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How are you planning to enter Heaven?

Psalms 37:16 - A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches
of many wicked.

There is a scripture which many people quote 1 Timothy 6:10. People think
this scripture talks of only craving for money as being evil and due to
lack of understanding of this scripture they land up doing the other things
which this scripture warns about.

The Greek word translated as money here is 'philarguria&# 39; and this word
comes from 2 words which together mean 'a friend of silver'.

In the Bible silver symbolizes things of this world and gold as things of
the Heavens. Silver is not evil but only a foolish person would crave for
silver and reject gold. Only a person who does not know the value of silver
and gold would do such a thing.

Money is not evil, people gave Jesus and His disciples money and they took
it, but you will see there are many times Jesus did not depend on the money
but on God alone. Like when He had to feed a multitude of people, He did
not opt for buying bread with the money they had but instead opted for God
to perform a miracle and feed the multitude. There was also when Jesus send
His disciples in twos without any money, nor extra pair of clothes, nor
food or water, all they carried was a staff. By doing this Jesus tried to
teach them how to rely on God to provide. We need to remember Jesus allowed
Judas to hold the money bag knowing he was dishonest.

Righteousness and other fruits of the Holy Spirit are Heavenly riches and
are gold, yet we see people do crave for gold and run after silver. They
give their lives for the silver even though they know that they cannot take
any of the silver with them to Heaven when they enter it.

Silver does not mean just money it also means all those things that are
valued in this world, like property, clothes, jewellery, good food,
automobiles, luxury tours, good furniture, jazzy electronics etc. it also
includes things like fame, worldly power, status, beauty of the flesh, good
body (physic) etc...

We see many Christians actually pray to God day and night for silver and
hardly ask God for gold. Jesus warned in the Bible that it is near
impossible for a rich man to enter Heaven. And if one understands tithing
and giving unto the Lord, they will realize it is a step towards overcoming
the greed to become rich.

Even if a rich man does enter Heaven, imagine entering Heaven empty handed,
penniless, naked (spiritually) while others are entering well dressed,
decorated and rich, all because they gathered a lot of gold instead of
sliver when they were on earth.

Let me take another example just to make you understand and please do not
take the examples literately.

Imagine as an Indian I am going to the US to settle down, to live the rest
of my life there and in US and rupee is not an accepted currency there and
also there are no currency exchanges in the US. Even if I have billions of
rupees and am a very rich man here in India yet when I enter US I would be
a penniless person. On the other hand any person who managed to collect
even a dollar here in India would be richer person than me in US when he
enters US along with me.

The Lord is today asking us if we are planning to go to Heaven how we are
planning to enter Heaven to the House of our Father, whom we desire to meet
so much. Would we like to greet Him naked and empty handed or well dressed
and decorated with finery? Are we planning to live in Heaven on essentials
or in excess for eternity?

[Prayer Stared]

Lord, we pray that You open our eyes and the eyes of our brethren who are
running after things that we cannot take or use when we come into your
House. Things that will in fact hinder and make it impossible for us to
enter your House, things that will cause us to deny your Will and cause us
to be sent to suffer in the lake of immense suffering. Lord we pray we
evaluate what we have of value and things that are worthless. Help us to
gather things of value in our permanent residence that is Heaven...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while
some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.

Matthew 19:23 - Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you,
That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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Simon called Peter

Matthew 4:18 - And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for
they were fishers.

One needs to understand when the Gospels were initially written half of
them were in Aramaic and it was latter, during the time of the Apostles
that they were rewritten and completed in Greek. Even though they were
translated in Greek we find some of the words are yet left in their
original languages. Surely the people doing this had knowledge and
understanding as to why they left these words in their original language.

Let me take an example.

When Jesus went to bring back to life the daughter of Jairus head of a
Jewish Synagogue Jesus sent everyone out of the house but took with Him
only Peter, John, James and the parents of the girl. They were the only
ones in the house along with the body of the little girl. At this time
Jesus takes the hand of the little girl and commands her to rise up and she
does come back to life. Then Jesus instructs them to give her food to eat.

What is interesting is that both Luke and Mark records Jesus instructing
them not to tell people what happened there.

Now reflect on this, what did Jesus want them to not tell to others? Was it
about Him bringing back to life the girl, if so then the parents would have
to put the girl in hiding for the rest of her life which would not have
been possible. Or was it that Jesus did not want others to know that He
bought her to life? That too was out of the question because all knew she
was death and after Jesus and His disciple entered the house they would
find her alive so it would be obvious that Jesus bought her to life like He
did with many others.

We only understand what Jesus did not want others to know when we read the
recording of Mark of this event. Mark's Gospel makes sure to keep two words
in its Aramaic origin and did not translate it to Greek or English and the
words are Talitha cumi. Mark takes the pain to write even the translation
besides the Aramaic words as Damsel (little girl), I say unto thee, arise,
this we do not see in other cases.

If one also reflects it is only in the case of this girl where her clear
age is mentioned. No other person healed or person bought to life we find
the age of the person is mentioned. When I read this I asked why only in
this case, and it was only when I read about Jewish traditions which
debating with Muslims about marriage I understood why.

According to Jewish tradition a girl at the age of 12 was considered a
woman and eligible for marriage. Jesus showed that God did not approve this
tradition of the Jews and thus addresses the girl as little girl and not as
lady or woman. Jesus was directly confronting Judaism and that too in the
house of a senior leader of the Jews when Jesus used the words Talitha to
the daughter of Jairus. Jesus wanted the people with Him (and us) to know
but did not consider it a time for the Jews outside to know.

Similarly we see with the name of Peter. During the time of Jesus the Jews
mostly spoke Aramaic among themselves and Greek only with the Romans. We
read in John during Jesus first personal encounter with Simon (Peter) we
find Jesus did not call Simon by the name Peter but called him Cephas which
is an Aramaic word. It is in the translation that the name changed to
Peter. His name Cephas clearly means stone but the Greek name Petros (stone
/ pebble) gets confused with Petra (rock/cliff) .

Jesus named him Cephas when He encountered him and his brother as disciple
of John the Baptist. They latter become His disciples when Jesus goes to
meet John and James. They were cousins of Jesus sons of Salome wife of
Zebedee (whose real name was Cleophas) and a sister to Mary (Jesus' mother)
was also called Mary by Jesus lovingly since she was like a mother to Him
same was the Jesus' reason to call Mary the Magdalene as Mary, her name
also was not Mary but lovingly called Mary by Jesus.

Peter (Cephas) was one of three most important disciples of Jesus along
with John and James, we see Jesus gave all 3 of them personal special extra
attention. The reason Jesus did this because He was training them for it
was these 3 who headed the initial Church. It was not Peter alone or all
the 12 Apostles but Peter, John and James who headed the first
administrative (organized) Church and this Paul records in his letters.

Peter was given a special assignment of heading the Jewish Christians while
Paul was given the task of heading the Gentile Christians, yet we see
Catholics consider him as first head of the Church. This they do because of
their misunderstanding of Matthew 16:18. If they have to point someone as
the first 'Pope' (head) of the Church it should have been Paul for we
Christians and so also the Roman Christians were not Jews (circumcised) .
But even that would not hold for no one man headed the church but all three
Peter, John and James headed the first Church and they were later joined by
Paul and Barnabas.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we pray the eyes of those deceived due to their lack of understanding
of the Truth. Lord, we pray their hearts not be hardened with the teachings
of man but they repent and surrender unto You and the Truth and be saved...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for
they were fishers.

John 1:41-42

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have
found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou
art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by
interpretation, A stone.

Luke 8:41-42, 49-56

41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the
synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would
come into his house:

42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a
dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue' s
house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe
only, and she shall be made whole.

51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save
Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead,
but sleepeth.

53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying,
Maid, arise.

55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded
to give her meat.

56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should
tell no man what was done.

Mark 5:22-24, 35-43

22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by
name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point
of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be
healed; and she shall live.

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue' s house
certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any
further?

36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the
ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John
the brother of James.

38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the
tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and
weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he
taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with
him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi;
which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of
twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded
that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses [Mary mother
of Jesus], and Salome;

John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas [was a common name therefore
called Zebedee], and Mary Magdalene.

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The Lord is my Rock

1 Samuel 1:2 - There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside
thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

We have Christians who refer to people in the Bible as rock. The Catholics
refer to Peter as rock and we have others who call Jesus as rock. What
might surprise all is that both are wrong.

Peter the name in Greek Petros means small stone something like a pebble in
Hebrew the equivalent word is Tyrus and this word is never used for the
Lord.

Coming to Jesus as man was always referred to the corner stone, the stone
which the builder sets in perfect order and uses this stone to align all
the other stones when laying a pathway. In the Bible the term rock in
Hebrew tsoor and Greek petra is only used for the Lord. The word points not
to a stone or a boulder but refers to something even larger more like a
cliff.

To understand this we need to understand Paul's statement in his letter to
Corinthians where he states Christ as rock, what is important is starting
part of this sentence. Paul symbolizes Christ as the rock that followed the
Israelites in the desert. We know Jesus the man was not there during the
time of Moses, but before He became man He along with the Holy Spirit
playing a very active role throughout the Bible.

We read of 2 rocks in the story of the Israelite' s walk in the desert. They
were the rocks which gave them water in the desert. The first rock Moses
struck for water as he was told and was provided water, but the second rock
he was told not to strike but just request of it yet when Moses struck, he
was punished severely. He was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. All
this was symbolic for us to understand a very important thing and Jesus
warns and explains about this in Matthew 12:32.

The Son was the first rock which Moses struck as he was told and water
(symbolizing life) was given unto them in the desert. The second rock
symbolized the Holy Spirit and to this rock also Moses was told to just
speak to it and it would give them water, but then Moses got carried away
in this anger and authority and struck the rock not once but thrice. For
this Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land, the Promised Land
symbolized Heaven. To enter this land they had to cross the river Jordan.
The word Jordan means heritance, symbolizing becoming sons. To enter Heaven
we need to become Sons of God and that is what Jesus Christ made possible
by His sacrifice through which He gave us His Spirit. Now whoever believes
in Him has a way to become Sons of God. This becoming requires one to abide
by the Holy Spirit and His Word for He writes the Law in our hearts.

When Jesus spoke to Peter about the rock on which the Church is build, He
spoke of the Spirit of Truth (the Truth) who revealed to Him Jesus is
Christ. It was the Spirit of Truth on whom the Church is build and that is
why the Lord first gave the Church the Spirit of Truth on Pentecost. It was
the Spirit of Truth who gave boldness to Peter to speak about Christ for it
was this time he really came to know Christ and His words.

When we say the word Christ which means 'anointed one', it does not only
refer to the man Jesus but also refers to the Spirit of the Lord on Him.

In today's message the Lord is reminding us that He alone is our Rock of
Salvation and no man is. We should not look up to any man as our rock for
our salvation, leaving for the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Holy
Spirit and now that the former has done to work to give the later to us we
now have to hold on the later for our salvation.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You alone are our Rock. You were the rocks that followed the
Israelites in the desert. You alone gave them life when there was no hope.
Like Moses we too struck You (the first rock) for our life, but like Moses
let us not make the mistake of striking the second Rock. Moses was saved
for that because it was only symbolic, but anyone doing to the real Rock
would not be. Holy Spirit, guard our mouths, our thoughts and our actions
that we never grieve You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

1 Corinthians 10:4 - And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Exodus 17:6 - Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in
Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it,
that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of
Israel.

Numbers 20:7-11

7 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy
brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth
its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so
thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.

9 And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and
he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out
of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice:
and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their
cattle.

Numbers 27:12-14

12 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim,
and behold the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy
people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered;

14 because ye rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, in the
strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes.
(These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Numbers 20:24 - Aaron shall be gathered unto his people; for he shall not
enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because
ye rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

1 Peter 2:7-8

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be
disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the
head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which
stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption.

Matthew 12:32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit,
it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is
to come.

Mark 3:29 but whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never
forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin:

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We are our own enemies

Jeremiah 25:7 - Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye
might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Have you seen situations where a parent of a child punishing the child
because the child was playing with fire or a knife or something that was a
cause of danger to its own life, that is the story of God His people in the
Bible and in life today.

We sometimes cry out to God why are we punished and today's message tells
us that we are our own enemies. The works of our hands and our sins harm us
and to prevent us from doing harm to ourselves God needs to intervene and
punish us.

It is very good that God is not like human parents, He is slow to anger.
But we people are so stubborn that we really test the patience of God and
when He reacts we get down on our knees and cry Lord Why!!!

Even our prayers, our praise and worship needs to more of sweeter than just
lots. God would prefer we give a dedicated, from the heart, with wholeness,
shorter but good praise and worship than a whole day of half hearted,
distracted, faithless prayer, praise and worship.

Today Lord is telling us to see the fruits of the things we are doing and
to judge our works. Even if our fruits may be small and few but they need
to be good. God does not appreciate large quantity of tasteless or sour
fruits. He does not mind few and small but they need to be a sweet savour
offering to Him.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, people are trying to make a great name for themselves by doing your
work, but they land up making disciples for themselves and not for You.
Later they perish and so does the work of their hands. Lord You ask for an
offering that needs to be a sweet offering, even though it may be small but
it need to be sweet. Lord help us concentrate more on quality then
quantity...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Genesis 8:20-21

20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast,
and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I
will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again
smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Exodus 30:7-10

7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he
dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon
it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat
offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year
with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he
make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto
the LORD.


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Gaze at the Shulamite

Songs of Solomon 6:13 - Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that
we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the
company of two armies.

Today's message from the book of Songs of Solomon may seem like Shakespeare
and complicated, but when I give the meanings of the words according to the
actual Hebrew script, one may not need much help to understand this message.

Return, return, O Shulamite [perfect one]; return, return, that we may look
upon thee.

What will ye see in the Shulamite [perfect one]? As it were the company
<04246> of two armies<04246> [the same word is repeated twice and means
encampment - body of people].

Thus can be written as:-

Return, return, O Perfect One; return, return, that we may look upon thee.

What will ye see in the Perfect One? As it were the body of people, body of
people.

This message can be very simple milk stating the people awaiting the return
of the Perfect One which is the Lord Jesus Christ. It was He alone who was
born without blemish and remained without blemish. There was no corruption
in body, soul and spirit found in Him. He was our perfect sacrifice and an
example to overcome.

The same message can be made solid food by concentrating at the end part of
the scripture -  s it were the body of people, body of people  The same
word is written twice and thus caused many translations to translate it as
2 armies. Let me explain this part.

When we say God - it is a term used for the Godhead Body, which includes
Father, Son and Spirit - God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit.
That is God the Father and His Spirit and God the Son (who existed in the
Father as part of the Father and was declared as an individual) and His
Spirit. Since both have the same Spirit and their Spirit is a being Himself
that is why they are 3 yet 1. They cannot be separated for both the Father
and Son share the Same Spirit yet all 3 are individual with unique
identity. They together are the body of God the Father.

Similar way God the Spirit has a body of 7 Spirit yet is 1 Spirit (Isaiah
11:2) and God the Son too had a Spirit body which consist of the Cherubs,
Angels - the Heavenly beings (that is why some scriptures has an Angel
appeared and some places the Lord appeared for the same incident).

As we know God is light and when some of the Angels went against the plan
of God darkness came and this caused the Temple (the body of the Son) to be
damaged. God is a God whose plans are to prosper, so to rebuild this Temple
and bring perfection into it this time God made mere man who in spite in
spirit is same as the Angels but being made in the flesh is lower than the
Angels. God created us so that we become a light that overcomes the
darkness.

Man failed again and again and since by ourselves we could not, God the Son
became man and came from a woman as our sacrifice. Not born of a human
father He was born without sin and let by the Holy Spirit He remained
without sin. By His sacrifice He made available for us His Spirit and by
His Spirit He makes us be a light - as overcomers. In the end He comes as
Son of Man and leads a team army of Angels (elect men who are the first
resurrected) and together they destroy Satan, Beast and the fallen angels.
This battle people think would be like some world war or as shown in
movies, Angels chasing fallen angels and killing it. Sorry nothing like
this is going to happen. The battle is more like one nuclear bomb which
destroys everything evil.

Bible says the Son of Man (the Head of the Angel Army -Arch Angel) with
come with His army and give a shout which is like a thousand thunders -
trumpet of God. In this shout He declares His Holy Name - WHO HE IS and
this causes every being to bow (surrender) unto Him. It is after this we
who are revived from the corruption of sin become a part of God the Son
along with the Angels of Heaven. That is why the Bible in some scriptures
calls us little Gods since we become part of the body of God the Son (the
marriage). The glory which the God the Son had before is not only restored
but taken to another level by our Testimony in Lord Jesus Christ.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, when the Angels revolted against the light You could have finished
them there and then, but in your Wisdom You had greater plans. You made
mere man to overcome the mighty angels. You set forth the impossible and to
make it possible You became a part of your plan, which the fallen angels
never dreamt of. They saw You humble yourself and come as mere man yet the
fallen angels did not change because their hearts were hardened even though
they knew their destiny. Lord we thank You for making us part of your
plans. You have greater things set for us in Heaven which no human mind can
imagine. Lord, we pray we remain in your plan and not harden our hearts.
That we gaze at the Perfect One and await His return...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

1 John 1:5 - This then is the message which we have heard of him, and
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Genesis 1:1-4

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from
the darkness.

Revelation 21:23 - And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the
moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is
the light thereof.

John 17:5-12

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the
world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy
word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of
thee.

8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have
received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they
have believed that thou didst send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast
given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I
come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast
given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given
me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of
perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Psalms 77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings
lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord.

Daniel 12:1-3

1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth
for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such
as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that
time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written
in the book.

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I
will confess his name before my Father, and before his [his / same] angels.

Revelation 21:24-27

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it:
and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be
no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in the Lamb's book of life.

John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken;

Revelation 12:3-4

3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red
dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast
them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to
be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Zechariah 13:8-9

8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two
parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them
as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call
on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they
shall say, The LORD is my God.



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A False Prophet

Ezekiel 13:7 - Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a
lying [deceitful] divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I
have not spoken?

Some months back a group of Pastors approached me to help them organize a
grand event where many Churches of various denominations came together. It
was a dream opportunity for me, something I prayed for very much and caused
me to nearly jump in and say YES, but I chose to tell them I would pray and
confirm with the Lord and come back to them.

My relationship with the Lord is such that before any serious disaster or
great event happens the Lord speaks to me through visions or through His
Word. When this came I was a little surprised how the Lord had not spoken
of it to me before it came. Before going to bed that night I prayed to the
Lord to minister unto me, as I was praying I realized the night before I
had a vision where I saw 3 things. Frist I saw not many people gathering in
a business location, second I saw myself and my family at a place like a
restaurant far from this gathering and third I saw a terror act like a
blast happening far away and I alerting about it. When I realized this was
a sign from the Lord I opted out of that event. But I thought this event
would face a terror act and warned of it.

I was not at the event so I do not know how many people and how much effect
this event did spiritually to people and much commercially it made to the
people organizing. How much people they were expecting and how many did
come. Secondly that very day daughter was celebrating her birthday with her
friends at a restaurant and this was unplanned and happened at the last
moment. It was after it happened that I realized what I was shown. About
the third part that day I was praying nothing bad happens I even told one
of the organizers to be careful. Those two days of the event, I watched the
NEWS continuously to see if any bad news, my heart did and did not want
anything bad to happen. I did not want people to be hurt but at the same
time I did not want to be pointed a finger at me. Nothing happened at the
event all went well. But that day there was a big terror act (bomb blast)
in Lebanon that very time of the event.

That day I was kind of destroyed and for many days I questioned my vision
and the Lord if I had walked into the danger zone of 'false prophet' ? Many
time before the Lord spoke to me in visions and I have seen them come to
pass. Sometimes I may have over exaggerated at time but they come to pass
but this time I had messed up totally. Later through scriptures I was
comforted by the Lord but that mistake of mis-linking things has put me on
a back seat. When I see a vision I speak what is shown and do not add or
delete or link according to my thinking but to plainly speak what is shown.
Till date I have not understood why the 3rd part of the vision was shown to
me, but that incident has caused me to mature more in the Lord.

Today's message says the one whom the Lord calls as a false prophet is the
one who speaks a deceitful divination. If one goes into the root of these
words on the lighter side it means they spoke even though God did not speak
to them. It means they were lying in the name of the Lord. On the harder
side these words mean they spoke with a purpose to destroy.

In Deuteronomy 13:1-5 the Lord clearly says when these people (false
prophets) lie with the intension to mislead us to worship other gods such a
person would receive the punishment of a false prophet.

If we look at the Bible most of the prophecies given by the Prophets were
not clearly understood by them themselves for they had the Spirit of
Prophecy but had not received the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit of Truth was
given to us only after Jesus paid the price. Even after the Spirit of Truth
was given to the Church there were people like Peter and Barnabas who make
mistakes and misled people, Paul corrected them but did not accuse them to
be false prophets.

If we look at Preachers today almost all of them make mistakes, it does not
make them false prophets. All are limited in our understanding but as we
share and grow in the Lord our understanding is increasing and we are
becoming more and more accurate in our understanding of scriptures.

In the book of Joel the Lord says after He gives us His Spirit He would
speak to His little one in visions (things that are hazy, understood little
by little) and the those mature in dreams (clear visions, even though
symbolic but yet accurate).

It is sad when we have people to whom the Lord speaks in vision and dreams
and then the elders think these people are going astray.

When I started in the Lord and the Lord started ministering to me in vision
and then dreams and when I shared them with people, they literally tried to
destroy me. If it was not my passion for the Lord I would have become an
atheist by now or a Muslim or a mad person.

Let us not be greater fools by pointing fingers at sane people and calling
them fools. Let us not destroy those who are growing in the Lord, but guide
and support them when they make mistakes. Let us not swallow the fly in an
attempt to break away its wings, thinking the wings have the disease just
because the fly dusts it wings every now and then.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, in your Word You said after You give your Spirit to man You will
speak in visions to the little and to those who are grown in Spirit You
will speak in dreams. We pray for all those little in spirit to whom You
speak in visions that things may be more and more clear to them and that
they may one day see dreams. Lord we pray we do not judge people by our
understanding but be able to discern their intentions. We pray Lord we not
be cause for destruction of any soul and that their blood not be on our
hands...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Prayer Starter]

Deuteronomy 13:1-5

1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth
thee a sign or a wonder,

2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee,
saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us
serve them;

3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer
of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his
commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto
him.

5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death;
because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which
brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of
bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded
thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Ezekiel 13:4-16

4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the
house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and
the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they
would confirm the word.

7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying
divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and
seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.

9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that
divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall
they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they
enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and
there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with
untempered morter:

11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall:
there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall
fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is
the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy
wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger,
and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered
morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof
shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the
midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have
daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no
more, neither they that daubed it;

16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and
which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord
GOD.

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.

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The Wedding - are you going? as what?

Matthew 22:2 - The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which
made a marriage for his son,

I have heard many people preach this parable and till date I have not heard
one person get the basics right. All of them I have heard have made 2+2=5
where the 1 extra that they add is their worldly understanding.

Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a king arranging a wedding of his son.
Yes, the king sends his servants to invite people to the marriage, now the
place where everyone makes a mistake is servants are sent to invite people
not to be a guest to the marriage but to be the bride to the son.

In the Kingdom of God at the grand wedding which awaits us in Heaven will
have no guest. The people who are planning to be guest will be in the pit
where there is untold suffering. To be invited to the marriage one need to
be the bride and be dressed in the bridal gown. In translations people used
the word guest for the Greek word that means one seated at the table and
this has caused all to be misled in understanding it.

God is asking us those who plan to attend the marriage, what are we
planning to attend the marriage as? If we are planning to attend as guest
we are going to be thrown into the pit where there is untold suffering
awaiting us, but if we are going to attend as bride we will sit at the
table of the Lord set for His bride. This table has not food as in earthly
food but things spiritual which are beyond the most precious things
existing on earth or in this world.

If we plan to attend the marriage as bride we need to be wearing the bridal
gown and this gown is not made or bought by us, nor do we have to work for
this gown. This gown is made available to us by the Groom Himself and all
we need to do is wear it. Our work is only in wearing it and remaining in
it.

The essential bridal dress of a Jewish bride is a white dress with a veil.
The dress covers the bride but the groom knows the beauty of the bride. The
dress makes the bride look pure and untouched that is what the Lord
prepares us here on earth through His Spirit. Let us start today and put on
the bridal dress and remain in it, if we do not want to be caught at the
wedding without the dress.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You came as man and died for us not only to save us from spiritual
death but to give us life and life in abundance. You have set forth a great
blessing for us in Heaven which we can avail of only when we come to You as
your bride. Lord we pray we prepare ourselves for the wedding today and be
covered in the truth and in your righteousness. ..

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Matthew 22:1-14

1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage
for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the
wedding: and they would not come.

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden,
Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and
all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another
to his merchandise:

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and
slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his
armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were
bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to
the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all
as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished
with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests [one seated at the table],
he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend [mate], how camest thou in hither not
having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take
him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.

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The Bridal Dress of the Church of God

Exodus 39: 19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two
ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of
the ephod inward.

When I first read the books of Moses it was very difficult and I could only
graze the surface of its understanding but later as I studied the letters
of Paul and other books of the NT I started getting a better understanding
of the book of Moses and then it was just unbelievable as to what the Lord
revealed through Moses.

For example the priestly garments as in today's message, on the breast
plate were the 12 stones which represented the 12 tribes of Israel and in
the book of Revelation Heaven is made of the same 12 stones (in some places
the stones are called by its other name). I found that very intruding and
when I studied a little of gemmology and realized Paul wrote of these 12
stones in his letters and they symbolized the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
(9 in Galatians 5:22-23 and 3 in Ephesians 5:9). The Kingdom of God is a
Spirit world made of things more precious than earthly gems or gold or
pearls.

Even the design of the dress gives insight of the Callings and how each
Calling inter-coordinates with each other. These Callings are connected to
the 7 Spirit of the Holy Spirit and its order is given in Isaiah 11:2.

In today's message we read of the gold rings that hold the breastplate to
the ephod. The ephod is the priest garment and the breastplate the
callings.

After the Spirit of God was given to the Church at Pentecost and the Truth
revealed (started to be revealed) through Jesus Christ the Church started
functioning in the Callings and that is why we see the glory of God was in
the Church. The book of Acts and letters show the interactions between the
people of various Callings. But sadly we see near the end of the period of
the Apostle (disciples of Jesus Christ) the Church was infected with
heretic teachings and practices fused with Jewish traditions known as
Nicolaitan teachings and this Nicolatian&# 39;s hierarchy is what the Church
started following (John called it the spirit of the Anti-Christ) .

After 300AD we hardly read about Callings and even in the Believer Churches
we see the practice of the Nicolatians is still followed even though
Callings have started to show up. People with Callings are now working
under the so called priests / Pastors. It is like the ephod being worn on
top of the breastplate, the breastplate not holding the ephod but the ephod
holding the breastplate, thinking in the point of view of man and not God.
Do we think the Groom would like to see His bride dressed like that?

The Lord is telling the leaders of the Church to get the dress of the bride
right, according to the design He has given. Note the Groom will not come
till the bride is not in the attire that He has asked of her and those who
are not in the attire as we read yesterday will be thrown in the pit of
untold suffering.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, when You gave instructions to Moses to make the Tabernacle and its
things, they did not know they were the shadow of greater things which You
revealed through your Son. Lord You paid the price so that we receive your
Spirit and have the ability to understand your Word like Jesus did and by
it overcome like He did. Lord we pray for your bride, that she be dressed
in the attire You has designed for her. That there be a renewed thinking
and this thinking be not according to traditions but according to your
Word...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Acts 17:10-12

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto
Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so.

12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were
Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Exodus 28:17-21

17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones:
the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be
the first row.

18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be
set in gold in their inclosings.

21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel,
twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every
one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

Revelation 21:19-20

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all
manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second,
sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the
eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh,
a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and
righteousness and truth;)

1 Corinthians 12:27-28

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Isaiah 11: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the
work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

1 Timothy 3:1-13

1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he
desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient,
not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection
with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care
of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the
condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he
fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much
wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a
deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in
all things.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and
their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to
themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in
Christ Jesus.

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof
ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

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Mercy to Favour, Compassion to Passion

Hosea 1:8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

In the book of Hosea the Lord speaks about the 3 children of Hosea who
symbolize the relationship between the Lord and His people who are far from
Him and disobedient to His Law.

God causes the children to be named Jezreel, Loruhamah and Loammi.

Jezreel means God sows, this was the first child

Loammi means not my people, this was the third child

And Loruhamah mentioned in today's message is translated mostly as no
mercy, this was the second child.

The Lord was telling His people what He would do with them out of His anger
on them. I have spoken about this in my previous message. Today I would
concentrate on the second child mentioned in today's message. As I was
reading the scripture I went deeper into the name and its meaning. The word
Loruhamah is made of 2 Hebrew words 'lo' and 'racham&# 39;, the first word means
no and the second word what I noticed, although is translated as mercy but
is not. The word means compassion and comes from the word 'chamal&# 39;. The
word Hebrew word for mercy is 'checed&# 39;.

One would ask, what is the difference between mercy and compassion.

Mercy is to do with ministering to the guilty while compassion does not
necessary require the recipient to be guilty. To understand compassion one
needs to understand passion.

Passion can be defined as a burning or uncontrollable desire. Compassion on
the other hand does not mean opposite of passion but means lack of passion
and can be defined somewhat as pity.

Mercy is by which all creation exists. Grace is what came through Jesus
Christ and means the required amount of mercy to get the job done. Grace is
midway of mercy and favour is the extreme end. Only a son is assured favour
always.

From mercy we move to grace when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
when we abide in Him by the help of the Holy Spirit we come into the favour
of the Lord (become Sons). From mercy to grace to favour the recipient is
directly involved in the change but in the case of compassion to passion
the recipient cannot influence the donor in any way, it all depends on the
heart of the donor. Even though we cannot claim the compassion or the
passion of the Lord, but since we know the Lord is a keeper of His Word we
can have confidence to receive it. All we need to abide by the conditions
of the promise.

The reason why the Lord got angry with His people and denied them His
compassion is because they went spiritual whoring behind other gods.

Like we can move from mercy to grace and grace to favour by believing in
Jesus Christ and abiding in His Word, similarly we can move from receiving
compassion to passion of the Lord by worship Him and Him alone in Spirit
and Truth.

We may not be making physical idols and worshiping them, but even spiritual
idols can block us from receiving compassion or moving to passion. Let us
not idolize any man, or money, or riches, or status, or job, or respect of
men, etc. by make sure the Lord alone is seated on the throne of our hearts.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord we pray we not be like people of the world who live on your mercy. We
ask You to help us to move from grace to favour by our abiding in your Word
with the help of the Holy Spirit and also move from compassion to receiving
your passion by our true worship to You and You alone. Help us to seat You
alone on the throne of our hearts and put the rest of our world as your
footstool...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Exodus 20:4-6

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth:

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD
thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments.

Exodus 2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the
babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the
Hebrews' children.

Romans 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ.


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The Lord alone is our Rock of Salvation

1 Samuel 2:2 - There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside
thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

There is one word which is least understood in the Bible and that is the
word Holy. Most people confuse it with being righteous or being good.

We read this word is by which God is honoured in Heaven by the Cherubs as
the Lord takes His Throne (comes in glory).

The seriousness of this word can be only understood by understanding the
word 'good' in the NT. The word good seem a normal English word that speaks
of a level of comparison. But in the Gospels we read of an incident when a
person calls Jesus good and Jesus rebukes the man saying only the Father in
Heaven is good. This word is not the good we understand in English. The
Greek word for good is 'kalos&# 39; but the word which the person used in this
incident is 'agathos&# 39;. In the New Testament Jesus alone used the word kalos
the most and Paul also does use this word mostly in Romans to describe the
things of God. In Ephesians 5:9 Paul states this as a Fruit of the Holy
Spirit, but keeps it along with Righteousness and Truth as separate from
the other nine other Fruits which he listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

The word Holy is described as being sanctified or separated to God. God
again and again tells us to be Holy for He is Holy.

Some of the Christians put hallows around people to show they are holy, but
the reality is none of us can be Holy, we can only pursue Holiness same
like Righteousness and Truth for these Fruits are beyond the reach of man
that is why Paul did not include them in the list in Galatians. But God
made it possible for man to receive them through His sacrifice. That does
not mean now we can have Holiness, Righteousness and Truth. We need to
understand by the sacrifice God made it possible for man to receive His
Spirit and it is by the working of the Spirit of Truth in us that we
receive the Fruit of Truth. It is only after Truth in us, do we receive the
Fruit of Righteousness from the Son and then the Fruit of Holiness from the
Father.

We should remember unless we do not pursue them we will not receive them,
that means as we grow in knowledge and understanding of God and His
Kingdom, we need to walk in that understanding and separate ourselves from
things that are not of the Kingdom of God. If man tries to be righteous or
holy without knowing the truth, it is not possible. That is why we read in
Romans since none were found righteous that the Lord had to humble Himself
and come as man to pay the price so that His Spirit may dwell with man.

God is telling us today if we need to be righteous and holy unto God we
need to know the truth, and we cannot know the truth with our wisdom or
knowledge, for that we need His Spirit. So it is only by our accepting the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ we receive His Spirit and by our surrendering to
the Spirit of God and letting Him reveal the truth unto us and letting Him
by His Spirit help us walk in His truth can we pursue holiness. That is why
the Lord is called the Rock of our salvation.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, many of us try to be Christians but they do not understand none can
be Christians, for it is You who make us Christians when in surrender to
You and let You be seated on the throne of our hearts. Lord, help us pursue
truth, righteousness and holiness so that we may be part of You when You
come in glory...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Revelation 4:8 - And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him;
and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Matthew 19:17 - And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is
none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments.

Ephesians 5:9 - (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and
righteousness and truth;)

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Leviticus 11:44 - For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile
yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Romans 3:9-26

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before
proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used
deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto
all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be
just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.


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What is the reason of your blessing?

1 Samuel 1:21, 22 - And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to
offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not
up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be
weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and
there abide for ever.

In the start of the book of Samuel we read about the great Prophet Samuel
and his birth. His mother Hannah cries to the Lord and she is blessed with
a child who becomes a great Man of God and one of the most important
Prophets. Samuel was the first to start a school for the anointed of God.
He also had a great hand in getting the books of the Bible (before him and
during his time) together and maintaining them. He started the tradition of
forming a group of people who gave their lives to preserve the Word of God
through the centuries.

I must have read this starting part many times before but today as I sat to
write on this message there was something interesting I noticed for the
first time and it was to do with the attitude his mother Hannah.

Hannah became desperate to have a child all because she was taunted by her
husband' s second wife Peninnah. We notice Hannah lives in good relation
with her and they all went to the annual feast where everyone makes an
offering for the vows they made for the year (some consider this as the
feast of weeks). Yet we see in the dedication of the child at the temple in
Hannah's prayer she still speaks of the enemy who spoke against her when
her womb was barren.

We read after weaning her child she takes him to the temple and hands over
the child Samuel to Eli. The word translated as young in verse 24 is not
the young we think in English like lad or preteen. The Hebrew word 'naar'
used here comes from the word to be tossed to and fro, which means he was
still at cradle stage.

If one reads the words of Hannah carefully it is more about how the Lord
kept her self-respect and saved her dignity before those who spoke against
her and we know before Elkanah her husband married the second time, she was
living comfortably and was never desperate for a child. It was only when
Peninnah came in the picture and taunted in directly or indirectly that
Hannah desired a child.

Scriptures say the Lord shut the womb of Hannah before and later it was the
Lord who blessed her womb later when she cried to Him. Even though her
purpose for a child was not really the child but her self-respect and
dignity, yet the Lord answers her prayer when she desperately prays to the
Lord.

We read in today's message even though we may have not the right purpose of
God's blessing yet at times God answers our prayer when we pray desperately
to God like Hannah. We see a similar case in the Luke chapter 8 where Jesus
explains about prayer through a story. In the story a judge who has no
regards for man or God is sitting over a judgment of a matter and we read
the woman concerning this matter keeps on persistently petitioning the
judge day in and out. The judge out of irritation does concede to the
petition of the woman. Jesus says through the story there are times God
will hear our prayer if we continually keep on pursuing it with God. But
then Jesus ends this story saying when the Son of Man come will He find
faith?

We should realize a short prayer of faith is more powerful and effective
than a long persistent prayer. The most powerful prayers of Jesus were just
simple 'Thank You, Father', for one to say such a prayer one requires great
faith and it is only when our purpose and desire is according to the will
of God, can we have such faith. Jesus said first believe to receive; and we
can have the assurance to believe that we have received before we actually
receive only when our purpose is right - according to God's plan.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, there are times when we struggle and struggle to receive from You. We
keep praying and praying for it. Lord help us to be aware of the purpose of
our petition with You and we prayer Lord that we desire all things
according to your will and your plan in our lives. Although You turning all
things to our good but because we do not desire or do according to your
plan and will, we land up struggling and facing hurdles in our lives…

[Reference Scriptures]

1 Samuel 1:1-5, 9-16, 20-28

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and
his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of
Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of
the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice
unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his
wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had
drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the
LORD.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept
sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed
look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget
thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will
give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor
come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli
marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice
was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine
from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful
spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my
soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah
had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying,
Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD
the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up
until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear
before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry
until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman
abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three
bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him
unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman
that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I
asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he
shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

1 Samuel 2:1-10

1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn
is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I
rejoice in thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither
is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your
mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded
with strength.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that
were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath
many children is waxed feeble.

6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and
bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from
the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the
throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath
set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in
darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven
shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and
he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Luke 18:1-8

1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to
pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying,
Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself,
Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her
continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto
him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son
of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

-- 
T@MZ

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Becoming a son of Abraham

Luke 19: 8,9 - And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord,
the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from
any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto
him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a
son of Abraham.

Zacchaeus was not just a tax collector but he was the chief tax collector,
more like a Commissioner of the tax collection department. His coming to
Christ was not a small incident but something that must have cause great
ruffles in the social circles. This happened in Jericho and Jericho and the
place where the richie rich of society lived. Zacchaeus being a chief tax
collector of this place made him more than important than otherwise.

We see thus this man must have been really rich and also of great status
yet he did not care of his social status but climbs a tree like a child to
get a glimpse of Jesus. He was not aware of who Jesus was but he had heard
somewhat about Him. Even the little he knew of Him made him desire to see
and know Him.

Being short he knew he needed to get to some high level to see Jesus and
know who Jesus is. It is written he did not walk but ran to climb the tree
to see Jesus. Imagine a very rich man well dressed and of great social
status running and climbing a tree to see an ordinary citizen like Jesus.
He had not climbed just a few feet to overcome his height problem but
climbed a good high above, for it is written Jesus looked up to talk to
him. Jesus instructs him to come down quickly and he did obey. Jesus seeing
the enthusiasm of Zacchaeus tells him that He would be staying at his house
for the day. Jesus did not say that He would just drop in for lunch or
dinner, or spend some time with him at his house but said He would stay at
his place, this made Zacchaeus realize his social and financial status was
very little compared to the spiritual status of Jesus and he was unworthy
to have Jesus come and stay at his place.

Zacchaeus on hearing that Jesus would come to stay at his place did not
think of how clean his house was or if the things were in place for Jesus
to be comfortable, but Zacchaeus thought of his heart if it was clean
enough for Jesus, he knew now that Jesus would spend time with him, he
could not continue the sinful life he lived, so immediately without anyone
asking Zacchaeus repents for his past life and declares he would give half
of his holdings to the poor and compensate 4 times to the people he has
cheated. When Zacchaeus does that Jesus declares that now Zacchaeus is a
son of Abraham.

Note nowhere is it Zacchaeus was a Jew or an Israelite, yet we see Jesus
declares him as a descendant of Abraham all because He believed in who
Jesus is and truly accepted Him. Paul says we become descendants of Abraham
by our faith in Jesus Christ. What kind of faith which is needed to be a
descendant is what we see in Zacchaeus.

Today the Lord is telling us to see if we are struggling in our lives and
we do not see the blessings on Abraham in our lives, we need to ask your
selves have we responded to Jesus as Zacchaeus did. The blessings of
Abraham are only for those who are truly descendants of Abraham by faith
and not by blood or by religion or by legality.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, make our hearts always like Zacchaeus’ heart. That we realize what we
are in this world has no value before You. That we be as anxious as
Zacchaeus to know You and understand how to prepare ourselves to receive
You. We pray that the blessings of Abraham be always on our lives...

This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Luke 19:1-9

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among
the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press,
because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for
he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said
unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at
thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be
guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of
my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by
false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house,
forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

Romans 9:6-8

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not
all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:
but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the
children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Galatians 3:6-9

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness.

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the
children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through
faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all
nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.


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Time of fulfilment of prophecies

Zephaniah 2:4 - For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they
shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

In the timeline of history there were period of happening and periods of
silence where nothing historical happened.

The Bible notes and speaks of historical events that happened and will
happen. It is not necessary that all world historical events would be found
plainly written in the Bible (unless one gets into Bible Codes) but one
would find certain events written not just once but repeated in many books
through the mouths of many Prophets.

Understanding the Bible is not a historical book or a prophecy book, but is
a book that is concerning the salvation of mankind, it does include
historical records and prophecies which affect the walk of man according to
the law of God. Now some of the prophecies are repeated because they have a
great importance and ramification spiritually and worldly on the people of
God.

We live in a time of happening, a time of prophecies wherein many good and
bad both are happening. We find many people shaken up with the things that
are happening in our era. They think that the end time is near. If these
people look at the prophecies in the Bible we are in a time of grinding,
polishing and filtering, where God is working on His people preparing them
for the next stage wherein His Church comes in glory, united as one Church,
a Church of power and authority.

Today's message talks of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron, how the wrath of
God would fall on them. The common thing between all four of them is that
they are cities of the then Philistine. To understand the prophecy with
regards to our time we need to get into word study, getting to the Hebrew /
Greek meaning, grammar, history etc. of each word.

Philistine means immigrants

Gaza means strong / fierce (among immigrants)

Ashkelon means I will be weighed / paid out

Ashdod means powerful (among immigrants)

Ekron means emigration or torn up by the roots

Today's message talks of the immigrant Christians. People who call
themselves Christians but have no relationship with Christ and His purpose,
they are following a religion called Christianity. They are people who
think all religions lead to one God, people who think being good is the
most important thing above all things, they are people who think Word of
God need not be followed verbatim (in spirit) but doing a part of it is
okay, they are people who think all will be saved because Jesus came to
save all mankind irrespective they accept Christ or reject Him what is
important is they do some rituals in the name of God and do not harm
anyone.

Christianity is about overcoming, overcoming spiritual corruption with the
Truth (God's Word), it is about overcoming one's carnal nature by walking
in the way of the Lord, it is about carrying the Cross of Christ – purpose
of Christ of bringing His sheep to Him, it is about building each other in
the Lord so that everyone reaps great in the Kingdom of God, it is about
having authority in the Kingdom of God. In short Christianity is about the
Family of God and being active part of it.

When a person who is not a family member stays in the house he is treated
well for a few days, after that he is tolerated for another few days and
then he is no longer welcome. If that person desires to have good
relationship in the house he needs to be part of the family and cannot
continue to be guest.

Today's message goes out to all those guests who dwell in the House of God
and have not yet become family member. All these who think their rigorous
rituals, or their social status or their worldly works or their worldly
peace efforts will keep them in the House of God under the Name of Christ
are in for a disappointment. God is saying He is going to deal with them
they are no longer welcomed in His House, He is going to get rid of them.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord we pray for all those who call themselves Christians but are far from
Christ, they do all king of pagan practises like idol worship in the name
of a religion called Christianity. There are also those who think their
social service work will save them. Lord, if man could be saved by good
works, then You coming as man, becoming a sacrifice for us and giving us
your Spirit of Truth would have not been necessary. Since there was no way
for man and the gates of Heaven were close for man You became the way, the
only way. Lord, we pray that Christian understand what it means to be a
Christian and live it...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which
my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall
be my people.

34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least
of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their
iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Isaiah 42:1-4

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to
the Gentiles.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the
street.

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not
quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the
earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

John 8:35 - And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son
abideth ever.


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Silver and Gold Vessels of the house of God

Ezra 8:30 - So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver,
and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of
our God.

In the tabernacle there were vessels made of silver as well as of gold,
they were both precious to the Lord and both were called holy vessels. But
when we look at the thing in Heaven there is no trace of silver, there is
only gold.

Is God man to have desires like man? Does God prefer natural gold more than
silver?

We desire gold not only because it is good looking and suited to make
ornaments but also because it is a rare metal. If gold was as freely
available as iron than I doubt man would have that much liking for gold.
Also we need to remember God created the silver and the gold, He could have
created more gold if He wanted but He did not.

Everything God created He did with great wisdom and said all is good. Good
so as for man to understand the things which are hidden from man that is
why in Genesis it is written God created all things according to their kind
or His kind. That is why even though God said some things were unclean yet
after the Holy Spirit was given unto the Church, man is allowed to eat even
those things which said to be unclean, not that they became clean or things
changed. What changed is our understanding of things. Since the Spirit of
Truth is given to man, man now can understand the real unclean thing which
man should not consume which is not the animal but the image of which it
was made. For example a pig may be eaten but the nature of a pig is not
acceptable in man.

Gold and silver also like everything in this world has symbolic
understanding. Gold symbolizes spiritual richness and silver worldly
richness. Man is expected to have both knowledge and understanding of this
world and also of the Kingdom of God. When Jesus preached He taught them
through stories which had historical as well as spiritual dimensions to it.
It is only when one has the understanding of both the dimensions then only
can one have the full understanding of the teaching.

God is telling us even though the worldly knowledge is short term and will
not be of value for us in Heaven, yet God requires us to have knowledge and
understanding of this world. Also we should remember its purpose which is
our walk through this temporary life and we should not hold on to it as if
we are here forever, then we will lose the gold trying to give more value
to the silver. Let our gold be gold and our silver be silver.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, since your people do not have understanding and lack knowledge they
suffer. They at time go to the extreme and therefore fall. They lack
discernment for they are spiritually blind. We pray Lord the sight of your
people be healed, that they may see and discern and grow in You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Exodus 31:2-5

2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of
the tribe of Judah:

3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work
in all manner of workmanship.

2 Chronicles 1:11-12

11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast
not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither
yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself,
that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches,
and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been
before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Proverbs 2:1-11

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with
thee;

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to
understanding;

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid
treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge
of God.

6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding.

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them
that walk uprightly.

8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea,
every good path.

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto
thy soul;

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the LORD the beginning of wisdom: and the
knowledge of the holy understanding.

Ecclesiastes 2:21-24

21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in
equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for
his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart,
wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart
taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink,
and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw,
that it was from the hand of God.



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Judgment before the Son of Man

Acts 5:8,9 - And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land
for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How
is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold,
the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall
carry thee out.

Today's message is a very good example of how judgement of all mankind will
happen before the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again.

Here we see Peter was just a man, even though Peter sat on the judgment
throne yet it was the Holy Spirit who played the important role of
confirming the harsh judgment.

The Lord made a covenant with man starting with Noah and thus it was
written when Jesus went to Hell, He preached to the souls from the time of
Noah, and those who accepted Him were raised (freed from Hell with Him,
they did not go to Heaven but went to Grave which is a level in the spirit
world).

Most people think God will judge us at the end, but they do not realize if
God judges us none will go to Heaven, all will perish. God in His mercy has
appointed son of man to judge all mankind. Since none were righteous God
the Son humbled Himself and came as man not only to be a sacrifice but also
to become the only person eligible to judge all mankind.

Jesus says He will sit on the Judgement seat because He is a son of man.
Like Peter, Jesus also will not judge according to His human ability (since
He is son of man) but relies on the one who is true and that being is the
Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit in turn judges us by the Word, therefore it is
written the Word in us will judge us.

Revelation 20:12 talks of the books would be opened and the dead will be
judges according to the books. One needs to understand what these books
are and then one will understand how the judgment will happen.

If we read today's message Peter asks Sapphira (the woman in today's
message) the value of the land she sold the proceedings of which she was
supposed to give unto the Church, and she lied. In her heart she was aware
of the price but yet she confesses a lie. When Peter led by the Holy Spirit
passed the judgment on her, she had no justification to argue for she knew
the truth and the reason why she was punished. The same way on judgment day
the open books will not give us a chance to justify ourselves when we are
judged. These books are records of our words, thoughts and works which are
recorded in our inner-man (heart - not natural hearts) and also in the book
of the Lord; on the confirmation of the recording of the two books we will
have no justification.

Peter could have simple told her 'since you cheated and tried to tempt the
Holy Spirit you will die right here' but Peter instead chose to confirm the
judgment out of her own mouth. Similarly when the books are opened the
judgment is reconfirmed with us.

One would say with all the wrong words we speak daily, the lies we have
said or do say at times and the mistakes we make is it possible we can be
saved?

Yes, we can be saved because firstly we are judged according the
righteousness of man and not of God. Secondly all the sins before we are
born again are forgiven and the sins we commit after that for which we ask
forgiveness are forgiven and they will not exist in the records.

Now even though there will be records against us, we will still have hope
to be saved from the judgment based on the fact if we did make efforts to
keep the Word of God or not. Even if we failed, the failure will not be
held against us but if we have not tried then that will be held against us.

When David entered Jerusalem as king and called it Zion there were 2 types
of people who were not allowed to enter the city, they were the blind and
the lame and these two types were killed. This was symbolic to the Day of
Judgement when we enter the New Jerusalem (Heaven), all those who are
spiritually blind or lame would not enter it, all those who are ignorant of
the Word of God and those who have not made efforts to walk in it.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, it was impossible for man to enter Heaven, but You Lord in your mercy
made a way for man to come back to You. Even the Angels do not have
knowledge of how You will accomplice such an impossible feat, but Lord, You
are God of the impossible and we know we can trust in You as the Rock of
our salvation. We pray Lord that we do not be spiritually blind or lame.
That we know the value of your Word and we make efforts to walk in it. That
we do not tire but continue this race to our salvation...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Revelation 20:11-15

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face
the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and
the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books,
according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire.

Romans 14:10-12

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy
brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to
me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Matthew 13:40-43

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it
be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out
of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

John 5:19-25

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for
what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself
doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the
Son quickeneth whom he will.

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He
that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall
live.

John 12:48 - He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in
the last day.

2 Samuel 5:5-8

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites [means
"threshing place" - where the harvest is separated from the waste/hay], the
inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take
away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David
cannot come in hither.

7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of
David.

8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and
smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of
David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind
and the lame shall not come into the house.

Daniel 7:9-14

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did
sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the
pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning
fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand
thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn
spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and
given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken
away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came
with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed.

John 8:14-18

14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet
my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye
cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and
the Father that sent me.

17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me
beareth witness of me.

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Woe unto the Cherethites, Canaanites and Philistines

Zephaniah 2:5 - Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of
the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of
the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no
inhabitant.

The Cherethites were among the bodyguards of David yet we read the Lord
saying they would perish and it will be the Lord who will destroy them.

To understand today's message we need to get into word study understanding
the meaning of the Hebrew word and their root meaning.

Cherethites means executioners

Canaanites means lowland, it comes from the root word being humble

Philistine means immigrants

Cherethites: -

There are people who work for God's Kingdom like the Chererites worked for
David. These people may be great in the doing God's work, but they like the
Chererites are hired men. They work not for the purpose of the Kingdom of
God but work for the worldly blessings of the Kingdom of God. They are the
prosperity preachers.

Canaanites:-

It may surprise many when I state God hates humble people. I state this
because when God says humble it is not the humble what worldly people
understand. God hates people who think nothing of themselves or consider
themselves as doormats for others. This is not the humility God speaks of.

In Philippians 2:3 the word translated as 'lowliness of mind' actually
means not to think little of one's self but to be aware of the lacking. We
are called to be realist of what we have and what we do not have. Think we
have or are that we do not have or are not is called pride or boastful. The
words 'let each esteem other better than themselves&# 39; does not mean to think
of others being better than them but actually means to make others better
than them.

A humble person is a person who knows that he or she knows partly and
understands that God builds His people gradually and reveals things
gradually. Everything God has set for us but as we grow in Him we receive
and God does it so that we do not perish.

God did not allow steps to be built to enter the tabernacle so that the
nakedness of man is not revealed. God is not man to see the nakedness like
a man does. God is spirit and clothes do not hide anything from Him. God
knows man is weak and sudden growth or sudden abundant blessing exposes the
carnal nature / nakedness of man. That is why blessed is the man whom the
Lord gradually builds.

Philistines: -

These are people who are Christians because of reasons like they were born
in a Christian family, or people around them converted them or convinced
them to be Christians and reasons like that. They are not Christians who
have taken refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation; they are
not Christians because they have not had an encounter with the Lord; they
are Christians who do not know the meaning of the Cross of Christ and think
it is either a symbol or suffering which the Lord wants them to endure in
their life; they are not Christians who have founded their faith on the
Word of God but on things like traditions or words of man. The moment
someone promises them a better life (even social) or prospects in another
religion they would not hesitate to cease being 'Christian&# 39;.

God is warning in today's message such people, who are Cherethites,
Canaanites and Philistines would be consumed by Him. Let us be people who
have a relationship with the Lord, knowing who He is and who we are in Him,
people of faith who have a strong foundation on Truth which is the Word of
God, people who know without God it is vanity and there no life far from
Him.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we pray for people who give more value to things of this world and
sacrifice the rewards of the Kingdom of God for the rewards of this world.
Lord, we prayer all those people who have a wrong understanding of humility
may know who they are in You. That they reach out to others to build others
better than themselves, that they know the real meaning of giving and
blessing others. Lord we also pray that your people have a firm foundation
build on the Truth and your Spirit. That they not be shaken or destroyed
when tribulation or temptation comes...

This prayer we make in Jesus's Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Philippians 2:3 - Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-5

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet,
because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one
of you all toward each other aboundeth;

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your
patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may
be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Matthew 7:29 - For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the
scribes.

Luke 9:1 - Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them
power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 Corinthians 10:8 - For though I should boast somewhat more of our
authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your
destruction, I should not be ashamed:


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Gate to prosperity through the crown of thorns

Nehemiah 3:3 - But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also
laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof.

Theologians have great difficulty in understanding why the gates in the
wall of Jerusalem were given different names, like in today's scripture we
see the gate completed by the sons of Hassenaah was called the Fish gate.
Some believe it was called so because this gate was the way to the sae
coasts and most of the fish came from this gate.

Was the Lord giving so much importance to the fish diet that the Bible
names a gate after it?

In some scriptures this gate is also connected to Hebron because it was
also the way to the mountains of Hebron.

Gate is a figurative term in the Bible; Jesus used the term gate for Hades
not that Hell has a compound and a gate. Isaiah personifies the gates are
lamenting and mourning which causes the city to be desolate. Heaven is said
to have gates made of pearls; when Heaven cannot be measured how it can be
enclosed by gates? Psalms talks of gates of righteousness, could gate keep
the Law to be righteous. Proverbs talks of not oppressing the afflicted at
the gate that did not mean they could be oppressed elsewhere. So the term
gates did not really gates but symbolic to understand things hidden from
man.

Jerusalem city had many gates in its wall and some of them are listed below.

Valley gate, Dung gate, Fountain gate, Sheep gate, Old gate, Water gate,
Horse gate, Gate of Ephraim, Gate of the guard, Prison gate, Fish gate,
East gate and Corner gate

Today's message talks of the Fish gate and it being built by sons of
Hassenaah. To understand this we need to get to do Word study, find the
meanings of the Hebrew words and its root meanings.

The Hebrew word fish comes from the root meaning 'to multiply' and the word
Hassenaah means 'thorny&# 39;.

In Genesis we read when man sinned God cursed man and one of the curses
were that thorns and thistles would grow in his field. Thorns in the field
symbolize problems in work and thistles lack of profitability/ loss.

Before sin Adam did farming and hardly had to work for its up keeping. The
field was watered from the underground water table. He just needed to till
the ground, sow and reap its harvest. He did not even need to protect his
harvest since nature was not against him but for him. But after sin came
into man and due to the curse of God man has to struggle in his work to
reap for his needs.

Jesus through His sacrifice dealt with all the problem areas and this curse
was one of the areas which Jesus dealt with. We read before He was
crucified people put a crown of thorns over His head and reed [thistles]
were given in His hands. This had to be done so that the curse of thorns
and thistles be broken in our lives. Jesus took the curse on Him and now
anyone who believes in the complete sacrifice of Jesus will be also free
from the curse.

Today's message is telling us if we are facing problems in our work, it may
be business, profession or even the work of the Lord. Let us remember Jesus
took the thorns on His head and freed us from the curse. Let us tell our
problems “we are free from this curse for our Lord has dealt with you, you
have no place or power in our lives”.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, even though in your anger You cursed man but in your love You paid
the price on behalf of man and freed him from the curse. Time and again
Lord we forget that You freed us from the curse and allow the curse to come
into our lives. Let us remember whom the Son as set free is free indeed.
Jesus took the crown of thorns on His head and also took hold of the
thistles, and set us free from problems in our work area. Today we will sow
and we will reap a good harvest, not because we are great but because You
are great and your Hand is over us. You Lord, work in hidden ways, ways
unknown to man but your children reap the fruit of it...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Zephaniah 1:10 - And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise
of a cry from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a
great crashing from the hills.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.

Isaiah 3:26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate
shall sit upon the ground.

Isaiah 60:9-12

9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to
bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the
name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath
glorified thee.

10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings
shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour
have I had mercy on thee.

11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut
day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and
that their kings may be brought.

12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea,
those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Psalms 118:19 - Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them,
and I will praise the LORD:

Proverbs 22:22 - Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the
afflicted in the gate:

Genesis 3:18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and
thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Matthew 27:29 And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head,
and a reed [thistles] in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him,
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

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The story is written before

Daniel 5:18 - O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father
a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

In the Bible we find God takes His people through situations to tell a
story which is of utmost importance.

Jonah was put into the belly of the whale so as to give an idea of death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So also was Abraham made to almost
sacrifice his son Isaac to show the sacrifice of God the Father for His
people. Same is the walk in the wilderness of the Israelites and their
crossing the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land; all of them tell a
story which is greater than the act. The story of Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon is also the same case, a story told beforehand.

We read God in His anger delivered His people into the hands of the
Egyptians and then to other kingdoms. During the time of Jeremiah God
warned the people about worshipping other gods like the Queen of Heaven and
showing of the riches of the Tabernacle, thus delivered His people into the
hands of Babylon. God chose Nebuchadnezzar and appointed him to oppress and
rule over the Israelites. Then later when Nebuchadnezzar made a golden idol
and made all the people including God's people to worship it, God let His
wrath come down on Nebuchadnezzar and made an example of him and all this
happened very quickly, just overnight.

Revelation talks of Babylon the Great, the Mother of All Fornication a
kingdom unlike the kingdoms of this world and how God deals with her. In my
previous message I stated how this Babylon was the Roman Catholic Church.

In Revelation 2 letters to seven stages of the Church, we see in the first
stage Ephesus (meaning permitted - a Church set by God), God warns this
church about forgetting its first love. If we read about Church history
after the death of the Apostles and the disciples of the Apostles, this
church took a back seat in reaching out to the people. There was a slowdown
of spreading the Gospel to the different corners of the world, the Church
stopped expanding. This period called the ante-Nicene (pre Council of
Nicaea - the first council of the organized Church). The activity of the
church was so little that even historically very little is known of it in
this period (but most of the heretic writings like the Gospel of Judas,
Thomas , Mary Magdalene etc. are dated to this period). Before that even
though the Church was persecuted it spread throughout.

People think the conversion of Emperor Constantine was a good era for the
Church, they do not realize the teaching of Nicolaus (a Jewish heretic of
Antioch who became a 'Christian&# 39; and later fused teachings of other
religions into Christianity like he did when he was a Jew - Nicolaitans –
'Mother of God' title for Mary is his handiwork) got boasted by the support
of this man. This man Constantine infused Roman pagan beliefs and
traditions into Christianity and caused the birth of Catholicism and the
Church of Smyrna (meaning myrrh a sweet smelling poison) was born. This
church is said to be the seat of Satan. This church ruled for about a
1000years (also known as the dark ages of the Church). It ended with Pope
Clement V in 14th century, who made himself the Triple Crown declaring
himself (a Pope) as ruler of Heaven, Earth and Hell. He succeeded Pope
Boniface VIII who had repeated incest relationships with his children, male
and female. Thus came the Church of Pergamos (meaning height or elevation),
a church that lifted itself above the Heavens. This church is part of the
Catholic Church but another phase like the kingdom of Babylon too went to a
change of phase in between. This church is said to continue to hold the
doctrine of Nicolaitians but now it is also referred as doctrine of Balaam
showing more of the spiritual ramification of Nicolaitians doctrines.

Then came the stage of the Church of Thyatira (meaning 'affliction&# 39;), the
protestant / reformation movement. This church saw many Believers been
martyred for following the Bible and not the Catholic Church teaching.
After that came the Church of Sardis (means red ones) a church that
evangelizes Christ to the world - a period we are in. Even though the next
two stages had come to existence the church of Babylon - Pergamos
continues. The church of Pergamos / Catholic Church receives the wound (the
fall of Babylon the great) before the coming of the Church of Philadelphia
(meaning brotherly love) where all various Believer Churches will come
together as one, a church that has spiritual authority and a church which
exercises it.

Then comes the Church of Laodiceans (meaning justice of the people) a phase
before the Judgement day. A stage when the False Prophet, the Son of
destruction, the lawless one is revealed and brings into existence 'the
chip - coded as 666' (some ancient manuscripts put it as another number)
that controls the people. He kills the last spiritual leader / Pope (a
Church which is in exile in one of the current communist countries) and
becomes its head (the healing of the wound of the Beast by the power of the
Dragon).

People have a wrong idea of this chip they fail to understand it comes in a
boon to take away violence and evil of the world, a solution to all
problems, a blessing to mankind. It causes the time of world peace. But
internally it also controls things like faith and love for this chip works
on logic and things like faith and love are illogical. The false prophet
whose behind this chip also hold powers not seem before by any evil man on
earth, he bring to life an idol (of the Catholic Church) and cause all
mankind to worship it, anyone not doing so would be hunted and killed. Then
comes the two witnesses who bring the fear of God to the whole world. They
are killed and after 3 days comes the Rapture where some people of God are
taken up. After that the Dragon (Satan) is released to cause worldwide
destruction. After that comes the second coming of Christ with His Angels
(those who are of the first resurrection including those raptured, they
deal with Satan and his goons) and resurrection of the dead - the Judgement
of all mankind.

This is what today's message talks of the life of the King of Babylon.

We are children of light, although we cannot change what written but we can
caution the children of God and save ourselves from the evil things that
are ahead of us. We also can also take advantage of the windows wherein we
can reap greatly and bring to fulfilment the work of Christ our first love.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we pray your people walk in light and not in darkness. We pray they
give due attention to the Word and work in the Word and not against the
Word. That they do not find themselves working against You. Lord, we pray
harvest greatly and save others of your children from being deceived by the
things coming...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Daniel 5:18-21

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a
kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and
languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom
he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he
put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he
was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the
beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass
like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that
the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over
it whomsoever he will.

Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte
of Antioch;

[Spirit of Anti-Christ - that does not confess God (the Son) humbled
Himself and came as man but was God-man a man having divine Godly powers,
what the Catholic Church believes]

1 John 4:2-3

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is
the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now
it is in the world already.

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they
that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the
deceiver and the antichrist.

Revelation 2 and 3

Revelation 17 and 18

Revelation 13

Thessalonians 2


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Tempting the Lord

Acts 5:9 - Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together
to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried
thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

The Greek word used for tempt and test is the same word 'peirazo&# 39; /
'peirasmos&# 39; (temptation) which means to prove or examine. There is also
another word 'ekpeirazo&# 39; which also means 'tempt&# 39;, it comes from the
combination of two words 'ek' (which means by or out of) and the word
'peirazo&# 39;.

In English tempt and test as we understand means 2 different thing. To know
if the Greek word means tempt or test one needs to read the context of the
scripture. The purpose towards the result of the test / temptation defines
the translation of the word 'peirazo&# 39;, if it is test or tempt.

We need to understand, God as well as Satan put us through tests. God does
it to increase us and Satan to destroy us. When God puts us through a test
He assesses us, builds us and promotes us, although the result is good but
the way is hard therefore Jesus asks us to pray that God does not test us
but by His grace we grow and not by being tested. Satan on the other hand
put us in tests with the purpose to get us to fall and be condemned before
the Lord. Satan wants us to be destroyed but since he cannot harm our
spirits he tries to get us condemned by the Lord and thus get us to fall in
the wrath of God and our spirits be consumed.

To test us Satan makes us to get attached to out carnal man and on the
other hand when God tests us He sets us to be led by our spirit man. God
also strengthens our spirit man by His Spirit so that we do not fail.

James puts it well in James 1:13-14, he says let on one state God puts them
through a test for an evil result; when man falls to the temptation of
Satan it is because one operates in the lust and enticement of one's carnal
man.

God is Holy and perfect in Spirit. It is the craziest thing or unthinkable
thing to do when one tries to tempt God or test God for an evil purpose.
God does have a carnal nature that He be tested for evil. The Nature of God
or the Name of the Lord is lifted above all things and that is what He
upholds as most valuable and would not spare anyone who tries to bring His
Name down. He tolerates people when they do things out of ignorance or
weakness but when they have the knowledge of things and yet try to do it
God does get very angry and His judgment is quick and harsh.

In today's message we read how Ananias and Sapphira who were in a Church
that had great fellowship with God, tried to tempt God to gratify their
carnal selves and then God's judgment came instantly on both of them. First
the husband and then the wife died instantly when they tried to deceive God
in their Givings as one deceives a man.

Jesus told us not to tempt God and so also many scripts tell us not to
think God is a man that we can deceive Him. He does understand our
weakness, weakness of the flesh and lack of knowledge but when we are
knowledgeable of His Word and His Kingdom and have receive His Spirit then
His wrath is great and quick when we try to deceive Him. Overcoming His
Spirit is the ultimate foolish thing for a person in Christ to do.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You are a merciful God. You are slow to anger and forgiving, but not
a forgetful God, nor a God who does not have any standard. You hold your
Righteousness high, and your Name above all things. Lord, we pray that we
are not put to test but live and grow by your grace. We also pray Lord we
hold on to your Word and your Spirit when we are tested by Satan, that we
do not operate in our carnal nature but be led by our renewed spirit man...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Matthew 4:1 - Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil.

Mark 1:13 - And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; And
he was with the wild beasts; And the angels ministered unto him.

Luke 4:13 - And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed
from him for a season.

Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14:38 - Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

James 1:12 - Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath
been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised
to them that love him.

2 Peter 2:9 - the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation,
and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as man
can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape,
that ye may be able to endure it.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 - For this cause I also, when I could no longer
forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter
had tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.

James 1:13-14

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot
be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed.

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Heaven and Earth will rejoice the fall of Babylon
Jeremiah 51:48-50
47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the
graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all
her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
48 Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for
Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the
LORD.
49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall
fall the slain of all the earth.
50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the
LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.

This prophecy of Jeremiah on Babylon was fulfilled when Medes and Persians
invaded it and having no regards of its temples destroyed them. But yet we
see when the Lord opened the eyes of John (Revelation) and put it as the
real Babylon was yet not dealt with. The real Babylon was not an earthly
kingdom but a religious kingdom which would mislead the people and cause
many to be destroyed taking the name of Christ.

When one takes scriptures from Daniel of the little horn (symbolizing
kingdom) which was unlike the other horns (kingdoms) and the things
regarding this horn, with cause one to have no doubts that this little horn
is the Vatican. Daniel records about the things the leader of this little
horn would do and also how this little horn becomes great. Historical
records of the kingdoms confirm the scriptures of Daniel.

In Revelations also the Bible states this woman sits on the seven heads
representing the seven hills on which Rome is built (the ten horns were the
ten kingdoms the Roman Empire got divided into).

This Church says it follows Christ but stands on 3 pillars which according
to it are scriptures, traditions and church authority. One would say what
is wrong with this? It is only one when we understand the order in which
they set these pillars stand, then we see its deceit.

For this Church traditions are over scriptures, even if these traditions
evolved a thousand years after the Apostles. So what scriptures (God) say
in not important, but the traditions claimed by this Church are. Over
traditions is the Church authority and head of it is the Pope. The Pope has
authority to change traditions and scriptures and we have many evidences of
this, like the Ten Commandments of this Church are modified to enable idol
worship (the 2nd Commandment is deleted and the 10th split into two) and
also the breaking of the Lord's bread, the bread was replaced with a wafer
in 1200AD a clear sign of tradition being changed by the Pope. People are
so blinded by her deceit that they are made to believe wafer is bread, by
that logic biscuits, cakes, toast and other bakery products also become
bread.

Today's message talks of a time when the Lord takes account of the doings
of this Church. People have no idea of the atrocities of this Church
against Christians (Believers) like in Germany where thousands were killed,
in some cases whole villages were wiped out for following the Bible and not
the rules of this Church. Any person other than a priest having a Bible
would be imprisoned and even killed. Bibles other than those of the
Catholic Church editions were burnt. It would be surprising to note many of
the Bible manuscripts available today were saved by Muslims rulers. It is
more interesting to note that the bed for Islam to take birth was made by
this Church. Pope Clement gave orders in 500AD to punish people who did not
worship Mary. That is why we see in the Quran Mohammad mistake Mary to be
the 3rd person in the Godhead (Trinity).

I was going through the statistics of natural disasters among the list to
top ten countries where the largest population of Catholics dwell.

# Catholics Population Percent Catholic
Country

1 14,54,46,000 18,42,27,000 78.95% Brazil

2 12,33,93,000 14,23,64,000 86.67% Mexico

3 6,96,30,000 8,59,30,000 81.03% Philippines

4 6,46,21,000 28,55,38,000 22.63% USA

5 5,76,65,000 5,97,25,000 96.55% Italy

6 4,44,99,000 5,89,05,000 75.54% France

7 3,84,06,000 4,45,08,000 86.29% Colombia

8 3,71,65,000 4,23,35,000 87.79% Spain

9 3,50,10,000 3,71,09,000 94.34% Poland

10 3,44,80,000 3,86,31,000 89.25% Argentina

If one goes to the following website (
http://www.preventi onweb.net/ english/countrie s/) which records natural
disasters in various countries one would notice there is something
happening.

The Bible states through prophecies during these times the Lord would deal
with Islam and also with Catholicism. We already see the work started in
Islamic countries and on the background work has also started on the
Catholic countries.

It is interesting to note USA was formed by people fleeing the atrocities
of the Catholic Church and today this country houses the fourth largest
Catholic population. It shows how people of this country moved away from
God and chose religion over God.

In Revelation 18:4-5 we see the Lord tells us, those who are within her to
come out of her and flee the punishment due to her and today's message
again is on the same grounds. Flee this woman and be saved.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, when the time came for a prophecy to come to past You sent messengers
after messengers warning your people of it. Today we see You are time and
again warning us through mouths of many of what is set to happen soon. Lord
we pray for your people who are still within the deceits of this woman, we
pray their blindness be removed and lameness be healed. That the truth is
visible to them and they have the courage to walk on the path of truth...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Daniel 7:7-8

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth:
it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of
it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had
ten horns.

8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another
little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by
the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a
mouth speaking great things.

Daniel 8:7-14

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler
against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no
power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground,
and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of
his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the
great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four
winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding
great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some
of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him
the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast
down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of
transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised,
and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that
certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the
daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the
sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Revelation 17 & 18

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Christians doing business

Luke 3:12,13 - Then came also publicans [tax collectors] to be baptized,
and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact
no more than that which is appointed you.

In today's message we see some tax collectors came to be baptized in water.
They repented for their the sinful lives they lived and wanted the
forgiveness of God in their lives and as per the teaching of repentance of
John the Baptist they were wanting to be baptized in water, declaring the
repentance to themselves and unto others.

While they came to be baptized they were worried about continuing their
profession as tax collectors, a profession that was most hated by people.
People knew by default the tax collectors always collected more tax than
required and that extra they would pocketed by themselves.

As explained by a historian for the people of Judea an annual tax was
partly paid with money and partly in salt since salt was a very valuable
asset for the Romans. The Romans also had taxes for other things like when
one got married or divorced. It was these taxes that hurt the Jews more
than the annual tax.

The tax was not a fixed amount but a variable amount depending on the tax
payer's income and race, Jews were maximum taxed and it was up to the tax
collector to assess the amount if tax the person needed to pay. So the Jews
were at the mercy of the tax-collector.

Today in business we have a variable factor called profit. Profit is not
illegal but a legal variable amount a person adds to the cost of a product
or service a person provides unto others.

As Christians we are to live a life of example, thus our profit margin also
needs to be justified. In the book of Moses God gave instructions of how to
do business between Israelite themselves and between others dwelling them.

Between themselves (that means our brethren) they were told not to charge
extra. That would mean sell at the cost, not our purchase cost but cost to
owner that would include overheads and labour. But to those who dwelled
among them (other people who were not brethren) they were told to be
reasonable and to not rob them. That meant the profit margin should be
justified and not that like of an opportunist, putting ourselves in their
place as customers / buyers.

Today it is very rare to see people doing business with ethics. Everyone
wants to make hay when the sun shines and this hay includes taking what is
of others. It is sad to see even Christians behaving like worldly people
whose profitability depends not on the product or service but on the
customer, how innocent or shrewd he or she is. Jesus tells us in today's
message to be true to our guilt and not to behave like opportunist feeding
our greed.

Let us always remember God is our provider our Father and customers are
just vessels through whom God provides. Trying to rob customers is like a
child whom its father gives a chocolate and is not satisfied, so puts his
or her hand into the father's every pocket to see if he or she can get more
chocolates. When the child is very little and innocent it may look sweet
but later this sweetness becomes sourness and shows the greed and carnal
nature of the child. This behaviour is never appreciated by the father,
especially when the father is also providing good food and clothing to the
child.

Let us not be carnal children, when we do we declare ourselves as children
of Adam and not of Christ. Paul a full time minister also did business of
making and selling tents. He did make profit and used this to cover not
only his own expenses but also the expenses of people with him. He also
managed to save some money with people for emergencies.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, even though we live in this world we pray we do not behave like the
worldly people. Let us be an example unto others. Let us not be opportunist
in worldly thing but in spiritual things. Teach us to desire things we need
and not things we want. Help us to always remember greed was first things
that bought a very anointed Cherub like Lucifer to become evil. We pray
Lord for your guidance in every deal we do...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Exodus 22:21 - Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye
were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23:1-12

Leviticus 19:33-37

33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.

34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born
among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or
in measure.

36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye
have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and
do them: I am the LORD.

Acts 18:1-3

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all
Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought:
for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Acts 20:33-35

33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my
necessities, and to them that were with me.

35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support
the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is
more blessed to give than to receive.

1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while
some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.


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Sons not to drink wine (daughters can?)

Jeremiah 35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded
his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink
none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken
unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.

In today's message we read from the book of Jeremiah where God speaks of
the Rechabites and shows them as an example of obedience and commitment.

There is one point that is caught my attention since I was just discussing
with someone on the differences between man and woman. Before I get to it,
in today's scripture we see Jonadab had commanded his sons not to drink
wine. The Hebrew word used for wine as noted here is Yayin which was a wine
that was fermented from mild to moderate. Drinking the mild version of this
wine is not forbidden for Jesus Himself did drink it. It did not intoxicate
a person unless it was drunk in large quantity. Getting intoxicated is
cautioned but drinking mild wine is not.

God has given us wisdom to discern, like a child is forbidden to play with
fire so also those weak in spirit are forbidden fermented wine. Paul
suggested Timothy to drink a little mildly fermented wine as medicine as
one grows old.

Coming to the point I spoke of, we see in the English translation it is
written Jonadab commanded his sons not to drink wine; that did not mean his
daughters could drink wine.

This scripture is a classic example of translations causing a wrong picture
of situation between genders in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word used
here is 'ben' and if used in plurality included both boys and girls, in
other words it means children.

The customs of men in the Old Testament were gender based but God wasn't.
There were some things God did instruct gender based but they were for us
to understand spiritual things hidden. We read the Spirit of God is written
in feminine gender that does not mean God's Spirit is feminine, for God the
Father's Spirit is also the Spirit of the Son. We need to also understand
God the Father is called Father and God the Son as Son does not mean they
are male in gender as man is. They are Spirit and the gender refers to the
image in spirit. They cannot be compared or understood as the human gender
we understand. Similarly the Church is called bride. We are the Church and
that does not make the men of the Church females. These gender terms are
more spiritual and not natural.

Being male of female gender is the temporary body or tent we dwell in when
we live in this world, on the inside we are the same. Even in Heaven we
will be alike with no difference between one and another. There will be no
boy, girl, man or woman in Heaven, we will be like the Angels - spiritual
beings. Even though Angels are called Sons of God yet they are not male as
we understand in human terms.

In today's message God is telling us we are equal in Him when we are
obedient to Him and all these who are obedient to Him become Sons to Him.
In the Gospel of John it is written Jesus came to give power to those who
believe in His Name to become Sons. This power is the Holy Spirit, for
without the help of the Holy Spirit it is just impossible for man to abide
by the Word of God and be obedient unto it.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You made us in the flesh but when sin was not in us flesh was never a
factor for us. But when sin came in man flesh became a factor and man
realized the nakedness on the flesh. The corruption of the truth in us due
to the fruit of doubt eaten by our fathers has caused us to misunderstand
many things. Lord, open our minds to the Truth as written in your Word,
with the help of your Spirit. Make us, your sons and daughter into your
Sons when Christ comes; make us like Him...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, to them that believe on his name:

Romans 8:14 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.

Romans 8:19 - For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation]
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Galatians 4:5-7

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ.

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Matthew 22:30 - For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given
in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

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Stoning to death
John 8:8-11

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went
out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was
left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said
unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn
thee: go, and sin no more.

In this incident recorded in the Gospel of John, we read when some people
came to condemn a woman to death by stoning according to the Jewish law
Jesus saves her.

These people were not taking the law in their hands. They were just
following the Law given by the Lord through Moses and as understood by
them, which stated an adulterous woman or man should be stoned to death.

There were many other laws given in the books of Leviticus, Numbers and
also Deuteronomy wherein people were to be stoned to death for many other
reasons, like worshiping idols or other gods, blaspheming God. Some of the
craziest among them were if a son does not listen to his parents and if the
parents were fed up with him, all they needed to do was bring him to the
elders and declare him stubborn and rebellious, not obeying their voice;
being a glutton, and a drunkard, then they would stone the son to death.
Also as person found doing work on a Sabbath day was to be put to death by
stoning. There is one where a young girl married and proved to be not a
virgin as committed by the girl’s father then the girl would be stoned to
death at the door of the father’s house. Even a person having an evil
spirit was to be stoned to death.

But we see Jesus did none of these things, He delivered people from evil
spirit, saved sinners from being stoned, yet it is written He kept the Law
of Moses and was without blemish (did not break the Law).

When I debate with Muslims many of them jump to these scriptures and it
becomes difficult to explain to them. I have seen many Christian simply
state these laws are old and not to be followed, but we see Jesus said He
did not come to change any Law but fulfil it.

One important thing we need to understand all the Laws of God even those
given by Moses still stand. But then what the Jews understood of the Law of
the Lord given through Moses is not what the Lord meant. Jesus kept the Law
in its true meaning. The Bible says Jesus added Grace other that Truth.
That means He showed us the true meaning of the Law and also gave us the
grace to be saved from the consequence of the Law.

We all will be judged as per the Law of the Lord given through Moses and
other Prophets but the virginity as stated in the book of Moses for which
we will be stoned (killed) for will not be the physical virginity but our
spiritual virginity. God calls going after other gods as whoring so also
worshipping of idols. The murder we will be stoned for will not be more the
natural murder but the spiritual murder we do when we cause people to fall
spiritually. Jesus said it is better to put a large stone round our neck
and jump in the sea rather than harm any spiritually little one.

It is very scary when we understand the terms in which we will be judged on
the Day of Judgment but then Jesus also saves us that day like He did to
the woman in today’s message.

The most amazing thing I learnt of late, as the Bible says on Judgment Day
we will be judged not by God but by man - the Son of Man Jesus. Jesus said
God has given Him the authority to judge for He is man and He is found
worthy to judge. He also fulfils the Law of the Lord given through Moses
that no one be put to death unless there is more than 1 witness. That is
why Jesus says He will not judge according His human understanding (since
He sits on Judgment Seat as Son of Man) but says the Word of God will judge
us and the Spirit of God will be also witness to our judgment. Therefore 3
will be in Judgement over us, the Son of Man, the Word and the Spirit of
God.

But the most, greatest good news for us is that we would not be judged
according to the righteousness of God but according to the righteousness of
man since it is Son of Man who sits on judgement seat. If we were judges
according to God and by God none of us would go to Heaven, but since we are
judged by man we have hope to go to Heaven.

On Judgement day we would not be able to speak or defend for ourselves
since the books would be open. These books means the records of all that we
did, spoke and thought as recorded by the Lord and also the same as
recorded in our hearts (inner-man). The things we are forgiven for would
not exist in both but that which we haven’t repented for will be there.

Like today’s message says the woman was condemned according the Law but yet
was saved for she took refuge in Jesus Christ. She did not argue or try to
defend herself. She knew according to the Law she was due to be stoned to
death but her hope in Jesus Christ saved her. So also all of us who take
refuge in Christ on the Judgement Day will be saved. Those who try to
justify themselves by the works will be condemned, but those who realize it
is not their good works that erases their wrong doings but the only thing
that saves them is taking refuge in the grace of Jesus Christ and they
alone will be able to enter Heaven. Bibles says those who have the Truth in
them and are covered by the Blood of Christ which symbolizes Righteousness
of Christ will enter Heaven.

Let us be like the women and like Jesus was writing on the ground, what God
has written will be fulfilled.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we thank You for You are a merciful God. You know none of us would
stand any chance to be saved but in your mercy You made a way for us. Lord,
we thank You for the Word, your Spirit and for your Son Jesus Christ
through whom we have the hope of salvation. We know if we take refuge in
Him we will live and have life in abundance for your Word is true...

This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

[Reference Starter]

Leviticus 20:27 - A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that
is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with
stones: their blood shall be upon them.

Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall
surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him:
as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth
the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

Leviticus 21:21-23

21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a
man, he shall be put to death.

22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one
of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth
him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the
children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 15:32-36

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a
man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and
Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be
done to him.

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all
the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him
with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 13:6-10

6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or
the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice
thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not
known, thou, nor thy fathers;

7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto
thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the
other end of the earth;

8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall
thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal
him:

9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to
put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath
sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Deuteronomy 17:2-7

2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy
God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of
the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant,

3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the
sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently,
and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is
wrought in Israel:

5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed
that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt
stone them with stones, till they die.

6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is
worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall
not be put to death.

7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death,
and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away
from among you.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21

18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the
voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have
chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out
unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is
stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a
drunkard.

21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die:
so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and
fear.

Deuteronomy 22:20-24

20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for
the damsel:

21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house,
and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because
she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house:
so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they
shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the
woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man
find her in the city, and lie with her;

24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye
shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried
not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his
neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

John 5:26-27

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to
have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is
the Son of man.

John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the
last day.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Romans 2:26-29

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law,
shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law,
judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the
heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men,
but of God.

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Jezreel - Loruhamah - Loammi

Hosea 1:2-11

2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to
Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms:
for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and
bare him a son.

4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little
while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and
will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of
Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him,
Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of
Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the
LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle,
by horses, nor by horsemen.

8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I
will not be your God.

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the
sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that
in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it
shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered
together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of
the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

When we read verse 2 to 9 these 8 verses can bring shiver to any person if
that person knows these children of Hosea symbolize those who call
themselves God's people.

The first name Jezreel means - God sows.

The second name Loruhamah means - no mercy.

The third name Loammi means - not my people.

The name Gomer means - complete.

The name Diblaim means - double cake.

The name Jehu means - Jehovah is He.

One needs to read 1 Kings 21:1-29 to understand the background of today's
message. In Revelation again the character Jezebel is mentioned. As we know
the book of Revelation is a book that reveals more of prophetic times or
times beyond the time the writer wrote the scriptures. Thus this name is
not to do with the person Jezebel but with the characteristics of the
person.

Today's message also is not to do with the persons named but with the
characteristics the names represent. In the Old Testament the blood
descendants of Abraham - Isaac - Jacob were known as Israel, in the New
Testament we read those who believe in Jesus Christ by faith are the true
descendants of Abraham and inheritors of the promises given to Abraham,
faith is thicker than natural blood.

People think these scriptures of Hosea are concerning the Israelites - the
blood descendants, but in reality these scriptures are concerning the true
descendants of Abraham those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Without going too much in details - today's message, the scriptures says
children of whoredom who consider themselves complete and who are pursuers
of pleasures of this world and also of the Kingdom of God and who killed to
fulfil their desire. They killed people of God in deceiving ways, accusing
them of blasphemy against God. God says He will take revenge of their blood.

He says He will show no mercy against them. We see for the blood of Jesus
the wrath of God came on the Jews after many years in 70AD. That day still
brings shiver in the body and grief to those who know the details of it,
especially the Jews. Imagine what God would do for the blood of the
thousands of Jesus, people who were like His Son since they truly believed
in Him and followed Him.

God gave time to the Jews in Jerusalem to repent and those who were amongst
them to be saved by abiding in His Word. Those who remembered the words of
Jesus at that time were saved for they acted on it. These people to whom
today's message goes have less chance of being saved because they have
rejected the Word of God so there is lesser hope for them.

God is saying He will declare these so called people of God as not His
people and His true people will be lifted up.

When we read the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation, we see
a great change happens in between the fifth and the sixth stages of the
church. The fifth stage is the stage of evangelization of Christ and we see
we are in this stage. Today the way Christ is evangelized is done worldwide
as it was never done before. We have stepped in this stage just a few years
back and this will accelerate further. Then comes the stage where all
churches come together as one, it is written as the Church of the Brethren.
Between these stages is the time when the false Church - the Mystery
Babylon, the Mother of Harlots falls, the time when God lets His wrath fall
on her. God says He will deal with her worse than He did in 70AD with the
Jews for the blood of His Son.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord we pray that this message goes to the hearts of those who are still
under the deceit of Jezebel. We pray they be saved from your wrath like
some of the Jews who abided to your words on that day and took refuge in
the mountains by jumping from root top to roof top. Lord, may You be
glorified in all this, your Name be lifted up and people know your Word is
true...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Luke 20:18 - Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Revelation 2:20 - Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because
thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to
teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things
sacrificed unto idols.

1 Kings 21:1-29

Revelation 17, 18

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Attending funerals

Acts 5:6 - And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and
buried him.

A few days back someone at my Bible class put a very dicey question to me.
As Believers do we attend funerals?

In the Bible we have Jesus stating 'let the dead bury their dead'.

As people in the light we know people really do not die. Their body dies
but they continue living. Mourning for someone who died believed in the
Lord is like mocking the salvation of the person.

On the other hand we have some Christians who carry the dead with musical
band and rejoicing as if the person was in prison serving a life term and
was set free.

In India we have a region where Catholics have a party after burying the
person and the main highlight of the funeral where is body is taken in a
grand procession with musical band leading and even with people dancing, is
the party where people are served unlimited alcohol. If there is a shortage
of good food or alcohol the family is mocked for not loving the dead person
enough. People take loans to do funerals like they do to marriages.

In the Bible we see a similar situation at the funeral of Lazarus. The
family had hired professional mourners to cry for the dead at the house of
Lazarus. When Jesus saw this and what they had done to the body of Lazarus
in the name of traditions, Jesus wept. People think He wept because He
loved Lazarus, but they do not understand Jesus knew he died long time
before and He also knew He came there to bring Lazarus to life again, so it
did not make sense for Jesus to cry for Lazarus. But when He saw what was
going on, on His arrival He wept. It is written He was troubled before He
cried.

We as Believers should cry for people when they are alive and not when they
die like David did. Yes we need to respect the body of the dead and make
sure it is given a burial or put away with respect (like at sea one cannot
bury so can submerge the body or if land is not available one can also
cremate).

Since we lack knowledge of the Truth we feel the loss of people. Jesus
called His mother 'woman&# 39; not out of disrespect, neither as great respect
also, but because He was aware of the Truth. He did love His mother at the
same time He loved all the others around Him the same (that is why He
called many by His mother's name). Being part of the family He was put in
He did do His duty towards them. But at the same time He knew He was part
of the greater family the Heavenly family. That is why He first fulfilled
His duty towards them, at the same time growing in Spirit and wisdom and
then He started His ministry according to the Father's plan.

It is a hard truth but we need to remember relationship of father, mother,
brother, sister, wife, husband, daughter, son etc. are all earthly. When a
person dies that spirit is no one's father, mother, sister, brother, wife
or husband or any earthly relationship.

In Heaven Jesus stated we would be like the Angels not given in marriage
for in Heaven there is not gender like we have on earth. The Angels are
called Sons not because they are all male. Angels are spirit being, the
term Sons is to do with the spiritual image of God in them not earthly
gender.

In today's message we see when the Church was in one accord and one mind
and the Spirit of God was great on the Church, they sent the youth to do
the task of burying the dead. The person who died did make mistake but he
was a Believer so they did respect the body by wrapping it in cloth and
took it out of town where the dead are buried and buried it.

Ideally funeral is a task for the youth (spiritually young) and not for the
spiritual mature. But when the question was put to me I did also explain
them the other part of it. Like Jesus went to the funeral of Lazarus to
glory God (by bringing Lazarus to life), I too go to funerals only to
glorify God. I have not bought any dead to life like Jesus did, but I speak
to those who around who are spiritually dead and bring light in them. I
will share 2 occasions...

One was a funeral of a Catholic friend's father who died of cancer but when
alive had harden his heart against God. He was almost an atheist. He
thought himself to be very intellectual. I wanted to meet him but my friend
did not allow me since he was a very strong minded person and she was
scared if I would be hard with him. At the funeral we were in 2 buses, in
one which I sat with the family I came to know his daughter in law with and
my friend sister in law with whom I would also interact gave him the Gospel
just before he died and the person repented for him sins and accepted
Christ just before he died. When I came to know of this I opened their
minds to understand what a great news it was. Soon the bus was no longer a
funeral bus but was more a picnic bus. There was joy and laugher in our
bus, the family members no longer were mourning. Even at the grave they did
not cry.

Also at the death of my brother in law who died a month back was far from
knowing God. He was a Catholic and neither religious or spiritual. For him
belief was not essential. He worked in the Gulf and was here for a few
days. I was trying to meet him the day he died to share the Gospel with
him. But unfortunately he died in a drastic accident. His wife (my sister)
and her children we greatly heart broken. Since there was none to help them
at the time I did take care of the procedures of the funeral but left all
the ritualistic (unbiblical) things for others to do.

I spoke to them about life and death just before the funeral. After the
funeral when people meet each other, they were very upset with me because I
behaved as if no one died and was my usual joyful self. Later they realized
their mistake and called me the next day to apologize. After that their
attitude towards the loss changed. They no longer were mourning.

For Jesus' own funeral the people around tried to do the rituals of men
(traditions) to the body of Jesus but were not allowed. They had put spices
around the body to keep the body from smelling since they had to keep it
for 2 days in the tomb shut. The next day (Friday) was a High Sabbath and
the day after that was the weekly Sabbath. But when they came on Sunday to
do the traditions of the Egyptians which the Jews followed like they did to
Lazarus they did not find the body. This embalming as I learnt the way
Egyptians did was remove the internal organs and stuff a paste of spices in
the body. Mary Magdalene was so obsessed with doing the rituals
(traditions for they had prepared the paste and bought it) that she did not
realize she was asking Angels for Jesus' body and the height of it was when
she was asking Jesus himself for His body. She did not realize He had
resurrected for her love took a wrong form, she thought by doing the
tradition she was expressing her love to Jesus.

Let us not be children of the darkness having no truth in us, but let us be
children of light with knowledge and understanding in us. Let us know this
life is just a process of exposing the precious metal from the not precious
metals, filtering God's children from the children of Satan by the exposing
of hearts of people. Let not traditions of man take away the truth from us.

Like I wrote yesterday we become a living soul when we come alive in our
mother's womb, until we die this earthly life. The word used for living
soul when Adam was made means a mouldable soul. That means before our birth
although we existed and our soul existed, it was not mouldable and was
corrupt due to our fore fathers and when we die before or soul again
becomes unmould able we have a choice of what we do with our soul. Do we
accept Christ and let the Holy Spirit bring the Truth in us and make our
soul like that of Jesus so that we go to Heaven? That is our choice.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we were created by You in the beginning. You knew us even before we
came alive in this world. You planned the best for us because You know us
and your wisdom is beyond measure. You put us among certain people not by
change but with knowledge, knowing what is best for us, to change us and
help us overcome. You put us to test Lord, but do not let us to be broken.
We go through real bad situations only when we remove You out of our lives.
Lord, help us understand live better and walk in light...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Acts 5:5-6, 10

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and
great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried
him.

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost:
and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth,
buried her by her husband.

2 Samuel 12:16-20

16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went
in, and lay all night upon the earth.

17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up
from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the
servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they
said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he
would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell
him that the child is dead?

19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that
the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child
dead? And they said, He is dead.

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and
changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped:
then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before
him, and he did eat.

John 11:32-36

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at
his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had
not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which
came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and
see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

Luke 9:60 - Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou
and preach the kingdom of God.

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.


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Reconciled in His body of flesh through death
Colossians 1:21-23

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to
every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

We need to understand the mission of the man Jesus to understand how we are
saved.

In Genesis 5:1,2 we read God called all the generation of Adam as Adam.
This is when the nature of Adam was imparted to those born out of the flesh
of Adam. That meant all those born of Adam and his generations by birth
have the sinful nature of Adam and also the curses on Adam. The sin was not
passed but the sin nature and curses were. God does not punish one for the
sins of the other but when someone born of the corrupt flesh, the
corruption gets passed unto its generations.

God in His mercy towards man in Exodus was more specific as to the number
of generations the sin nature would be passed down; God states from man
unto his fourth generation. That means if one is born of a corrupt human
being and does no sin and his 3 generations also do not, then that sin
nature will die. But the flesh of man is so weak forget next 3 generations
even one generation could not be without sin. Bible says no man was found
righteous (meaning walking right according to God / without sin).

Sins and sin nature made man an enemy of God for God hates sin. That is why
sins caused man to be cursed by God and one of the greatest curses was man
being condemned to hell a prison where he would live the rest of his spirit
life after natural death, till his spirit life perishes.

The love and plans of God could not see man being destroyed so God Himself
had to solve this problem. Since no man would, so God the Son in the
beginning humbled Himself and came as man to be the perfect sacrifice and
make a way out for man. Since the sin nature and curses were from father to
son (the mother's sin nature and curses go via the father since they become
one) therefore God the Son had to be born a human, of a human, yet not of a
human father. That is why the man Jesus was born of a virgin. As man His
Father was the Holy Spirit, for the virgin Mary conceived when she was
filled with the Holy Spirit. That means Mary did not need to be without sin
for Jesus to be born of her and be without sin; even though she was with
sin her sins could not be passed to Jesus since His Father was not a human
and was Holy without sin also the Holy Spirit did not have human
relationship with Mary to cause Jesus to be born. That is why Jesus being
100 percent man, born out of the womb of a woman with sin was yet without
sin.

Being born perfect was not the only criteria for the perfect sacrifice,
Jesus had to remain without sin / blemish unto death. And it was the Holy
Spirit who helped Him to remain without sin. Jesus was 100percent man; He
did not have any of His God powers for He humbled Himself before becoming
man which means He gave up His God powers. The powers He had and those
which He demonstrated were as Christ - a man with the Holy Spirit. That
means any person filled with the Holy Spirit would be able to do what Jesus
did. The only reason we who are baptized in the Holy Spirit are not able to
do all things which Jesus did, is because we are growing in the Holy Spirit
while Jesus was The Christ - the man in whom the Holy Spirit dwelled in
full.

Since Jesus took all the sins on Him when He died He was forsaken and went
to hell. The sins of the world (all those who believe in Him) covered Him
and the Father's face was turned away from Him and He became a curse for us
and went to hell but He could not be kept there for in Him there was no
sin. That is the reason He resurrected / rose from hell and came back.

Also when He was man in flesh He had not committed even one sin His flesh
was perfect. Therefore when He rose, He rose in His flesh. This was a
promise given unto David that his seed would be raised in His flesh. We see
it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus resurrected. This power
was not enacted in hell but enacted here on earth while Jesus was alive.

Being Born-again is must for us to enter Heaven because by believing in the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are saved from hell, but only by
the working of the Holy Spirit we overcome the sin nature of Adam in us and
corruption that is in us and thus able to do the will of God. This
overcoming brings the Truth back in us and after we receive the gift of
Righteousness from the Son when He comes back (we lost Truth and
Righteousness in the Garden of Eden due to sin) we are transformed back
into Sons of God, which means those who have the perfect image of God in
them, the image which Adam and Eve lost when they sinned.

Today's message tells us every one of us are born of Adam and as children
of Adam we are far from God but as we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Master we are spiritually disconnected from Adam and connected to Jesus
Christ who was not born out of an earthly father. This is not a process
that happens instantly but is a gradual process, a journey which every
Believer is taken. It is a long journey what is more important is not when
or where one has reached on the journey of becoming Sons of God but most
important is being on the journey. As mankind moves along the journey
progressing day by day as the Bible says 2 of us will reach the end point
and just those 2 satisfy God. It causes Him to declare all those on the
journey as Sons. Like He declared the generation of Adam as Adam just
because of the doing of 2, here too He declared all those on the journey of
becoming Sons also as Sons just by the success of 2. Taking the journey and
helping each other on the journey is the Cross Jesus spoke of us carrying
as His disciples.

Yesterday' s message we saw that our desire for God is our spiritual legs
that take us on the journey. Believing in Jesus will put us on the pathway
but only those with desire will move and only those moving on the pathway
will be declared Sons. That is why God says we need to have a desire for
Him, to do His will.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we pray for all those people who are deceived to believe without
baptism in the Holy Spirit they will enter Heaven for it is only by the
help of your Spirit we can abide in your Word. Lord, keep us grounded and
settled in our faith in You. Help us not to lose hope in the Gospel...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Genesis 5:1-2

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created
man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name
Adam, in the day when they were created.

Exodus 34:6-7

6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD
God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth,

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and
sin, and that will by no means clear; visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children, and upon the children' s children, unto the third and to
the fourth.

Jeremiah 31:29-30

29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour
grape, and the children' s teeth are set on edge.

30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the
sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Ezekiel 18:1-24

Matthew 1:18 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was
found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:20 - But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the
Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is
of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:35 - And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee:
wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of
God.

John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, to them that believe on his name:

Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is
in heaven.

Matthew 18:3 - and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become
as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:5 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except [if not]
one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God!

Matthew 21:28-31

28 But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and
said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.

29 And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented
himself, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said,
I go, sir: and went not.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus
saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots
go into the kingdom of God before you.

--
T@MZ

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Seek Him and He will give you rest on all sides

2 Chronicles 15:15 - And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn
with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was
found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

In the world we see problems on every front - economic, terror, climate,
food, relationship, financial and the list goes on and on.

In 2 Chronicles 15 Judah and Benjamin faced a similar situation. They too
faced problems at all sides and then a Man of God Azariah was sent by the
Lord to speak to their king. If we read verses 15:1-7 we see the reason of
their suffering was not their problems but they themselves were the cause.
The Lord tells them because they did not seek Him therefore they were
suffering.

God did not tell them that because they were not good people or because
they did not do the things He had commanded them that's why they faced
problems. God told them just because they did not seek Him therefore they
did not find Him, they did not find a good teacher of His Word and thus
they could not keep His Law.

People have a wrong idea they think if they live a good life, keep God's
Word and walk in His ways they will find God, it is only when we are good
God will be good to us and we will have close relationship with Him and
will be blessed.

We need to understand our flesh is week, even if our spirit is strong yet
our flesh does not allow our spirit to live a righteous life. God Word
tells man in no way by himself can be good. The only way for man to be good
(righteous) is when God is with Him. We do not need be good to have God
with us.

Bible tells us even before we knew Him, God loved us and Christ died for
our sins. Bible tells us to be have God with us or to be good all we need
to do is seek God. Now God is not a human that we can go to some place to
find Him. Although He exists everywhere yet there is no place we can find
Him. The only place or way we can find Him is via His Word and when the
Word is in us.

The Word of God is not a physical map but a spiritual map and to be on the
map one need to have a desire for God. Our desires are like our spiritual
feet that keeps us walking on the spiritual map which is the Word of God.

God says all we need to do is seek Him with all our hearts and in all our
ways and everything else He will take care of. Every problem in every
direction, they may be natural, emotional or even spiritual, the Lord says
He will take care of them, He says He will give us rest in all directions.

People of God, let us not think our strength, our religious rituals even
our mechanical prayers or our worldly knowledge and wisdom will solve our
problems. There is also nothing like luck, for God does not sleep nor is
anything not in His control. The only thing that He allowed freedom to is
our heart. If we set God on the throne of our heart which is our will then
nothing will harm us or affect us. Problems may exist all around us but
still we will be at rest, we will experience the peace of the Lord in our
lives.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, we try with all our strength to overcome the problems around us and
many of us are faint. We fight and may overcome one but another even bigger
stands up in another direction. Lord, we also struggle to walk in your ways
but fall every time, we then feel your wrath is on us because we have not
been good. God as You have said we cannot be good without your help. It is
only when You are seated on the throne of our hearts that we will see your
peace in our live and see change in our lives. That throne which You desire
to sit is our will our desire. Lord we pray we set aside all things worldly
and carnal and set our desire for You alone. That You be seat on the throne
of our hearts...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

2 Chronicles 15:1-7

1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all
Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye
seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake
you.

3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without
a teaching priest, and without law.

4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and
sought him, he was found of them.

5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him
that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the
countries.

6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex
them with all adversity.

7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work
shall be rewarded.

8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he
took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of
Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount
Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of
the LORD.

9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out
of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of
Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month,
in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they
had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers
with all their heart and with all their soul;

13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to
death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and
with trumpets, and with cornets.

15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their
heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them:
and the LORD gave them rest round about.

16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her
from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down
her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the
heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had
dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign
of Asa.

Psalms 23:5 - Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine
enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

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Its harder to saved people who think they know or who think they have power

Acts 17:4-5

4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the
devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the
city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring
them out to the people.

In Acts 17 we read Paul went to Thessalonica and spend 3 weeks reasoning on
scriptures with people in the synagogue of the Jews. It is written Paul
manages to convince many Greeks and even the women (including Jewish and
Greek), but among the Jewish men Paul does not have much success.

We read these Jewish men did not only reject Paul's explanation of
scriptures but in fact went to the extent of provoking violence against
Paul and the people connected with him. They did not find Paul so they
caught Jason the person in whose house Paul resided and took him unto the
city council. They try to create trouble by misinterpreting Paul's words
and accused Paul and his group of inciting dissidence against the Roman
rule by calming Jesus as an earthly ruler.

I have shared my testimony before; before I came into the Lord I was a
person full of worldly knowledge, relying greatly on science and logic. It
was only when God proved to me my logic and scientific knowledge was very
limited before Him and what I knew was zero that is when I really
acknowledged Him as God. Before even though I was born in a ‘Christian'
(Catholic) family and though I verbal called Him God yet I had not given
Him the God status. The same I did with Jesus; I believed He existed but He
was more a historical and theological person for me. It was only when I
gave God His position in my life, than did Jesus become a living person to
me, a person whom I would communicate day in and out. After Jesus came in
my life came the most beautiful person the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy
Spirit who turned (and is still doing it) my life inside out and upside
down. I could no longer live the person I was and the whole world changed
for me. People who did not matter to me started mattering, and also the
meaning of the word love completely changed. All this happened by God
healing a 70+years old Muslim unbeliever having cancer in the backbone, who
did not know I was praying for him and whom the doctors were administering
morphine as pain killer and that too did not calm his pain but in fact made
him a drug addict. He would often get cold turkey symptoms. His healing was
not a gradual healing but an instant healing like a dead coming to life and
running around. It was like Lazarus coming back to life, for this man who
suffered many years due to cancer and was bed ridden for many years and was
left to die got up that day and even went to visit his bank and to the
market.

Also my baptism of the Holy Spirit happened only when I was in in a state
of helplessness like the Apostles in the upper room.

Today's message confirms unless we set aside our limited worldly knowledge
and unless we come in a helpless state to God, we will never know Him and
have Him in our lives. The Greek realized their limited knowledge and the
women due to their helplessness compared to man were more receptive to
God's Word.

To all those who want to see the glory of the God in their lives the Lord
is asking them to not be like those Jewish men who relied on their limited
understanding but be like the Greek men and the women. Let us put aside our
limited understanding before God and let us approach Him with helplessness,
not relying on our strength and ability.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You made man but the fruit of doubt which man ate in the Garden of
Eden has filled man with knowledge that is corrupted. Man lost the Truth
and thus is limited in his understanding. Lord, we pray we do not rely on
this corrupted and limited knowledge. We also pray we be like the women who
rely on You for strength and protection. We pray also today for all mothers
since it is mother's day. Lord, we pray that the special place You placed
them in the family to nurture and love, that they be filled with
compassion, patience and slow to anger. That time and world does not change
them but You, your Truth and Spirit keep them. Bless them Lord...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Acts 17:1-10

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days
reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen
again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the
devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the
city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring
them out to the people.

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto
the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside
down are come hither also;

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of
Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard
these things.

9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let
them go.

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto
Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

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God is Fearsome, Terrible and yet Good

Nahum 1:6 - Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the
fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks
are thrown down by him.

Seven times it is written Lord is Good in the Old Testament, 4 times in
Psalms, twice by Jeremiah and last by Nahum. Psalmist like David did not
have a smooth and joyful life; he suffered great hardship especially in his
early stage of mission in the Lord. Even later after he became king he did
have his ups and downs, yet he stated Lord is Good.

Similarly with Jeremiah, he was one of the most hated Prophets. Every time
he opened his mouth in the name of Lord he would cause problems for the
people. They tried to put him away and almost kill him yet we see Jeremiah
said the Lord is Good.

Lastly we see in the Old Testament Nahum states that the Lord is Good
(Nahum 1:7), but just before and after that verse we see in verses 1-6 and
8-11 he gives another picture of the Lord. Nahum shows God as a terrible
being who is jealous and an avenging being. His anger is frightful; He does
not spare the guilty and utterly consumes them.

Today's message tells us who can stand the indignation of the Lord? Who can
abide in the fierceness of His anger?

If we look at all these people even though they went thought great
difficulty in life yet they proclaimed the Lord is Good, for they did
experience the Lord and the one reason they did that was because they took
refuge in Him even in those tough times.

People fear Satan and evil, they do not realize more than Satan we need to
fear God. The Lord's anger cannot be compared. But for those who take
refuge in Him this same fearsome and terrible God becomes a loving Father.

We have a choice to choose how we want our relationship with God; we can
live our lives gratifying the desires of the flesh and then see the
terrible side of God or take refuge in Christ and see the loving Fatherly
side of God.

God does not say we need to be perfect to see His good side. He just says
we need to take refuge in Him, it is He who will make us perfect.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You said fear not those who can harm your body but fear the one who
can harm the spirit. You Lord are the one who gave us life and You alone
have the power to take it away. Lord, help us no to fear the first death
wherein our spirit leaves the body, but let us fear the second death
wherein we really die. Lord, You came as man and became our sacrifice so
that those who believe in You and take refuge in You will not die the
second death and will have life in abundance. Help us Lord to take refuge
in You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that
trusteth in him.

Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth
endureth to all generations.

Psalms 135:3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his
name; for it is pleasant.

Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all
his works.

Jeremiah 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of
the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall
say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth
for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the
house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as
at the first, saith the LORD.

Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the
soul that seeketh him.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he
knoweth them that trust in him.

Nahum 1:1-11

1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is
furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth
wrath for his enemies.

3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all
acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers:
Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned
at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the
fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks
are thrown down by him.

7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth
them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place
thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end:
affliction shall not rise up the second time.

10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken
as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a
wicked counsellor.

Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to
kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and
body in hell.

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Times when Jesus wept

Luke 19:41-44

41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the
things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a
trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee;
and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou
knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Weeping is the external manifestation of the overwhelming of sadness that
is inside. The Bible records 3 times when Jesus wept. Most people do not
have an understanding of why Jesus wept and I too was among them until of
late when the Lord revealed this to me (I am going in the reverse order).

In the Garden of Gethsemane we find Jesus was most sorrowful. The Bible
describes His sorrow and His sweating as blood. It was not that they were
thick as blood, for sweat does not thicken; it was to describe the flow of
sweat. When a person gets a deep cut we see blood gushes out the same way
in the garden the sweat of Jesus gushed out as He was under a shower. He
cried and sweat in great grief. It is only when we understand the reason He
cried we will understand the way He cried.

Jesus cried because of the cup. He did not cry because He would suffer and
was scared, He knew long before of His suffering and spoke of it many a
times, for it is written in great depth in scriptures about the suffering
He would go through. He cried for one reason and the reason was the cup, it
contained the wrath of God it meant that He would be forsaken by His Father
since He would take the sins of the people on Him. Jesus could take
anything but to be far from His Father was unthinkable for Him that's why
He cried with fear and sweating.

The second incident that Jesus cried was when He visited the grave of
Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha. People like the Jews there thought
Jesus cried because He was very close to Lazarus. If one looks closer at
scriptures, Jesus knew of Lazarus' death days back. He told His disciples
about it; forget of Jesus being moved emotionally He did not move
physically. Jesus was aware He would bring Lazarus to life again that is
why He waited for 3 days and reached there only on the fourth day.

The reason He cried was due to what He saw when He reached there. He did
not weep for the dead Lazarus but for the people alive, who were
spiritually dead. When He came He saw the women crying aloud. These women
were not relatives or people who knew Lazarus. They were hired, they were
professional weepers. Think of it, at your birthday party would you hire
people to clap? It only takes an insane person to do that. But for the dead
they thought it good to show mourning and weeping to show people the love
they had for the dead so they hired professional mourners.

The second thing that disturbed Him was when Jesus saw the little faith of
Mary. Mary thought it was too late for Jesus to bring Lazarus all because
she believed in the beliefs of the Egyptians traditional belief of
afterlife. The Egyptians though when a person died 3 days the soul would be
on earth and would roam the earth and then the soul would cross the river
of death. According to their belief if a person was to be brought to life
it had to be done in the 3days and after 3 days it would be impossible to
bring a person to life. The Egyptians would put 2 coins on the eyes of the
body when they embalmed the person these coins were for the boatman who
would take the person across the river.

The third thing that the funeral that disturbed Jesus (it was the last
straw), was the things that they did to Lazarus. One should know embalming
the body was the traditions of Egyptians and the Jews took this as part of
their tradition after their stint in Egypt. The Egyptians believed the
natural body was part of the life after death therefore preserved it. We as
Christians need to note the promise of resurrection in the physical body
was given only to Jesus alone (via David) for Jesus alone was without
blemish in His natural earthly life. Every one of us resurrect only in
spirit and not in our natural body.

Jesus was aware of how this belief had a strong hold on the Jews and
therefore waited 3 days before He visited Lazarus. He knew if He bought
Lazarus back to life just after his death it would not have had much effect
on the people, like all those other dead people He bought to life. That is
why even though Jesus said this sickness (death) is not unto death yet he
waited. Jesus’ bringing Lazarus back to life after 3 days really shocked
the people because it crushed their pagan belief. The caused even the Jew
Priest to see an end to everything.

Jesus cried at that time because He saw the faithlessness of the people
close to Him. People whom He taught whole heartedly, people He considered
close.

The third time Jesus cried was before entering Jerusalem city during His
last visit to the city. He spoke of a time when this city would be utterly
destroyed by its enemies. He said its enemies would surround it from all
sides and consume its people including its children. Again here too people
think Jesus cried because of what would happen in 70AD.

In 70AD we did see the Romans surround Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the
city not leaving a structure in its place. They killed all the Jews there
including the children by hanging them on wooden stakes. It is written by
historians that they ran out of wood because of the numbers of people they
killed that day. Only those who were aware of the warning given in the
Bible climbed the roofs of their houses and jumping from roof to roof
escaped to the mountains just in time to be saved.

We need to note Jesus spoke of this when He was addressing a question
concerning the last days when the end would come.

We need to understand what happened in 70AD is a shadow of what is yet to
come and would happen before the end comes. In the end it is written Satan
(the dragon) would be set free from Hell at the end of his thousand years
are over. He along with his army would attack all the believers and utterly
destroy them. Like during 70AD only those who were aware beforehand and did
as instructions were saved so also in that time only those who have the
understanding of the warning and prepare beforehand would be saved from
this.

Like the people climbed the roof and escaped so also these people would
escape. There would be no earthly mountain to which they would escape but
to a spiritual mountain to which they would escape. The Bible says they
would rapture to escape these terrible times.

The weeping of Jesus gives an idea of what will happen to this Jerusalem
with is people of God. And the reason they go through this is because they
do abide by the warning given.

Today we see almost every Christian talking of the rapture but sadly they
do not know when and why. Many think tomorrow they would rapture and the
end would come. They forget until all prophecies are fulfilled the end
would not come. They also forget Jesus said until the Gospel is preached to
every soul on earth the end would not come.

In India which is a developing country and satisfactorily having a decent
communication network, yet we have many villages where people do not know
about Jesus leaving aside what He did; I can imagine the state in counties
that are under developed.

Today's message reminds us we will suffer if we lack knowledge and
understanding of scriptures. Let us not take them likely but study them
thoroughly and abide by them.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord Jesus the things that make You very sad is our faithlessness, our lack
of importance to study your Word and being far from You due to our sinful
nature. You yourself as man wept before You were forsaken by the Father.
You cried when You saw the faithlessness of those whom You taught with all
your heart. Today it is your Spirit who teaches us, we can imagine how it
hurts You when we show lack of faith and immerged in vain traditions of
men. Lord, we pray You prepare your people before the end come, such that
they abide and be saved...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Luke 22:41-44

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down,
and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel to him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it
were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Matthew 26:36-39

36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith
unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be
sorrowful and sore troubled.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death: abide ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,
My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless,
not as I will, but as thou wilt.

John 11:1-48

Luke 22:17-28

17 And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess you your souls.

20 And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that
the desolation thereof is near.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them
which are in the middle of it depart out; and let not them that are in the
countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written
may be fulfilled.

23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in
those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath on
this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away
captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and
great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up
your heads; for your redemption draws near.

Matthew 24:15-22

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by
Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him
understand:)

16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of
his house:

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in
those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the
sabbath day:

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Daniel 9:26-27

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not
for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the
city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto
the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the
midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the
desolate.

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