.” (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. You are accounted as righteous because of your faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, but then, as you walk with your faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, your salvation will start being manifested by God.   It will come down into the “seeing realm,” into the “physical realm.” It's not just in the faith realm anymore. “Faith” is believing for something that you don't see and “manifestation” is when now you are seeing it and abiding in Christ. You have salvation! (1Jn.5:11) And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. See where the life is? (12) He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. This is why we must abide in Jesus. To abide in Jesus is to abide in salvation. It is to stand by faith and, if you don't stand by faith, you have no guarantee from the Word of God.   (Php.2:12) So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. We need to be careful to seek out our own salvation with “fear and trembling.” (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen. Out of all those whom God called out of Egypt, many fell in the wilderness, but Joshua and Caleb are a “type” of all of those who enter into the Promised Land because they endured in their faith. (Num.14:28) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears (of unbelief), so will I do to you: (29) your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me,   (30) surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein (some say God can't break His Word. It is unbelief that breaks the covenant.), save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (36) And the men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, (37) even those men that did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before Jehovah. (38) But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men that went to spy out the land. Today God is bringing many sons into the Kingdom and every single one of them is enduring in their faith and walking by faith. Our faith must grow and we must continually put the Word into our hearts to know what to exercise faith in.   The point is, we have to continue in the faith. (1Co.6:18) ... Every sin that a man doeth is without the body.... When you abide in Christ, you are abiding in righteousness. God's purpose is to deliver us from walking in sin and to cause us to be “dressed up” of Jesus Christ. (Rom.13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. That is salvation! We claim salvation now, but to the extent we don't see it, to the extent we don't walk in the faith of Jesus Christ, to that extent it has not yet manifested. We are claiming something that we don't yet see.   There are many people who are resting in the flesh, but while you rest in the flesh, you don't bear fruit. And the “unprofitable servant,” the one who doesn't bear fruit, the one who doesn't do something with the “talent” that God gave him, is going to be cast forth into outer darkness. (Mat.25:14) For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants, (The Lord's servants are not lost people.) and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. The first two servants of the Lord traded with their talents and doubled what their Lord entrusted to them.   (Mat.25:18) But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. (19) Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And their Lord was pleased with the first two, but he wasn't pleased with the last servant. (Mat.25:24) And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; (25) and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.   (26) But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter ... (30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. It's very important for people to understand that salvation is progressive because it motivates you to go on and not to sit down and rest in the flesh.   So with that in mind, let's look at what the Bible has to say about our progressive salvation. (Act.15:11) But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they. I dare say that there are many churches where, if you stood up and you quoted this verse, they would correct you. They would say, “No, we are saved!” They would rebuke you to your face. Well then, what's the difference between their “are saved” and Peter's “shall be saved”? The difference is that now we are talking about the manifestation of salvation in our life, not just receiving it by faith. There are as many verses in the Bible that point this out as there are verses that tell you to claim salvation by faith.   (Act.15:12) And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened. If you said this today in church, they wouldn't keep silent and they wouldn't listen. They would insist, “We are saved! We don't have to worry about our salvation!” These people are “resting in the flesh,” but let me tell you, we do have to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”. And the Bible says God can break you off, if you don't stand by faith. (Rom.11:20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, (How do you get broken off of the Olive Tree if you were never in it?) and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.   Well, let's not get scared out of our faith, but let's have enough respect for God to do what we were put here for. Paul called it a “race.” We were put here to run a race and we are racing against time! (1Co.15:1) Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel (the Good News) which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, (2) by which also ye are being saved.... That is what it says in the original and in the numeric pattern, you are “being saved.”   Now, notice this next word. You should circle this next word. It says, “If.” (1Co.15:2) By which also ye are being saved, if ye hold fast with what word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. Notice it is the “word I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.” If we do not hold fast to the original Word, we believed in vain. It can be a waste of time, unless you “hold fast” to the Word that was once preached unto the saints.   (Jud.3) Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. We are to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Some Bible versions add “once for all,” but “for all” was not in the original and the numeric pattern verifies the correct wording here. The faith that works which we must have, is the faith that is in agreement with this Word, not the modern “faith” that we are hearing so much of. Paul says you are being saved “if" you hold fast to this Word.   Let me show you something else about this reconciliation, which was made at Calvary almost 2000 years ago. (Col.1:21) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, (22) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if.... There's that conditional word “if” again! We've been told that we're the Church, the spotless and blemishless Bride ready to meet the Lord, but does it say that here? No! (Col.1:22) … 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.   He was saying, “Now you are reconciled through the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you without blemish and unreproveable, if you continue in the faith of the original Gospel.” The apostle Paul is not telling them that they are spotless and blemishless; he is telling them that this is the process, this is what God is doing. They were spotless and blemishless by faith, but they were not by manifestation. God's faith is a means to an end. What good is faith, if it doesn't change people? Faith is a means to bring you to His deliverance, His manifestation, His Christ-likeness. You've wasted your time, if you come to the end of this life with what you have called “faith” and there have been no works from it!  (Jas.2:20 KJV) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? It's barren, it's incomplete, as the Bible says. Real faith changes you and it changes things. There is an “if” in this reconciliation and there is an “if” in this salvation. That “if” depends on our continuing in the faith of this Word. We cannot trust in the unbalanced doctrines of men! Some teach salvation by our own works and we are saved by works, but it is the works of God through us because we have faith. Some teach that salvation has all been accomplished by manifestation and that we don't have to do anything to work it out. Both errors will destroy you!   Our main purpose here, according to the Book of Acts, is to search after God. (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; (25) neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (26) and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; (27) that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us: (28) for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. We are to pursue after God “if perchance we might find him.”  He is the Word, not men's shortcuts, like just accept Jesus, no it's Repent and Believe the Word. (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord. “Sanctification” is the separation from worldliness, separation from sin unto God. First, you have to be separated from sin by faith because faith is accounted as righteousness. (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. We are reckoned righteous by our faith and, second, by manifestation. Being reckoned righteous by faith is the means to the end. God's purpose is not fulfilled in the reckoning; God's purpose is fulfilled in the manifestation. (1Th.5:23) And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly (“completely”); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Do you think it's possible for God to do that? Well, it wouldn't be a very smart prayer for Paul to pray, if it were not possible. There are many people nowadays who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness because they don't want to believe that sanctification is even possible. They think you only need to be forgiven, but he says, “sanctify you completely” and “may your spirit, soul and body be preserved entire, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You can see the progression that God wants: first spirit, then soul and then body; this is His plan. God's plan is that you have to bear fruit in the area of the soul to get the new body.   (1Co.3:16) Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye. We have to take care of this temple and you will not be able to take care of it, except through faith. You can sometimes defile your body in ways that you don't even know. For example, you can't find a verse that says, “Thou shalt not smoke,” but the Bible says, if you destroy the body, God will destroy you.   (Heb.2:2) For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; (3) how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? In other words, if you get cancer of the lungs because you smoked, then you destroyed your own body and what does God say He's going to do about it?  Of course we can repent and believe for healing. By the way, why do we have doctors, at least in the permissive will of God? It's because people don't believe and He doesn't always want them to die until they have every chance to believe. And He permits things in this world to happen on a natural level, in order to bring us to a spiritual understanding. God's method of salvation and healing is always through faith in what Jesus did. It's looking back at the cross, it's always in the past. For example, do you know why we are healthy? We've been given a gift of health because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. He took the “stripes” so that we could be healthy. Jesus gave you His healthy body and He took your unhealthy body. He made an exchange.   The Greek word katallasso means an “exchange” or “reconciliation,” and it was made at the cross. Jesus gave you His blessing and took your curses. He gave you His sinlessness and took your sins. There was a total exchange made at the cross. So how do we receive His salvation? How do we come to manifest it? Salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ, not our own works. You're not going to keep that body healthy by your wisdom about how many chemicals and how many herbs you can put into it. Your body is healthy because Jesus gave you health at the cross. If you think that by your works you can keep that body healthy, you're in for a rude awakening because it doesn't matter how many chemicals and herbs you put into it, you will fail in your witchcraft.   That's what the Bible says medicine and drugs are (Galatians 5:20; Revelation 9:21; Revelation 18:23). The Greek word is pharmakeia and it's where our word “pharmaceuticals” comes from. No, God's salvation will not be by works. God's salvation is free. If it's not free, it's not grace! It's unmerited favor and that means you cannot earn it. But you do have to earn all that money you pay for those supplements. It comes hard by the sweat of the brow, but God's salvation is all free and that's why it's through faith and not through works. Salvation for the body, salvation for the soul and salvation for the spirit comes through your faith; it's free. If it costs anything, that's not God's method.   God's salvation is also past tense, so it cannot be accomplished through your works. See, you were healed. (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. If you were healed, then you are healed. If you are healed, then you cannot be looking for healing through any works of man. If you are looking for healing, you don't believe that you were healed. It's so simple! All the deliverance of God was done at the cross and, if you continue in your works trying to deliver yourself, you're proving that you don't believe the Bible because the Bible says it was done.   God's salvation is free for the spirit, for the soul and for the body. There's nothing but failure in our own attempts to save ourselves. It doesn't matter if you're trying to save your soul or whether you are trying to save your body. It's ultimately going to end in failure and God will make sure that it ends in failure. He's not going to let you save yourself. He's going to make sure that all of your efforts to make yourself healthy, to make yourself saved from sin or to deliver yourself from the curse, whatever it might be, He's going to make sure it fails. Not only do you have the devil against you when you try by your own works to provide your own salvation, you have God against you on that count!  All we need is faith in the promises. It's free. (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. Did you notice that? In other words, “The manifestation of salvation is closer to us now than when we first believed.” If you say, “I thought we were saved,” yes, you were saved by faith, but we do not receive it by manifestation when we first believe. People who don't understand that are in a dangerous position and they're in an ignorant church, too. They should probably get out of there and start reading their Bible for themselves. (Rom.13:12) The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.   We've been given authority to do this because of what Jesus accomplished at the cross. The only thing that can stop us is unbelief. Salvation is putting on the “armor of light” and the next verse explains it this way: (Rom.13:13) Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. (14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. See, “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” is what he calls walking, according to verse 13. The closer you get to walking like that, the closer you are getting to salvation. We are here to conquer sin! We are here to overcome! There are no promises to people who do not overcome.   The promises of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are to the overcomers, and Jesus said, (Joh.16:33) ... In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. He has already overcome! The devil, flesh and sin have all been conquered at the cross and all we have to do is believe we have received His salvation and walk in it. Some people think that they don't have to overcome. They think, “Every time I sin, I can just ask for forgiveness and be forgiven,” but that's being an unprofitable servant. We can overcome sin because the power has been given and the sacrifice is there. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.   (1Co.1:18) For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. Some Bibles have a footnote on this one that reads, “For the word of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness; but unto us who are being saved it is the power of God.” That's the version that should be in the text because that's the one that has the numeric pattern; the other one has no numeric pattern. We are “being saved” by faith and we are “being saved” by manifestation. It's important for us to understand that we are being saved. (2Co.2:15) For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are being saved, and in them that are perishing.... Most Bible versions have “are saved” and “them that perish,” but the Nestle's Text, which is made up of the three most ancient manuscripts, has “are being saved” and “them that are perishing.”  = (2Co.2:16) to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? Did you know that you can be in the process of “being saved,” but then you can end up by being “perishing”? The Bible talks about those who walk in their willfulness until they are twice-dead and plucked-up by the roots. (Jud.12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds (Has no numeric pattern) that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. They started out in regeneration and ended up in degeneration.   See, you can reverse the process. Some people don't think that's possible, but, (Rom.8:12) So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: (13) for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. If you walk after the flesh, you must die. Jesus came to give us life, but you go right back to death. You go right back to the old prison that you came out of. He came to set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18), but you would rather be bound! So let's continue in the faith and believe what God has provided for us in Christ! 

Blessings Follow Sanctification  (Audio) David Eells 5/26/24  Sanctification needs to happen individually and corporately before God can give us the promised blessings so let's look at these blessings and the benefits of sanctification.  The Lord points out to us in Isaiah 60 that sanctification is the process of bringing His children out of the world and into Zion, which is the Bride, as the book of Revelation tells us. They're God's children, even while they're still in the world, and bondage to the world represents bondage to sin and worldly religion. God wants His children to be sanctified, which means “separated from the world unto God,” and we see this type in the Scriptures.   God gathers His people out of the nations because we don't belong to the nations. (1Pe.2:11) Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims.... Our Kingdom is not of this world. (Joh.18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.   Like Jesus, we're just passing through; we're just sojourners! We are pilgrims in this world and where we're passing to is God's Kingdom, which is epitomized as Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem, which we know from the Scriptures is being born out of Heaven. (Rev.21:9) And there came one of the seven angels … saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, (11) having the glory of God....   John was also told in (Rev.3:12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. We can see that Jerusalem is coming down out of Heaven now. The Bride is being born-again in spirit and in soul on this earth now. In (Isa.60:14) ... and they shall call thee The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. The blessings of God come as He separates His people from the world. The people who are separating from the curse are the people who are separate from the world, separate from sin, separate from apostate religion. When we first come to the Lord, we accept the righteousness we have in Jesus Christ and all of His benefits through faith.   But when God manifests fruit in you, then you're no longer waiting for it to come by faith and you should be constantly walking in this blessing of God. You should be separating from the world and its ways and its sins, and from the world's sinful religions that claim to be Christianity. This is what it is to come out of bondage in the world, to be sanctified and come into Zion.   (Isa.60:18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders.... Back in September 2007, the Lord took me in a very vivid vision and He showed me that the Father would give me a large piece of property to be a refuge for His saints in the coming days. The saints were fleeing onto this property and when I looked out past the edge of the property, I saw devastation and destruction, hurricanes and wars, and so on. These were the kind of things going on just beyond the boundaries of this refuge and the saints were fleeing onto the refuge to escape them. I knew that the Lord was showing me that the devastation is the motivating factor that God will use to separate His people.   Through all these shakings, He will bring them to the place of sanctification, or holiness. He will separate them from the world, from sin, and from bondage of the old man. And He will separate them from the worship of pagan nations. Wars are started by patriotism and people fight for their respective nations because they are respecters of persons. Did you know that patriotism is a respecter of persons? It's a respecter of nationalities and, in many cases, patriotism is a respecter of race. This is not Biblical! Patriotism is very worldly and it causes the death of many people.   When God calls His people out of the nations, they are to become what Peter called one “holy nation.” (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The word “holy” means “separate” and is the same Greek word for “sanctified.” In whatever physical nation we may be living, we are all one spiritual nation in the world; we are New Testament spiritual Israel. We walk in the type and shadow of physical Israel because Abraham is the spiritual father of all those who walk by faith. So the revelation the Lord gave me was that people would come onto this piece of property and they would be safe, they would be delivered. Of course there is the secret place of the Most High all over the world too.  (Isa.60:18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land.... Why is this? It's because after a person has been sanctified, after they are separated from sin and walking in God's holiness, it's not necessary for them to be living under the curse to drive them to God. Jesus bore the curse for us. Back in the Garden of Eden, the thorns came forth because of man's sin. (Gen.3:17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (18) thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.... So when God begins to deliver you from worldly bondages, from sin, and the old man, then you're coming out from under the curse manifestly.  (Gen.3:18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders.... What are these borders and who is He addressing here? He's addressing the New Jerusalem Zion, the Bride! In the book of Esther, the bride was the most beautiful among all the fair virgins of the kingdom and the king chose her to be his bride.   In the Song of Solomon, the king said, (Son.6:8) There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number. These are all God's people. (9) My dove, my undefiled (or “perfect”), is [but] one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; [Yea,] the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. And, of course, the corporate body of the Bride has become one with each other and with the Lord, so destruction will not be “within thy borders.”   (Isa.60:18) ... but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. “Salvation” is the word soteria in the New Testament and it means “all my needs supplied,” like a little baby. The broad walls of Zion represent salvation, just as when God's people fled into Zion for safety and preservation whenever an enemy attacked. When you're still serving the world, but you're God's child because you have a born-again spirit, have you manifested your salvation? No, you've manifested salvation only in your spirit.   When you manifest salvation in your soul, that's sanctification. Sanctification is bringing into your soul what you have in your spirit. Sanctification is separating you from what is worldly and what is sin in your character: in your mind, your will and your emotions. The Bride is sanctified in the soul; this corporate body of people is beautiful to the Lord and He has called them to be His Bride.   The gates of Zion are praise because the Lord's already sanctified us! (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. We were sanctified at the cross before we were ever born. We were delivered from bondage to the old man and separated from sin. (Rom.6:6) Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him,] that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (7) for he that hath died is justified from sin. (11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.   (14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace. (22) But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. The manifestation of what Jesus accomplished at the cross is called “sanctification” on this earth.   (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Even as a baby Christian you receive these benefits of God's Kingdom when you walk by faith, but in your soul, you still need to learn more of God and His ways so you can walk in ever-increasing sanctification. (1Jn.1:7) 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. So there is a manifestation of the cleansing power of the blood -- not just a covering of the blood, but the cleansing power of the blood to cleanse away the nature of sin. The covering is necessary when you are a young Christian, but the more you walk in the cleansing, the less you need the covering.   You remember how Esther was in the king's house and didn't seem to be in any danger, while the rest of the people of God who were living outside the palace were under a threat of destruction by Haman, who represents the Beast. But Esther the Bride interceded for her people to the king and for that reason they were saved. Can God do this? Can He make a place on this earth where people are actually safe in the midst of a time when all the nations of the world hate and are coming against God's people?   Jesus said, (Mat.24:9) Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. He said that because God wants His name, which means “nature, character and authority,” to be manifested in His people. What's it going to take to make that happen? Well, sad to say, it's going to require everything that can be shaken to be shaken. (Heb.12:26) Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. (27) And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.   (28) Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: (29) for our God is a consuming fire. It's going to have to happen because God's people find so much affinity for the world that without this shaking, they will not run for safety to Zion, spiritually-speaking. God's going to motivate His people to run from the nations, and from their religions and run to Him. Praise God for that!   (Psa.89:22) The enemy shall not exact from him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. (23) And I will beat down his adversaries before him, And smite them that hate him. This was spoken of David, who represents the Man-child, and the Man-child is the head of the Bride. David ruled from Jerusalem, which represents the Bride. And we know that the Man-child is none other than Christ manifested in His end-times firstfruits body by Spirit and anointing. (Col.1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. The Lord is coming in His people! He is coming in His firstfruits Man-child and in His Bride, and in the virgins, and on and on through the Tribulation.   John the Baptist said of Jesus, Who was the Man-child of His day in (Joh.3:29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.... Jesus taught the disciples how to walk with Him. Obviously, God is in control of the enemy, whether you're talking about the principalities and powers, or the Beast, or the D-S, or whatever. (Psa.89:22) The enemy shall not exact from him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. (23) And I will beat down his adversaries before him, And smite them that hate him. This is a provision that is given to His Man-child and they will pass this on to the Bride.   This authority is something the Lord keeps in His Hand. There's no chance of the devil having authority over you. In the Book of Job, God was very careful about what came into the life of Job. The devil had to get permission to afflict Job and God allowed it for a purpose. The Lord was accounting Job as righteous from the very beginning because he was walking in everything that he knew, but the Lord helped Job to see his own self-righteousness by using his enemies and persecution; and, of course, God restored everything at the end.   God's authority over evil is something that He uses to sanctify us. For instance, (Pro.16:4) The Lord hath made everything for its own end (or “purpose”); Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. God made the wicked to serve Him in this raising up of His sons; therefore, when a person is sanctified, the Lord can say no to the devil. When it came time for Job to be delivered and he was sanctified of his sin, God would not allow the devil to have dominion over Job any longer.   (Pro.16:5) Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord (You know when we come to the Lord, we still have a lot of that pride and the Lord has to get it out of us! He doesn't want us to be an abomination.): [Though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished. There's nothing that can defend you from God, Who wants to destroy pride. Nothing can stop Him from doing it and He will use every vessel of dishonor He needs to bring an end to that, but when He's finished, He can stop them just as easily as He started them.   And yet we think it hard that God could provide such a place of safety for a people who are holy! Here's the advantage of being holy and separate from the world; you don't need chastening if you've overcome your sins. (Pro.16:6) By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. All these things that are coming upon the world will restore the fear of the Lord and many will depart from evil. They will run to Zion, which is a place of safety and holiness. It's a place of separation from the world.  There's nothing more important for you to do right now than to repent of your sins and seek diligently to walk in holiness and separation from the world because (Pro.16:7) When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. When you have come to the place where your actions and your ways please the Lord, God can stop your enemies. That's the place of safety; that's passing through the walls of Zion and into His place of salvation, the place where God is going to make your enemies to be at peace with you.   (Pro.16:8) Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice. (9) A man's heart deviseth his way; But the Lord directeth his steps. Think about that! The Lord directs his steps! People can choose to be good, people can choose to be bad, but God directs their steps and He even directs the steps of their enemies. Some people don't understand that about God, but they haven't studied the Bible enough to know, (Php.2:13) ... it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.   Do you think unrighteous things happen to you? (Pro.16:10) A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment. Job thought that he was being made to suffer for no reason and he accused God wrongfully a few times, but God knew exactly what He was doing and what Job needed. God did not transgress in judgment. He gave the devil permission to afflict Job which brought him to the place of holiness and then God restored everything.   (Pro.16:11) A just balance and scales are the Lord's; All the weights of the bag are his work. So just remember that the Lord is sovereign. And we also know that the Lord Jesus was given dominion over all the principalities and powers. (Eph.1:18) Having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (19) and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe (We need a revelation of that!), according to that working of the strength of his might   (20) which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places] (21) far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named (Jesus has been given dominion and authority over everything.), not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22) and he put all things in subjection under his feet....  And He put it under our feet. (Isa.46:9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; (10) declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; (11) calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it.   God sees the end from the beginning and He knows how to get you there. And sometimes, before you're completely sanctified and behind the walls of Zion, you need a chastening. Job did! And God manifestly perfected him. Job was doing what he knew to do, but he didn't understand his own heart. He didn't realize he needed to be delivered of self-righteousness, so God used the devil to help Job understand that.  (Eph.1:22) And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Notice that Christ is the head of the body, but all things are in subjection under the feet of the body. So not only has the Lord been given dominion over the principalities and the powers, and so on, but He's given His people that dominion.   He exercises His dominion through His people. (Luk.10:19) 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. Well, if God has this dominion, can't He take away the power of the enemy, as He did for Job? God can say, “Enough is enough,” anytime He wants.   (Pro.16:7) When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. There is a place when we have learned sanctification and have been separated and this is a place where God says, “Enough is enough! This is My servant and he doesn't need anymore.” Some may not believe this but we can't put limits on God. People may think they're being humble when they say, “We can't be perfect.” Well, I agree that we can't be perfect, but that doesn't mean God can't make you perfect.   God called Job perfect and He called other people perfect. God is the One Who perfects His people; all He wants from us is faith. But maybe your idea of what constitutes being “perfect” is wrong. Maybe you should find out what the Biblical idea of perfection is for you because it's obviously not the same for everyone.   A very wise brother explained it to me one time when I was young in the Lord. He said it's like playing a piano. You hit this key and it makes the sound it's supposed to make, and you hit this other key, and it makes the sound that it's supposed to make. So we are not all the same, but we all fulfill our place. When we're not looking at our neighbor, but we're doing what God is calling us to do and we're walking in His holiness, separate from sin, from the world, from idolatry and religion, then that's where we are when we're perfect. And that's when the glory of God is manifested.  (Isa.60:19) The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. He's talking about a people who have a glory, which is a “shining forth from”; the glory He's talking about is the glory of God shining forth from them. God's people have a light that the world doesn't have. If you go back to the beginning of this chapter, it says, (Isa.60:1) Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  It's happening! (3) And nations shall come to thy light (In other words, Zion will be like a lighthouse! The nations are going to see that light and run to it as a place of provision and safety.), and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Now it doesn't say anything here about God doing away with the sun and the moon, does it? It just says they won't need it. The natural man needs light on this earth in order to see because light reflects off objects and that's what our eye picks up, but do the righteous walk by sight? No, they don't! A person who doesn't walk by sight no longer needs the light of the moon or the light of the sun because the glory of God lights them and their way.   We see the same thing about Zion in (Rev.21:23) And the city (the Bride.) hath no need of the sun (It doesn't say the sun won't be there; it just says the sun won't be needed.),neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it (If you're not walking by sight, then you're walking as a Christian.), and the lamp thereof [is] the Lamb. (Rev.22:5) And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they (the Bride) shall reign for ever and ever. Now some people think this is in the Millennium, but it's here that we have to be qualified to minister for the Lord and Isaiah 60 tells us that in the Tribulation period God's people won't need the light of the sun nor light of the moon.   And, (Psa.89:35) Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: (36) His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before me. (37) It shall be established for ever as the moon, And [as] the faithful witness in the sky. So as long as the sun and moon are in the sky, we're going to have a King David. How long do you think Jesus is going to reign on the throne of David? It will be forever!   (Isa.11:1) And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch (The “branch” is the Man-child ministry.) out of his roots (The “root of Jesse” is Jesus.) shall bear fruit. (Isa.11:3) And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; (4) but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.... This judge, of course, is the branch out of the root of Jesse that shall bear fruit. The branch is the Man-child ministry and, like Jesus, the Man-child ministry is not going to walk after the seeing of their eyes or the hearing of their ears.   Jesus only preached to those people who had spiritual eyes and ears. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. They don't have to walk by natural sight and natural hearing anymore because now the glory of God is in them. There will still be a sun and moon, although they're going to be somewhat darkened, and the world, spiritually-speaking, is going to be in darkness, but the light of God is going to arise on His people (Isaiah 60:2). They don't need the light of the sun; they don't need the light of the moon; the glory of God in them is going to guide them.   (Isa.60:20) Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Praise be to God! Their crucifixion is finished. (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. How can God's people be “all righteous”? This is not natural Zion; but spiritual heavenly Zion. So Zion represents a people who are holy and around the earth!   Therefore, (Isa.60:21) thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever.... That is the land of holiness, the Promised Land, the land where their enemies will not be ruling over them. Notice what Paul said about Zion and how God is going to get His people there. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched (This is not physical Mount Zion which is in corruption.), and that burned with fire (The natural mountain that they came to in the wilderness burned with fire.), and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,   (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them; (20) for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned.... The Beast cannot touch this mountain! Mount Zion is a place of safety because it's a place of holiness. You need no Beast to crucify you, if you're already dead, and that's what holiness represents.   (Heb.12:21) And so fearful was the appearance, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion.... If you say that there's never been a spiritual, Heavenly Mount Zion on the earth, then you have to tear this part out of your Bible. These were the people who had come to Mount Zion. (Heb.12:22) But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.... They came to the Heavenly Jerusalem! Just because it's Heavenly doesn't mean it's not on earth!   Jesus said, (Luk.17:20) ... The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: (21) neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of Heaven is in your midst! Every place in you where God rules and you don't serve sin, that place is Heavenly Jerusalem. That's the place of holiness; that's inside the walls of salvation. (Heb.12:22) … the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn.... The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia and it means “the called-out ones.” What are we called out of? We're called out of the world and out of apostate religion. From the moment you are born-again out there in the world, you're called to come to Zion, called to come to Jesus Christ, the King over Zion. (Jer.31:6) ... Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.   (Heb.12:23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (24) and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel. (25) See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned [them] on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape] who turn away from him that [warneth] from heaven: (26) whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.   We're coming into that day now. I would like to read the next verse from the Numeric Bible because the numeric pattern brings us to the exact Greek wording, which is very important in this case: (Heb.12:27) And this Yet once more (Referring to the shaking that's coming once more.), signifieth the removing of the shaken.... That's what it says in the original, without all the added in words put there by the translators, based on their own understanding. (Heb.12:27) And this Yet once more, signifieth the removing of the shaken (That's what the numerics says word-for-word out of the Greek.), as of made....   In other words, “as of made” is something that's manmade. Everything that's man-made is going to be removed, whether in your life, in your religion or what you may think is “Christianity.” Nothing made by man is going to stand up to the shaking God is about to send both spiritual and physical. And what is the purpose of that shaking? (Heb.12:27) And this Yet once more, signifieth the removing of the shaken, as of made, that those not shaken may remain. “Those not shaken” is talking about people, not about things.   God is going to shake everything in our lives in order to bring about our sanctification and only those who are not going to be shaken will remain. In the wilderness the unbelieving and unrighteous fell but the righteous remained. God is going to destroy our wood, hay and stubble, so that the gold, silver and precious stones remain. What God is going to have left after He is through shaking are those who will inherit eternal life.   Some people think that we're going to have eternal life when we die, but you're actually coming into eternal life here. Eternal life is, “Christ in you...” If you don't have eternal life here, you can't go there! Some people think that they can die just as filthy as they are, and automatically go there, and when they go there, that's when they get eternal life. Those people are believing a lie. The seed of the life of Christ must bear the fruit 30-, 60- and 100-fold here. (Heb.12:28) Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Zion!),let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: (29) for our God is a consuming fire.   Yes! And this consuming fire is going to burn up the wood, hay and stubble, but we have to cooperate. Our desire should be, “Let's go up to Zion, the city of the King!” That's the place where the King rules and there's a wall separating us from the world and the worldly church. We've all been in the worldly church. Jeremiah 50 says that our mother is Babylon. We all started there with our foolish ideas about God, about the Church and the Kingdom.   But coming out of that and passing behind the walls into Zion is sanctification and separation from all of that to the place of holiness. This is the place where God can protect you and provide all of your needs. So this shaking is coming for us, but can you believe that some people want to fly away? They don't even want to be here to go through God's plan to perfect His people in the wilderness. I can tell you that a lot of the Church would go to that other place if they flew away right now! You should appreciate everything God's going to do and be glad that the rapture doesn't happen until after the Tribulation!   (Isa.60:21) Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever.... When Israel went into their Promised Land, they couldn't inherit it until they put to death the Canaanite and that's another revelation of sanctification, which is the death of the old man. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. The outer man has to die for the sanctified, spiritual inner man to come forth and rule.  I'm going to point out the same thing to you again: (Isa.52:1) Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion (God is raising up Zion. We're going to see Zion in the earth again and it represents a people whose walk is holy and who are being ruled over by King David.); put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.... Now, the beautiful garments represent righteous works, both of the Bride and those who are invited to the marriage. (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her (the Bride) that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (14) And the armies (Those who are not in the Bride company but are invited to the marriage.) which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. They have on these beautiful garments.   (Isa.52:1) … for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. That's where we're coming to. The only people in Zion are going to be holy and when they get there, they'll have that wall between them and the Beast. And if the Beast even touches the mountain, it's going to be stoned (Hebrews 12:20). (Isa.52:2) Shake thyself from the dust (That's the flesh.); arise, sit [on thy throne], O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.   The daughter of Zion is the New Jerusalem, who is coming out of captivity to their old man. That old man is outside the walls of Zion, but we're coming into the city where David rules and we will be separate from the world. This is the process of sanctification. Inside the walls of Zion is where we have all the benefits of this sanctification, the provision, the protection, the holiness and the fellowship with the Lord. The Lord is the King in the temple in Zion; His presence is in the temple in Zion! Oh, the benefits are just awesome!  Before we continue in Isaiah 60, I want to look at another example where God's people have been taken into captivity and God is calling for them to come out from among them: (Jer.3:14) Return, O backsliding children, saith the Lord (Captivity to the old man represents being backslidden.); for I am a husband unto you (The Lord is calling a people out of all of the nations to come to Zion to make them His Bride.): and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: (Jer.3:15) and I will give you shepherds according to my heart.... God has some shepherds who have been set free so that they can help the people to be free!   (Jer.3:15) … who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. (16) And it shall come to pass, when ye are multiplied and increased in the land (That's the Promised Land where you're living upon God's promises.), in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more. That was all a physical type and shadow of something that God is going to fulfill in our day. (Jer.3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it.... Jerusalem in the Old Testament was also the place of the throne of the Lord.  And Israel representing the Church was called to be under their capitol Bride City as it was in history. (Jer.3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem (the Bride) the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it.... Now that we understand the “nations” are all of God's people from all over the world, we can see this is not talking about the Millennium. It's talking about right now and Jerusalem here is the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly Jerusalem. The Church, “the called out ones,” are coming out of the nations to be under Zion as it was historically. This is a process called “sanctification”. (17) … and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord.... Zion represents the name of the Lord and sanctification represents the name of Jesus. Name means, His nature, character and authority manifested in His people.   (Jer.3:18) In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel.... That has a meaning in the New Testament, too. “Judah,” meaning “praise,” generally represents the Spirit-filled people. The house of Israel, who went even further from God and weren't filled with His presence, had mostly separated from the Spirit-filled groups. And today, those who do not believe in being Spirit-filled, with the evidences in the Bible (John 8:39, 14:12; Acts 4:30, 5:12; Hebrews 2:4, etc.), are the much larger group of people. But God's going to join people from all those religious backgrounds, just like He's bringing people out of all the nations and all the races, and He's bringing them to the Bride. (Jer.3:18) In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north (That is, out of bondage to the Beast.) to the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers. Our fathers were the early Church fathers, the 12 patriarchs Jesus raised up. Everything that Jesus gave to them is what we're going to have because it's our inheritance. That anointing, power, deliverance, and holiness, all of that is coming back to His people as they come out of captivity. (Jer.3:19) But I said, How I will put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! (This is a heritage of God.) and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me. When God's people grow up they will forsake the holy name under the law to a more personal name, “My Father”. Jesus taught us to call Him “Our Father”. Praise be to God!   So let's continue in (Isa.60:21) Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting.... What did Jesus say about every branch that His Father didn't plant? (Mat.15:13) But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. So these are going to be proven to be the plants that God planted and you'll know God's plant because it looks like Jesus! (Isa.60:21) 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. Amen! Everybody in spiritual New Testament Zion, the Bride, is going to be sanctified from the nations and they are all going to be righteous! Then the authority of their words will shake the nations and bring in the harvest. In the tribulation, especially the last half, when all the nations are gathered together against God's people, both natural and spiritual. They're going to attempt to wipe out God's people! But God is going to be a stronghold for those who have lived the crucified life unto sanctification and live in the secret place of the Most High. Others will need to die to enter the Kingdom for everyone has to die, either to self or in the physical. Jesus said we must lose our life to gain our life. Some will see these things and want to live in God's presence and be alive and remain until the coming of the Lord. (Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  2  I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust.  3  For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the deadly pestilence.  4  He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler.  5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  6  For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee.  8  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked. (9) For thou, O Lord, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; (10) There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. (11) For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under foot.  14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him.  16  With long life will I satisfy him, And show him my salvation. Notice that the angels won't let those abiding in the secret place of the Most High so much as dash their foot against a stone! There will be no strangers among His people, no strangers in the Bride in Zion. Many will take the mark of the beast to separate the leaven, leaving a righteous people. “And the Lord will roar from Zion” against those nations. God's voice will come out of Zion through a multitude of His saints, like the voice of many waters. I believe this is the body of Christ speaking the Word.   And when the saints speak the Word, what's going to happen to the nations who are gathered together against them? The nations are going to be scattered! God will fight against those nations as He fought in the day of battle.  How did He fight? By dividing the enemy against one another. They're going to be slaughtered! They are going to kill each other off. So the people of the secret place are going to be protected. I'm going to point out something else to you about sanctification: (Deu.28:1) And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth: (2) and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Do you want to be set on high above the nations when that judgment comes? Do you want to be set on high in the Tribulation period? Whatever the judgment might be and whenever judgment comes, we need to be justified before the Lord by faith in His promises. As James said the double minded will not receive from the Lord.  The power to live the Christian life is from God.  We get it from Him by faith. 2Co 3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;  6  who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant…  Understand that God has to give you the power to live His life.   the gift to hearken diligently to His voice and do His commandments. The sufficiency that God gives, He gives by grace, by unmerited favor, and He gives it for your faith. It's not the works of the Law that justify you, but the hearing of faith. (Rom.10:17) So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Believe what God says.  (Deu.30:14) But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. That's awesome! In other words, you don't have to be some superman. He said you, meaning the regenerate spiritual man over the natural man, can do it! And He's giving you the secret here: Put the Word into your heart and speak that Word out of your mouth “that thou mayest do it.”   Now let's look at how the Apostle Paul interpreted this same text: (Rom.10:5) For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. (6) But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) (7) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) (8) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith (Paul is adding this on here to give interpretation to what was meant by the text.), which we preach:   (Rom.10:9) because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. So the Word in your mouth and in your heart is the Word of the Gospel. It's the knowledge of what God has already done for you. He's already delivered you, already saved you, already perfected you. He's already delivered you out of the power of darkness. He already bore the curse for you so you don't have to bear the curse. He's already taken away your old nature and nailed it to the cross. He's already done all these things. And that's the Gospel!   (Rom.10:9) Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: (10) for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.... These are the things we have to get into our heart and let come out of our mouth. Do you believe the Gospel? Some people argue with the Gospel because of their theology. Some very religious people are against the Gospel and yet this is the key to which both Moses and Paul spoke. This is the key to the power of God. God doesn't make His salvation available to every religious person who says they are a child of God. (Joh.1:11) He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.  And the Bible even says of God that, (Joh.12:40) He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them. But when you repent and turn to the Lord, when you want His grace so that nothing will be too hard for you, then the first thing God asks you to do is to receive into your heart the good news of His Gospel. And then, even before you see it, you speak it out of your mouth, you agree with the promises. (Rom.10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And “salvation” is the term that's used to cover all these promises we've been reading about - everything. (Rom.10:11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.   Going back to our Deuteronomy text: (Deu.30:14) But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. And how do we get the power to do it? You believe in your heart and you confess with your mouth. This is the word of faith, which is Paul's interpretation of what Moses was speaking here. (Deu.30:15) See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil. (Pro.18:21) Life and death are in the power of the tongue, And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. The power of the tongue is life and death. If you want the power of life, then you have to believe with your heart and confess with your mouth.   Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. Everything that you pray for, believe you received it and you shall have it. So God says to believe it and speak it. (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. And if you don't doubt that what you say will come to pass, you'll have what you say.  You can go to God with every need that you have, pray, believe God and He will bring it to pass. So how can we “hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord ... to observe to do all his commandments” and inherit these blessings? (Php.4:6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. We have to do it by faith. (Rom.10:11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.   Now let's go back and read the blessings, as though these are the jots and tittles that God will fulfill in the New Testament for you, not because you are under the Law, but because you are under grace. (Eph.2:8) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, [it is] the gift of God (9) not by works, so that no one can boast. So the condition to receive is keeping His commandments and the only way you can keep His commandments is He is going to do it in you. Just hearken to His voice with the desire to do His will. (Deu.28:1) And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth:   (2) And all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. (3) Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. (4) Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy beasts, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock. If you're not bearing fruit in any one of these areas, continue to confess what the Bible says about you. Find the promises that have to do with your condition, put them in your heart and confess them with your mouth. Take that authority the Lord gave you over the curse, which Jesus destroyed. Exercise your authority, speak to the mountain and believe you've received everything for which you've prayed.   (Deu.28:5) Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. (6) Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. (7) The Lord will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee: they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways. (8) The Lord will command the blessing upon thee in thy barns, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto; and he will bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.   (9) The Lord will establish thee for a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee; if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. (10) And all the peoples of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord (Remember the name of the Lord is Zion! It's the Bride!); and they shall be afraid of thee. (11) And the Lord will make thee plenteous for good, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.   (12) The Lord will open unto thee his good treasure the heavens, to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. Speaking with your tongue what you believe in your heart is going to give you all of these benefits because you agree that they're yours! You believe that God has given you the blessings. The Lord spoke about Jesus bearing the curse for us so that we would have Abraham's blessings.   (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. Therefore, He bore your curse and these blessings are yours.   (Deu.28:13) And the Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them, (14) and shalt not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Sanctification is walking in God's Word, or God's Word walking in you. Praise God!   Now, let go back to (Isa.60:22) The little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time. Who is the “little one” who is “the small one”? It's the Man-child! The number 61 wasn't there in the original, the text just continued, and it says, (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me.... That was Jesus. He quoted this text and half of verse 2 when He began His ministry (Luke 4:18). So He was “the little one” Who became a thousand, became a strong nation. He was the “small one” Who became the nation of New Testament Spiritual Israel. God used Jesus to sanctify them and raise them up as a mighty Bride. John the Baptist said of the disciples who followed Jesus, (Joh.3:29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.... And so this “little one,” this “small one” coming to raise up the nation this time in a repetition of history is the Man-child.   (Isa.7:14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign (This is the Hebrew word owth and it means “an omen,” “a sign of something to come.”): behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. “Immanuel” means “God with us.” And that's exactly what's going to happen in our day during the Tribulation period (Revelation 12). God is going to raise up a “God with us”! God is always with us and to the extent His Word lives in us, to that extent, the Word is made flesh and Jesus has come in a body of flesh again.   We are the body of Christ and, if you are the body of Christ. The Bible says, unless you're reprobate, Jesus is in you (2 Corinthians 13:5). So this is a sign of something to come; the virgin in our day will bring forth Immanuel, “God with us.” And God also tells us, (Isa.8:16) Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. An unusual word for the Old Testament because it's a prophecy of Jesus speaking in the New Testament.  (Isa.8:17) And I will wait for the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob... He's been silent for a long time, but He's going to come to us as the rain. (Hos.6:1) Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (2) After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (3) And let us know, let us follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.   (Isa.8:17) And I will wait for the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. (18) Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion. So the Lord is coming again as a sign and He will dwell in His Bride.   Isaiah 61 was fulfilled in Jesus' day and it will be fulfilled in our day, too, because Jesus is coming in the body of the son of David today as a larger corporate body. He's coming in His people, as the Bible clearly says He will. He's coming as an epiphany before He comes as a parousia. The “epiphany” is the “shining forth” from God's people and the parousia is the “appearing” or the “presence” of God. So He wants to come for a people who have been born out of Heaven. (Joh.3:13) And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. We are born from above, from the Word of God Who came down out of Heaven and gives life to the world. That Word is the bread of life and as we eat that Word, Christ grows in us and He goes forth to do His work.   So this “little one” back in Isaiah 60 will become a thousand. And then we read what Jesus said and what the Man-child in our day could also say: (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (That was the Spirit of the former rain and the Spirit of the latter rain is coming now.); because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.... Amen! The good news is going to go forth. Why, when Jesus came, didn't His people have the good news, the good tidings? They were so caught up in their legalistic, religious system that God didn't even recognize them anymore and they didn't recognize Him when He came.   They couldn't understand Him when Jesus preached the Gospel and the good news is right here in the text! (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord 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.... You have to tell people the good news: “Hey, you've been set free! Jesus bore the sins of the world! He took away your sins and He nailed them on that tree, and you don't have them anymore! He delivered you out of the power of darkness. He became your curse for you and you are free!”   The Man-child is going to come with the good news and it's going to shock a lot of people who are used to religion that has replaced the true Gospel. He's going to come “to proclaim liberty to the captives.” He's going to tell them, “You've been set free because of what Jesus did at the cross!” (Rom.6:2) ... We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? It will be a revelation to them: “You mean I've been set free from sin? I don't have to serve sin? I thought the only way I wouldn't serve sin is when I died and went to Heaven.” And the Man-child's going to tell them, “No, this is your benefit now. You see, you don't have to serve sin because Jesus took away your sins.”   (Joh.1:29) On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! Jesus made a “reconciliation,” which means an “exchange.” He took your curse and gave you His blessing. He took your sin and gave you His righteousness; now we are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2Co.5:21) Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. And when you start believing that, God starts bringing it to pass. When you put it into your imagination and in your heart and when it comes out of your mouth, then God starts bringing that to pass because the sufficiency is from Him.   The good news is the first thing the Man-child's going to manifest and speak. (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord 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 the Lord's favor.... It's almost time for us to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. We haven't known the year of the Lord's favor yet. “Grace” means “unmerited favor” and, if you don't have the Good News, you're not going to have much grace because grace comes from faith in the Good News!   When Jesus came, there were many people trapped in many curses and bondages, and He set them free. Today God's people are again in the same shape because they've been under the most legalistic bunch of false religious teachings the world has ever seen, but God is going to offer grace. He's going to tell them that they've been set free. They haven't heard it yet, not with their heart, but they are going to be primed and ready to receive it.   God's grace, His favor, is going to pour forth in a great revival! (Isa.61:2) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God.... The Man-child represents the person, but the One Who lives in that person is Jesus, Who, once again, is going to preach this message. (Isa.61:2) … 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.... God is going to bring a great blessing with Him! Who is this appointing “unto them that mourn in Zion”? Well, it's the Man-child, the one of whom this text was spoken. Yes, Jesus, and Jesus today in a larger corporate body is the Man-child.

1 Samuel 24:3–7 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. (NIV) 1 Samuel 26:7–10 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. (NIV) 2 Samuel 9:1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (NIV) 2 Samuel 9:7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” (NIV) 5 Ways To Turn Your Pain Into Purpose 1. Pray for those who hurt you Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (NKJV) Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (NIV) 2. Forgive those who hurt you Matthew 6:14–15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV) 3. Talk to the person not about the person Matthew 18:15–17 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (NLT) Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. (NLT) 4. Do good to the people who hurt you Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (NKJV) Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (NIV) Romans 12:19–20 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  (NIV) 5. Let God heal your heart Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV) Psalm 34:18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath. (MSG) Psalm 30:2 Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. (NIV)

LESSON 131No One Can Fail Who Seeks To Reach The Truth.Failure is all about you while you seek for goals that cannot be achieved. You look for permanence in the impermanent, for love where there is none, for safety in the midst of danger; immortality within the darkness of the dream of death. Who could succeed where contradiction is the setting of his searching, and the place to which he comes to find stability?Goals that are meaningless are not attained. There is no way to reach them, for the means by which you strive for them are meaningless as they are. Who can use such senseless means, and hope through them to gain in anything? Where can they lead? And what could they achieve that offers any hope of being real? Pursuit of the imagined leads to death because it is the search for nothingness, and while you seek for life you ask for death. You look for safety and security, while in your heart you pray for danger and protection for the little dream you made.Yet searching is inevitable here. For this you came, and you will surely do the thing you came for. But the world can not dictate the goal for which you search, unless you give it power to do so. Otherwise, you still are free to choose a goal that lies beyond the world and every worldly thought, and one that comes to you from an idea relinquished yet remembered, old yet new; an echo of a heritage forgot, yet holding everything you really want.Be glad that search you must. Be glad as well to learn you search for Heaven, and must find the goal you really want. No one can fail to want this goal and reach it in the end. God's Son can not seek vainly, though he try to force delay, deceive himself and think that it is hell he seeks. When he is wrong, he finds correction. When he wanders off, he is led back to his appointed task.No one remains in hell, for no one can abandon his Creator, nor affect His perfect, timeless and unchanging Love. You will find Heaven. Everything you seek but this will fall away. Yet not because it has been taken from you. It will go because you do not want it. You will reach the goal you really want as certainly as God created you in sinlessness.Why wait for Heaven? It is here today. Time is the great illusion it is past or in the future. Yet this cannot be, if it is where God wills His Son to be. How could the Will of God be in the past, or yet to happen? What He wills is now, without a past and wholly futureless. It is as far removed from time as is a tiny candle from a distant star, or what you chose from what you really want.Heaven remains your one alternative to this strange world you made and all its ways; its shifting patterns and uncertain goals, its painful pleasures and its tragic joys. God made no contradictions. What denies its own existence and attacks itself is not of Him. He did not make two minds, with Heaven as the glad effect of one, and earth the other's sorry outcome which is Heaven's opposite in every way.God does not suffer conflict. Nor is His creation split in two. How could it be His Son could be in hell, when God Himself established him in Heaven? Could he lose what the Eternal Will has given him to be his home forever? Let us not try longer to impose an alien will upon God's single purpose. He is here because He wills to be, and what He wills is present now, beyond the reach of time.Today we will not choose a paradox in place of truth. How could the Son of God make time to take away the Will of God? He thus denies himself, and contradicts what has no opposite. He thinks he made a hell opposing Heaven, and believes that he abides in what does not exist, while Heaven is the place he cannot find.Leave foolish thoughts like these behind today, and turn your mind to true ideas instead. No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth, and it is truth we seek to reach today. We will devote ten minutes to this goal three times today, and we will ask to see the rising of the real world to replace the foolish images that we hold dear, with true ideas arising in the place of thoughts that have no meaning, no effect, and neither source nor substance in the truth.This we acknowledge as we start upon our practice periods. Begin with this:I ask to see a different world,and think a different kind of thought from those I made.The world I seek I did not make alone,the thoughts I want to think are not my own.For several minutes watch your mind and see, although your eyes are closed, the senseless world you think is real. Review the thoughts as well which are compatible with such a world, and which you think are true. Then let them go, and sink below them to the holy place where they can enter not. There is a door beneath them in your mind, which you could not completely lock to hide what lies beyond.Seek for that door and find it. But before you try to open it, remind yourself no one can fail who seeks to reach the truth. And it is this request you make today. Nothing but this has any meaning now; no other goal is valued now nor sought, nothing before this door you really want, and only what lies past it do you seek.Put out your hand, and see how easily the door swings open with your one intent to go beyond it. Angels light the way, so that all darkness vanishes, and you are standing in a light so bright and clear that you can understand all things you see. A tiny moment of surprise, perhaps, will make you pause before you realize the world you see before you in the light reflects the truth you knew, and did not quite forget in wandering away in dreams.You cannot fail today. There walks with you the Spirit Heaven sent you, that you might approach this door some day, and through His aid slip effortlessly past it, to the light. Today that day has come. Today God keeps His ancient promise to His holy Son, as does His Son remember his to Him. This is a day of gladness, for we come to the appointed time and place where you will find the goal of all your searching here, and all the seeking of the world, which end together as you pass beyond the door.Remember often that today should be a time of special gladness, and refrain from dismal thoughts and meaningless laments. Salvation's time has come. Today is set by Heaven itself to be a time of grace for you and for the world. If you forget this happy fact, remind yourself with this:Today I seek and find all that I want.My single purpose offers it to me.No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

May 5, 2024 [Speaker: Pastor John Sitcler] – Today, we continue our series "Priority."  Throughout this series, we will explore a priority that Jesus has for his followers that sometimes we fail to make a priority for ourselves.  We will discover why Jesus made this such a priority and how this particular priority can impact our lives and the lives of those around us. Today: God has a list of gifts that help us to show His love to others. Ask the Holy Spirit to Give You Whatever Gifts He Wants to Give to you.   Bible app sermon notes: http://bible.com/events/49252741

It is God's desire that this nation be brought back to Him. He desires that the arm of judgment be withheld from the land. The only way that will take place is for the children of God to cry out to Him and come before Him in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, interceding for our country. Because only a move of the Holy Spirit, can restore and redeem what is broken.  From Pastor Chris Dodge: "I pray for my country and I pray God that He will enable me to intercede as never before. I pray that you too will be down on your knees for this land." 1 Timothy 2:1-6 God is pleased when we take Him at His Word and cry out for our nation to know and follow Christ. https://www.awakeusnow.com  Today God is saying to His people pray for those in need, understand that God's Holy Spirit is calling His people to be a people of prayer. One of the things that we have seen over these last months is God telling us to be in prayer. The Holy Spirit has been pleading with us to pray for this land, pray for its leaders, pray for it's people, that God may bring people back to Him. I am not sharing anything that none of you haven't already figured out. We are living in very, very difficult and dangerous times and it is absolutely essential that God's people pray. He is calling us to come before the throne in heaven with prayers for our people, for our leaders, for our country, and for the nations of the world.  When God's people listen to His voice and come before Him in prayer He hears, He answers, and He responds. I believe He is telling us in this very critical juncture not only in our nations history but in the history of this planet that it is absolutely essential for God's people, the faithful remnant, to be a people of prayer asking that God would do a mighty work in our day calling people back to Him. Paul says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Now what does it mean to live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness? Does that mean that we are supposed to have a nice middle-class lifestyle and be able to sit back and just enjoy our days? No! It means we are praying and coming before the throne of God that opportunities may be given to bring the message of Jesus to the nation and to the world. We are praying that there would be times of peace and refreshing so that people's hearts would be open to hear the voice of the living God and to respond to what He has done. Just so we know that's what God has in mind and what the apostle was all about listen to the next two verses. 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul says, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” God's desire is that every man, woman, and child on the face of this planet come to know His love and mercy in Jesus Christ. The Scriptures cry that out. You and I are living in an amazing time. These are such exciting days in every sense of the word. Yes, they are frightening in some ways, but for the person who knows the living God we know He's got this. We know that in the end God wins and so do we, and therefore, we are not fearful  We are closer than ever before to the fulfillment of the ages, If ever there were a time when God's people needed to be praying this is it because He desires all people to be saved, and that ought to be not only on our hearts but at the heart of our prayers. This is where our lives are to be focused. Listen to what the apostle says, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Paul writes and he says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” If it was the proper time 2000 years ago what time is it now as are watching all of the promises of God unfold before our very eyes?  Jesus is not only the Messiah of Israel and the Hope of the nations, He is the only one who can rescue. He is the only one who can save. He is the only one who can renew a life, restore a family, rebuild a broken heart, heal permanently a ruptured soul. He is God. He is good. He is the Redeemer and He listens to the prayers of his children.

Be courageous, be hopeful, be full of faith. All things will work out for good in Jesus name.

  FULL TRANSCRIPT (with timecode) 00:00:17:29 - 00:00:19:10 Welcome to Grace. 00:00:19:12 - 00:00:25:15 Hope, love, the broadcast ministry of Calvary Chapel Birmingham and beautiful Alabama. 00:00:41:19 - 00:01:15:16 It's great to have you with us as together we explore the Bible, verse by verse and chapter by chapter. This broadcast is reaching across the world with the amazing, exciting and life changing Word of God. If you would like to partner with us to take the whole book to the whole world, please consider making a donation. To learn more about Calvary Chapel Birmingham and God's plan for your life, or how you can partner with this ministry, go to Calvary birmingham.com. Today God has an extra special message just for you. 00:01:15:18 - 00:01:18:10 So grab your Bible and let's dig in. 00:01:29:06 - 00:02:04:05 For the last several Sundays, we've been studying through what is commonly known as the Olivet Discourse, and it's called that, of course, because of the location from which the discourse was taught. And that is the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem and the temple of the time. So this is the same spot in which Jesus will come in the future to establish his his kingdom. A few chapters back in our study of Mark, Jesus entered Jerusalem with what seemed to be triumphant acclaim from all the crowds. But after disrupting the commercial activities in the temple, things took a turn. 00:02:04:11 - 00:02:35:04 The next morning, Jesus engaged with the religious leaders, and this was followed by Jesus giving public warning to the crowds and to his disciples about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. And then he pronounced woes against the religious leaders. We don't have those in Mark, but we have had those in Matthew. Now his disciples began to see that things were getting dangerous because the religious leaders in Jerusalem, they recognized, are out to get Jesus and try to silence him. Much earlier in Jesus's ministry, they had determined to destroy him. 00:02:35:06 - 00:03:05:13 That is, the religious leaders had already determined to destroy him. Even as Jesus is giving this discourse then to his disciples, they are orchestrating their plans, and soon enough, Judas will betray Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, located on this same Mount of Olives. And as for timeline, we where we are, it is two days before Passover, and so Jesus urgently turns his attention to his disciples. He prepares. 00:03:05:15 - 00:03:50:15 He's preparing his followers for the events that are to come. This is the fifth and final discourse from Jesus to his disciples. As we have seen, this discourse is prophecy, and it's to prepare his disciples for what they will experience as they do the work as apostles of preaching the gospel and building the church. And so that they understand the urgency of the message. Jesus describes the catastrophic events of judgment that will befall the nation, including the destruction of the temple and in the even more distant future, the end times and what the end times will mean for not only the world, but for Israel. 00:03:50:28 - 00:04:24:05 That is very important, really, for our understanding of this text. Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the end times and Israel and what it means for Israel. Um, all of what he has said in the discourse and in the parables and the illustrations that are centered around this discourse, has been very Israel centric. However, Gentile believers are not excluded. Certainly all believers need to understand this text. This text will be an important witness for those who enter the tribulation period. 00:04:24:07 - 00:05:00:03 But of course, also for believers today, these are events that will be experienced worldwide, like the Great Flood was a worldwide flood, and an understanding of this text enables us to better understand end times prophecy found in the Old Testament. Um, what is contained in the final book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. But there is also. A great reminder. About and encouragement to faithfulness and warning about unfaithfulness. 00:05:00:06 - 00:05:30:29 Now, you may have heard other pastors teach this text differently. Um, there are a lot of different words you could key off key off of within this text. I mean, we have words like war, plague, earthquake, sorrow. Um, gospel is a good one, of course. Um. Abomination. Desecration. Tribulation. Saved. Elect this generation. Days of Noah is in Matthew, and we'll touch on that today as well. Um. Thief. Uh. Be ready. 00:05:31:01 - 00:06:03:09 Faithful. Wise. Um. We'll see as we, uh, study a little bit in Matthew as well. We'll see the use of the word oil. Um, bridegroom. Uh, talents. And, you know, I myself have heard many messages that. That read a couple of the scriptures from this, and then then kind of pick a word within those couple of verses and key off of it into something completely, um, off topic, uh, sorrow. 00:06:03:11 - 00:06:38:02 You know, sorrow. What are you what sorrow are you dealing with today? Um. Saved. How do you know that you're saved? Do you know that? You know that you know that you know. Oil. Have you experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit, my friend? Is your lamp filled with oil? And. Even to the absurd talents. Will you use your talents to serve pastor's vision for the church? All you have to do is actually read the text in context. 00:06:38:25 - 00:07:14:01 And you will find that that especially is absolutely absurd. Now, with the exception of that last. And I admit that was. That's low hanging fruit. Um, it's it's it's so out there. It's just low hanging fruit now. But, um, with the exception of that last absurd example, there is good reason to deal with many of those other things. But this text is not necessarily the place to deal with those things. Um, deal with those things when you get to the text that actually deals with them in the text does exist, that deals with all those things. 00:07:14:03 - 00:07:45:21 Otherwise you are not rightly dividing the word of truth. The great danger of keying off of one word in a verse or within a small segment of text is then the flesh can take that wherever it wants, almost always ending up with a very subtle message about either earning your salvation or doing the works to maintain your standing or your salvation, which is not only contrary to the good news of eternal salvation by grace through faith. 00:07:45:23 - 00:08:18:18 It is a trap that leads to a rejection of grace and a rebuke at the judgment seat of Christ. Now, we talked about taking a literal approach to Scripture last week as well. It does not mean that that we believe that the earth is flat, or that the moon makes its own light. Rather, a literal approach to the text means we maintain a high standard when it comes to interpreting Scripture. It means we do our best to consider the intent of the author, and not to go beyond that. 00:08:18:20 - 00:09:14:08 And that also means that we are willing to let the text speak rather than us speaking for the text. Now that out of the way, in the previous part of this discourse, after answering the disciples questions regarding the temple and its destruction, Jesus continues with prophecy of the end times and the tribulation and His second coming. Over the last few Sundays, we looked at the condition of the world and the condition of the world. When Jesus comes to take his church, ushering in then the seven years of tribulation, Jesus spoke about conditions Israel will endure during the tribulation, the rebuilt temple implying that the Law of Moses is back in observance, in effect, that Antichrist and the desecration of the Temple Israel fleeing to get away, Israel seeing Jesus's return, the great battle at the end, and Israel's salvation. 00:09:14:10 - 00:09:53:01 And then Jesus moved out of the discourse and into using parable and illustrating again. And with that, Jesus went from dealing with eschatological events to dealing with attitudes, drawing contrasts between those who are faithful, prepared, and watchful, and those who are not. Bart does not include all of these parables and illustrations, and we may. We made note of that last week, but because there has been such terrible teaching for many of these illustration parables, I'm going to take us out of Mark later on this morning and into Matthew so that we can cover that ground as well. 00:09:53:03 - 00:10:30:16 Now, a word of caution in studying these. We must be careful not to make assumptions that will lead us to wrong conclusions. In regards to these parables and these illustrations, it's important to note that the outcome is reward or retribution. Expecting or not expecting. Christ's return makes a large difference in the lives of those characters in the illustrations. We will understand through these paragraphs that unbelievers will suffer loss by not being prepared. 00:10:30:18 - 00:11:01:25 It is also the case that believers will suffer loss to not like unbelievers, but loss nonetheless. Loss of rewards. And so we find Jesus directing believers to watch and to be ready. And that's really that really is important for us to remember as we study through these things. The text may not be speaking of eternal life versus condemnation, even though the text may cause us to want to assume that we must not assume we must remain in context. 00:11:01:27 - 00:11:32:03 And so we find that the greater idea is faithfulness, being watchful so that one is found faithful and faithfulness is rewarded. And that implies that believers who are not watchful and thus not concerned about being faithful to Christ, uh, to Christ, suffer loss not of eternal life, but of rewards. So I think that pretty much well sets up our study as as Jesus continues to teach with the parable of the faithful and the wise slave. 00:11:32:20 - 00:12:09:16 Um, we'll get to that in a second. Here, I want us to pray, and then we'll dig in. Heavenly father, we thank you for this new morning. The breath you've placed in our lungs for the beating of our hearts. Lord, you are truly living God. Compassionate, merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Lord, we pray for those who are sick. Lord, we pray for Chris that you would heal him from his sickness. Lord others who might be sick or dealing with different diseases and things. Lord, we ask that you would heal them. Those who are traveling like Larry and Krista, Lord, that you would keep them safe, protect them and bring them back to their family here. 00:12:09:25 - 00:12:40:04 Um, most of all, we ask that that your gospel would be received, uh, or preached to all this world, Lord, and that people would come to understand the truth of Jesus. Um, and as we embark on this study of your word, we ask that our own hearts would be opened to receive all that you have to say to us, Lord, we desire to be heroes and doers. We ask that you would lead us in all of your ways because your ways are good. We pray this in Jesus name. 00:12:40:06 - 00:12:40:23 Amen. 00:12:42:16 - 00:12:44:17 So starting with verse. 00:12:46:17 - 00:12:47:23 32. 00:12:52:23 - 00:13:35:13 We are at the very end of Mark chapter 13, starting with verse 32. But of that day and hour no one knows. Not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father. Take heed, watch and pray for you. Do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch. Therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning, lest coming, suddenly he find you sleeping. 00:13:35:24 - 00:14:05:28 And what I say to you, I say to all watch. Now, as I mentioned last week, the parallel text of Matthew includes some things here that Mark does not. And I want us to read that text of Matthew. Now, the parallel section of Matthew to our text in Mark is found in chapter 24 of Matthew, in particular verses 36 through 44. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only. 00:14:06:00 - 00:14:40:01 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and the other left. 00:14:40:03 - 00:15:22:23 Watch therefore, for you do not know. Uh, for you do not know what hour your lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Now Mark's gospel doesn't avoid anything. It just gets straight to the point. As we we've observed before, Mark's gospel moves at a much quicker pace than do the other Synoptics, whereas Matthew moves slower, um, and includes much more detail. 00:15:22:25 - 00:16:03:21 The big picture here in Mark is found in Jesus's thesis verse of 32. Um, no one knows the day or the hour. And we should ask ourselves, what is it that no one knows about that day and hour? Well, context helps, and if we keep reading, verse 33 clarifies that you do not know when the time is. Jesus then expounds on to on on that to to make the big point, which is spiritual vigilance, not desperately holding on to salvation as if one day you're going to mess up so bad that the Lord thumps you out of his keeping hand. 00:16:03:27 - 00:16:46:08 But rather believers should not be asleep, as were Peter, James, and John later in the garden, but rather believers should be found faithfully in service to the Lord when he returns. All the servants will be blessed by the return of the Lord. Faithful servants will be rewarded. But we have a problem. Why is it that we have a pretty clear timeline of events given to us, not just in the Olivet Discourse, but in New Testament texts like revelation? If nobody knows the time of the return. 00:16:47:13 - 00:17:20:22 How can this possibly be? Since we have spelled out for us a seven year period of tribulation, at the end of which Jesus returns? Well, what it is, is. That Jesus is speaking of his return. For believers, that comes before the seven year period referred to as the rapture or the catching up of the church. Now, we'll get back to this in a minute, but for now, let's get more into the details of this section from Mark. 00:17:20:24 - 00:17:51:14 And Matthew will tie in to Luke as well a little bit, but we're going to use that more as a means of clarifying. Just just wait for it, I guess. So when when we read, uh, the text from Mark and then from Matthew, there was some things in Matthew that probably. Have struck out at us. Um, probably that bit about Noah, right? That's kind of a word that, you know, the days of Noah that kind of sticks out from that text. 00:17:52:00 - 00:18:28:00 Um, and of course, the days thereof, specifically that part, um, as the days of Noah were so also, will the coming of the Son of Man before is in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. We'll get to that. But first, did you notice a difference between verse 36 of Matthew and verse 32 of Mark? It's subtle. Verse 36 of Matthew says, but of that day and hour, and no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only. 00:18:29:08 - 00:19:05:18 In Mark. In verse 32 it says, but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father. So it's that phrase, nor the sun. It's in Mark, but not Matthew. And Luke doesn't have this verse at all. So hold on to your hats. We're going to get a little bit nerdy Bible nerdy here, just for a few minutes. Um, some important manuscripts, uh, such as the Alexandrian and the Western manuscripts have an additional phrase that's not included in Matthew, and that is that phrase. 00:19:05:20 - 00:19:39:18 It is, nor the sun. We find it as we just saw in Mark, not Matthew. Many scholars believe that phrase should be included here in the text of Matthew as well. And in fact, modern translations have decided to include this phrase, as it was likely in the original autographs of Matthew. The King James Version does not include it. But I believe it should, because not only do the Alexandrian and Western manuscripts have it, um, almost all. 00:19:40:09 - 00:19:48:12 Of the other witnesses, uh, have that phrase as well. But even if that phrase should be there. 00:19:50:06 - 00:20:26:21 The final part of verse 36 in Matthew. But my father only. Well, it implies the same thing. Only the lack of it in the King James Version and New King James Version just seems to to somewhat soften the prophetic impact of it. So just be aware of this. Even the son does not know. And it's interesting that this lines up with the way that weddings happen in ancient Israel. So the the pattern agrees with what Jesus says here after the betrothal, neither the groom nor the bride knew when the marriage celebration was going to occur. 00:20:26:23 - 00:20:47:09 Instead, the groom then went back home to prepare a place for his bride, and when the father decided it was time, he would send the groom with the wedding party to collect the bride. But the bigger idea here is not what the father knows, nor really of the timing. 00:20:49:03 - 00:21:02:23 Rather, the idea is. Encouragement toward an attitude of being watchful. And prepared. The time is unknowable. 00:21:04:18 - 00:21:10:28 Therefore be ready. If a plumber is scheduled to come to your home to fix your toilet. 00:21:12:16 - 00:21:16:06 And you don't know what exact time they're going to arrive. 00:21:17:22 - 00:21:37:05 What are you probably going to do? Well, you're probably going to pick up any dirty clothes from the floor of your bathroom. You're probably going to empty the bathroom trash can. You might even clean the area around the toilet and the toilet itself. So you don't look like the slob you really are. 00:21:39:26 - 00:22:15:24 So if in little things, we feel like we should be prepared. The imminent rapture of the church should inspire preparation of those who are of the church. No one knows the exact time when the Son of Man will return. His coming is going to be a surprise, so it makes sense to be prepared so that you are not ashamed. Now, who is this warning for? Well, Matthew gives us that information because there Jesus starts this illustration with a comparison. 00:22:16:06 - 00:22:50:13 As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. And note that just as the flood was worldwide, so also the end times judgments will be worldwide. So then we get the idea now that this word is not limited to Israel, but is for all the world. People need to hear the Word of God taught and preached and that includes the warnings. In the days of Noah, the world did not expect a flood that would cover all the earth, despite the fact that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. 00:22:50:15 - 00:23:14:19 I get that from Second Peter two verse five. Peter is called or Noah is called a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly. Similarly. In the future of in the future, the world will be pursuing normal, everyday, regular routine activities. 00:23:16:05 - 00:23:25:01 They will be going about life as usual. Suddenly. And without warning. Normal life. 00:23:25:21 - 00:23:28:02 Meals. Weddings. 00:23:29:19 - 00:24:04:12 Will be interrupted. And those who remain will find themselves searching for an explanation. Of what is going on. In Noah's day, he and seven others entered the ark and God. Shut that door. Now knowing his family were not Hebrews. They predated Abraham, who was the first Hebrew. And as the world was judged, Noah in the seven others were kept safe in the ark above the waters. 00:24:05:27 - 00:24:38:24 Jesus is Coming begins with the rapture of the church, which can occur at any time. Without sign. Except for the fact that the Bible actually tells us it's going to happen. And then following the rapture, those years of tribulation will come about a total of seven years of tribulation with the abomination of desolation that Daniel and Jesus spoke of in the middle of that time, after which Israel will be scattered once again. 00:24:38:26 - 00:24:54:26 Three and a half years after the abomination, the prophecy of Zechariah tells us that Jesus will set foot on the Mount of Olives and overthrow Israel's enemies. And as Zechariah states in verse nine, the Lord shall be king over all the earth. 00:24:56:27 - 00:25:28:12 Unbelievers will suddenly find themselves in judgment, just as unbelievers were in the days of Noah. As Noah and his family were yet kept safe out of the judgment. So then, those who we see taken away by the flood are unbelievers. Continuing in the text of Matthew, Jesus then added to the illustration by moving to a different illustration said, then two men will be in the field, one will be taken in the other left, two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken, the other left. 00:25:31:12 - 00:25:35:09 In regards to just what this illustrates, there are a couple of possibilities. 00:25:36:24 - 00:26:12:12 Then in verse 40 of Matthew, the text points back to when everyone was eating and drinking just before the tribulation. Now the word took in. Verse 39 is the Greek word eru, meaning carried away. As in carried away to their death by the flood waters. And then the word taken that Jesus uses in verses 40 and 41 is a different word. Uh, parallel bono meaning take two oneself or receive. 00:26:13:06 - 00:26:55:27 Now. One possibility is that this illustrates the rapture, with one being taken in the other left behind. And that sounds good. But the problem is that it doesn't track with the NOAA illustration in which the wicked were taken away while the believers were preserved. Rather, it seems to make better sense that this continues the previous illustration, where the world is in tribulation and the church has been removed already. So then in verses 4241, those taken away are the unbelievers, and the ones that are left are those of believing Israel and tribulation saints who are not taken to judgment but remain to enter the Millennial Kingdom. 00:26:56:08 - 00:27:38:16 So then, those who come on to, or who come to believe during the tribulation must be watchful and expectant of the Lord's coming. Others take the view that those who are carried away in verses in verse 39 are unbelievers, while those who are taken in verses 44 through 41 are believers taken up to Christ at the rapture of the church, as I said before. So then those who are left in verses 40 to 41 are the ones who are going to be going through the tribulation events. And if if this view is correct, then the judgment of the tribulation will come on the unbelieving world, like the flood, where they are not expecting it, and before that God will deliver his own from. 00:27:39:03 - 00:28:15:20 The world. In between these two. If neither is exactly wrong, the facts are that the church will be raptured before the judgment, and those who those who believe during the tribulation will also enter the kingdom. However, Jesus had a point greater than than those specifics. The greater idea here is just what we started with. Nobody knows the time. And Jesus is addressing his disciples. His disciples were believers apart from one who would betray the Lord to the chief priests and the Romans. 00:28:15:22 - 00:28:47:14 If if saved individuals this side of the tribulation need to worry about entering into the tribulation, then why be watchful in the first place? Well, the reason is that while Jesus and John three and later Paul and Romans eight said that he who believes in Jesus is not condemned, they are not exempt. They are not exempted from the judgment seat of Christ. Paul spoke of this judgment seat of Christ in Romans, in Second Corinthians. And the Apostle John also did this in his first epistle. 00:28:47:16 - 00:29:21:00 Paul says, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, good or bad. And he says, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to him, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each 1st May receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. So this is not a judgment to condemnation, but a judgment in which believers will receive or lose reward according to their faithfulness to Christ. 00:29:21:23 - 00:29:55:08 Everyone who is at this judgment is saved, but some will be saved with rewards and some will be saved with loss of rewards. So then believers need to watch a Greek word that means be on alert. In light of Christ, sudden, unexpected coming. And this same word for watch is repeated several times by Paul in his epistles and by the Lord not only in the Gospels, but also in revelation. So then look at verses 43 through 44. 00:29:57:00 - 00:30:35:29 Of Matthew 24. But know this, that if the master of the house had not, if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come. He would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour. You do not expect anyone who knows before it happens that a thief is going to be coming to his house. And when will certainly make sure to be awake and alert for that event so that he can protect his house and his possessions. 00:30:36:22 - 00:31:00:18 Jesus compares himself to a thief because he will come unexpectedly, and the homeowner or the master of the house is the believer. And if it's important for a homeowner to be so vigilant about things that are transient. Then how much more so is it for a believer to to be aware and vigilant over things that are of eternal value? 00:31:02:18 - 00:31:09:26 Believers who are watching for the rapture will be prepared at any time and not taken by surprise. 00:31:11:21 - 00:31:52:09 It will not experience loss of reward. Jesus promises that there is no condemnation for those who believe in him. So then the believer is absolutely secure and safe from condemnation and promised eternal life. And while most people are concerned with quality of life now, however. Eternal life dwarfs the little time that we have now. So quality of eternal life should be of immensely greater concern. Believers enter into eternal life no matter what God guarantees it, but works will be judged and some will enter with reward, others will enter having lost rewards. 00:31:52:11 - 00:31:56:14 And so, as believers, we should desire to be faithful and wise. 00:32:01:11 - 00:32:34:16 All right. So as I insinuated several times, Matthew includes more illustrations and parables than Mark does. That is illustrations and parables specifically associated with this discourse. And these have been taught so horribly so as to steal away the assurance of believers eternal salvation, that I. I feel the need that we as a body, go back and look at these things. Um, even though Mark does not necessarily include all of these in his text. 00:32:34:18 - 00:32:51:24 So I want you to right now in, um. Yeah, we got time. I want you right now to turn to Matthew chapter 24, if you haven't already. We've been in Matthew, so maybe you've already turned there, but, um, we'll be looking at verses 45 through 51. 00:32:54:01 - 00:32:55:20 I need to do that too. Let's see. 00:33:03:28 - 00:33:04:17 There we go. 00:33:09:21 - 00:33:52:06 Are. All right. And starting the verse 45, it reads this way. Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if the evil servant says in his heart, my master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. 00:33:52:13 - 00:34:23:24 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now this parable continues the theme of the preceding, and that overarching theme is preparedness. After describing what his Second Coming would be like. It makes sense that Jesus would speak of being watchful and prepared. Earlier in both Mark and Matthew, Jesus warned that his return would not be hidden or secret, but would be quick and visible to all. And in the parable of the fig tree. 00:34:23:28 - 00:35:00:18 From verses 28 through 31 of Mark, which I think we looked at last Sunday, Jesus says that the generation that is in the tribulation and sees the abomination of desolation and the cataclysmic events in the heavens, will see his return. But as it was in the days of Noah when only a handful believed God was going to was going to judge the world with this great flood, so also many will be taken by surprise then at his return. Now, it's important to note that the rapture of the church in the Second Coming of Christ are two different things, right? The rapture comes just before the seven year tribulation. 00:35:00:20 - 00:35:35:12 The Bible describes the rapture as Jesus coming in the clouds and calling up his believers to be with him. But in his Second coming, at the conclusion of the tribulation, he sets foot on the Mount of Olives, bringing bringing us with him to judge the world and usher in the Millennial Kingdom. So in his discourse, the rapture would have occurred probably just before verse nine. And from that point on, this discourse seems to be describing the tribulation period. The midpoint of the seven year tribulation is at verse 14 of Mark 13, with the abomination of desolation and Israel fleeing. 00:35:35:14 - 00:36:10:26 The Second coming of Christ then occurs in the discourse with verse 26 of Mark. So then we continue now with the parables and the illustrations, and that takes us to the parable that we just read of the with a faithful servant and a wise servant. Here in Matthew, the Greek word for servant here is doulos. Now doulos speaks of a slave. That is, someone subservient to someone else. And in the New Testament text, it usually speaks of someone who was in a financial situation that required them to sell themselves to someone else in order to survive. 00:36:11:09 - 00:36:46:10 That likely does not refer to someone who has been made a slave by force. Now, all this is this kind of archaic to us today. But someone in that time who was in that kind of life or death situation would have been thankful and demonstrated their thankfulness with faithful service. However. The flesh, nature being what it is. A slave, even though their slavery meant survival rather than starvation and suffering, might begin to resent their master. 00:36:47:06 - 00:37:12:10 Some slaves of the time were very low on the pole. Others were trusted as family members and even given great responsibility and trust in a household. Now slave here is used singularly in this entire parable. This seems surprising because if your Bible has section headings, it probably reads illustration of the two servants. 00:37:14:00 - 00:37:48:06 Well, this is problematic. As the text is speaking of two possible actions of one servant, and how the servants actions in each scenario may be rewarded. In other words, there is one slave in this parable who has been entrusted with great responsibilities and who also has a choice while his master is away. He can be faithful and wise, and the responsibilities given to him by his master, anticipating the joy of reward at his master's return. 00:37:48:08 - 00:38:20:01 Or he can be evil and do whatever his evil desires. Lead him to do things that are characteristic of idolaters, or pagans, or unbelievers, and those who have turned away. Uh, from uh uh, from the faith. Because the master will return suddenly. The master will discover what his entrusted servant has been doing. If he's been faithful. When his master returns, he will be rewarded and given greater position. 00:38:20:09 - 00:38:51:17 If the slave has been unfaithful, the text says he will be divided and be given a place with the hypocrites. Now notice that the master who left the slave and then returns remains the slave master, whether the slave is faithful or unfaithful. But what about verse 51? And this cutting into. Well, that verb, uh, deco tomato means to to cut an object into two parts. 00:38:51:19 - 00:39:25:29 And it is the same verb that's used in Hebrews 11, verse 37, speaking of God's prophets being sawn in two. It is also used in the Septuagint in Exodus in regards to the division of sacrifices. Extra biblical sources such as writings of Polybius and credulous Strabo. Many others demonstrate the use of this word in rhetoric as, uh, as hyperbole for creating a convincing argument. 00:39:26:04 - 00:39:56:28 And that's how it's used here. The dividing of the slave is not the division of the slave himself. It is hyperbole to illustrate being cut to the heart by the Lord's rebuke and suffering great loss. Remember, as Hebrews four says, the word of God is like a two edged sword that can cut deeply and is being appointed. A place with the hypocrites is simply showing that there are those who are found faithful, and there are others who are not. 00:39:57:20 - 00:40:28:22 Jesus denounced the leaders in Israel. He called them hypocrites. And when doing so he did not distinguish between believing and unbelieving leaders. And we know from the Bible that there were at least a few and probably. Many among the leaders who believed yet remained secretive in their belief. And we know that even faithful believers can be hypocrites. 00:40:29:18 - 00:40:58:04 Such as Peter and Barnabas in Galatians two, where Paul rebuked them because in Antioch they got up from their table with the Gentiles to sit with the Jews from Jerusalem when they arrived. We find a similar parable in Luke 12, where in verse 46, instead of hypocrite, we find the word unbelievers. However, the Greek word. Translated. Translated. Uh. Unbeliever. There. Also means the unfaithful. 00:41:00:07 - 00:41:04:22 Which I think is a more sound understanding. The fact. 00:41:07:00 - 00:41:40:29 In fact it is. That's actually how the ESV renders that word in Luke 1246. So the big idea here. Is that when believers are judged, the failure to have endured and faithful service will result in rebuke. The difference is that in one scenario, the wise servant watches for the return of his master, and because he is watchful and he is expectant. He is found serving faithfully. And the other scenario? He thinks his master will not return for a long time. 00:41:41:01 - 00:41:43:01 So he stopped serving his master well. 00:41:45:04 - 00:41:52:18 We often want to associate weeping and gnashing of teeth with the pronouncement of utter condemnation. 00:41:54:04 - 00:42:33:03 And we do find that phrase associated with unbelievers in hell. We also find it used of the tremendous grief. Of believers at the loss of rewards. But context determines how we should understand the text. And so the phrase here speaks of tremendous regret over a wasted opportunity to have received something very valuable. So then its use here in this text speaks of great sorrow experienced by unfaithful believers at the Lord's rebuke, at their loss of reward and loss of privileges. 00:42:34:00 - 00:42:43:20 And loss of joys associated with ruling with Christ in the kingdom. And yet God will wipe away every tear. 00:42:52:20 - 00:42:57:27 Israel was chosen by God in order to be a light to the other nations. 00:43:01:09 - 00:43:33:03 And to be the people through which the Messiah was to to come into the world. And over and over in the text of the Old Testament, we see Israel instead wanting to be just like the other nations and falling into idolatry. And each time we see God discipline them. And we see Israel missing out on God's blessing. Their rejection of Jesus has resulted in very difficult times over the centuries. 00:43:33:27 - 00:43:47:09 For Israel. But Israel is gathered back together. Being gathered back together became a nation again in 1948. They still are experiencing judgment for their unbelief. 00:43:49:07 - 00:44:21:04 But God is faithful always to his promises. In the tribulation, after the desecration of the temple, Israel will repent and will return back to God. 44 144,000 will actually be evangelizing the world. But that's just the number of a special group of believing Israel sealed to act as God's evangelists in all the world. There will be many more who will believe Jesus during the tribulation. And when Jesus returns, it will be good to be found faithful. 00:44:21:06 - 00:44:53:08 All believers will be rewarded or suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ. But it must be kept in mind that this is not a loss of salvation. As was the case back in the parable of the marriage feast from from chapter 22 of I think it was Matthew or I don't think that was. Yeah, that would have been Matthew we haven't reached. Never mind. Brain 22 of Matthew. The stakes were not eternal life. But quality of eternal life. 00:44:54:23 - 00:45:28:20 Rewards or loss of rewards. It is consistent. As a thread throughout all the Bible that salvation is by faith because of God's grace and not because of any works of our own. People believe those things of which evidence persuades them to be true. That is what belief is. It is a conviction based on available evidence that something is in fact true. Belief is not something that that we work up in ourselves by some strength of will. 00:45:31:02 - 00:45:37:05 I mean belief these days or faith gets gets taught so often as if it's like. 00:45:40:02 - 00:46:01:01 Like Luke Skywalker, you know, trying to trying to raise his his fighter out of the marsh. You know, trying to gather up the the ability to do it. It's this invisible force that we we pulled to ourselves. And we. We then send out to do the things of which we want to be done. 00:46:03:25 - 00:46:05:13 Well, a belief is belief. 00:46:08:09 - 00:46:10:11 We don't work it up within ourselves. 00:46:15:04 - 00:46:17:12 We simply believe something is true. 00:46:21:02 - 00:46:23:27 And I think we can all agree that. 00:46:25:23 - 00:46:31:21 When evidence that something is true persuades you, you are then found to be believing it. 00:46:33:11 - 00:46:39:27 And ultimately when the evidence is not sufficient. Then you don't believe it. 00:46:42:05 - 00:47:00:05 Now. When you believe something, you typically will perform actions that equate with that belief. But that's not always completely, completely the case. You will. Well, during the late 70s, early 80s, most kids knew gravity existed, yet you would still find them jumping off the roof with an umbrella. 00:47:02:13 - 00:47:03:05 Test it out. 00:47:04:21 - 00:47:08:24 Yep. Gravity's true. No umbrella doesn't help. 00:47:17:10 - 00:47:22:01 Not the best example. But. But the people who believe in gravity. 00:47:25:19 - 00:48:01:28 Most people believe in gravity, yet we'll find some way to try and subvert or delay the effects of gravity, right? People who live under, under local or federal laws will still break or subvert the laws in various and creative ways, and people who believe God will yet become more concerned with the things of the world than the things of God. The goodness of the good News is, as Jesus said in John five, most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 00:48:02:00 - 00:48:38:22 The believer will not come into judgment, but has eternal life. But there is a judgment of works that awaits all believers, where believers will be judged for the things done in the body, and that judgment is not under condemnation, but eternal reward or loss of reward. And the eternal destiny of unbelievers, of unbelievers is based on their unbelief and not their works. And the eternal destiny of believers is based on their belief and not their works. Our eternal rewards will be based on what we do in service for Christ in these fallen bodies, not with what we do. 00:48:38:24 - 00:49:10:15 What we'll do in the future in our glorified bodies. So yes, Jesus is still being Israel centric in these verses. He is speaking to his disciples about Israel in the end times. But rewards for faithfulness is also applicable to all believers, whether taken up in the rapture or those who come to faith during the tribulation. While Jesus is away, he expects his servants, that is, believers, to be faithful and wise until he returns. 00:49:11:27 - 00:49:43:21 Now there are more parables that we will need to deal with from Matthew, and we'll do that next Sunday as additional material for our study of the Olivet Discourse in Mark. The next two parables, the parable of the Ten Virgins and the parable of the talents, further illustrate the importance of wisdom and faithfulness in preparing for the coming reign of the King. But this morning we're going to end here. So stick around. We'll have our. And let's pray. Heavenly father, we thank you for this morning. 00:49:43:23 - 00:49:47:16 We thank you for your love and your grace and your mercy. We, um. 00:49:49:06 - 00:49:58:28 Pray that your name would be holy in our our hearts and that, uh, your name would be, uh, exemplified as is holy in our lives. Um. 00:50:01:06 - 00:50:02:17 That we would be. 00:50:04:14 - 00:50:11:00 A light to this world. To show them. Jesus. 00:50:13:28 - 00:50:14:25 Lord. Um. 00:50:16:16 - 00:50:27:21 This is a day and age where I think we all feel a special need, that we lift up and pray for the leaders of of the world. Um. 00:50:31:09 - 00:50:37:21 And Lord, we. We do pray that. Um, the leaders of this world would. Would rule righteously. 00:50:41:11 - 00:51:11:24 And those who refuse to. Rule in a righteous manner that they would be dethroned. They would be removed from office. And that someone who will serve well will be placed in those places. Um. Give us wisdom as we enter into, uh, the times of elections for this nation in particular. Um. 00:51:13:21 - 00:51:20:24 Lord, we lift up those around this world who are suffering so horribly due to wars. 00:51:24:00 - 00:51:26:27 Lord, help us to be slow to anger. 00:51:28:15 - 00:51:30:00 Help us to be compassionate. 00:51:34:09 - 00:51:51:21 Lord, we ask that you would establish us in all good things, and that you would guard our hearts, keep our hands from evil. Protect us from the deceptions of our great enemy, the devil and Lord is even as we endure the trials of each and every day. 00:51:52:22 - 00:51:53:07 Um. 00:51:53:11 - 00:51:56:05 We thank you that you grow us through them. 00:51:58:03 - 00:52:03:02 You lead us through them. We ask you to be glorified in our trials, Lord. 00:52:07:26 - 00:52:11:24 Father. We. Pray for the food that we're about to. 00:52:14:25 - 00:52:46:16 Share together. Lord, we thank you that you have provided this food and you have given us the, um. What's needed to to make the food and, uh, to cook it, and, um. To taste it and to enjoy it. And we thank you for the time of fellowship that we all have as well. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face in his light to shine upon you. May he lift up his countenance upon you and give you his peace, his shalom. In the name of Yeshua Messiah. 00:52:46:18 - 00:52:49:22 This Jesus is Messiah, our Lord and our Savior and everyone. 00:52:52:21 - 00:52:55:11 The object of faith is not the gospel. 00:52:55:13 - 00:52:55:28 My friend, the. 00:52:56:00 - 00:53:29:25 Object of faith is Jesus. Being at peace with God is not automatic because you by nature are separated from God. The Bible says for all of sin and fall short of the glory of God, you and I, we are both sinners. Every person is a sinner and sin. Our sin separates us from God. Sincerity, morality, good works, a religion. These are some of the ways that man has tried to close the gap between himself and God. 00:53:30:14 - 00:54:05:11 Only God's love can close that gap of separation between himself and you. He paid the penalty for the sins of the world. The Bible says He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds you have been healed. But the good news is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as John the Baptist said, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:54:06:10 - 00:54:38:13 John the Apostle reiterated this in first John two where we read this, and he himself is the propitiation for our sins. And not for hours only. But also for the whole world. Because of this, despite the fact that we are sinners, we are not blocked from God and from his kingdom because of our sin. He has removed the sin barrier so that now we are all savable. 00:54:39:04 - 00:54:44:22 All we need to do to have everlasting life with God. 00:54:46:21 - 00:54:51:00 Life that can never be lost is to believe in Jesus Christ. 00:54:52:16 - 00:55:28:23 As Jesus said in John 316, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus very plainly says, whoever believes in him will not perish, but has everlasting life. Because of the cross and the the resurrection of Jesus, all who simply believe in him have everlasting life and will one day be raised from the dead to live physically forever in perfect, glorified bodies. 00:55:30:00 - 00:55:57:15 I can be absolutely sure that I have everlasting life, because I know it has nothing to do with how good or bad I am, and everything to do with Jesus's faithfulness to his promise. You crossed that bridge into God's family. When you believe in Jesus Christ, and God invites you to believe and freely receive forgiveness of sins and. 00:55:57:17 - 00:56:00:09 Eternal life that can never be lost. 00:56:18:16 - 00:56:54:21 Thank you for listening. Remember to be a doer of the Bible and not just a hearer. That means demonstrating God's love to others as he has so abundantly poured out his love into your life. Most importantly, have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? It's the most important decision you could ever make. Choose your destiny. Don't let the world choose it for you. The Bible says that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Go to Calvary birmingham.com and click on God to learn more about God's plan for your life. 00:56:54:26 - 00:57:08:07 If you prayed to receive Jesus through this program, please let us know. Go to Calvary birmingham.com and select contact. While you're there, please consider sowing into this ministry by selecting donate. 00:57:13:17 - 00:57:19:19 You have been listening to Grace Hope love with Pastor Sean Bumpers and Calvary Chapel Birmingham. 00:57:28:15 - 00:57:35:11 Thank you, my friend, for your fellowship, and may the Lord abundantly pour out his grace. And love into your life.

Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. — Galatians 5:1 Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world at the time of the Exodus, when God freed his people from slavery in Egypt. Pharaoh reigned over the prosperous civilization of the Nile. He had huge temples built in honor of his gods. His gravesite is still visible today in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor. Yet Pharaoh was unable to stop God from liberating his people. Through Moses, who had no army or political standing in the Egyptian court, God freed his people from slavery. Today God frees us from slavery too. Until we are saved through Jesus, we are slaves to sin. We are subjects of the world's great powers; we are at the mercy of Satan. We have grown accustomed to our addictions. We need liberation. Moses showed Pharaoh that God had more power than all of the Egyptian gods combined. The gods of the Nile, of the cattle, of the harvest, and so on were all shown to be powerless in comparison to the God of Israel. Today false gods inhabit power structures as well. There are political powers, economic powers, military powers, familial powers, and corporate powers that oppress people. Yet God is stronger than all of them. Jesus, God's Son, delivers us from all these powers, and he has already freed us from their grip, paying the price of sin and canceling the power of death for our sake. Lord Jesus, help us to trust in you to deliver us. Free us from the oppressive powers we face today. Strengthen us to follow you. Amen.

Today GOD is teaching us out of James 5:13-20 ESV. If you've ever struggled with when to pray, or how to pray, this message is for you! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/erica-brown24/message

Review the show: Tap here!Today God puts Abraham to the test. Will his faith stand? Listen to the account of the Binding of Isaac.Read along with the story. Today we're looking at Genesis 20-22.Thank you to our generous patrons who makes this show possible. The Bible Brief is listener-supported and brought to you by the Bible Literacy Foundation, dedicated to helping people like you learn the Bible. Looking for more? Check out our website at biblelit.org. Support the showSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Learning Emails: Tap tap tap!Listener Survey: Survey LinkDownload the PRISM Bible App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWebsite: biblelit.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgThis episode primarily uses the ESV Bible translation, but may also use CSB, NASB, and NKJV.Search Tags: bible, beginner, bible verse, god, verse of the day, prayer, jesus, bible stu...

January 21, 2024 [Speaker: Pastor John Sitcler] Today, we continue our series "Respond." Throughout this series, we will explore a variety of topics to discover the best way that we can respond... the way God would like us to respond. Today: God's plan is so much better than ours.  We need to yield to His “No” and submit to His plan.  Bible app sermon notes: http://bible.com/events/49199474

Summary: In days past men of God like David created Psalms of Worship as an expression of their heart before the Lord. Today God is looking for that same deep expression of Worship from our hearts. As we stand before the Lord in His presence and He purifies us, we give back to Him a free will offering of thanksgiving and Worship which is well pleasing in His sight. Show Notes: The Psalm's that David and other's created were the expression of Worship to the Lord in their day. Today God is looking for that same pure deep expression of Worship from our hearts. Being thankful is something we can do to express our Worship to the Lord. Expressing our thankfulness to the Lord opens the door for the Lord to pour out His inheritance on us. As we Worship Him, He begins to purify us so that we can offer to Him Worship pleasing to Him. Another aspect of our Worship is our obedience to Him from our free will. In all that we give back to the Lord, we are looking for Him to say; “Well done good and faithful servant.” Quotes: We have such a wealth and such an inheritance in the Psalms, because the Psalms, are worship. The Psalms are a great source of instruction, of the Holy Spirit moving through the prophet David, and many others, on what just is pleasing to the Lord. ... the Psalms are directed specifically one on one, in a relationship of the Father, that is our Psalms of our worship today. I think that's what's the Lord's looking for, He's looking for this pure worship out of our hearts, and it can manifest itself in lots of different ways. It seems that worship comes down to one simple thing, and that's being thankful. When God hears the word thank you Father, He considers that an open door, to pour out His inheritance on you. That can be an open door for you to give more to Him in thanksgiving. Well,...

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Have you ever asked God for a sign? Did he deliver? Today God tells us to ask for a sign - to test him? He tells us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come.” He wantsus to see the signs of his kingdom. The sign of his holy Word preserved through millennia The sign of water combined with that Word of God. The sign of the most fulfilling feast laid out upon his table. The signs that remind us that God remains "Immanuel" - with us. Support the show~ Changing lives with Jesus! Facebook | YouTubeInstagram @dscsienna

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Did he deliver? Today God tells us to ask for a sign - to test him? He tells us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come.” He wantsus to see the signs of his kingdom. The sign of his holy Word preserved through millennia The sign of water combined with that Word of God. The sign of the most fulfilling feast laid out upon his table. The signs that remind us that God remains "Immanuel" - with us. Support the show

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

Summary: People through out the ages have carried the mantle of the Word of God. We follow Jesus Christ as a pattern of what the Father wants from His sons. Today God has raised up a people who have the Spirit of Christ within them and have taken up this mantel of the Word of God as a key part of Christ coming again in a many membered body. Show Notes: The mantle of the Word of God has been carried by many people down through the ages. Through a spiritual genealogy, certain qualities of spirit have been imparted and passed down in God's family. Today a people are picking up the mantle of Christ and are walking it out. Many mantels exist it the world today; all are Christ. There are different expressions, anointing s and groups; all are Christ. Each person must decide to pick up this mantle out of their free will. Because God is raising up the Body of Christ, this mantel is beginning to rest on groups of people as they walk together. It's not about just one person or a couple. The anointing is resting on God's family. It is the responsibility of God's people to take up this mantle and walk it out. Quotes: We've chosen to live under the mantle of Christ, by virtue of our relationship to the Father. There were people all through the ages, that were examples of the mantle, of carrying the mantle, the mantle of the Word of God. God has raised up His family, who are the product of their ancestry. When you're born from above, you were born into a genealogy that included Ruth, David, Zachariah, Elizabeth, there was a genealogy. ...there's a spiritual genealogy of impartation, that's went down through the ages, and it's never stopped. Do we believe it? Do we believe that we have the mantle, do we believe we have the authority? Do we believe that we can walk in these things? ...most recently, He...

Today God will give you opportunity. I believe it happens everyday. God gives you and me opportunities to serve Him through our witness, acts of kindness, words of encouragement, and steps of faith. Main Points:1.  So often we miss these opportunities to serve God because they are small. We don't recognize them as a chance to be a blessing to someone because, after all, it's such a small thing. Instead, we are looking the big things. We are looking for open doors that are larger, more influential, and more notable. Yet, the great things done for God are really small things done with faithfulness.2. Imagine a lifetime of being faithful to serve others, to encourage the discouraged, to pray for someone in need, to courageously share your faith, to feed the hungry, and to reach out to someone who is lonely. The cumulative impact of consistent small opportunities is staggering. 3. I'm confident that today God will give you an opportunity. Will you see it? Will you obey? Will you take a step of faith? Take the opportunity and let God use your life.Today's Scripture Verses:Ephesians 5:15-16 - “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”Matthew 20:26-28 - “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Luke 16:10 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”Quick Links:Subscribe to The 5 Minute Discipleship NewsletterDonate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group5 Minute Discipleship on Instagram

CW Today with Loretta Walker is heard each weekday at 12:05 Central Time on Faith Music Radio. Learn more about Loretta, her family and their ministries at ChristianWomanhood.org. Follow Loretta on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristianWomanhood

Bonjour! Stephanie here. You know how sometimes we love to have Christmas in July? Or, in this case, maybe in September? Today was such a special day for me. I just had the most delightful conversation with Max Lucado about the power of honesty and the grace of God. Here is what Max has to tell you: “Could you use a fresh reminder of God's grace? Do you need to be told, maybe for the first time, God never gives up on you? If so, join Stephanie and me for a delightful conversation about God's grace, about the beautiful city of Paris, about life in a world where forgiveness is abundant. Join us, please, on Gospel Spice.” And, yes, we also did talk about Paris, about good food and all sorts of other fun things. And I'm honestly still processing the richness of our conversation. I cannot wait to share it with you. We're going to talk about the dangers of manipulation, and the hope that honesty brings into our lives. You're going to find yourself probably agreeing with us on the unmatched, though often misunderstood power of grace in Christ. We're laughing and we're almost crying together from sheer gratitude over God's goodness for us. And I'm sure you can relate. Have you ever wondered if you've had one too many stumbles for God to use someone like you? Or, have you asked if you could benefit from an encounter with God's unending, unbending, unswerving love and freedom? That is what Max talked about with me today—through the lens of Jacob's life. And if your answer is yes, like Jacob, then Max invites you to see how God's grace transformed Jacob's life. Now, I really wish I couldn't relate to Jacob as much as I do because he's not the perfect hero by any means. If anything, he's quite the anti-hero. He's a manipulative cheat, and he doesn't understand grace until God literally smacks him with it, disabling his hip in the process. And so Max Lucado and I talked about that – and we invite you to join the conversation right now! MORE ABOUT “GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON YOU.” Ever wonder if you've had one too many stumbles for God to use someone like you? Could you benefit from an encounter with God's unending, unbending, unswerving love and devotion? If your answer is yes, it's time for you to see how God's grace transformed Jacob's life. And if you feel undeserving of God's grace, this book will serve as a refresher course on God's perfect plan to use imperfect people to do great things. God Never Gives Up on You is for the strugglers among us and the fumbler within us. For those of us who are part saint, part scoundrel; we mean well, but we don't always do well. We have breakthroughs and breakdowns, often in the same hour. We need no reminder of our failures, but we could always use a refresher course on God's perfect plan to use imperfect people to do great things. But where can we find examples of God's steadfast grace? No one is more suited to help assure you of God's grace than Jacob. He was less a prodigy and more a prodigal. Strong on savvy. Weak on conscience. Jacob took advantage of his famished brother and pulled the wool over the eyes of his dying father, yet God never turned his back on Jacob. And he won't turn his back on you. If you are ready to start counting on God's grace and believe he never gives up on you, this book is for you. Jacob's story invites us to believe in a God who sticks beside the unworthy and underachievers and leads us safely home. If God can use Jacob to further his kingdom, he can use us too. Buy the book HERE. MORE ABOUT MAX LUCADO Max Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and best-selling author who, in his own words, “writes books for people who don't read books.” He serves the people of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and his message is for the hurting, the guilty, the lonely, and the discouraged: God loves you; let him. As a writer, Max is known for combining poetic storytelling and homespun humor with the heart of a pastor. All of his trade books began as sermon series at Oak Hills Church, and his sermons all begin with Max asking himself this question: “What can I say on Sunday that will still matter on Monday?” He's been dubbed “America's Pastor” by Christianity Today, and “The Best Preacher in America” by Reader's Digest. Max's books have sold more than 145 million copies in over 50 languages worldwide. He published On the Anvil, his first trade book, in 1985. His 44th trade book, Help Is Here, was released in 2022. Max's books regularly appear on bestseller lists, including The New York Times. His writing has also been featured in Bible studies, Bible commentaries, songs, greeting cards, and even plush toys. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry. Max's love for everyday people began during his childhood in the small town of Andrews, Texas. His father was an oilfield mechanic, his mother was a nurse, and Max spent a lot of his time either running from or running after his brother, Dee. Max grew rebellious in his teenage years, and after one specific drunken night, he began to wonder if there was more to life than parties and chasing girls. He now believes that if Jesus hadn't found him and changed his heart, alcoholism would have been in his future. After high school, Max attended Abilene Christian University and left with two degrees and a heart for following Jesus and helping others learn about him, too. He moved to Miami, Florida, and took a position as an associate pastor at a small church. This is where Max started writing about Jesus for the first time in the church's monthly newsletter, and it's where he developed his passion for people and ministry. Florida was also where Max met his wife, Denalyn. Together, they lived first in Miami and then spent several years in Rio de Janeiro, helping plant churches. The newsletters Max wrote to family and friends while in Rio, along with the newsletters he wrote at his church in Miami, eventually formed the manuscript of his first book, On the Anvil. Max and Denalyn now live in San Antonio, Texas. They have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and two grandchildren. Find more at https://maxlucado.com/   DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) YOU ARE INVITED to follow in the footsteps of Jesus this fall! Stephanie invites you to join her for this virtual tour of first-century Israel to experience Jesus' teachings like never before. This original online Bible Study by Gospel Spice will be taught exclusively from October 5 to November 16, 2023. Go to gospelspice.com/footsteps to register, and all the details! YOU ARE INVITED to follow in the footsteps of Jesus this fall! Stephanie invites you to join her for this virtual tour of first-century Israel to experience Jesus' teachings like never before. This original online Bible Study by Gospel Spice will be taught exclusively from October 5 to November 16, 2023. Go to gospelspice.com/footsteps to register, and all the details! Support us on PayPal!

Because the sons of Issachar had an “understanding of the times,” they knew what Israel should do. But do the people who lead us in politics and in law, even the Christians, really understand the times, what historian Carl Becker called the “climate of opinion” that determines whether any argument—for law or otherwise—can even make sense? Today David uses Becker and the Scriptures to help us understand the times and whether our leaders understand them.

The Christian Nerd Podcast is back and Scott is getting better at waiting. Scott starts the show by talking about his week and whether Canada celebrates Labor Day. In honor of Barbie, he talks about some of his favorite childhood toys that deserve movies. His kids are back for Story Time with Clara and Story Time with JoJo. And in Jesus Time, Scott talks about how God wants us to wait: sitting on our hands or making things happen.   Show Notes   Intro - 0:00 "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. The List - 5:01 Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors Sky Commanders M.A.S.K. EXOSquad Story Time with Clara - 16:33   Story Time with JoJo - 17:50   Jesus Time - 19:43   Goodbye - 28:14 Be sure to check out The Christian Nerd Like The Christian Nerd on Facebook Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and leave a comment Or use our RSS Feed to subscribe: http://thechristiannerd.libsyn.com/rss Follow The Christian Nerd on Twitter Follow Scott on Twitter Support The Christian Nerd on Patreon Email Scott at Scott@TheChristianNerd.com to get added to The Octagon. Thanks to Nick for The Christian Nerd theme music.

“You are like Moses, leading us out from slavery!” Jamila exclaimed. As a bonded brick-kiln worker in Pakistan, she and her family (and her parents before her) suffered because of the exorbitant amount they owed the kiln owner. Barely able to survive, they used much of their earnings just to pay off the interest. But when they received a gift from a nonprofit agency that released them from their debt, they felt tremendous relief. In thanking the agency’s representative for their freedom, Jamila, a Christian, pointed to the example of God’s release of Moses and the Israelites from slavery. The Israelites had been oppressed by the Egyptians for hundreds of years, laboring under harsh conditions. They cried out to God, asking for help (Exodus 2:23). But their workload increased, for the new pharaoh ordered them not only to make bricks but also to gather the straw for these bricks (Exodus 5:6–8). When the Israelites again cried out against the oppression, God again promised to be their God (6:7). No longer would they be slaves, for He would redeem them with “an outstretched arm” (v. 6). Under God’s direction, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt (see Exodus 14). Today God still delivers us, for through the outstretched arms of His Son Jesus on the cross, we are set free from a far greater enslavement to the sin that once controlled us. We’re no longer slaves, but free!

In this message, Pastor Bogdan helps us understand what to do when we are disappointed with God. What to do with your disappointment in God? Have you ever been disappointed with God? Have you ever been angry with God or angry at God? Those people who are in authority over us, such as parents, bosses, supervisors, leaders, and pastors,  might have made decisions that impacted us, at first, we did not understand why it is that they did what they did, but then later on, we understood that their decision was correct, even though at first, we did not understand it. Even the best parents, and the best leaders, are flawed human beings, and even with their best intentions of making good decisions, they might have made decisions that ultimately were not the wisest or the smartest. But imagine for a moment the nature of God, in that the will of God and the decisions of God, and what God allows to come to pass, is always 100% perfect and correct every single time. It does not mean that the pain that happened to you was good or that God caused it, but it can be used for your good. Today God has lovingly put you in situations and places where your comfort and desires are pressed so that they might conform to his plan for your life. Let's get ready to find hope in Jesus, by listening to this message. YOUR NEXT STEP: If you don't have a home church, then your next step of faith is to click this link and fill out the digital connect card. We would love to connect with you: https://bit.ly/forwardconnect. If this message encouraged you and inspired you to boldly follow Jesus, we ask that you share it with a friend by sending them this message! We help YOU find hope in Jesus. We can't wait to see you in person at Forward Church in Irvine, every Sunday at 11 am! CONNECT WITH FORWARD: For more information, please visit: www.forwardchurchirvine.com and follow us on Instagram: @forwardirvine.

Hey, it's Mike Henry with Follower of One, and today, I'm thinking about what makes things happen. What moves the needle in our world? I'm reading from Zechariah chapter 4, verse 6. “Then he said to me, this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.”   God is reminding His prophet to go speak to the priest and the king - I think Zerubbabel is the king; I probably should have done a little more research - to say to him it's not might or power that makes things work. It's my spirit. The spirit of God makes things happen in our world. He's what moves the needle.   He's what makes things change. He is the one factor of all the factors. Often, I tend to believe that my actions or my power, my effort, or my energy, my money, or time, or resources are what's needed to make something happen. Often we tend to believe that the government is, or that some other person is supposed to be making something happen.   It's their fault that they didn't do something, or someone else is responsible. We might take responsibility among ourselves, or we might dump it on someone else, but here it's as clear as it is anywhere in scripture. God's saying it doesn't matter what you think you do. It doesn't matter what you think you're doing or how powerful you think you are. It's my spirit that makes things happen, and I wanna remember that today. This could be a short podcast.    Today God is the one who makes things happen in our world. He was then, and He is now, and we believe that is something else or that we might wring our hands, that something's outside of our control, but today I want to remind myself, and I hope I remind you, the holy spirit is what makes things happen in this world.   And He's working His plan. Nothing, nothing is going to thwart his plan. Nothing will stop Him. We get to relax in that, to trust Him, and to do what He says. Today, let's ask God to show us how we can relax in trust, and then just obey Him and do what He says. I pray that for you and for me. Let's relax in trusting Him and do what He says today, because He's the one who moves the needle. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Let me give you a minute back today. Also take a minute and check out followerofone.org. This is our community; it's a community of believers who come together to try and practice living our faith more on the six days between Sundays.   I hope that you will join us there. Go to followerofone.org, where you can check out more about our ministry, about the online community and join the online community and then you can take part in the next marketplace mission trip too. Thanks very much.

Bible Reading: Exodus 3:1-10; 2 Timothy 3:14-16"We had a Bible story about Moses in my class at church today," Autumn told her family at dinner. "We learned that God talked to Moses from a burning bush. Our teacher says God still speaks to people."Wesley jabbed his fork into a potato. "Maybe, but not through anything as interesting as a burning bush." He grinned. "I'd like to see one of those--and I don't mean the kind that has red leaves in the fall. I mean one that's really on fire!""Yeah!" said Autumn. "Imagine one of Mom's best bushes on fire and God speaking to us out of it!"Mom laughed. "Make it a bush way at the back of the yard, will you? We don't want to burn the house down!""You know, it doesn't require a real burning bush for God to speak to us," said Dad. "That bush was just what got Moses's attention. It was when he stopped what he was doing to check it out that God spoke to him. Today God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and He often uses a different kind of burning bush to get our attention. The situations we face in life can help us turn our attention toward Him so we can listen to what He has to say.""Like when Grandma died when I was little?" asked Wesley. "I had never really thought about death before, and it scared me. But then the pastor at Grandma's funeral talked about Jesus and how we don't have to be afraid of death because He died and rose again to save us from it, so I decided to trust Him as my Savior!" Dad smiled and nodded. "The situations God allows in our lives to get our attention can often be difficult ones," he said. "God can use them to help us see how much we need Him." "He uses people to do that too--like the pastor at Grandma's funeral," said Mom. "He got Wesley's attention by sharing the message of God's love when he needed to hear it.""Right," said Dad. "And when Wesley trusted in Jesus, He received the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and gives us wisdom and understanding as we read and listen to God's Word."Autumn grinned. "That's even better than a real burning bush!" -Tanya FerdinanduszHow About You?Do you think God no longer speaks to people like He did in stories from the Bible? He does--through His Word, the Bible, and through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes He also uses the people and circumstances in our lives to help us pay attention and listen to what He has to say. So be on the lookout for anything He's trying to tell you. Are there any burning bushes in your life--people or circumstances that are pointing you toward Him?Today's Key Verse:When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. (NLT) (John 16:13)Today's Key Thought:God still speaks to people today

This series will be titled Courage and Confrontation. Pastor Harris will follow Elijah the Tishbite.  We will follow him from insignificance and we will watch God take him and turn him into one of the giants of the Biblical era. The Bible will remind us that Elijah was more like us than we could even imagine.  It is important that we all recognise and accept that God can use us all mightily, even despite ourselves.This series is dedicated to not only the current membership of First United Methodist Church in downtown Oklahoma City.  But to all those who have and continue to love the ministry of First Church over the years, whose lives were changed for the better due to this over century long ministry. I pray that we would be encouraged, and empowered with what Pastor Harris refers to as “a Holy Boldness” to be the new group of Elijah's that he hoped would appear on the scene and say “Here I stand” and that will refuse to back down. Support the show

There is nothing in the world more freeing than being loved as you are. Today we'll be exploring how God's love has set us free as we continue in our week of the simplicity of love. Having God's love and affection from the start before giving him anything in return frees us from the burdens and weight of having to earn his love and strive for his affections. Today God wants us to step out in and fully live experiencing that freedom as beloved children. May your heart be even a little more free today after a fresh encounter with the Father's love. Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 8:1-3, and today's worship is Freedom by Jesus Culture & Kim Walker-Smith.  -- When you trust Christ as your savior and Lord, you begin a relationship that extends into eternity.  However, eternity doesn't start in heaven, and you don't have to wait until then to experience a full life in Christ.   The truth is that we as Christians are called to invest in our relationship with God in this life as well as in the life to come.    And that means becoming more like Christ every single day.    In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provided a systematic ethic for how to be his disciples.         It was a relatively short sermon, but God's truth in that message has never stopped reverberating throughout the world.   Our latest book, The Path to Purpose delves into the timeless wisdom of Jesus' most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. St Augustine described the sermon as “a perfect standard for the Christian life.”   While we may doubt ourselves from ever achieving such “a perfect standard,” Jesus' central message in his Sermon on the Mount helps us see that standard not as a burden but rather as a source of freedom, purpose, and a guide for living beautifully.   To know more about God's calling on your life, request your copy today of The Path to Purpose: Christ's Vision for Your Life in the Sermon on the Mount, at supportfirst15.org.